California Beaches

...As "Californians" we are lucky that living on the pacific coast gives us many options in the world of surfing.

Southern California:

*Santa Barbara
-Refugio
-Carpinteria Beach
-El Capitan

*Ventura
-Pistas Point

*North LA
-Zuma Beach
-Malibu Beach

*South LA
-Manhattan Beach
-Hermosa
-Redondo
-Venice Beach
-Santa Monica

*North Orange County
-Seal Beach
-Surfside
-Bolsa Chica
-Huntington Beach (Pier: North & Southside, 17th Sreet)
-Newport Beach (Pier, 54th, 56th, 40th, 36th Streets, The Wedge)

*South Orange County
-San Clemente (T-Streets)
-San Clemente Trestles (Upper & Lower)
-San Onofre

*North San Diego
-Oceanside(Pier: Northside, North Jetty)
-Del Mar
-Cardiff Reef
-Tamarack

*South San Diego
-Imperial Beach (Pier: North & Southside)
-Blacks Beach
-La Jolla


Central California:

*San Francisco-San Mateo County
-North & South Ocean Beach
-Mavericks
-Half Moon Bay
-Pescadero

*Santa Cruz
-Steamer Lane
-Pleasure Point
-Cowells
-Capitola (38th street)

*Monterey
-Marina State Beach
-Carmel Beach
-Moss Landing
-Ghost Tree
-Big Sur Rivermouth
-Sand Dollar Beach

*San Luis Obispo
-San Simeon
-Morro Bay
-Moonstone
-Pismo Beach (Pier)


Northern California:

*Humboldt
-South Beach
-Patricks Point
-North Jetty, West Haven, Shelter cove

*Mendocino
-Westport
-Medocino Township

*Sonoma County
-Black Point Beach
-Russian Rivermouth
-Doran Beach
-Salmon Creek

*Marin County
-Point Reyes (North)
-Stinson Beach
-Bolinas Jetty


Hotspots: The Wedge, Southside HB Pier, Mavericks, Blacks, Trestles

Videos: Here's some videos I found on youtube.com, a lot of the videos you'll find are just surfers from all over recording and making mini amateur movies, clips, documentaries--anything really, and i think they're pretty cool and give you a good representation and idea of the surfing life and what waves are best at what beaches and it shows you some average people doing rad tricks and big wave surfing (so this is just 3 videos of major surf places that are popular in cali: Newport Beach, Mavericks, Huntington Beach) enjoy!

-->Here's a video someone made on youtube.com of surfers and boogie boarders tearin up The Wedge at Newport Beach

--> One popular place for big wave surfing in CA is in Central California, Half Moon Bay in Mavericks-every year they hold a surfing contest and these are highlights of the massive waves surfed by the contestants in 2008

-->And here's another clip of a popular beach Huntington Beach in Southern California, this is another clip of some kids surfing on the southside of the HB pier and I just took this video from youtube, one fun fact is that this video was taken on my birthday =) ..but unfortunately by birthday last year (2007) is when all the southern california fires started happening and thats why the sky is so orange and red in the video (i'm guessing)

-Carla Darmiento

Men's Health Surfing Articles

Here are some really good articles Men's Health has published about surfing.

In this article titled "Beginner's Guide to Surfing," Mike Anders highlights 10 tips for surfers using the counsel of pro surfer Kelly Slater.
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=sports&conitem=d44c7635c29c4010VgnVCM100000cfe793cd____

All athletes, including surfers can enhance their game by working out. This article titled "Brave the Wave," lists 5 exercises that will help improve your stamina, strength, and balance.
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=fitness.tips&conitem=6d3a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd____

-Gabe Garcia

SURFING LEGENDS

Duke Kahanamoku

The name "Duke" is not a title, but a given name. He was named after his father, Halapu Kahanamoku, who was christened "Duke" by Bernice Pauahi Bishop in honor of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was visiting Hawaii at the time of the elder man's birth in 1869. The younger "Duke," as eldest son, inherited the name.
Growing up on the outskirts of Waikiki (near the present site of the Hilton Hawaiian Village), Kahanamoku spent his youth as a bronzed beach boy. It was at Waikiki Beach where he developed his surfing and swimming skills.

