Good Eats!

I could get used to this!

Surf all morning... wear yourself out, come in to a nice plate of langosta... perfect!

Surf to Exhaustion

Have you ever done anything until you're totally exhausted? I ran a marathon once, at the end I could barely walk to the car (my baby girl had to carry me). Today, I surfed basically all day long! It was a marathon of surfing and it was a constant day of learning because I had to practice riding on my backhand.

Surfing on your backhand happens when you are heading in a direction that does not allow you to face the wave. Backhand surfing is more difficult than surfing on your front hand, you have to rock back onto your heels to make the board turn (an odd feeling) and you have to twist and turn, looking over your shoulder to see the wave. It's tough and frustrating, especially when you can surf competently on your fore hand and you see lots of waves running away from you. It's not easy to do, but it's a skill you have to master if you're going to do it all in surfing.

Here I am, surfing on my back hand- totally exhausted... but totally happy!

This spot is so fun- the wave is super long and the water is almost the perfect temperature... not too cold, not too warm and really blue. It's the kind of place that keeps you coming back for more- all day long- 'til you just can't do it NO MORE!

Don't Go Into the Light!

Believe it or not, it's not just all about having fun.  Some of us have work to do-- kind of...

My Favorite Surfer (For Today)

Today I think I saw my favorite surfer. We were at a spot out in the middle of nowhere. You had to bump along a dusty dirt road with no houses or people on it for miles- just jungle and mosquitoes. At the end of the road is a really fun surf spot but you have to work to get to it. We had just finished our session and were getting ready to leave when up walked this super stylish local girl surfer. Check her out:

It was the hat that got me- she was so stylish without even trying, carrying her board over her shoulder with a homemade strap, whistling to her dog and just cruising out of the jungle. I liked the fact that she wasn't trying for anybody- she wasn't filling some type of "surfer-chick" stereotype. She was just a girl who wanted to go surfing- so she started walking. That's cool.

Made it!

Well, we got here. And it's really beautiful. It's about eighty degrees, no wind, waist to chest high, glassy surf... Is there anything more to say? Check back for surf pics:

Boga 9'5" Bullet: The folks at Boga really came through and hooked me up with a brand new Boga Bullet to take on this trip... this is HANDS DOWN my favorite short SUP. I've been surfing a Bullet for about four months, it was my first step down from a big 11'6" stand up board and I have to say, if you're dreaming about getting on something a bit more high performance (you can turn it!) this is a board you should check out. Here I am getting her all finned up for my first surf of the trip- this is a great travel board just small enough to get on the plane and just big enough to make stando surfing fun. Thanks Boga!

Closer Every Minute

Traveling is a series of small steps. The steps vary in discomfort. Some steps feel like stubbing your toe some are like finding that freshly laundered twenty dollar bill you forgot in your back pocket.

Good step: drinking an ice cold Pacifico while watching your board get racked up onto the rental car.



Bad step: fighting traffic on the 405 hoping to actually make that 10am flight (on nothing but a big cup of grit laden gas station coffee).

Good steps/Bad steps, they come with the territory. I've found the best strategy is to just smile, take a deep breathe and remind myself that good or bad, any forward progress towards warm tropical surf is one I'm more than happy to take.


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You tell me...

Soooo excited! Leaving in three days. Let's play a game: I'll give you some hints and you tell me where I'm going. Hint 1 below:

Essential equipment for where I'm going.

There's a bunch of info in that photo but if you still need more tidbits of info here are a couple more hints. Hint 2: Dress code? Bikinis, shorts, sunglasses, sunscreen (forget about the make up bag). Hint 3: Food options? Fresh fish, sopes, grilled chicken... and kick in you in the ass Margaritas (I'm making this way too easy). Hint 4: Board of choice? Wave riding gear.... definitely! In this case my new 9'5 Boga Bullet and my short cut surf paddle. Hint 5: Loooong left point breaks and a hidden right hander.

