Tag Archive for: surfing

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Soft Top Surfboards: Why Every Surfer Needs One

Soft top surfboards are a great board to have in any surfer’s quiver. In fact, we’ll go so far as to say every surfer should have one. Say what you will about them, but soft top surfboards are one thing above all else: FUN!

After all isn’t that why we all started surfing in the first place?

Everyone uses soft top surfboards from world champions to the first time surfer. Jamie O’Brien shredded Pipeline on a soft top. Then he did it again at Jaws with Kalani Chapman. Mick Fanning has his own line of softboards. Big wave ripper Shawn Dollar founded the soft-top-only Wavestorm World Championships. And surf schools from Maui to Bali, J-Bay, Bells, Nosara, and Huntington Beach all use foamies as their go-to teaching boards.

To help find the perfect soft top surfboard for you, we’re going to breakdown which ones are best for which levels of surfing and wave types below. But first let’s get to know these foam topped sticks a little better.

What Exactly is a Soft Top Surfboard?

A soft top surfboard is just as it’s name describes — a surfboard with a soft deck top. Traditional surfboards are made with either a polyurethane (PU) or expanded polystyrene (EMS) foam, then covered with a polyester or epoxy resin that creates a hardened surface around the board. Hence, hard top surfboards.

Learn More About the Difference Between Poly and Epoxy Surfboards

Soft top surfboards are made with an EPS foam core (like epoxy surfboards) wrapped in either fiberglass or a synthetic wrap. The big difference is that they replace that hardened fiberglass or epoxy top layer with a soft, dentable Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) sheet. Think exercise mats, the insoles of your sneakers, yoga blocks, and kick boards — they’re all made of the same material as a soft top surfboard.

The EVA top layer combined with the compressed EPS core make soft top surfboards lighter, float better, less susceptible to rot, and harder to ding than traditional hard top surfboards. The soft deck top also allows for a easier and more comfortable paddle. And unlike resined, hard top surfboards, soft tops don’t require wax or any additional material to prevent slippage.

Despite their most often being associated as longboards, soft tops come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, Mick Fanning’s Little Marley goes as small as a 29L 5’2″. But no matter how big or small they are, all soft tops are characterized as being more buoyant, lightweight, and stable than most fiberglass or epoxy surfboard of the same size.

We’re not saying soft tops are better than hard tops, but they certainly give classic surfboards a run for their money. Literally. Because they also often come with a much smaller price tag. Thanks in no small part to the king of discounted prices — Costco.

A Brief History of Soft Top Surfboards

Soft top surfboards were born from boogie boards. Reminiscent of inflatable surf mats and planked belly boards of old, the Boogie Board was invented by Tom Morey out of Hawaii in 1971. Morey, a mathematician and surfing inventor, used polyethylene foam to model (using a hot iron!) a square-tailed, round-nosed roughly 4 foot soft board that people could catch waves on while lying prone. He named his squishy topped squat board the Boogie Board (after the the Boogie-Woogie blues music he enjoyed listening to: “Boogie swung, and it had a wiggle and a jiggle to it. It was perfect.”).

During the 80s and 90s Boogie Boards took took off. These surf-riding sponges quickly became a beach staple, spawning sponsored bodyboarding teams and its own competitive contest, and becoming the new go-to wave riding brand of young beachgoers everywhere.

Surfers however were not as stoked. From the growing popularity of Boogie Boards erupted a huge bodyboarding scene. As a result, the new fad was overcrowding the waters and reignited the debate over what exactly constitutes surfing. But the bodyboarding industry ignored all that (because money) and new advancements in technology and materials soon brought the two water activities together.

In 2006, a former manager of the Boogie Board brand — Matt Zilinskas — teamed up with AGIT Global to create the “first standup experience” for surfers on a Boogie-esque board. At the time AGIT Global was the manufacturer for Boogie Boards. Zilinskas worked with John Yeh – a Taiwanese businessman and CEO of AGIT’s North America division — to develop an entirely new product applying the sandwiched bodyboard design of expanded polystyrene foam and plastic into a a full sized surfboard. They called their soft topped creation Wavestorm.

