Sunflowers + Surfing

Fall was already in the air by the end of August; that familiar back-to-school smell. Everyone seemed surprised by how short the summer was this year. Lee Farms in Tualatin held its first annual Sunflower Festival. It was a hot and buggy afternoon post-hike, but I enjoyed strolling through the sunny blooms and visiting the farm animals. I even cut a flower to take home!



 



 

On the last day of August, I joined an incredible surf camp with Northwest Women's Surf Camps. Vivacious leader and seasoned surfer, Lexi, started the organization 15 years ago in order to create opportunities for individuals to deepen their connection with the ocean and expand the surfing community. Lexi is the type of person that you meet and immediately want to spend all of your time getting to know better; a kindred spirit. I met her in Seaside along with the rest of the ladies that we would be spending the day with. Lexi opened with a captivating story chronicling the history of surfing in Oregon, and how the culture has grown and transformed since the early '70s. We picked up our wetsuits at Cleanline Surf, the Northwest's original surf shop. From there, we set up camp at Seaside Cove.

Our small group sipped green tea while Lexi, joined by coach Beth, explained the theory behind determining the ideal "recipe" to surf at a particular area; surfing truly is a science, built around knowledge of tides, winds, and swells (among other things). I listened intently to my instructors and tried to retain the wisdom.

Afterwards, we fueled ourselves with a delicious, organic lunch before digging into skills and safety. Then it was time to put the lesson into practice--the group split in two as we hauled our long boards into the water. The water was 60 degrees, but it didn't feel cold against my wetsuit. The first few attempts were frustrating, but I started to get the hang of it once I slowed down. Learning to surf is largely about building muscle memory, so I decided to focus on that instead of perfecting technique. I also tried to train myself to read the waves vs. rely on Lexi to tell me when to start paddling. I am not a "natural," but it felt right to be out there on the water with my board. My happy place.

A glassy, overcast morning with gentle waves slowly dissolved as the sun came out and the wind picked up. After a few hours, I ended on a solid ride into shore. Collapsing on the beach was in my future--talk about a full-body workout--but not before peeling off my wetsuit and going for a dip in the chilly water!

Our newly bonded crew regrouped on the beach, where we wrapped up the day. I felt inspired by this strong community of women, and optimistic about maintaining the friendships. I was also optimistic about my future in surfing. This day camp was an amazing opportunity to become immersed in everything that the sport has to offer, especially compared to a two-hour introductory lesson (no regrets about my experience in Sydney, however). Still, I realize that it still only scratched the surface, and seriously pursuing this lifestyle would require a lot of hard work. Picking up surfing is a much bigger undertaking and commitment than starting to rock climb was in January. Furthermore, the seasonal changes will become more challenging come October; while possible to surf the Oregon coast year-round, beginners tend to take over in the mild summer conditions while the practiced locals (who typically work the summers) emerge in fall/winter when the waves are more advanced. Regardless of where this leads, surf camp was a stellar way to close out the summer.