Now it's your turn. You tell me....

Keemo works

I grew up always surrounded by family. I only have 1 sibling, but I have many cousins from my 18 aunts and uncles. We always have an excuse to spend time together-- birthdays, holidays, Pacquio fights, etc. That's one of the reasons why I enjoy stand-up paddling. I can take any one of my family members out on the water. It doesn't matter what their individual fitness lifestyle is or if he/she is an athlete. Anyone can do stand-up paddling. My crazy family always supports me in my activities, including SUP. They will wake up way too early in the morning and stand out in the cold just to watch one of my races. So, whenever I can, I reciprocate.

Last night I brought a couple of my friends with me to check out my cousin James' (aka Keemo) art show. His work is so unbelievably impressive. He specializes in stencils. Basically, he cuts stencils out for each color in his piece. When the piece is complete, it looks like a portrait from a distance. You just have to check it out in person to get the impact of his incredible artwork.




That's James on the right with my brother. Those are his pieces in the background.




Please help me get the word out about his upcoming shows. Google NastyKemical to find out more information. You won't be disappointed!

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Cruisin' SoCal Beaches in Style

One day after another fun surf session at Dogpatch, something shiny on the dirt road caught my attention. Any type of "bling" will catch the attention of almost any female. Then add some pink to that shine and you'll definitely catch a girl's eye. Well, I have to admit that I'm not much of a "pink" chick but this thing I couldn't take my eyes off of.



Cruising towards me was a classic, sweet ride. I couldn't help myself and had to stop the car and chat with the owner.



He was very nice to let me sit inside his vintage pink cadillac, which still had the original interior. I dusted the sand off my feet, sat behind the wheel and imagined myself cruising along the coastline. This car makes heads turn with its polished look complete with white-walled tires.
It was fun to fantasize riding it for the moment but it still doesn't trump the vehicle to buy next on my list - sprinter van. (I'll talk more about this later.)

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Pimpin' My Ride

Check out my BOGA mobile, pimpin' the logo.




Team BOGA rocks!

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I heart DogPatch

I LOVE surfing! I also love DogPatch. If you've never been to the 'Patch, you really need to make time for a trip to the spot- especially if you're just learning how to stand up paddle surf. DogPatch is such a great spot for beginners because it's an easy wave, there's nothing life threatening about the surf out there. Also, the 'Patch is a paddle friendly spot so there's no worry about stepping on any surfer's toes as long as you stay in the designated paddle area. My favorite thing about the spot is that it's a gathering spot for old friends as well as great place to make new ones- the place just has a good vibe about it. Show up at the 'Patch with some hotdogs, a grill and cooler with drinks to share and you'll fit right in. 

Me, my 9'5 Boga Bullet and a little right hand peeler = smiley face! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are the things I'm thankful for this year:

1. My beautiful daughter and my loving family- duh, always first on my list. 

2. My friends. 

3. My health.

4. The opportunities I've been given and the luck that has graced me this year.

5. That I learned how to surf. Really. I think learning how to handle myself in the ocean and being able to actually ride waves has changed my life for the better. I've learned lessons in patience and humility, I've met surfers and water people who've inspired me and I think my world has expanded in a positive way.

Funny, I actually spent this Thanksgiving morning surfing with my brother and friends at DogPatch. We roasted hot dogs, smothered them in chili and drank a couple incognito cocktails. The wind backed down, the tide dropped and I had a great time. Surfing and Thanksgiving- they definitely go together.

Good times-- Surfing for Thanksgiving with my bro.

It's called a quiver....

What a crazy day of surfing today! First of all, I'm way out of my 'hood. For the last three days I've been up in northern California touring college campuses with my daughter (Stanford... wow.). I've been able to hook up with my sponsors at Boga and surf a couple spots outside of Santa Cruz. 

