Jonathan Du: “My board is a fish board, a six footer. I prefer short boards over long boards, they are easier to maneuver, more for tricks. Today the surf was good for a short board. …
November 30, 2021
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Stories by Evelyn Grimm
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Short boards easier to manuever
Pacific Beach better for goofy
Victor Taveira: “I usually go to OB, but it’s mostly right-hand waves, so I go over to Pacific Beach, because it has waves for both right and left hands. I’m goofy, but I’m getting better …
November 9, 2021
Hit in the rib cage by board in Hawaii
Name: Clara Macculloch Age: 19 From: Sunset Cliffs Location: Sunset Cliffs Clara Macculloch was pulling her board out of her Dad’s car in Sunset Cliffs when we stopped to chat. “I live right at the …
March 12, 2019
Started going down to Punta Mita in the 80s
Name: Amy Lepine Age: 53 From: Ocean Beach Location: Sunset Cliffs Amy Lepine is an OB native and Sunset Cliffs is her beach. “This is a little slice of heaven here… I know a lot …
March 11, 2019
Surfing meant partying, like the Gidget movie
Name: Michael Curtis Age: 69 From: Sunset Cliffs Location: Sunset Cliffs It was an overcast morning by the Sunset Cliff stairs when Michael Curtis and I started to chat. Curtis has been surfing since 1954. …
March 11, 2019
Surfed naked at Blacks Beach
Name: Shona Neufeld Age: 30 From: San Diego Location: Sunset Cliffs Shona Neufeld was walking to her car with board on head when I approached her. Neufeld is from Albuquerque, New Mexico, but she moved …
February 25, 2019
Caught inside the waves in Cabarita
Name: Steve Kathey Age: 59 From: Ocean Beach Location: Sunset Cliffs Steve Kathey was walking to his car after a morning of surfing when we stopped to chat. “I’m born and raised in San Diego …
February 18, 2019
Surfing is a sport, not a lifestyle
Name: Mark Kirchner Age: 57 From: Clairemont Location: Ocean Beach Mark Kirchner and I stopped to chat near the lifeguard tower. Kirchner has been surfing San Diego for about 25 years. “I don’t know what …
February 11, 2019
Surfing kind of saved me from being an alcoholic
Name: James Age: 39 From: La Mesa Location: Ocean Beach Today, Ocean Beach is particularly crowded due to a surf school. I caught up with James as he was heading to the showers after a …
February 4, 2019
Lost vision in the waves
Name: Santiago Guadalupe Age: 30 From: Ocean Beach Location: Tourmaline Surf Park Santiago Guadalupe was heading to the showers, board on head, when we stopped to chat. “I just got this longboard. It’s a Murphy …
January 28, 2019
The most terrifying thing is the stingray
Name: Doc Waske Age: 74 From: La Mesa Location: Tourmaline Surf Park On a sunny day in Pacific Beach, Don Waske was heading to the showers after a morning surf session. Waske started surfing San …
January 21, 2019
In those days, we didn’t have a leash
Name: Inge Morton Age: 80 From: Coronado Location: Tourmaline Surf Park Inge Morton was walking to the showers with board on her head when we stopped to chat. “I’ve been surfing here for 25 years, …
January 14, 2019
I got the nose of my board through my lip
Name: Sean Dunn Age: 24 From: Clairemont Location: Ocean Beach Sean Dunn was heading to the showers in Ocean Beach after a long surf session when I approached him. Dunn learned how to surf here …
January 7, 2019
You step on land, get in the car, and reality hits
Name: Octavio Gonzalez Age: 39 From: Ocean Beach Location: Sunset Cliffs Octavio Gonzalez was sitting on a bench watching the surfers on the water when I stopped to chat. Gonzalez frequents Sunset Cliffs, “because it …
December 31, 2018
You can’t just catch any wave, there’s a pecking order
Name: Kevin Jimenez Age: 36 From: San Diego Location: Ocean Beach Kevin Jimenez was walking on the sidewalk toward Newport Avenue parking lot after a morning surf session. Jimenez usually surfs La Jolla, but today …
December 24, 2018
A world-class wave at Sunset Cliffs
Name: Sam Age: 36 From: Ocean Beach Location: Ocean Beach I met up to chat with Sam at the Newport Avenue parking lot in Ocean Beach. OB is Sam’s local spot, despite occasional crowds and …
December 17, 2018
Ran over by dolphins
Name: Hayden Gore Age: 42 From: Ocean Beach Location: Sunset Cliffs Hayden Gore was heading down the long flight of stairs at Sunset Cliffs when we stopped to chat. Gore first started surfing in South …
December 10, 2018
Went over the falls on a 20-foot wave
