About My Experience

Margarita Whittemore in Kauai (Photo by, Erinn Whittemore)

I remember vividly my first time ever surfing. I was five and my family was visiting family in Kauai for my grandmothers funeral. It was an emotional time filled with lots of confusion and sorrow. I did not know at the time but this is when I chose the ocean and/or beach to become my safe haven. It was my ultimate escape and my grandpa caught on really quick.

After the funeral and wake took place for my grandma, my grandpa took me on a drive to one of my favorite beaches on North Shore. Once we arrived, we hopped out of the car and met up with one of his good friends. This is when I discovered, I was about to learn how to surf. I was ecstatic; for as long as I could remember I would watch in awe, each surfer at the beach glide across the waves.

My first time out was thrilling, exciting, and brought me so much serenity. There was and still is something so peaceful and powerful when surfing a wave. I am disconnected from society and have the opportunity to not only be one with the nature but ride a wave that is never like the last. I will never forget the act of kindness my grandpa showed me by fully introducing me to the surf world. I still to this day happily am involved and invested in surfing.

Today, my room is completely beached and surfed out. I own boards, wetsuits, and even have a board rack on top of my truck. I surf every opportunity I can and have even made my immediate family pick the sport up as a hobby. We love to attend and watch surf competitions. Like Evan Benner, I enjoy to wake surf. I have picked up many activities too that relate to surfing in some sense, to either partake in as a hobby or to improve my skills in the water. The surf related activities are: skateboarding, long boarding, skin boarding, indo boarding, wake boarding, and snow boarding.

The beach and the swells is still my safe haven and I still cherish my first time out with my grandpa. When I visit Kauai now, I can ride by myself; my old surf coach sometimes even joins! I now also have local friends in Kauai that I love to surf with.

My Bedroom (Photo by, Margarita Whittemore)

Overall, surfing has brought me endless joy and I hope this blog inspires and helps you become somehow, even if just a little bit, more involved in our community.

Surfer Interview

Evan Benner (Photo by, Unknown)

Evan Benner, a close friend, was born October 5th, 1998. Benner is from Pleasanton, California. He attended Foothill High School and graduated in the year of 2017. In Benner’s free time he enjoys writing and listening to music, but Benner’s favorite activity is surfing and relaxing by the ocean.

Growing up, surfing was always a hobby for Benner but now it has become a lifestyle, “I used to only surf on the weekends with my folks but now I live in Santa Cruz and surf at least once a day” (Evan Benner). Benner owns multiple boards that vary in sizes, types of fins, and materials of which he enjoys riding. One of Benner’s favorite board brands is the same as mine, FCS. He too owns a few FCS boards.

Benner loves to surf in Santa Cruz and around the Norcal Area, “Since Cali is bordered by the Pacific Ocean the swells are usually pretty big. I never mind the coldness of the water because I always bring a wetsuit with me” (Benner). Benner also loves to travel away from California to surf.

Recently Benner invited me to go on a surf trip this summer to Costa Rica. He has made a few trips to South America to surf before and can not wait to surf in new spots in the next upcoming months. I asked Benner what he hopes to gain from his trip to Costa Rica and he said, “I plan to be gone all summer and just enjoy good surfing and develop more as a surfer.”

Benner also loves to wake surf on his family’s boat with his family and friends whenever he can. I asked him what one of his favorite things about wake surfing was and he said, “If you have the right boat, you can create the perfect wake and it can last for however long you can ride it out. That is pretty dope until your legs get tired.”

Benner Wake Surfing (Photo By, Jenna Benner)

Benner hopes to one day either pursue a professional career in surfing or travel all around the world to catch the perfect waves just like in the film, The Endless Summer.

World Surf League

Bells Beach Flyer

I have mentioned WSL before which stands for World Surf League. WSL does a lot more than one might think. The company is made up of many professional surfers and dedicates their time to display surfing in a variety of formats. WSL is where one can get almost all knowledge on any surfer and be an active member of the surf community. It informs one electronically through their website and/or app.

WSL is quite useful. I have the ability to access almost every professional surfer’s general information. General information can include: surf world rankings, total wins, average heat score, and biography. On WSL one can also fantasy surf. During each surf competition, if on a fantasy team, one can choose who they believe will win the heats and overall win the competition. After based on how well the surfers do, one will gain points. I find this effect super cool.

