Surf Before You Eat

I love Thanksgiving, I really do. Some of my fondest memories are of spending the day with my family. We would hang out, watch football and relax...all day long. And I always looked forward to the feast for dinner.

I knew with certainty that I would vow to save room for dessert but would over indulge in turkey and about 10 side dishes that looked way too good to pass up. I simply couldn't resist homemade rolls.

By the time the announcement was made that dessert was to be served, I couldn't eat a single bite. Instead, I would save mine to savor later.

I had a dear friend who spent Thanksgiving in a very similar way, with one exception; he went surfing first.

I loved the idea of getting in the water on Thanksgiving, but as great as I thought that would be, the water had dropped in temperature and was much colder than I could handle. I knew if I attempted to surf, I would cramp up in the cold water. But I didn't mind tagging along to watch.

I bundled up in a warm hoodie and Ugg boots and headed out. When we arrived at the beach I was really surprised at how crowded the water was. I guess it stands to reason that if you are not a fair weather surfer (like me), and the surf is breaking, and you have the day off, well then why not surf?

I watched my friend prepare to go out with a pang of jealousy. I wanted to get in the water, I really did, but I was already freezing and I couldn't imagine being wet on top of it. So I stayed on dry land.

I watched as he paddled out.

Soon after he got to the line-up, he skillfully caught his first wave of the day. He maneuvered himself on the wave like a pro. At the end of his ride he literally dove off his board in style. He popped out of the water and used his hand to brush back his wet hair before paddling back out.

If I was feeling the pangs of jealously before, I now felt stabs of jealousy. I am the first to admit that I have a hard time staying dry when the ocean is concerned.

My friend had learned to surf when he was a kid and he never stopped. He was skilled and a blast to watch.

He was not the first person to take me out surfing (that was a disaster), but he taught me how to surf and I will forever be grateful for his patience and watchful eye keeping me safe in the water.

Unfortunately, he died a few years ago. I still miss him.

Although his loss was sudden, I know he lived a great life and incorporated surfing into his life regularly, including Thanksgiving day.

So every Thanksgiving I say a little prayer for him, and I am reminded of how fragile life is.

Today I will toast my family, my friends and give thanks to the many blessings in my life.

And I will always remember watching him surf on Thanksgiving day.

Surfing Looked Easy Enough. It Wasn't.

For as long as I can remember I wanted to learn how to surf. When I was a small child, I would go to the beach and watch surfers paddle into waves, pop up on their board and ride all the way to shore.

Into my teens, I would go to the beach with friends, and while they worked on their tans or played volleyball, I watched surfers.

I was completely fascinated by how incredibly easy they made surfing look. I mean, how hard can it be? I broke it down in steps.

Step 1. Paddle out.

Step 2. Sit on your board in the ocean and wait for a wave.

Step 3. Turn around when you see a wave and paddle.

Step 4. Stand up.

Easy.

When I finally got someone to take me surfing, I was in for a very rude awakening.

Step 1 seemed like the easiest of all, paddle out. I quickly learned that timing is everything. And I mean everything. So is the art of duck diving, which is when you go under the wave with your board. I had yet to learn how.

I paddled as hard as I could, only to get pummeled by a wave. By the time I recovered and got back on my board, I was worked by another wave. By the time I actually made it out to the line-up, I was exhausted, and if I'm being honest, a little frightened.

Step 2 took a while, which was a good thing since I need to recover from my what I call my tumble in the washing machine. As I sat on my board, I watched wave after wave peak and other surfers ride them to shore. I wasn't ready to try yet; I needed time to rebuild my courage.

Step 3 was soon upon me, and I couldn't put it off any longer. I saw a wave coming, and I had some of my confidence back, so I readied myself. I turned my board around and paddled hard. I felt the wave pick up my board. When I thought that I had the wave, I moved on to the next step.

Step 4 is the best step and I was convinced that I could master this step. As I began to stand up, I saw the nose of my board dip into the water and I unceremoniously tumbled forward. I wiped out, hard. The technical term for what happened to me is called pearling and it can be quite frightening.

Not only did I get worked in the wave, but I was really disoriented underwater. For a second, I had no idea which way was up. When I finally righted myself, I popped up to the surface of the water and took a huge breath of air.

Unfortunately for me there was a wave that was right behind the one I had wiped out on and that wave had my pilotless board heading straight for me. My instincts told me to dive back under the water and shield my head with my arms. I did and narrowly missed getting hit in the head by my wayward board.

When I came back to the surface, I swam to my board and paddled to shore.

I was beaten.