Safer and more buoyant than traditional surfboards, Wavestorm hit the market as the ultimate beginner board. And thanks to being easier and cheaper to produce the Wavestorm allowed AGIT to manufacture a high-volume priced a third of what most beginner surfboards cost. Costco, always looking for a good deal, took notice and began disturbing them in their coastal warehouses. And where Costco goes, shoppers follow. According to Bloomberg Business, by 2015 over half a million Wavestorms had been sold.

As Wavestorms ask the “Costco Surfboard” took over new players entered the soft top scene like Catch Surf, Softech, MF Softboards, the list goes on. AGIT even produces other brands including our preferred soft top for teaching surf lessons — Storm Blade. (But more on those in a moment.)

There was a time when surfers were against riding anything but massive, wooden 30 pound longboards. When wetsuits came out, many scoffed at using them. Early versions of the now-iconic Malibu Chip were chastised as “girl boards” until the guys started riding them, and fell in love. The first short boards were deemed ridiculous and a passing trend. In fact, with each new major evolution of the sport you could count on one thing — hardcore surfers balking. Then they would try it for themselves, realize how fun the new fad made surfing, and adapt it as their own.

The latest in this long line of “disruptive” surfing innovations is the soft top surfboard. Which had at first threatened to destroy all that is sacred about surfing, and now is spreading joy to both newbies and old hats alike.

A Guide to Soft Top Surfboards for Every Level of Surfing

Now that we know the who, what, and where of why soft top surfboards are so great, let’s take a look at which one is for you. In the following guide we’ll go over the best soft top surfboards, discussing which you should ride depending on your experience and the conditions.

We have used soft tops at our surf school for years and compared them all. We’ve also talked to many pro and amateur surfers to see what they prefer and tried out every high performance soft top in the surfing industry. So not only are we huge advocates of riding soft top surfboards, we love riding them ourselves.

Best Soft Top Surfboard for Beginners

We all want to have fun right? When learning how to surf you want to have a surfboard with a lot of foam. This will help you paddle easier and will let you catch a ton of waves compared to a smaller soft top surfboard. We recommend an 8ft-9ft soft top surfboard with as much width and thickness as possible.

Our favorite for learning how to surf and beginners is the 9ft Stormblade SSR soft top surfboard. 

Storm Blade SSR Soft Top Surfboard Yellow

The SSR is perfect for learning how to surf on any type of waves. With the added foam it is very buoyant and easy to learn on. Guaranteed, on a Storm Blade soft top will be standing up in no time. That’s why we us it exclusively to teach new surfers.

Why You Should Not Learn to Surf on a Costco Surfboard

It’s not just us though. Soft top foam surfboards are widely used in surf schools across the world, in particular the Storm Blade SSR. That’s because they are specifically shaped to have lots of volume and stability so you can catch lots of  waves and remain more stable when trying to stand up. They are also durable as heck, and can withstand even the harshest of beatings. And perhaps most importantly, their extra soft deck reduces the risk of accidents and injuries.

Best Soft Top Surfboards for Intermediate and Advanced Surfers

Beginners aren’t the only ones getting stoked on soft tops. Nowadays you can find any style soft top for all conditions and skill levels. For your small wave days there’s the perfect summer surf longboards that any surfer can ride, like the Storm Blades. For your medium size days there are what we call “fun shape” soft tops which are more high performance than your longboard, can make steep drops and do radical turns. Finally there are soft tops that are like high performance short boards in which you can get barreled and throw airs on.

Here is our favorite soft top surfboards for intermediate and advanced surfers:

Takayama Scorpion

Takayama Soft Top Surfboard

The Takayama Scorpion Soft Top Surfboard is one of our favorite soft tops in the surf industry right now. They ride really well in small surf but are also awesome at handling bigger surf.  The round tail helps with different wave heights but still remains loose enough to be able to throw down turns. The thermal formed EVA soft top deck allows you to grip the board comfortably but still be able to let loose in more high performance waves.