Electronically one can also watch live streams of surf competitions. Recently I watched one the longest surf competitions live throughout the week on WSL. The competition was the Bells Beach surf competition which was held in Australia. This year, 2018, the surf competition took place from, March 28th to April 8th. I did not participate in the fantasy surf but I enjoyed the endless film on all my favorite surfers who competed.

During Bells Beach Competition, one of my favorite surfers, Mick Fanning, competed for the last time in his career. It was quite sad to see such an amazing surfer finish such an amazing career run. Fanning did a wonderful job this competition and WSL did a great job throwing in multiple flashbacks on his career.

Fanning at Bells Beach 2018

At Bells Beach Competition, Fanning placed second. His average heat score was a 14.00. All together he scored 7,800 points during the competition. He lost against Italo Ferreira.

Surf Movies

When there is not a surf competition taking place or I am bored of searching the internet to watch a surfer catch a wave, I can always watch surf focused movies. My three favorite surf movies are: Soul Surfer, Chasing Mavericks, and Endless Summer.

                             Soul Surfer               Chasing Mavericks         Endless Summer

Bethany Hamilton is a professional surfer who was attacked by a shark in her teenage years. This shark attack affected her life drastically. Hamilton lost her left arm. The movie, Soul Surfer, is based off her true story is almost like a mini biography of her life but focuses mostly on her being attacked by a shark and how she recovered.  This film is quite inspirational due to her determination to still surf with the disadvantage of only having one arm.

I have met Hamilton on a few accounts. Part of my family lives where she does in Kauai. After meeting her first hand and witnessing her surf with a disability really provides me with a lot of respect for her athleticism and determination.

The second film is Chasing Mavericks. Chasing Mavericks is a film about a teenage boy who strives to surf the Maverick waves. Mavericks are considered to be one of the biggest swells a man can surf. This film is also based off a true story. The main character of the film is Jay Moriarty. With the help of surf legend, Frosty Hesson, Moriarty gets to experience the amount of effort and time spent in the process to be able to surf such dangerously big waves.

The last movie is Endless Summer. Endless Summer is a documentary based off a group of surfers who travel the world. When traveling the world they choose their destinations based off what country has the best waves during that time of year. This film is quite relaxing to watch and provides a lot of surf knowledge into the watchers mind.

Surfer Magazine

My Collage of Different Pages Out of Surfer Magazine (Photo by, Margarita Whittemore)

Above is a collage which I made out of different pages out of surf magazines. It looks a little beat up but that is due to me taking off pictures and stickers of which were tapped on top. One can keep very involved with the surf community if they read surfer magazines. There is a wide variety of surf magazines provided but my personal favorite is, Surfer Magazine.

Cover of Surfer Magazine

 

I receive the issue for Surfer Magazine every month. Each edition is very different yet very close to the same. I also receive gifts from the magazine for being a subscription member. An example of this is when I received a hat which had the magazines title on it.

Each Surfer Magazine issue is very different but set up the same way. There is a lot of advertisements which notify the readers of the newest gear and technology for surfing. I find this insanely helpful and it’s interesting to watch the development of the sport. Throughout each magazine there is also multiple interviews about professional surfers and/or people who impact the surf community. An example of this is that there is usually a piece on a board maker who creates their boards handmade and unique. Another bonus of reading this magazine is the knowledge it provides about upcoming events and/or surf athletes rankings and whereabouts. Typically towards the back of the magazine, the authors provide a section where one can look at boards and amenities for them to buy that are either popular or new.

I think the biggest reason I am so drawn to this specific surf magazine is due to the photography. Surfer Magazine captures endless amazing pictures of surfers surfing or key destinations to surf.

A Variety of Surfer Magazine Covers Throughout the Years

Surf Brands

Throughout this blog I have mentioned a various amount of surf brands. This post will be on the brands I use and like the most. The brands I have chosen are: Vans, Billabong, Rip Curl, O’Neill, and Roxy. Below, is a selfie I took after surfing at Stinson Beach. My wetsuit is Roxy and my board is FCS (Fin Control System).

My Roxy Wetsuit (Photo by, Margarita Whittemore)

Vans is a common brand used by most people of a younger age. Vans focuses mostly on skateboarding but is a common sponsor for surf athletes and competitions. I will often wear their shoes and clothing of which they make. I also use a lot of their accessories; for example, I enjoy to sticker my surfboard and skateboard with Vans stickers. I also enjoy watching the Vans Opening which is a surf competition held at Huntington Beach, California. Vans also supports a lot of other sports but the brand is best known for skateboarding and surfing.