So many times people have told me they tried surfing with almost the exact same results on their first try. They too were frightened and exhausted.

As scary as my first experience was, I vowed not to give up. I knew that I would try again. I knew that I would find someone who could teach me, someone who knew how to teach me.

Eventually, I did. But as for this day, I was done.

Surfing Lost One Of The Best

Last week, the surfing community around the world was stunned when Andy Irons died suddenly. He was 32.

Irons was in Puerto Rico for the Rip Curl Pro Search when he dropped out and decided to fly home to Kauai, Hawaii. There are several versions of what happened next; one thing that seems to be consistent is that Andy had a layover in Dallas and checked into a hotel.

The next morning, Andy did not respond to his wake up call and was found at 10 a.m. Andy Irons was dead.

Although there are countless reports that Andy was fighting dengue fever, a virus contracted from an infected mosquito, reports have also surfaced that prescription drugs found in his hotel room may have contributed to his death. An autopsy will provide the official cause of death.

As these reports continue to circulate, I can't help but think about Lyndie, Andy's wife, who is pregnant with their unborn son.

As a wife and a mother of two, I can only imagine how devastated Lyndie must have been when she got the fateful news. I can't imagine how she must be feeling at this moment knowing that Andy will not be there for the birth of their son in December.

I think about my husband going on a business trip and not coming home. I think about my kids and how different their lives would be if they never knew their father. And I hope this baby boy grows up finding some peace in the stories and photos of his.

In a Billabong video short film series called I Surf Because, Andy described the first wave he ever caught and how his love for surfing began at that moment. He truly had a natural talent and the gift was that he loved it.

For all of the questions swirling around about Andy, one thing is certain; he was admired by many and was well respected by fellow surfers whether they knew him personally or not. There have beenseveral paddle-outs to honor Andy, including one that took place in Manhattan Beach.

Before Andy died, I watched in awe of his talent, amazed at how effortless he made surfing look. Now I watch and mourn one of the best there ever was.

On Nov. 6, Kelly Slater clinched his 10^th World Surfing Championship, which he dedicated to Andy. They were once bitter rivals, but worked out their differences, and had a mutual respect and admiration for each other.

Andy had an incredible career; he was an incredible surfer and a charismatic soul. Surfing is a better sport because he was in it.

At the end of the Billabong video short, Andy said, "I surf because, I'm always a better person when I come in."

I couldn't agree more.

Glass Off

The wind dies down, leaving the ocean and waves looking like glass. I wax my board.

We stand at the top of the cliff. I see the signs of what will be a powerful sunset.

I begin walking down the wooden stairs with my board safely tucked under my arm. The handrail is worn from salt and wind. The wood grain is split, revealing the aging lines of what was once a tree.

We love a good reef break. Instead of sand, there are pebbles of all shapes and sizes, in shades of grey, green and brown.

Waves roll in at a mellow pace and there is a small break between sets. Nice.

We are alone. People are gone for the day. Parents and children are home preparing for dinner. This is primetime.

We wait for the break in sets and paddle out. I push the water behind me, propelling myself forward. The paddle out is longer than most beach breaks, and I welcome it, knowing the ride will be longer too. We find the perfect spot and sit up on our boards.

The water sparkles as though someone has showered the surface with glitter. Even the best artist in the world couldn't recreate this scene, and I take a moment to admire the beauty.

We see the water beginning to peak. I spin myself around to take the first wave. I paddle as hard as I can, keeping up in hopes of catching the wave and riding it to shore. My board rises, and I begin to accelerate. I have it. All I need to do is stand up.

I pop up, and smile.

The sun has begun its slow descend, but still warms my face. The bellies of the clouds are pink now.

This is the first of many waves that I catch, and there is no shortage today. We take turns catching waves, watching the other ride off in the distance. Between sets, we sit side-by-side, telling each other what the last ride was like.

As sun moves and the air cools, I know its time to go, but not quite yet. There is still time for one more. As I see a wave beginning to form, we spin ourselves around under the blushing red sky and catch a wave home.

He Didn't Even See It Coming

A few weeks ago I wrote about recent shark sightings along the coast of Southern California. I pointed out that shark attacks are rare and shark attack fatalities rarer. But no matter how rare they are, when an attack happens, I can't help but take pause.

Last week 19-year-old Lucas Ransom lost his life in a fatal shark attack.

Ransom, a UC Santa Barbara student and his roommate, 20-year-old Matt Garcia, went body boarding and surfing at Surf Beach, about 130 miles north of Los Angeles at Vandenberg AFB.