Catch Surf Odysea

Catch Surf is one of the leading soft top companies in the world right now. They have every kind of high performance soft top you can imagine. With the short board fun factor they create soft tops that will let you surf the way you want. They are super responsive in massive shore break and super cruisey on small longboard waves. You know when we mentioned earlier Jamie O’Brien conquered Pipeline on a soft top surfboard? He did it on a Catch Surf Odysea.

The quad-fin Odysea Skipper is one of the most enjoyable soft tops to shred on. They range in size from 5’6″ to 6’6″, and have a classic fish shape that allows for down-the-line-speed and stylish turns.

Catch Surf Odysea Skipper Soft Top Surfboard

Another rad Catch Surf model is the Lost Round-Nose Fish (RNF). It is designed after what is cited as the world’s best-selling fish model of all-time from shaper Matt “Mayhem” Biolos. Thanks to its winged swallow tail and tai-fin thruster setup is can rip it in everything from knee-high runners to heavy shore-break, allowing for rail-to-rail surfing and easy paddling.

Catch Surf Odysea Lost Soft Top Surfboard

INT 7’0 Funboard

INT Surfboards have been one of the new up and coming companies to master the soft top industry. Their 7′ classic funboard makes our list because it paddles like a longboard but performs like a shortboard. It gives you enough to room to paddle around the line up with ease, has pop-up stability, and is responsiveness enough to execute tighter turns or make it down steeper waves.

INT 7'0 Soft Top Funboard

Mick Fanning Little Marley

The last soft top surfboard on our list is from your very own world champions Mick Fanning. With MF Softboards, he has created his own model of soft tops that represent all the best of his surfing.

When it comes to soft top shortboards the MF Little Marley is rules the waves.

If you didn’t feel the foam on your feet you would swear you were riding a real fiberglass board. The Little Marley is for all around fun but does best in more high-performance situations. Its short, wide, and fast which make it one of the more versatile soft tops in the surf industry.

Mick Fanning Little Marley Soft Top Surfboard

Shred Hard, Stay Soft

Whether you are just learning how to surf on small waves or a legendary surfer shredding towering breaks, you will have fun on soft top surfboard. Every day they grow more popular and their designs getting better and better everyday. The latest soft top technology is set to pump foamies to the top of the surfing industry for years to come. Everyone should have at least one soft top in their quiver of surfboards and if not then you are late to the game.

Back in the day soft tops use to be frowned upon. Not just because they were seen as being for “kooks” and “noobs” but because they weren’t made to ride the way most experienced surfers would want. They were always falling apart and never had the performance level you were hoping for. 

But times have changed. New designs and innovations have made them just as sweet as regular hard top boards to ride. Now soft top surfboards are so popular pro surfers are coming out with their own high performance soft top companies. The foam logs have opened up the sport in ways never seen before, making it more accessible, friendly and fun. And with the growth of wave pools on the horizon you can be rest assured the soft top industry will only grow bigger.

Whether you are just learning to surf or a seasoned pro, you are seriously missing out if you aren’t experiencing soft top stoke.

So if you’re asking yourself should I try surfing on a soft top surfboard? The answer is a definitive YEEWWW!

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When to Visit: Costa Rica’s Seasons

When to Visit: Understanding Costa Rica’s Seasons

While most of the world celebrates traditional seasons like winter, spring, summer, and fall, Costa Rica experiences a wet season and a dry season. Although Costa Rica Seasons change, one season brings more rainfall, temperatures are warm year-round with the wet season yielding a little cooler temperatures.

The Dry Season: Costa Rica’s Seasons

The dry season runs from mid-November to April, with occasional showers running through December. After that, it’s cloudless and bone-dry skies with temperatures in the upper eighties until May. Offshore winds yield clean, consistent surf with waves on tap all day long. During this time of year the waves are smaller and easier to learn to surf on, while the sunsets are to die for. The best beaches to learn to surf on in Costa Rica are right near our all-inclusive Costa Rica surf resort at Playa Guiones.  It’s for these very reasons that Nosara experiences the majority of its tourism during its summer months. 