We ended up surfing Davenport landing today- and it was a challenge. The water up here is different. In the first place, it's really cold- the kind of cold that hits you in the middle of your body- deep inside. I wore a fullsuit, booties and was wishing I brought my hood. Secondly, there's a lot more going on- the chop is a little more punchy, the surf a little bit more powerful and everything about the place just seems a bit more raw. 

We paddled out into tough conditions, I was on the 9'5 Bullet- my "go-to" board. Today I learned that you need to be flexible- you've got to let the conditions dictate what you ride. Even though I love the Bullet- for me, today, it wasn't the best choice. I could barely stand up on the thing. That's why serious surfers have quivers, collections of boards of different lengths, dimensions and functions. Mid-way through the session I was able to switch out to a bigger wider board and I immediately felt more comfortable. Don't get me wrong- I didn't rip the place, that will come with more experience and water time. The big take-away for me was this- there's a right board for the condition and I'm working on building my quiver- Bogas of course!

Dreaming of warm water, fun waves and lots of good food... south!

Found this photo on my hard drive and it really hit home- I think I was built for warm water, sunshine and fun waves:

I can't wait to get back down south- this photo has that dreamy, after-surf feel to it... take me back!

Mission Bay Paddling: There's a lot to see! - Part II

While paddling around Mission Bay last week, we ran into this guy:

He decorated his kayak for the Row for the Cure.  Row for the Cure is an event that raises awareness and funds to support the fight against breast cancer.  You can support the cause on water or on land.

I wasn't sure if Oty was going to make it to the race
and I was very happy to see her watching at the starting line.

Today I participated in my 5th Race for the Cure in memory of my good friend, Joanna Colada Domingo and in honor of my friends-  Oty, MJ and Lisa.  Breast cancer is such a devastating disease and I have unfortunately witnessed the impact it has had on some of my friends.  If you participated in the race today--- kudos.  If you didn't, there is always next year.

A BIG hug and thank you to my team, Save Our TaTas!  You guys rock!

Some of my team members in the background:
John, Bree and Nikki

Surf Food

Here are the three things that define surf food:

1) There's got to be a lot of it;
2) It's got to be relatively cheap;
3) It's got to be within 10 minutes of a surf spot.

One of my favorite surf food spots: Pizza Port!




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Mission Bay Paddling: There's a lot to see!

This weekend I decided to support the Row for a Cause- unfortunately, the race started really early and I'm not such an early riser on the weekend. By the time we got to the race site there was nothing to see but tired outrigger paddlers and race canoes resting on the sand... or was there?! Check it out: 

It's the Sitting SUPer!!!

This guy had a cool set up- he had a seat bolted to his stand up board! He was cruising too- doing laps around one of the islands in Mission Bay. Paddling is cool - and if you need to sit down to get your fix... more power to you. Paddle on Sitting SUPer, paddle on.

IB Surfin'

Yesterday I didn't have a whole lot of free time in the morning before I had to head to work for a training in the afternoon. I had to settle my craving to surf and decided to surf local. I guess I could have hit the usual nearby destination-- Coronado Shores but I was ready to try out Imperial Beach. I've never really surfed IB by the pier. I've open ocean paddled past it to surf the Rivermouth. I used to be intimidated by IB's reputation of having a hard, fast wave. And I was ready for the challenge. I wanted it.

On my drive there, I was a little nervous. I arrived to nice, clean, waist-high glassy waves. I was stoked. Ideal conditions for me, especially in IB. Lefts?!-- good time to practice I thought since I favor going right.

I caught my first wave and found the speed exhilarating. I'm enjoying faster, steeper waves than the slow-rolling waves in Dogpatch (but DP is always fun no matter). I'm gaining more confidence in surfing more challenging waves and thinking about all the sweet places you can surf around the world excites me! Look out, I'm on a mission. Once I get rolling, nothing can stop me.

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Location:IB

Caught on Film

Just saw this...  Someone caught a photo of me after the Tahoe Nalu Race.  You can tell that it was a beautiful, hot summer day in the mountains!