Lucas and Matt got in the water hoping to catch some of the rumored "big surf." At 8:50 a.m. Lucas was on his body board when he was suddenly attacked. Although Matt tried to help him, Lucas lost his left leg. His femoral artery was severed and he could not be saved.

Experts believe that an 18-20 foot adult great white shark is responsible for the attack. The severe damage done to Lucas's leg and the 13 inch bite taken out of his body board could only have been done by a large shark. Experts are also quick to point out that this was likely a case of mistaken identity and the shark was looking for a seal.

Lucas was a trained lifeguard and an experienced swimmer and surfer. This shark attack was in no way provoked, and in fact, Lucas never saw it coming.

It is difficult to make sense of this tragedy. Some may even blame the shark. We readily and willingly go into the territory of these ocean animals for the sake of our enjoyment. And for the most part we can do that without incident.

As I think about this young man who is described by friends and family as a wonderful soul, my heart breaks. The mother in me aches for this boy, this boy with a bright future and a big heart, this boy who loved his life and lost it too soon. The mother in me wants to make him safe.

I think about Lucas's friend Matt who was 2 feet away from him when he was attacked and how Matt tried to save his life despite his dire condition.

I watched his family speak about him and how much he loved the ocean and I cried. They went on to describe a smart, thoughtful and kind young man whose life was over too soon.

I have always loved the ocean and seeing wildlife in their natural environment but this is one that I hope I never experience for myself.

As a surfer, sharks may be in the back of your mind at one time or another, but when you are riding waves, you enjoy life, and nothing else matters.

I'm sure that is how Lucas felt that morning.

Look But Don't touch

When people think of California, two things come to mind—Hollywood and the beach. When out-of-towners that hear the word "Bay," they automatically think you are referring to San Francisco Bay.

The San Francisco Bay is great, but there is something about the effortless beauty of the South Bay.

On any given day (even if the clouds are blocking the sun) you can find children playing in the sand and surf. You can see adults doing everything from surfing to running on the sand to taking a stroll with their dog on the Strand.

Any given day, you may see dolphins surf with the surfers. The whales paddle with the paddlers. And the seals, well, they are our keenest observers, often taking a fish right off a fisherman's hook. Or you may find them in the kelp beds just watching someone give stand-up paddleboarding a try for the first time.

Even the California spiny lobsters seem to know when lobster fishing season starts they and are no longer safe in the open. Between early October and mid-March, the lobsters run and hide, backwards. But, until then, they hang out in the reefs seemingly knowing they are safe from divers.

If you do have the good fortune to be with one of natures amazing creatures in the wild, always use common sense. The wildlife may not seem to mind that you are there, but remember they are still wild and you are in their territory.

For me, being close to nature is like being in a museum, I don't need to touch. I'm happy just being a guest.

Fun With No Sun

According to the calendar, summer is over. According to most beach city residents, summer never began, or maybe began late.

As a South Bay resident I couldn't help but feel a little cheated this year. Don't we pay a premium to live here partially due to the great beach weather?

A bunch of our friends decided to plan a beach day before fall kicks into high gear. With the weather being fickle lately, we were not exactly sure what we would wake up to. We have witnessed Mother Nature at her finest in recent weeks.

June gloom has been here for most of the summer so I wasn't surprised when I looked outside. The kids didn't care what the weather was going to be; they were going to the beach, so we stayed the course and packed our gear.

We were the first family to arrive at the beach, and although we are not fair weather beach goers, I began to wonder if the other families would show up. Our fears were put to rest when we saw another family arrive, then another, then another.

I got comfy in my beach chair and watched the kids dig a hole in the sand for their "pool." They worked and worked with very little progress. Eventually, they employed one of the dads to chip in and help get the job done.

Once the hole was wide and deep enough for their liking, buckets of water were filled. As the water was poured into the hole and disappeared, so did the hope of sitting in a "pool." Recovering quickly as kids often do, the hole was then used to jump in and out of.

The waves were small but harsh as the tide was low causing the waves to break on the sand. A lone surfer paddled out into what I call "board breaking surf." He stayed out for about an hour, but didn't catch anything. Some days are like that, and just getting in the water can be somewhat satisfying.

Much further out in the water there was a lone stand-up paddleboarder cruising along the surface of the water. Not long after I spotted this stand-up paddleboarder, I noticed this lucky person had company in the form of a pod of dolphins. I could only imagine how exciting this was.

As I sat in my chair watching the wonderful layers of this day overlap, I was reminded that it's not the weather that keeps me rooted in the South Bay; it's the unplanned beauty in days like this. And it didn't hurt when the sun finally made an appearance.