During the dry season, the jungle dries up a bit but everything is open and tours run frequently. When you’re taking a break from the surf, the town has a number of tasty restaurants and juice bars, the jungle offers a collection of hikes, and there are adventure tours aplenty.

Costa Rica Seasons

Dry Season

The Rainy Season: Costa Rica’s Seasons

After months of rain free days, the skies part in May and the rainy season begins in full force. The majority of the “green season” begins with sunny mornings, followed by showers in the afternoon and evening. September and October are by far the rainiest months—rain often falls all day long and a number of businesses temporarily shut down.

Due to the wet conditions, the rainy season tends to be less crowded and many tours and accommodations are available at a discounted rate. People ask us What they should pack for a trip to costa rica during different seasons. Although it is wet in the rainy season, it isnt cold at all. While September and October may not be the best months to visit, the rest of the rainy season can be an incredible time to visit the beach town. The jungle and surrounding foliage become green and lush and there are plenty of empty waves to be had during the sunny mornings. Waves tend to be a bit bigger and less consistent during the wet season but there are a number of days when the surf is all time. Weather is a tad cooler during the winter months but still averages in the low eighties.

Costa Rica Seasons

Wet Season

When to Visit: Costa Rica’s Seasons

Our all-inclusive surf resort runs from November to mid-August. Although Nosara has something to offer all year long, we feel conditions are ideal during these months. If you’re looking for endless, sunny days visit us during the dry season but if you’re looking for fewer crowds and occasional showers visit us during the wet season. If you are looking for travel information or which airport to fly into check out frequently asked questions about our Costa Rica surf resort. Regardless of when you choose to come, we’re confident you’ll have a great time.

Costa Rica Seasons

Costa Rica Seasons

Written by: Rebecca Parsons

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Healthy New Year

Healthy Family. Healthy Friends. Healthy you.

Healthy New Year

2019 is a fresh start. It’s a fresh page in your new, favorite book. It’s a tad bit cheesy, and a tad bit cliche. Yet, this is the chance of a fresh perspective. This New Year is a chance to look back, to be appreciative, and to move forward with full momentum, and kick off a Healthy New Year! 

Healthy New Year

Healthy New Year

 

What’s next? What are your New Years Goals?

Maybe you’ll strive to have new, active hobbies. Maybe you want to be outside more. Maybe you’ll work on being more mindful, and take more time drawing or reading. Maybe you’ll work on being more present with your family, and maybe you’ll delete that, “time sucking app” off your phone. Maybe you’ll practice making the best, darn, vegan tacos EVER! Or maybe you’ll decide to adopt a happy, yellow-lab from your local shelter.

There’s a lot to be grateful for. There’s a lot to reflect on, and remember how exciting (and draining), 2018 was. There’s a lot to be stoked on. There’s a lot we’ve each learned personally/individually- And a lot we’ve learned as a group/business here at Corky Carroll’s Surf School.

We’re grateful for our community that teaches us so much. We’re grateful for you. We’re grateful for the chance to teach our craft, and to teach the next generation of little rippers. We’re grateful to own and love this passion, that gets us out of bed each morning.

From Corky Carroll’s Surf School, to you…

THANK YOU!

Thank you for letting us be a part of your world, and to encourage new and returning surfers to hop on a board. Thank you for reading this, and thank you for engaging with us on social media. Thank you, for being you. We’re happy as can be, to remind our California Family what lies in our backyard. (Or to be honest, reminding our family what vacation is right at our fingertips.)

Healthy New Year

New you

Now… Let’s begin!

Let’s make this year the best one yet.

We welcome you to try surfing this year. Not only will surfing brighten your day/week/month- surfing allows your body to physically and emotionally feel better. After a few times Surfing with us at Corky Carroll’s Surf School– this healthy activity will give you better stamina/cardio. Surfing works-out not only your arms for paddling- but also works out your core to keep balanced, and your legs to squat and stay level on the waves. It’s also a stress huge reliever, to hang/wade in the cool water, and listen to the calming/crashing sounds (and to laugh with friends). Oh… and did we mention how cool your hair will look afterwards (really gives that, fresh out of the salon, BoHo look…)?!