The caption read:

Liza Edralin Flowers demonstrates paddleboarding, which is just about as close as a person can get to actually walking on the water.  (So true...)

Happy 1 Year Anniversary BOGA

If you haven't ridden one, you need to give it a try!  I love riding my BOGA raceboard on flatwater as it cuts right through the water like slicing butter.  And I always have fun on the surf with my BOGA Bullet, whether it's knee-high waves or over-head waves.  The BOGA team has a great crew, lead by an awesome couple-- Dave and Trish.  Congrats BOGA for a successful year!  Watch out everyone, BOGA is on fire!!

The Family

My BOGA family always keeps me happy!

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Surfing Ain't Just About Standing Up

Surfing the Dogpatch, you're bound to share the waves with a few surfskiis, aka butt-boarders.  I was always curious about it but never really was interested in riding one.  The only reasons why I jumped on a  tandem surfski with Steve Boehne was that the surf was mediocre and it was Steve Boehne, founder of Infinity and tandem surfing world champion.  

I'm so glad I did!  What a blast!  It's a different type of high than SUP surfing.  I was a little nervous and excited at the same time.  It was so fun riding the waves, doing cut-backs and especially going off the lip. It was neat sitting at the base of the wave.  You get a different perspective of the waves.  I felt like I could see everything and Steve taught me how to read the waves. 

I enjoyed surfskiing and will definitely do it again but it still doesn't beat riding my BOGA! 

Back in the Water

Surfed today on my 9.5 Boga- reminded me how much I love the surfing side of paddlesurfing. I only had an hour so a local session was the call. I'm digging the shorter length on the Boga- beach break grinders are now surfable. Oh yeah, I also got my first nasal flush- just like a real surfer... Right when I least expected it.


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Location:Coronado shores

Home Sweet Home

Man, it's good to be back home.  After 15 hours on a plane and a few hours of sleep, it wasn't soon enough to go surfing.  The two tsunamis that hit the Philippines during our 2-week stay put a damper on our plans to go surfing.  So I was revving to go as soon as we arrived home.  Of course I had to go to my spot-- the Dog Patch in San Onofre.  Surf wasn't real big today and I was mainly chasing waves, rather than catching them (I was pretty sluggish today) but it was a beautiful day and I was just happy to be back in the water.

I had a fabulous time with the family in PI but it's so good to be Home Sweet Home!

The Last Day of Summer

I wasn't going to let the last day of summer slip away without putting in one more fun surf session.  We took the day off and started heading north.  We could have went straight to my typical fun zone - Dogpatch, but I wanted to check out something new.  My friend Reid has been telling me how fun it's been to surf Cardiff so I figured we should check it out.  When we got there, a mob of surfers were already out on the water.  Usually I don't like surfing when the waves are inundated with surfers, afraid of getting in their way or hitting someone.  I decided that I needed to get over it and just surf it.  I'd have to learn to surf through a crowd sooner or later and now was just a good a time as any.

My Boga never lets me down.  If you look real close-- you can see the swarm of surfers in the water.

It was meant to be.  Some surfers came down from San O saying the beach was closed due to a sewage spill (yuck!).  Plus, I had an awesome time surfing Cardiff.  I charged a couple of pretty big set waves.  I'm so much more comfortable with my surfing that the big waves don't scare me (but I'm not saying I'm ready for Mavericks... or ever will be.)  It ended up being a fun surf session!  I would have surfed longer but my hunger got the best of me.  We  found a cool breakfast spot close by.  Stay tuned for the post about this place.  For now, I've got to go pack my bags for the Philippines (flying out tonight).  From what I hear, there's surf there too :)

"Calgon... Take Me Away!!"

Last week was a crazy, hectic week.  I was working 10-12 hour days.  I wasn't sleeping well.  It was just an exhausting week.  Reminding myself that the weekend was around the corner-- which meant another day of surfing for me, helped get me through this treacherous week.

