It’s a long way from New York City to Morro Bay, but to 15-year-old Harry Davidson, the trip was worth it if it meant he’d pick up a new addiction.
“I want to really love surfing,” Davidson said. “I want to go back home and get a board and surf a lot. I want to get hooked on it.”
Though he’d never been camping or surfing before, Davidson went online and found the Wrightsville Beach (WB) Surf Camp—based out of Wilmington, N.C.—and convinced his parents to sign him up.
On July 22, Davidson joined nine other teens, ages 14 to 17, for two weeks of camping and surfing lessons along the Central Coast.
Camp organizers worked on putting the camp together for two years, bringing together teens from Southern California, Illinois, the Northeast, and even Canada. In her second year as a camp counselor, instructor Kate Murray said she was struck by the area’s natural beauty, and she was excited for her campers to experience it.
“Their lives definitely get changed by these camps,” Murray said. “They get so much more confident. Even the kids who aren’t super popular or well known in their schools, during the camp they can still be some of the best surfers.”
The instructors said Morro Bay was the perfect spot to teach the sport to their “little tribe.” Most of the campers had never surfed before; the most advanced of the group, 17-year-old John Gilman, had 12 years of experience.
“I’m from New Jersey, and we haven’t had any waves for a while,” he said. “It’s good to surf some fun waves out here, and it’s a good trip.”
Taking part in his fifth camp, Gilman was using the opportunity to help some of his less experienced fellow campers.
“I just really like this camp … the counselors are always great,” he said. “You get to travel and surf with other kids your age—it’s really fun.”
On the camp’s first day, the group heard lessons on marine life and the ocean’s currents. Then they learned basic surfing rules and practiced the mechanics of paddling and standing up.
The campers were divided up into groups of three per instructor, who swam out with their students to push them into waves and tell them when to pop up, cheering them on with each big wave they caught.
Instructor Matt Loveless, in his first go-round with WB Surf Camp, said he was excited to impart the tricks he’s picked up in his 16 years as a surfer.
“When you see somebody catch their first wave, that big goofy grin, and you know they felt it and they’re hooked, is just a good feeling,” Loveless said. “I have just as much fun as if I had been on that wave, because I know they had a great time.”
During their time here, he said, new friendships will be made that will hopefully last beyond the two weeks.
“Some of these kids have been around the world more than us as broke surfers. Now we’re all together sleeping in the dirt,” Loveless said. “They seem to be digging it. It’s nothing fancy, but we’ve got all the necessities covered and they keep waking up every morning with a smile.”
On the camp’s second day, the group arose early and full of energy. Counselors reported seeing less fear and better timing in their students. The day’s smallish waves served as a perfect fit for the beginners.
Griffin Ball, a 14 year old from Virginia, was surfing on the West Coast for the first time. She braved the “freezing” water to work on her basic skills and came away pleased with her progress.
“I caught a bunch of waves, and the counselors are really good because they’re encouraging,” she said. “I stood up a lot and I got to go down the line, which is what you’re supposed to do. It was really cool.”
The campers surfed until they were tired and overwhelmed by the cold. Then it was time for lunch, and games of Frisbee and football on the beach, followed by more surfing.
The camp called on a local surf instructor, Brian Ingles of Los Osos, to help out with the group. A surfing veteran of 40 years, Ingles said he gets satisfaction from seeing the kids have fun while they learn proper surfing etiquette.
“I hope they catch that one wave that gives them that spark that makes them want to keep doing it,” Ingles said. “It’s great to be out on the ocean, but once you get that one where the light just goes on, all you can think of is the next one. No matter how good the last one was, the next one might be even better, and it just keeps you going.”
Ingles said his goal by the camp’s end was to get the group prepared to take their surfing to the next level, imparting to the teens that the sport is a passport to wherever there’s surf around the globe.
“As a traveler, you have entrée. Anywhere you go, there’s that culture,” Ingles said. “I hope these kids learn to be polite and safe and they’ll be welcome wherever they go and just keep spreading the fun.”
Though teaching the basic skills and safety of surfing was the camp’s main focus, there were numerous adventures on the campers’ itinerary. They visited Monterey Bay Aquarium on July 25, surfed and hiked at Big Sur, and were scheduled to visit Santa Barbara and surf Rincon Beach on July 31.
Most days were comprised of lessons in the morning, followed by lunch and a hike, then more surfing and other water sports. Besides surfing, Murray said her goal was to introduce campers to their role in preserving the ocean and the environment. As the camp progressed, Murray said, campers would learn to turn, ride the line, and cruise down the face of the wave, as well as the importance of being courteous.
Beaming about being able to ride the waves once again, camper Davidson was excited for the possibilities awaiting him by camp’s end.
“I’d love to travel and see different waves, now that I’m starting to see what it’s like,” Davidson said. “I think traveling around and surfing would be the coolest combination, to see the sights and surf. That would be amazing.”
Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas’s favorite summer camp experience was watching the movie Meatballs. Contact him at jthomas@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 4, 2011.