Kelly Slater

Kelly Slater is a successful professional surfer. Slater is an 8 time world champion and has been sponsored by Quiksilver since 1999.[1] He competed in the X-Games in 2003 and 2004. In May 2005 in the final of the BillabongTahiti Pro contest at Teahupoo, Slater became the first to score two perfect rides for a total 20 out of 20 ASP two-wave scoring system (the corresponding honour under the previous three-wave system belongs to Shane Beschn from 1996. In 2006 Slater tied Tom Curren for most career tour victories at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, then in September of 2007 he passed Tom Curren by winning the Boost Mobile Pro at Trestles. , Kelly has appeared on one episode of Girls of the Playboy Mansion to teach the girls how to surf and to attend the party.

Laird Hamilton

Laird Hamilton was born in San Francisco on March 2, 1964, in an experimental bathysphere designed to ease the mother's labor. Laird and his mother, Joann Zyirek Zerfas, moved to Hawaii when he was still an infant, after the departure of his Greek birth father, L.G. Zerfas, before his first birthday. Even as a child Laird showed an unquenchable thirst for adrenaline; footage has been released of him jumping off a sixty foot cliff into deep water at just 7 years old. While a young boy, Laird met legendary 1960s surfer Bill Hamilton on Pupukea beach of the North Shore of Oahu; and introduced Hamilton to his mother. Bill Hamilton went on to marry Joann, and become Laird's adopted father, eventually moving the family to a remote valley on the island of Kauai. JoAnn and Bill had a son, giving Laird a younger half-brother (and surfer), Lyon. JoAnn died of a brain aneurysm in 1997. Hamilton thus grew up in the 1960s and 1980s in what is known as one of the greatest surfing locations in the world, the north coast of Oahu as a playground with a legendary surfer as a father and coach to mold him into the art of conquering big wave surf.

Lisa Andersen

Lisa Andersen is a four-time world surfing champion from the United States. She won four titles in a row from 1994 to 1997. She won the US amateur surfing title in 1987 and turned professional the following year. From 1994 to 1997 she won successive women's world titles before injury forced her to stop competing. She returned to the sport in 2000.

Corky Carroll

Corky Carroll. the original pioneer of professional surfing, was the first person to be paid to surf and the first to receive endorsements. He won all the events that gave away prize money in the early years. Carroll started surfing in the mid-fifties in Surfside, California while in the first grade. He competed professionally from 1959 until 1972, when he retired at the age of 24. In that time, he won five overall United States Championships, three International Professional Championships, one International Big Wave Championship, one World Small Wave Championship, and, as he puts it, " a bunch of other less glorious sounding titles"--over 100 in all. He was named "Best Surfer in the World" in a Surfer Magazine readers poll in 1968.

Andy Irons

Andy Irons is a professional surfer. Irons, a kama'aina, was reared on the dangerous and shallow reefs of the North Shore in Kauai, and has 3 world titles (2002, 2003, 2004), and two Rip Curl Pro Search titles (2006 & 2007). An inspiration to many young groms, he and his family host the Annual Irons Brothers Pinetrees Classic, a contest for youngsters, to give back to the community that has given them so much. The governor of Hawaii deemed February 13 forever 'Andy Irons day'. The 2004 movie 'Blue Horizon' (directed by Jack McCoy), paralleled his life on the WCT tour with that of free surfer, David Rastovich. The film also touched on his long-time rivalry with 8 time world champion Kelly Slater. There has been some debate over whether or not the film was an accurate and fair portrayal of Irons surfer lifestyle.

Eddie Aikau

Eddie Aikau was a well-known Hawaiian lifeguard and surfer. As the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu, he saved many lives and became famous for surfing the big Hawaiian surf, winning several awards including the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. In 1978, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was seeking volunteers for a 30-day, 2500 mile journey to follow the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains. At 31 years of age, Aikau joined the voyage as a crew member. The Hokule'a left the Hawaiian islands on March 16, 1978. The double-hulled voyaging canoe developed a leak in one of the hulls and later capsized about twelve miles south of the island of Molokai. In an attempt to get help, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard. Although the rest of the crew was later rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, Aikau was never seen again. The ensuing search for Aikau was the largest air-sea search in Hawaii history. In the 1980's, bumper stickers and T-shirts with the phrase "Eddie Would Go" spread around the Hawaiian Islands and to the rest of the world. According to maritime historian Mac Simpson, "Aikau was a legend on the North Shore, pulling people out of waves that no one else would dare to. That's where the saying came from -- Eddie would go, when no else would or could. Only Eddie dared."


