By MORGAN SINGER | Junior Reporter
The sand is warm and soft against my toes as I run down to the great Learn To Surf LA instructors. The wind is strong, and even though the sand is soft against my toes, it’s not so soft when it starts pelting my calves and knee. I ignore that though because today is not about the sand whipping into me. No, today is the day I learn how to really surf.
Two instructors greet us as we walk up to their set up spot. There are six surfboards-two with GoPro cameras-, a box holding wetsuits and two bright and happy instructors. They introduce themselves as Patrick and Oscar. As we shimmy into our tight, but very warm, wetsuits, they explain that the waves are going to be bigger than usual because of the wind. Still, they believe we can get up.
After we are tightly sealed into our wetsuits, we walk over to where the boards are set up. Sierra, Drew and I each choose one surfboard and lie down on its flat cushiony surface. They ask us to stand on the board as we think is most comfortable. Drew and I end up goofy (right foot in front of the left), while Sierra is regular (vice-versa).
“Okay, so first when a wave comes up to you, you’ve gotta paddle until you really get the wave,” Patrick said as we lay on our boards.
Then they gave us a 20-minute lesson on how to get up.
“When you’re out there, you’ll probably forget everything we just taught you,” Oscar said.
I gulp. With those wave out there, I think, I’m gonna get pummeled. As we drag our boards out to the ocean, Patrick explains how to get out of a riptide. He also instructs us to cover our heads when we fall, so our board can’t hit us. Wow!! Even though I’m a little panicked, I still jump on my board and have Oscar take me out.
The wave is huge. Really. Thar’s the only way to describe it. It towered over me like a big monster ready to take a big gulp. Oscar then flung me over the wave, explaining how you never want your first wave to be too big. I land with a huge splash of water. I really wish I could have said it was super easy and I got up on that wave on the first try. Haha. Yeah…no.
The next wave was fairly big, so Oscar gave me a push, told me to paddle, and there I was. It was just the wave and me. So now you’re thinking, ‘Wow, she got up on her first wave.’
Nope, not a chance. The nose of my board tipped downward and I was sent flying off my board. I forgot to put my hands over my head, but not to worry, my board did not hit me.
I’m not going to go through the next 10 waves because let me tell you, they were an epic fail as well. I’m sorry to say this, but even Drew (my younger brother) got up before me. But then, it happened. Push up, left knee up, right leg forward, crouch, stand. Wow! It felt great to feel the wave beneath me, the wind in my hair and the board under my toes. My ride lasted about 10 seconds. But hey, I got up — and then again. And again, riding in to shore.
If you haven’t tried surfing, you definitely should. You should definitely go to Learn To Surf LA because it’s super fun and we had great teachers.
By DREW SINGER | Junior Reporter
Two weeks ago I spent a beautiful day at the beach learning to surf. It was so windy that I worried it would be hard to learn, but once I got to the beach I saw the surfing instructors setting up GoPro cameras so they could take videos while we were surfing.
They took some great videos of me that look really cool because the camera makes it look like things are seen through a fish eye.
Surfing was so much fun. It was hard to get out to the waves, so the coaches helped me. The surfboards were super heavy. When the wave took my board to the shore, it pulled me to shore also. I needed a lot of help to get out there, but once I got the hang of it, it was amazing and I got up four times.
The wind picked up the waves, making them bigger and bigger but the instructors from Learn to Surf LA were really nice and funny and made it easier. Surfing with them was great because they taught me how to get up the right way and how to be balanced.
When I got up on the board it felt like I was flying. The wind blew into my face but I still wish I could have surfed longer. It was so fantastic that I got a chance to go to the beach and surf with amazing coaches.
To watch footage of Morgan and Drew in action, “like” the Palisadian-Post on Facebook and check out our videos.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