Billabong, Roxy, and O’Neill, are all very similar brands. The brands main focus is surfing. Almost all my swimsuits and wetsuits are these brands. My flip flops are always Roxy, along with my hats. Shown earlier in this blog was my wetsuit which was Roxy. Billabong and O’Neill provide clothing for both genders. Roxy is a women’s brand but the overall company owns another brand name, Quicksilver which focuses mostly on male products. A fun fact is, the Quicksilver brand logo is two Roxy logos put together sideways. Below is this comparison of logos.

Logo Comparison

Rip Curl is a brand which one might consider mostly surf focused. Rip Curl also is one of the hugest sponsors for surf competitions. I love shopping for Rip Curl surf gear and clothing. Rip Curl also has branches for each continent that is actively apart of the surf community. Depending on what branch your Rip Curl is from determines the items of focus Rip Curl provides.

 

Professional Surfers

US Open Surfing Event

There are thousands of professional surfers world wide. To become a professional surfer one is recognized through surf competitions, modeling gigs, and surf photography. Many of the professional surfers today have been recognized due to winning surf competitions. Another way is to perform moves that have never been done or are insanely hard to maneuver. Some surfers have made a name for themselves by pursing a modeling career. The brands they model for are surf brands like: RipCurl, Volcom, and Vans. Other surfers are captured by photography and their pictures are released to the world, making a name for themselves.

Model & Surfer: Alana Blanchard

I have four favorite professional surfers. They are: Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Mick Fanning, and Ezekiel Lau. I became fond of these surfers due to watching surf competitions and admiring their wave riding style. My all time favorite is Kelly Slater.

At the age of five, I started surfing. I never was exposed to the culture until I received a book from my mom, Erinn Whittemore. The book I got was a biography on Kelly Slater. I was in love with his aesthetics as a human and surfer. I started keeping up to date with his surfing career and become even more intrigued with professional surfers. Slater, also known as the greatest surfer of all time, is from the United States. He has won eleven world titles and a total of 55 victories. Slater has successfully been the youngest and oldest world title winner. He enjoys riding boards with statement designs during competitions which can be politically controversial. Slater also created his own wave pool in his backyard which produces the “perfect” wave.

My First Surf Lesson (Photo by, Margarita Whittemore)

John John Florence and Ezekiel Lau are both considered somewhat young. Florence is 25 and Lau is 24. Both surfers are from Hawaii. Lau is new to being considered a “professional” surfer and is slowly but surely making a name for himself. On the other hand, Florence is very well known. He is one of the only five surfers in men’s Championship Tour history to win two World Titles back to back.

Florence and Lau

Mick Fanning, is 36 and from Australia. He is considered to be one of Australia’s greatest surfing heroes. Fanning plans to retire soon with 22 tour wins which include three world titles.

Mick Fanning

 

Surf Spots

Carmel, California (Photo by, Margarita Whittemore)

Where Do Surfers Surf?

People can surf pretty much anywhere where a wave is present. Most surfers surf in the ocean and usually in spots that are considered safe. Safe spots don’t include reefs and rocks that could possibly hurt them. Safe spots also don’t include riptides. Riptides are “a strong current caused by tidal flow in confined areas such as inlets and presenting a hazard to swimmers and boaters” ( Google Definition  ).

Riptide

Surfers also choose locations based on current weather conditions; avoiding spots that are effected by harsh weather. Surfers take into consideration the height of swells. If one is not a very advanced surfer, they may choose a location with smaller waves. If one is more advanced, they may choose bigger swells. Advanced surfers sometimes enjoy picking spots with possible obstacles like reefs, rocks, and riptides. Advanced surfers sometimes also choose spots which require a great deal of knowledge and agility to reach.

Local surfers or ones who surf a lot typically are found on hidden or more exclusive surf spots. Beginners are either found on local beaches due to needing a class and or instructional help. Beginners also tend to be attracted to local beaches for safety and tourism. 

A new trend is for people to surf on man made waves. There are millions wave pools that people can visit everyday. Wave pools can be found indoors or out.

Wave Pool

Professional surfer Kelly Slater has his own Surf Ranch which he built in 2015. His wave pool provides the perfect wave for forty five seconds. This is exclusive and only close friends of his surf here. There is also the opportunity for one to win a trip to surf there through a raffle.

