Surfing

October 19 2020

Izzy

    One good thing that has come from COVID-19 is that I've been surfing a lot and have gotten a lot better! I learned how to surf a little bit last summer when I did Junior Lifeguards, but I didn’t really have a teacher and I kind of had to learn on my own. This summer I did surf camp which really helped me improve my form. My friend Isabella, who also goes by Izzy, also really got into surfing this year. We started to go together a few times a week because she had a board I could use. We have both improved a lot and are now going to the beach about three times a week. We usually go around 4 PM after school and surf for a couple of hours. I have always loved the ocean and surfing just makes me love it even more. I’m usually in about waist deep water, catching smaller waves before they break. It’s so peaceful and so nice to be out there when the sun is setting. The water is cold at first but I always get used to it. If it weren't for COVID-19 I wouldn’t have the time for this so I'm really happy something good came out of it.

    Sometimes there are a very big waves which is why I hesitate to go to the “outside,” past where the waves break. Most of the time the waves are about 2 feet which is perfect for me. I have seen a stingray which is a little bit scary but as long as you shuffle your feet, you can scar them away. It is their home, so you can’t completely avoid them but it's always possible you could get stung. 

    I have been using a spring suit, which doesn't have the full arm and legs like a normal wet suit. I am going to have to get a full wet suit soon because Winter is approaching and I will freeze my butt off if I don't. I've always thought surfing would be a super fun sport to try, and now I am living out one of my dreams as a true Southern California (SoCal) kid. I've learned a lot about the sport too, like the different boards and the waves. Most people learn on a long board first because it is way easier to stand up on. Those are typically 7-9 feet, sometimes longer. Then a lot of people go to a short board, which doesn't float as well but is better to maneuver and do tricks with. I just got my own surfboard, which is 5' 11" (a short board) and made out of foam. I actually bought it from Isabella because she is getting a hard board now, which are made out of fiberglass or resin and are easier to ding. I love my board and had already tried it out before I bought it. It is so nice but definitely takes some getting used to. I'm still learning how to take bigger waves but I'm so glad I got to take up a new hobby over these COVID-19 lockdown months.

Update: 12/7/2020

A few weeks ago I actually bought a wet suit! I tried on a few before finding a great one but I really love mine and it keeps me warm. I originally bought a Roxy wet suit from Sun Diego (a beachy store with surf stuff, clothes, skateboards, etc.) that was a green/blue color. Then I went to the Ripcurl store, which is a clothing/wet suit brand and found an even better one which is the one I decided is best for me. It is all black and fits perfectly! The thickness of the neoprene is "4/3" which is 4 millimeters on the torso part and 3 for the arms and legs.

A picture of me surfing from a little while ago