I took a few shots of some of the boys out in the water:

These boys were rippin' it on these fun, little waves.  I love watching them and taking notes so that some day I could hit ripper status!

It Was a Massacre!

I was driving Saturday morning to Coronado around 9:00am ready to be a spectator and cheerleader for my friends participating in the Chainsaw Massacre in Coronado.  I strained my lower back the weekend before surfing and thought I wasn't up to doing the race like I originally intended.   I also haven't been able to do any SUP training in the past couple of weeks (aside from surfing) so I didn't feel that I would be prepared to compete in the 6.5 miles open ocean race.

The race course was to the point that you see in the background
and then back, through the surf and a run through the blue flags.

But if you truly know me, or have been keeping up with my somewhat inconsistent blog, it's not so easy for me to just sit on the sidelines and watch.  So I did my typical "Liza-move" and hit a u-turn home to pick up my BOGA race board "just in case".  You know how it goes from here...

I got to Coronado, met up with my friends and registered for the race.  I knew it would be grueling but there wasn't much competition in the women's category, so what did I have to lose.  It was a race against the clock.  It was a race against myself.  I really wasn't sure what to expect.

Guess who got 1st place in her division?!  Okay, there were only 5 women in the race and 2 DNFs...  but you know what?,  it was still a great accomplishment to me.  It taught me that with any excuse I could use in the book, I still could finish a race and do well.  It was a tough race.  The chop and wind was crazy as we got closer to the buoy.  I learned that I definitely need more practice out in the open ocean.  I hung in there and didn't fall in once but there is so much I am learning about the ocean through surfing that is helping me with my racing.

I was only supposed to be a cheerleader for my good friends, Kiwi, who won 1st in the SUP stock division and John, who won 3rd in the SUP stock division.  If I'm gonna be a part of this crew, I need to learn not to never be left back waiting on the sand.

Ahhh... Long Weekends

Long weekends are fun until you head to work on Tuesday and need to complete 5 days of work in 4 days. So you need to make the long weekend worth it! I surfed every day at my favorite surf spot, the Dog Patch in San Onofre. Waking up at 4:00am isn't so bad when you know you'll have a prime parking spot, surf all day, BBQ and nap if you need.

If you're a surfer, you know that a huge South swell rolled through last week and the surf was crankin'. Unfortunately, with audits coming up I couldn't squeeze in any time during the week to surf, not even a "sick" day. I was overly-excited to get out on the surf when Saturday finally arrived.

We thought for sure we'd be the first to get into the SanO Beach since we got there around 5:30am. To our surprise, there was a line of cars already waiting. No problem. We were still early enough to get in and find a parking spot.

The surf was pretty junkie Saturday morning but that didn't stop me from going in. It got better as the morning clouds burned off and I "charged it". I went for every wave that I could and as a result, caught a ton of them. I'm practicing my turns and am learning to "pump" up and down the face of the wave.

I hear another big swell may be coming our way this week. I hope to run into you out on the water

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BOGA Does It Again

BOGA has a myriad of fun boards and I recently got to add this one to my quiver:

This is the new version of the 9'2" BOGA Bullet.  It's 9'5" by 30", so it's a little longer and narrower than its predecessor.  I took it out surfing at the Dog Patch today and had a blast!  I had an awesome surf session on this thing.  It's such a fun board.  It really wants to move and it's so easy to maneuver.  And the board was definitely catching people's attention because a few of the guys on the water had to come by and ask me about it.  It must be the fire red... just my style.

Here I am wiping down my new baby after a fun day in the surf!
I can't wait to take it out again!!!

Tahoe-Nalu part II

I loved the energy that was resonating throughout the Tahoe-Nalu event! Everyone was having a good time and was excited about SUP. The competitors were fired up, yet there was a great sense of comradery even if they were rivals. It's always about winning but even if you weren't at the top of the list, you felt like a winner by simply participating. The crowd made everyone feel like winners by cheering on every racer, including the lonely last ones.