Surf Ranch

The top surf spots in the world were listed on List 25:

1. Tofino, Vancouver Island Canada
2. Les Cavaliers, Anglet, France
3. White Beach, Okinawa, Japan
4. Rincon, Puerto Rico
5. Watergate Bay, Cornwall, England

Tofino, Vancouver Island Canada

The surf spots in Northern California were listed on Surfer Today:

1. Ocean Beach, San Francisco/Marin
2. Salmon Creek, Sonoma
3. Point Arena, Mendocino
4.  North Jetty, Humboldt
5. Patricks’ Point, Humboldt
6. Moonstone, Humboldt
7. Klamath River, Del Norte
8. Pt Saint George, Del Norte

Ocean Beach, San Francisco/Marin

My Favorite Spots Near Chico, CA:

1. Cowell, Santa Cruz
2. Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz
3. Pacifica State Beach, Pacifica
4. Bolinas Bay, Stinson
5. Carmel, California

Cowell, Santa Cruz

My ultimate favorite place to surf is Kauai. I love how warm the water is and the variety of swell sizes.

Kauai (Photo by, Margarita Whittemore)

 

Boards & Gear

 

Kelly Slater

When surfing one could potential use many different boards depending on their skill level, swell size, and style of wave riding. One also uses different accessories depending on weather, sponsors, and/or are electronically inclined.

Surfboard Anatomy

There is eight different types of surfboards: shortboard, fish, gun, longboard, malibu, funboard, foamboard, and bodyboard. The most commononly referred boards are the shortboard and longboard.

Shortboards are usually used for shredding and contest-style surfing. The board is about five feet and six inches long to six feet and four inches long. The width is roughly around sixteen to nineteen inches. The tail of the board is round and square. This board is typically rode by an advanced surfer.

Shortboard

On the other hand, longboards are very stable in water and easier to paddle and catch waves on. Beginners typically ride this board to learn how to surf. This board is usually eight to nine feet long and have a rounded nose.

Longboard

The bodyboard is usually referred to as a ‘boogie board’. The board is very small and rectangular. Instead of standing up on this board while riding the wave, one lays on it. This board is most common within families. The board is made for smaller waves which appear to be the safest.

Bodyboard

If the water is cold, one can wear a wetsuit. A wetsuit is made out of neoprene foam. Neoprene provides “insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy” (Wikipedia). Professional surfers or ones who model typically wear surf brands while riding waves. These brands are their sponsors. The most common surf sponsors are Ripcurl, Vans, Roxy, Billabong, and Volcom.

 

 

 

 

 

Surf Sponsors

Wetsuit

If a surfer feels electronically inclined, one will wear a watch that determines the swell sizes. One also can apply a GoPro camera which captures unique videos. This camera is waterproof and has a fisheye effect. Here is a quick video on Kelly Slater captured by his GoPro camera : Kelly Slater GoPro Surf Video .

Surf Watch

 

Surfing

Western Polynesia Ancient Surfing

UF College of Journalism and Communications released The Origins of Surfing which provides information on the history, revival, and surfing today.

Surfing is a sport and/or pastime. When surfing, one is riding a wave toward shore while standing or lying on a surfboard. Surfing is one of the oldest sports practiced. Wave riding originated over three thousand years ago in Western Polynesia. Fishermen in Western Polynesia “discovered that riding waves was an efficient method of getting to shore with their catch” (The Origins of Surfing). Eventually this method became a beloved pastime.

The Origins of Surfing precisely defined surfing as being an “art of  wave riding”, blending “total athleticism and the comprehension of the beauty and power of nature.” Surfing was first seen as a sport in Hawaii but there is no exact date to refer to. “It is known that during the 15th century, kings, queens and people of the Sandwich Isles were big into the sport of “he’enalu” or wave-sliding, in old Hawaiian. “He’e” means to change from a solid form to a liquid form and “nalu” refers to the surfing motion of a wave” (The Origins of Surfing).

Hawaiian Royalties

Hawaiians “developed their own prayers, board shapers, wood and beaches where a select few could surf with people of their talent” (The Origins of Surfing). Original Surfboards were made out of wood. The wood used was only selected from three types of trees. When a board was being built, it would undergo a scared ritual. The board maker would “dig up the tree and around the roots place fish in the hole as an offering to the gods for the tree” (The Origins of Surfing).

Today surfing is still considered a sport and/or pastime. Surfing currently is a worldwide sport with thousands of competitors. When one is traveling they can rent a board and leisurely ride waves. Boards are now typically made of polyurethane or polystyrene foam. Fiberglass cloth, polyester, or epoxy resin cover the foam making the board more buoyant and maneuverable.