In 2019, make that “home-made, famous, vegan taco!” Eat it on the beach, and rent a surfboard. Or maybe, consider taking your family to our all-inclusive Costa Rica surf resort where we make learning to surf, easy (since ’98!)! We teach all ages, and all skill and all athleticism levels. And we’d be happy to give you 1-on-1 lesson, or teach a group lesson, for a fun afternoon with friends. We even provide videos for feedback, and to show how much you learned that day!

Want to learn more about our programs, and what we offer? Simply cruise over, and hang with us at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Or just give us a call to say hi, and talk surf. Or call and talk yellow-lab, shelter dogs. Either way, we’d love to hear from you.

Healthy New Year

2019

Best of wishes for 2019!

Start this off with a healthy New Year, and a new perspective.

Tell us your New Years Goals, below!

Or tell us what active hobbies you’re trying in 2019!

 

-Hunter Rose

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Cheap Surf Lessons

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Huntington Beach Surf Spots

Huntington Beaches Surfing Spots

Brookhurst Street: Huntington Beach 

This surf spot is on the south end of Huntington Beach, Ca. It is located right next to the Santa Ana River Mouth. The combination of drainage from the storm drains and the tidal surge from the hb marshes makes this surf spot dirty. Overall this wave is pretty good most of the time and can be excellent on the right swell mix. The wave is pretty steep and hollow and can get pretty closed out on bigger S and WNW swells. It is not a beginner wave I would recommend to anyone. The beaches are very long and if your a beginner you will need to surf the inside shorebreak because the outside is for advanced surfers. The biggest drawback is the water quality especially after even the smallest rain.

Surf city

South Side and North Side  Huntington Beach Pier is one of the most famous surf spots of all time.From reality tv stars to professional surfers everywhere, HB pier has everything you would want except for a beginner surfing wave. In the summer it has huge contests, crowds, and all kinds of other nonsense, most of which happens on land. Breaking the sides into two different surf spots is necessary because both provide different waves and atmosphere. The waves are very similar in shape on both sides but you get a very different feel and attitude as you move from one side to the other. The North side is open to surfing all year round while the South Side has black ball during summer. The crowd here is localized and some surfers can get aggressive towards people learning how to surf.

 

Huntington Beach Cliffs– This surf spot is a soft and slow wave most of the year. You can long board on the smaller days but it gets fast enough to short board on a lower tide, particularly with a swell combo. In the winter we get NW swells the change the wave from being soft to actually holding some size and being heavy. When there is swell and when there isn’t swell the cliffs have a good crowd on them. Most of the locals will surf it everyday and there are a lot of new beginner surfers trying as well. It can be localized at times during the year, but most the time you can find a spot in between others to have some fun. The walk down is more difficult compared to the surf spots to the south or north because of the rocky cliff. The dog beach is located right on the beach in front of the cliffs and can get very crowded for parking on summer days. Make sure you watch your step for dog poop!

hb cliffs

Bolsa Chica State Beach

There is no black ball at Bolsa Chica State Beach

Black ball is a yellow flag with a black circle that lifeguards put out meaning no surfing allowed. This happens because of the amount of tourists in the water. Even though there is no black ball it is still a lifeguarded beach. Lifeguards patrol the beach year round while lifeguard towers are staffed roughly from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. At Bolsa Chica State Beach there is no black ball, so that means surfing all day!

Conditions

At Corky Carroll’s Surf School the conditions are important for beginning surfers. Bolsa Chica State Beach has a gentle break, a sand bottom, and mild water temperatures year-round making for ideal beginner conditions.

A gentle break allows students to learn how to surf on the outside and inside.

The inside is closer to the shore where the waves have already broken. This area is mostly white wash, which is waves that have broken and washed out. These waves are easier to get into and best for beginners. The outside waves at Bolsa Chica State Beach break slow, allowing beginner surfers to enjoy them as well. Unlike the beaches south of Bolsa Chica State Beach, such as the Huntington Beach cliffs or Newport Beach where the waves break faster.

A sand bottom allows for gentler impact when a wipeout happens.