The Elite race started at 1:30 pm under the blazing 85*-90* weather, as if it wasn't
bad enough for those who just came to visit and had to acclamize to the altitude.

Danny Ching finished with a huge lead.  Second place came in almost 2 minutes
behind Danny.  And check out that pivot turn.  He does it in one step.

The Elite race was stacked. That was the fastest 6-mile race I've ever witnessed. Of course, Candice Appleby takes the women's division finishing in 40:27 and Danny Ching, no surprise, takes the men's with 35:21. Watching the Elite race gave me a renewed motivation for racing. I took copious mental notes as I studied the racers when they paddled by (I had an awesome view from the pier.) Yesterday I tried to implement and mimic some of what I saw. To my surprise, I made a huge improvement in my time. Granted, it was a perfectly glassy day. I'll continue with the same technique and hope it creates the same results in wind and chop. If so, I may tell you my secret.

Candice Appleby stayed next to one of the keikis during the Grom race to motivate her.

I especially enjoyed watching all the families in action. Each member of the Clark family (John, wife and 2 daughters) joined in on the fun. I was told about John's incident from last year's race when the winds were blowing hard creating huge swells that you could surf. It was his first race, he fell on his board face first, cracked both front teeth but continued to finish the race. He was given the Inspirational SUPer award.  John wore a helmet with a GoPro camera through the entire event.  He filmed everything and everyone.  Watching John's excitement throughout the entire event was contagious.


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The Heat in Tahoe

This past weekend I spent in Lake Tahoe at the Tahoe-Nalu SUP event. I heard all the stories about last year's event-- cold, blown out, and disorganized so I arrived with little expectations. I didn't expect a huge crowd and hoped it wouldn't be as bad as it was last year. On the contrary, the weather was beautiful, the lake was glassy for the race and there were a ton of participants and spectators.




Previously, I've only traveled to Tahoe for snowboarding. I didn't even bother checking out the lake because there was no reason to. With SUPing, you better believe I'll be back during the summer months.

Many families were in attendance. It was great to see so many people trying SUPing for the first time, especially children. I was happy to represent BOGA, who had their demos constantly being picked up for trial by newbies and veterans alike. BOGA boards were catching everyone's attention. (But beware for impostors! I heard someone came out with a line that looks way too similar. Go with the real deal please.)




Here's a pic of team BOGA: (L-R) Trish, Ben, Dino, Me and Dave. An awesome crew of people (including myself :)




There was so much going on at the Tahoe-Nalu that I can't possibly write about it all in one post. Look forward to more stories and photos, including the Elite race.

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Location:Lake Tahoe

Heading to the Mountains

I flew in to Sacramento yesterday for work. Typically I wouldn't be too excited to be here but this trip will save me some drive time tomorrow as I head towards the mountains. Tomorrow I'm being picked up by a friend to go to the Tahoe Nalu. It will be my first time to be in Tahoe during non-snow season. I've only been to Tahoe for snowboarding. I'm sure it's just as beautiful this time of year. I'm a little worried about how I'll do racing in the elevation- thin air and cold water. Hopefully the race won't be blown out like I heard it was last year. In any case, I'm excited to finally compete in an event that my sponsors, BOGA, will be present at. BOGA is a NorCal company. This is my first SUP race in their hood. I'm happy to represent. BOGA has a great line of SUP surfboards that are fun for any level, and affordable. Check out the boards on their website www.bogaboards.com

An Exciting Time

You should have noticed that I changed the photo on my banner.  I needed to change it to something that represents me NOW.  My previous photo was of me taking a leisurely cruise on the bay, which I still enjoy every now and then.  But my passion for surfing is bursting at the seams.  I'm so excited for this upcoming year, sounds weird because it's August.  But August is my New Year in SUP and I've made some resolutions.