-By: Carla Darmiento

Surfing on the Big Screen!

:Movies and Documentaries about Surfing:

*The Endless Summer*

*Step into Liquid*



*Surf's Up*

*Shelter*

*Pointbreak*

*Blue Crush*



*In God's Hands*

*Blue Horizon*

*Big Wednesday*

*North Shore*

*Riding Giants*



*Semptember Sessions*

*Thicker than Water*

*A Broke Down Melody*

*Sipping Jetstreams*

*Laird*

-By Carla Darmiento

Surfwise

Surwise is a new movie that's coming out that takes an interesting view of how surfing has had a profound affect on people's lives. It's is a documentary about a doctor named Dorian Paskowitz. He packed his wife and 9 kids into a camper and traveled around the world surfing at various beaches. It seems interesting to see what it's like growing up surfing everyday. But what's more interesting is the question as to whether Dorian Paskowitz is really smart or just completely insane. Totally isolating his kids from traditional society he raised them in a dictator fashion demanding that they surf every day. Is this surfing lifestyle paradise or just some crazy old man's idea? One of the first showings will open in Newport Beach at Lido Cinema on May 23. Visit www.surfwisefilm.com for more info.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6KNWupmoB0&feature=related

Surf History & Culture

Last Year we were taking a trip to Huntington Beach and on our way back to the car we passed by the International Surfing Museum. I had always heard about this museum but had never really thought about or actually pursued to check it out. Since the museum is FREE of charge, and yes....you read correctly...free of charge. So being that we had no plans later that evening and we were passing by it anyways we decided to go in and check out the fascinating surf memorabilia.


The museum includes so many interesting things from history. Especially the fact that Huntington Beach is "Surf City" and is the most surfed beach on the west coast, this is the perfect place for a surf history museum to be located in. In the museum they have everything that has to do with surfing...like:

>old surfing films

>surf music (records, album covers, and samples)

>trophies & awards

>photographs and posters of events and surf championships

>old surf boards (longboards, shortboards, etc..)

In 1767, The first people to observe surfing were the Europeans and then the first American to actually observe the art and sport of surfing was Captain Cook in 1778 in Hawaii. Surfing is a big aspect of the Polynesian culture and believe it or not but the sport of surfing and the art of carving boards actually disappeared for a while because of the ban over the hawaiin culture...finally at the begininning of the 20th century surfing was revived again by protesters of the disapperance or the Hawaiin culture and the "Ambassador of Aloha" Duke Kahanamoku actually played a huge role in exposing the world to surfing. Surfing in the beginning was a very low-key sport that no one knew about and heard of. The main destinations for surfing in the early years were only 3, Hawaii, California, and Australia. That soon grew throughout the years after the popularity of the sport exploded. The popularity grew after things like movies, music, and books were based around surfing and set in beaches. Some early movies that put surfing on the map were Gidget and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (which actually portrayed the stereotype of a "surfer")

(^Pictured above: Movie Poster "Gidget" and movie poster of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and Spicoli at the beach surfing^)

Another Popular surf culture icon was The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys were most known for their melodic vocal harmonies and songs about California culture like Surfing, Beaches, Cars, and Girls. The Beach Boys formed in 1961 by a guy named Brian Wilson, the group also included his brothers, Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine, this band also had early members David Marks and later bandmate Bruce Johnston. They have all become part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The International Surfing Museum is located at:

411 olive avenue in Huntington Beach, California -zip code-92648

The Phone number for more information is (714) 960-3483
and the hours the museum is open is Monday thru Friday from 12-5 pm

and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 am - 6 pm

website: http://www.surfingmuseum.org/

By: Carla Darmiento

Surf Lesson

Last summer I tried to learn how to surf the old-fashioned way. I got a board and went down to the beach to see what I could do. What I discovered was that I was a boogie boarder on a surf board more than anything else (and a bad one at that). So, as I said in my last post I took a surf instructor with me this time.
The Monday following my last blog post I had a scheduled surf lesson with a seasoned surf instructor named Chris from
Zack’s at the Huntington Beach Pier.