A wipeout is when you fall off your surfboard and as a beginner it is inevitable. With a sand bottom the ground is soft, so it is less likely to get injured and safer for all ages and ability levels learning how to surf.

Go to our why bolsa chica blog! Bolsa Chica Blog

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Wave Pool vs Real Ocean Surfing

Will the New High Tech Wave Theaters Change Surfing?

 “Arizona?!” -Corky Carroll from the movie “The North Shore” 1987
In that one-word response to a pro surfer from a wave tank in AZ, Corky captured it all

Kelly Slater Wave Co is working on opening his fully green, solar powered, programmable techno-wave ranch to the public ???? Soon. Somewhere in central CA.

“We appear to be watching the ocean..”- Rick Caine. 

Can the new high tech wave theaters compete with our oceans?

Will they change the face of surfing?

When I look at footage of the manmade NLand surf park in Austin Texas and Kelly Slater Wave Co’s version of machined waves via YouTube. I gaze at the screen with my jaw gapped and mouthwatering over seemingly endless tasty waves.

The new spots seem like perfect fun but I can’t help but notice how something is missing…

Lines from the movie “The North Shore” come barreling into my head. Here is why.

That epic slice of 80’s cinema, and one liner heaven, is a statement from 1987 about exactly what I am looking at today. Surfing in a controlled synthetic environment and how that compares to surfing in the ocean.

wave pool vs real ocean surfing kelly slater

Tanks are a great way to bring surfing to spots that do not have surf

“The North Shore” movie is about a surfer from Arizona. Rick wins the Arizona state surf championship at his local wave tank. Instead of buying tacos with his winnings and staying home, Rick slides that wad to his travel agent, and follows his dream of surfing the big waves of the North Shore of Hawaii. Right there, that, should tell you something.

-The wave park champ can’t wait to get out of the wave park and actually surf the breaks of his dreams.

OK that was 1987′ and Rick’s wave park was literally a pool. It represents the antiquated idea of a wave tank.

Modern wave pool technology

Flash forward to today. The combination of research, engineering and technology have allowed for dramatic change in the performance of wave pool capabilities.

  • NLand is in Texas, which I know is different than Arizona, but I think we can all agree that ya don’t think of surfers or surf spots when I mention Arizona or Texas. Cowboys and deserts yes, Surfers? No.
  • Austin is a great spot for a wave tank competition if you have the whole thing to yourself.
    However, because you are in a smaller space the waves seem a little crowded.
  • In order to keep secondary back wash and inner pool turbulence to a minimum the wave generation has to be somewhat infrequent. So not a lot of waves, looks like 10-12 waves per hour in choppy conditions.
  • The session ends and everyone is asked to leave the water.

Problem with the wave pool idea especially for beginners is the limited time you get to spend in the water. Compared to the time you get to spend in the ocean it isn’t even close. When your session is over at the surf park, it’s over.

For beginners the new parks can help you learn what it might be like to surf and give you a fundamental foundation for getting up and riding your first waves. You catch it. You ride it. That’s surfing right?  You can work on skills and rest assured there will be waves. Seems safe and fun but short lived.

The waves look awesome for intermediate to advanced surf enthusiasts that have a dream to one day go to a manmade break and pay per hour to ride.

I could see Olympic surfing truly happen now which would be great for surfing.

“I think when a surfer becomes a surfer, it’s almost like an obligation to be an environmentalist at the same time.” – Kelly Slater

Best wave pool option out there

Kelly Slater Wave Co did the right thing! Kelly has gone all green energy and fully programmable. Dial up any wave from anywhere in the world and his machine will produce unreal epic replications of waves. The waves are long and shreddable.

  • He is using only solar energy.
  • For perfect conditions, the glassy conditions you dream of, his smaller pool can generate and handle 4 “perfect” waves per hour.
  • Great for more tank contests and promoting green energy, awesome!

 “Eskimos have several hundred words for snow. Well, Hawaiians have just as many words to describe waves and ocean conditions.” -Chandler

 

The wave pool has two words to describe its conditions: on and off

For an advanced surfer with dreams of a certain break like pipeline or somewhere in Costa Rica a wave pool like Slaters Wave Co is totally programmable. It can provide a simulated experience and is a great way to have a guaranteed perfect wave.  You can practice what it could be like to actually be there.