#1) Charge it! - I've said this before but I'll say it again and again until it sticks.  I just need to start manuevering my board and push myself to try different things so I can figure out what works and what doesn't.

#2) More surf time - This one can be tough because I'm a busy woman but I'll need to make surfing a priority if I want to improve.

#3) Surf trips - A great way to have more surfing opportunities is to make sure our vacations includes surfing.  I love rambling up the coast and exploring new territories for surf.  I did this in South Africa and plan on doing it next month when I go to the Philippines.

Better Late Than Never

I grew up in San Diego, where the sun is always shining and I had unlimited access to beaches a short drive away. My travels to the beach were much different. I traveled pretty light-- no wetsuit, surfboard or paddle. I hate to admit it but when I was younger my tote to the beach only included a towel and sunblock. I was a sun worshiper and hardly went into the water. If I did, I'd most likely come out with my hair still dry. There was a short time in junior high (not long ago) when I was into boogie boarding but most of the time I just liked going past the break and laying on my board enjoying the serenity and soothing movements of the ocean. I look back and think, "If only I knew what I was missing." But I guess it wasn't my time. My time is NOW and I'm appreciating every moment of it. Even at age XX, I still have plenty of time to improve and enjoy my new joy of Paddle surfing. But I wonder: If I started surfing sooner would I be just as graceful as my friend Nathan? I'll get to that point... Just give me a little more time. For now, enjoy this video of one of my new friends from South Africa. He is currently 9 years old and participated in the Canal Races with me. (No, he didn't beat me! Close though.)




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Location:Chula Vista, CA

Time Flies

Boy, time flies when you're having fun!  Today marks my 1 year anniversary with SUPing.  I celebrated with a nice paddle session with my good friend John, who also was the person that took me out paddling for the first time (and has taught me most of what I know).  The year has flown by but I have so many memorable moments and achievements.

I copied this photo from my first blog, which I wrote on my
very first day SUP surfing and caught my first wave.
One year ago.

Just one year ago I committed to SUPing.  I was hooked.  I just wanted to surf.  I was convinced to join the Fun Paddle at the Hennessey's Race and got hooked into racing too.  Since then, I won the surfboard division in my age group for the Battle of the Paddle in Dana Point, which led to my sponsorship with Boga Boards.  I've been in 10 races, including one in South Africa.  I still continue to race for Boga but my true passion is surfing.  Can you believe it?  It was one year ago I went SUP surfing at the Rivermouth in Imperial Beach and caught my first wave.  What a high!  I wanted more.  My surfing has gone from not being able to catch waves to catching waves and progressing with going up and down the face of the wave.  My quiver includes my 11' Takayama Alii (first board), Boga 9'2" Bullet (fun surfboard) and my Boga 12'6" Racer (fast! but working on the motor still) and another Boga surfboard (they rock) and custom Stamps board on the way.  I've already gone on two major surf trips (with many more to come).  I've come a long way with racing and surfing.  And I have the battle scars to prove it!

This year is going to be a great year.  I can feel it!  I continue to enjoy racing because I love the workouts and seeing all my SUP friends at the races.  I may not be at the top of the finishing lists but every race is just a challenge to improve.  I've definitely improved.  And my surfing can only get better.  I already have a couple of upcoming surf trips in the works so please stay tuned for some more fun and adventure!!

Making Friends is Easy in the Surf

It's pretty easy to meet new people when you're out surfing.  If you surf the same spot long enough, you run into the same people.  It doesn't take long before you start conversing between sets.  It's especially easy to do that while SUPing.

Although I was only in South Africa for three weeks, I made plenty of new friends.  Surfing and visiting "the wreck", I ran into the same guys.  Currently, there aren't very many SUPers in SA but it's a sport that is getting popular.  I got to surf with a great crew of SUPers in Cape Town.  Have a look at who I met:

Here's the baby of the group, Mitch, who is 19 yrs old.
He's also the current West Cape Champ for Windsurfing.

