Let My People Go Surfing

Capitola, California

Adventure #8: Surfing at Capitola Beach with Friends

Intention: Decompress and soak in our last big moments of January.

This adventure took place on stolen Popeloutchom (Amah Mutsun) , Ohlone, Awaswas  land.

The last adventure of myJan Term journey was the last stop of our camping trip. Before we arrived home we stopped in Capitola Village by Santa Cruz, which I had never visited. I typically try to avoid populated spots, even before the pandemic, because I prefer unaltered and raw coastline. However, the charm of Capitola and laid-back surf conditions were undeniable. A perfect way to cleanse our bodies and spirits after the trip. While checking Surfline for the surf report, I made sure that we went somewhere with beginner waves. I myself, am barely proficient on a board and everyone else in our group wanted to give it a go as well. Capitola is known for its beginner surf and mild conditions. So, four of us, with one board, headed into the little 3-footer waves. We were accompanied by many of new surfers, so we weren’t completely out of place.

This ended up being one of my magic moments looking back at the month. I absolutely love being out in my suit and on a board. Especially this winter, challenging myself to get into cold water and learning more about surfing technique. BUT, the most rewarding part of this experience for me was teaching my friends what I know about surfing. Which isn't much. The girls are beginners, but were so keen to get in, they even agreed to wear spring suits, which were all we had along… painful I’m sure. It was incredible to see the pure bliss on every one of our faces (through the shivering) when we were out on the waves. I have never gotten to catch a close look at anyone else when they're learning to surf, but I could see in my friends the same feeling that I get every time that I'm riding a wave. Getting to stand out there with them and teach them paddling and how to catch a wave, even giving them a boost, was such pure fun for me. It filled my soul entering into the supporting position, mentoring them in a way. Just seeing that joy on their faces while still being so so cold was so much fun. We cheered and cheered for each other, people probably thought we were out of our minds. Can you expect anything less after a camping trip?

With surfing, I still have a lot of work to do myself, but I felt so much pride getting to show them what I had been shown by people like my brother. This was territory in my friendships that had never really experienced before and it brought this whole new aspect of fun and value to the experiences that we shared together. I was so excited to see them excited.

We dried off at the beach and tried to warm up with some lovely tomato soup on my backpacking stove. This was the perfect post-waves snack if I ever saw one. Everyone commented on how “doable” this adventure is for a future weekend. The other girls thought maybe we should wait till spring to do it again (understandable), but I also love knowing that it's possible to do it in the winter. It is a quieter experience in the winter, when not as many people are willing to go out and learn, which in turn makes it a safer time to learn. Also, for me it is an active way of pushing myself both physically and mentally.

Songs for Salt Water

How to Fly- Sticky Fingers

Astrovan- Mt.Joy

During this experience, I was reminded of how much joy life can bring when we focus outside of ourselves. As I am headed into my last semester of college, I have a lot of questions about my future. Small moments like waking up in the rain or being on the waves with friends are so special to this chapter in my life. They can even be an unexpected guide to learning more about my core values. I'm so grateful for the human connections I experienced this month, while exploring beautiful places. For those lessons that I had wasn't expecting to learn. Being outdoors can be connection with oneself, each other and the earth. I hope to remain open to all of those possibilities as I continue instilling adventure into my life. This winter has given me the chance to slow down and embrace those around me while still challenging myself to stay strong, reflective, motivated and reverent. I couldn’t have asked for more.

I hope to continue this exploration of my relationships with people around me, and how they are connected, and made better, by the time we spend outdoors. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have had this class in three locations that I love, people I love and doing things I love. While not every month in the future can look like this, I will look to this month to remind me what things truly replenish my soul. May we continue to teach ourselves and each other the intimate beauty this planet holds.

Goodbye for now!

The Good Winter xx