so cal aka the south of california

i have entered the land of the american surfer.

my exposure started in Huntington Beach, kind of like mecca for surfers and i think i can officially call myself a surfer as i was almost giddy as i walked along the pier and among the surf shops. sadly there was no surfing for me, waves were too big and the water did not look friendly. still i watched the wetsuit clad surfers, mainly with short boards and overwhelmingly male...i think i counted 2 women in the mix. there were definitely pangs of longing for a long board and jealousy that i was not out in the water.

i miss it; the water, the waves and the feeling of catching a wave. when i was surfing everyday i would have moments when i was laying down when i still felt i was in the water...if you have experienced this you know it is rather odd and somewhat satisfying. i miss that feeling too.

walking through surf shops and especially board shops was like entering a whole new world. it really is a whole culture here and thus there is etiquette, lingo and way of engaging that i have never seen or experienced. certainly i had my limited experiences and knowledge to fall back on but that was based in Central America and in interactions with surfers from around the world...they did not prepare me for southern california!

i had heard stories of the surf culture in southern california and i must say it is and it is not what i expected. indeed the beaches and the ocean are packed with people. certainly there are incredible surfers in the water, of all ages. i am not sure about the general acceptance of new surfers in the water as i didn't surf AND as a woman i expect the response would be slightly different than that towards a guy.

what i can say is that there is a strong enthusiasm for all things surf-related, including any kind of conversation regarding surfing or the water. not that i have much to say on the subject, i do suppose i know a bit more than the average non-surfer so i found myself in conversation with a number of locals and they all offered tips and a welcome to this newbie.

of course all this is based on only a few short days on the beaches and in the beach towns so my understanding and observations are quite limited. still, i find i am intrigued and looking forward to a day when i can return to surf and learn more about this special world in so cal!