...As opposed to my previous experiences surfing I actually got to the beach early (9am). Going earlier doesn’t always mean better waves but it does mean that the beach is less crowded (which it was).
Chris is passionate about surfing. It’s kind of obvious that he would be since he’s a surf instructor but he likes it so much that he gets excited when other people try to pick up the sport. He asked me “Are you ready for this?” grinning from ear to ear like three times.
One of the most tiring aspects of the lesson was carrying the 9 foot foam long board down to the water. After that endeavor I was already spent and I hadn’t even touched the water yet. The initial pointers were pretty standard. We set the board down on the sand and went over stroking technique and how to pop up properly. One of the big pointers he taught me was to keep looking forward as you are popping up because if you’re looking at the board you’ll lose your balance and fall.
Even with a wet suit getting into the water was quite a chilling experience. It was the kind of cold that made my feet and hands numb (but after 15 minutes you get used to it and it’s not a big deal). As we were paddling out a bit he told me to push down on the board and arch my back as I was getting past the crashing waves. I had to discipline myself to keep my legs together because when my body wasn’t straight I would get knocked off my board by the oncoming waves.
So this was it. We were in position near the break and I was going to catch some white water. The amazing thing was that I got up on my first try and rode it all the way in. But the truth is that it took me until my third try to get up and ride the wave. I was completely oblivious to the whole gliding experience because I was so focused on not falling off the board. Standing up was my mission.
After the second time I stood up I was exhausted. My arms were burning and I couldn’t lift myself up on the board anymore. For the first 35 minutes there was a lot of adrenaline pumping and I was paddling really hard. If I had been a little more relaxed I probably wouldn’t have got gassed so quickly. I didn’t take full advantage of having Chris there who was positioned to push me into the waves. I paddled way harder than I had to.
All in all, my lesson was a success which had a lot to do with the 9 foot foam board I was using (which is made by BIC by the way, I thought they only made pens!). The downside to the lesson was that it set me back $75. But Zack’s provides the board (and the wetsuit if you don’t have one), so it’s actually a pretty decent price, especially with instructors like Chris.
Looking back I think I could have done without a formal lesson. There’s no doubt that it was much easier with the coaching and encouragement Chris provided but the necessity is using a board like the one I used. I didn’t have that board last summer. However, if you’re not a very strong swimmer I would recommend taking a surf lesson with an instructor because they go out with you and push you into the waves. You spend less time fighting the elements and more time learning.
-Gabe Garcia

Website for Zack's: http://www.beachfoodfun.com/

SURFING 101

I've done a few things to learn and better prepare myself to be an expert surfer in the years to come..when i was younger i did a fun experience that i think all kids should try if they're under the age of 17, I went to a YMCA surf camp in San Diego, CA. That week was a blast..we actually had to bring tents and set them up on a reserved section of the beach just for the YMCA kids..then they're were activities ever night and wake up to go surfing every morning and afternoon -- it was soo much fun! [and don't worry, there was food provided for us in a cafeteria - so there was always enough food to feed our bellies!]

...Another way i further expanded my learning experience was once I got to college I signed up for a surf class for the fall semester and every friday we would wake up at 6:00 in the morning and leave to get to ourclass at Huntington Beach at 7:00 am. it was hard work but worth it and the waves and weather were great in the early morning..

*some basic beginner tips are...

>>>the different parts of the board (nose, rails, tail, fins, etc..)

>>>OFF-shore and ON-shore winds..(tip: the best waves come with off-shore winds)

>>>offshore winds are typically better because the wind is coming from off the shore and blowing towards the waves causing them to stay up longer and break not as fast

>>>onshore winds however come from the ocean and are heading towards the shore, this causes the waves to be pushed and slapped down making them break sooner which is not ideal for a surfer

>>>surfing etiquette (who ever is higher on the crest of the wave gets the right away and gets to take the wave)

>>>How to paddle out and duck diving (shortboards) & turtle rolling (longboards)

>>>Turtle Roll: Hold onto the rails of the surfboard, then use your body to roll over onto your back then hold tight, hold your breath and brace yourself for a breaking wave to hit (hint: make sure your always perpendicular to the waves)

>>>Duck Dive: Hold onto rails of the board but more towards the front, push downwards putting your weight on the nose of the board, then take a deep breath and submerge yourself underwater making sure to keep your arms straight and lean forward

~Carla Darmiento

Shortboards and Longboards

I have a friend. Let’s call him Dave. Dave decided that he was going to break into the world of surfing with the popular shortboard. Shortboards (a.k.a thrusters) range in length from 5’8” to 6’10”. They are known for they’re maneuverability. Advanced surfers use them to make sharp turns and perform tricks. They have a pointy nose, usually three fins, and a square tail.