Only problem with that for our bucket listers is you can’t say that you have surfed a break unless you have been there and surfed it.

You can’t dial up a wave and tell everyone at home you just surfed the pier in Huntington Beach a.k.a. Surf City USA like they do at the US Open event that is held there every year.

All the visceral knowledge of and about ocean conditions or why we should care for our oceans is lost in a wave tank. Anyway way you look at it, there is no ocean at a wave tank. Once you leave you may not find yourself surrounded by a richly rooted surf community based in surfing heritage and spirit.

“The biggest sin in the world would be if I lost my love for the ocean.” – Laird Hamilton  

 kelly slater wave pool

What are your roots?

Corky Carrolls surf schools are rooted into two epic surf spots and are submerged in surf culture: Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington Beach, CA and Playa Guiones, Nosara, Costa Rica

  • Huntington Beach
  • Huntington Beach Pier
  • Dukes
  • Jack’s Surfboards

Why did the original pioneer of professional surfing Corky Carroll put his surf school at Bolsa Chica?

Just like in gardening, for surfing, where you plant your surfing roots is important for you and your sprouting grommets. In gardening the seed sprouts roots into the Earth to connect with it for nutrition. In surfing our dreams are the seeds that we connect with our lives. We are planting our surfing roots and connecting our dreams into our life. Surfing becomes the root source of living a dream. We truly grow because of it.

The overall connective experience that people are looking for when beginning their surfing adventures and planting their surfing roots can only be found by being submerged in the oceans and the surrounding communities. You are planting your surfing roots and your life grows because of it physically, mentally, spiritually.

You remember your first wave. You remember the people you meet. It all becomes a part of you and your personal surfing journey.

Bolsa Chica translates to “Little Pockets.” I like to say Little Pockets runs deep in surfing roots, heritage, and history.

Bolsa Chica State beach has a sweetness to it.  Perfect for beginners, campers, families and journeymen alike.

bolsa chica

  • *It’s protected, smooth, flat beaches are the beneficiary of California weather. It doesn’t suffer from lack of waves being consistent with swell from any direction.
  • *Talk about legendary surf roots and community: Not only was Corky Carroll the first professional surfer, Corky helped pioneer another surf staple. Just up the road is Kasnvas By Katin where he helped with the designs for the original pair of board shorts.
  • *When your lesson for the day is over at the beach. The ocean is still open. The ocean doesn’t black ball you after your hour is up.

Bolsa Chica has less black ball issue hours than most breaks local to Huntington Beach

Encounters with the local dolphins happen almost daily at Bolsa Chica and other surrounding breaks. In Costa Rica Howler Monkeys and animals of all kinds are always around.

Connecting with Mother Nature and connecting with animals in a shared environment does something to our perspective. It can be life changing, and life enhancing.

Something resonates with the soul when you are surrounded by Mother Nature’s vast epi-scapes like “the Cliffs”@ Huntington Beach, the wetlands @ Bolsa Chica State Beach, or the sugary beaches of Costa Rica. The soul connection to the ocean’s power and beauty cannot be found in a manmade pool. A wave pool just can’t beat the life enhancing challenges and bond building experiences that the ocean can present. Our oceans are priceless.

When a surfer talks about choosing his line, he is talking about something unique that is within each wave and each person. Surfing in the ocean is another way to tap into your overall sensory awareness, learn something about yourself, and express it creatively.

I love pools but they are not alive like the ocean

Ricks roots did not change because he went to surf in Hawaii. He struggled to take his surfing into the ocean. His surfing roots were still in Arizona. Then he connected more dream roots when he combined his dreams with his reality. He was the champion of a park and his ultimate dream was to surf for real. That should tell you something about the difference between manmade wave parks and the real natural deal. That will not change, I still think Corky said it best -“Arizona?!”

Looking at the new wave theaters I can’t help but notice how something is missing.

So where do you go to practice and learn how to surf?

The path you choose is up to you.

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