Here's Paul dropping in on his son.
I guess surfing etiquette doesn't apply when it's Dad.

Here's Ivan Vuuren.  You might recognize him.  He's a Pro Surfer.
He loves leaning way back on his paddle.

Here's Andrew, aka The Stig.
He's the current fastest SUP racer in Cape Town.

Then there's Dazzle.  He just shreds!

Like many other times, I was the only female SUP surfer but I didn't mind.  These guys were very welcoming and always made sure I was doing okay.  They even hooted and hollered when I caught waves and that made me feel like a superstar!

Just My Size

 Here's a few pics from yesterday's visit:

Here's Stamps at work designing an optimal surfboard for me.

Here's a sneak peak of my board.

A TRUE Surfer

You can easily recognize a TRUE surfer by checking for a few simple things.  Most passion-hearted surfers carry some special attributes: drives a sandy truck, has a year-round tan, happens to be sick for work on the same day surf is good, mind-surfs at work when the surf is bad and would rather walk around in slippers or bare feet.  Eh... sounds like any typical surfer but what makes a TRUE surfer stand out from the rest?  His CUSTOM surfboard.  Someone who is serious about the sport and lives to surf knows how important it is to have the right equipment and will spend the bucks to get it.  As a matter of fact, those TRUE surfers who have been at it for a while will most likely have a quiver of custom surfboards.

Well, guess who has joined the ranks to become a TRUE surfer today?  Duh.  ME!!  I'm so stoked to finally get to the point where I'm purchasing a board that is custom-made especially for me.  It was a somewhat spontaneous decision.  I knew I'd want to order a custom board some time in the near future but it really wasn't scheduled into today's agenda.  But after a fun surf day and visiting the Stamps shop, surrounded by shiny new boards... I had to have one NOW.  It was so exciting to walk into the shop and talk to Tim Stamps (yes, the man himself) about the specifics of the board I wanted.  Stamps knows his stuff and has been shaping for many years so he helped me come up with a rockin' design.  He creates some awesome boards out of his shop and I can't wait until my board is done.  Now I feel like an anxious little kid having to wait for Christmas Day to my open present!

My Love Grows Deeper

You know that feeling you get when you fall for someone you really like?  Just his mere presence makes you smile.  And you can't stop thinking about him.  You want to spend every moment with him.

You don't think it can get any better but when you see each other again and spend some time together... you fall deeper.

That's exactly what happened to me and Seli in South Africa.  I fell hard.

Here's a photo of Seli and I on day 1:

It was love at first surf.

The Seli 1 (Turkish ship) was run aground more than a year ago due to a heavy storm and most likely, miscalculation by the Captain.  Apparently, there are many wrecks common through that area they call the Storm Route.  The Seli 1 has been through so much trauma during the past year:  it was run aground, caught on fire for a couple of weeks, abandoned and slowly being dismantled.  But little does the "Wreck" (as I call it) know how much happiness it causes for so many, especially surfers.  The Wreck creates these fun waves.  I couldn't get enough time with the Seli while I was in South Africa.

But really... what it boils down to is that I'm really getting hooked on SUP surfing.  It has distracted me from concentrating on other important things, including the SUP race scene.  It's tough to find a balance sometimes when your mind wants to focus on one thing.  In my case--- surfing.  Each time I go out I learn something new.  I'm progressing a little more faster now so I'm excited to surf whenever possible.  I DO think about it all the time.  I mind surf every day.

Early morning surf on a weekday is a dream.
You have the waves all to yourself.

The sad part of this story is that I may never be with the Seli again (because eventually they'll be able to tear it all down).  The good part is that there are fun waves EVERYWHERE around the world and the FUN part is searching for them, then surfing your heart out!

That giant hole you see in the Seli was done during the time I was in SA.
They thought that it would cause the ship to sink....  wrong!