Dave didn’t catch any waves in his debut. In fact, he was in a world of hurt the whole time. He thought since he was a decent snowboarder and skater that making the jump to surfing wouldn’t be a big deal. He was wrong. What Dave needed was the opposite of a shortboard; he needed a longboard. Longboards (a.k.a malibus) start at about 9 feet in length. As opposed to the shortboard it is much more stable when trying to stand up on a wave and it has a rounded nose. It is much easier to catch waves with this board due to its’ size.

I made my first attempts at surfing with a 7’6” funboard. A funboard is a hybrid between the shortboard and the longboard. It has a semi-pointed nose and a square tail. However I wasn’t much better off than Dave. Whenever I caught a wave the board was shaking too much for me to balance myself and stand up in time. Consequently, I wasn’t able to catch a full ride on a wave. I’m going to try my luck with a longboard and a surf instructor at Huntington Beach. I’ll describe my experience in my next post.

-Gabe Garcia

Surfin' USA - 10 Best Beaches

CALIFORNIA,
Surfing occurs all around the world..but for us Southern Cali residents we are lucky that some of the best beaches to surf in the United States are right here in California....
^ (Picture Above) Huntington Beach Pier in Orange County, CA

*According to http://extremeprosports.com/surfing/10_best_places_to_surf.html (click on the link to find out more info on the top 10 beaches)...The 10 Best Places to Surf in the U.S. are..


*Sunset Beach-North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

(^ 20 feet waves at Waimea Bay on Oahu's North Shore)

*Huntington Beach, California

"I Personally Have been to this beach several times (since I am a resident of so-cal) this beach is very pretty and often has great waves, I am still at the beginner stage of my surfing experiences, so I don't have that many wild tales to tell, just that surfing is a pretty difficult sport but all worth it in the end. When I took a surf class at Cal State Fullerton in the Fall semester we started at a smaller beach just North of Huntington called Bolsa Chica, that was a great beach to learn on..it has pretty decent waves, free parking, and friendly atmosphere (I highly recommend it for beginners, like myself) ....but towards the end we moved onto bigger and better things, a little place called Huntington Beach (We went to 17th street first) good spot, nice waves (sometimes for me it got quite big and a little scary to go out--sometimes they got to about 10 feet!!! *which is a lot for me :) but great to watch and admire all the "pros" out there!) Anyways...I can see why this beach made it onto the TOP 10 List for Extremeprosports.com because it is probably one of the best beaches for (central) Southern California Beaches and is the heart of it's town." <3

-Carla Darmiento

*Waikiki, Hawaii

*Black's Beach, San Diego

*Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

*Trestles-San Clemente, California

*Malibu Beach-Malibu, California

*Oceanside, California

*Cocoa Beach, Florida

*Sebastian Inlet, Florida

-By Carla Darmiento

Beginner Surfer Spots in Orange County

(hotelbycity.net)
Huntington Beach (generally on the north side of the pier on Pacific Coast Highway)- You can surf on the south side but there are double-breaking waves on that side. Back in March when I took my surf lesson I was on the south side, so it depends what the conditions are like. On the far north side of the pier there’s a dog beach between Seaport St. and 21st Street. I’ve taken my dog there a couple of times and it’s nothing but a good times.

Newport Beach (between Newport Pier and the first jetty)- At the 15th Street Surf shop you can rent a board all day for $20 or hourly at $6/hour. This is a really good price compared to Zack’s at $10/hour. However, sometimes in the afternoon the water is closed to surfers. The Lifeguards put up a yellow flag with a black dot in the middle when this happens.




Bolsa Chica State Park- This is where Carla learned to surf with her CSUF surfing class. It’s $10 for all day parking. I plan on checking out this spot this summer.



Doheny (Dana Point)- Walking into the water is somewhat rocky but the waves are described as “slow-moving and long-breaking.” Long-lasting white water is a dream come true for the beginner surfer (trust me on this one).



Thalia Street (in Laguna Beach)- These waves tend to be more suitable for he intermediate surfer but apparently it’s a pretty good place to learn on the days when the waves are below five feet. It’s located down the stairs at the end of Thalia Street.



These are generally good spots to learn but check out the surf conditions at wavewatch.com before you go (there’s a link on the boarder of this blog). You don’t want to get stuck with bad surfing conditions after driving down to the beach.

-Gabe Garcia