Name: Fabiano Sarmento Age: 29 From: Ocean Beach Location: Ocean Beach On a cloudy day in Ocean Beach, Fabiano Sarmento was walking to the showers with a neon board. “This board belongs to one of …
December 3, 2018
The hardest thing I’ve ever learned
Name: John Lavery Age: 63 From: Pacific Beach Location: Tourmaline Surf Park John Lavery was hauling his board up to the showers after a morning surf in Pacific Beach. Lavery started surfing when he moved …
November 26, 2018
My friends thought I was knocked out
Name: Alex Geller Age: 30 From: Pacific Beach Location: Tourmaline Surf Park On a sunny day in Pacific Beach, Alex Geller was sitting in the sand. “I’m from Colorado but I’ve lived here for the …
November 20, 2018
Likes PB for stupidest reason
Names: Juli Redmerski and Don Hastings Ages: 57 and 55 From: Mission Bay and El Cajon Location: Tourmaline Surf Park It was a sunny day when I caught up with Juli Redmerski and Don Hastings …
November 12, 2018
Bit her lip at Sunset Cliffs
Name: Masa Rogers Age: 40 From: East County Location: Tourmaline Surf Park On a crowded day in Tourmaline, Masa Rogers was walking to the showers while balancing a board over her head. “There’s a nice …
November 6, 2018
Surfing changed my life
Name: Mike Age: 47 From: Ocean Beach Interviewed: Ocean Beach jetty Mike was ripping a large chunk of his board off. “Yeah, I knew this board needed to get retired. I heard it crack out …
October 23, 2018
Like a runner going for a run
Name: Bruce Fearson Age: 56 From: Clairemont Interviewed: Ocean Beach jetty On a 75-degree day, Bruce Fearson had just finished his morning surf session. Fearson’s primary beach is Scripps, but OB is a close second. …
October 16, 2018
At Black's you can cut off the foam board guy
Name: Isaac Lickona Age: 19 From: La Mesa Interview location: Mission Beach Jetty Isaac Lickona was washing off his board at the showers after a long surf session . “I was taught how to surf …
October 8, 2018
Skip Frye saw me and shaped me a board
Name: Florencia Age: 39 From: La Jolla Interviewed at: Tourmaline Surf Park “I started surfing when I was a 23-year-old, but I got better when I moved to California from Mar De Plata, Argentina, because …
September 24, 2018
Got fourth at Trestles
Name: Dave Hopper Age: 54 From: Midway district, Sports Arena Interview: Tourmaline Surf Park 54-year-old Dave Hopper started surfing at the age of 13. “My younger brother was surfing before me, so he gave me …
September 18, 2018
Just dinged my board of preference.
Name: Scott Age: 26 From: Mission Beach Interview: South Mission Beach Scott was heading to the showers. “There are beaches that don’t have good waves that I’ll always avoid. Tourmaline, that’s a combination of bad …
September 11, 2018
O.B. has a bit of everything
Name: Neil McCaffrey Age: 31 From: Ocean Beach Location: Ocean Beach Neil McCaffrey started surfing in Rhode Island at the age of ten. Twenty-one years later, he is surfing all around San Diego. On this …
September 4, 2018
If you're a beginner, stay in Tourmaline
Name: Jules Nacario Age: 57 From: Mission Beach Location: South Mission Beach, Jetty Jules Nacario was walking up to the showers after a long surf session. “This is a pretty modern surf craft. It’s Tomo, …
August 28, 2018
You just got to yell at people
Name: Bryce Victery Age: 26 From: Mission Beach Location: South Mission, Jetty It was a windy day at the jetty when Bryce Victery pulled his board out of the water after a morning surf. Victery …
August 7, 2018
I saw the shark go past the tip of my board
Name: Steve Jones Age: 51 From: Chula Vista Location: Tourmaline Surf Park It was a cloudy day at Tourmaline when Steve Jones had finished his morning session. Jones has been surfing for ten years; he …
July 23, 2018
I haven’t been yelled at too much
Name: Matt Nolan Age: 33 From: Mission Hills Location: Tourmaline Surf Park Matt Nolan has been surfing for three years. His main beaches are Tourmaline and La Jolla Shores, places that are good for beginner …
July 16, 2018
Mission Beach sandbars not what they were
Name: Cory Age: 45 From: Mission Beach Location: North Mission Beach Cory was walking up to the showers past the boardwalk when I stopped to talk with him. “I’ve been surfing for 25 years. It’s …
July 6, 2018
I'm still grabbing the rails
Name: Kris Manske Age: 43 Location: Ocean Beach Kris Manske was pulling a potato chip wrapper out of her wetsuit pocket right by the large lifeguard tower. “I found that out in the ocean”. Manske’s …
July 3, 2018
I just like unusual shapes
Name: Jason Yamaoka Age: 39 Location: Ocean Beach Jason Yamaoka stood on the sand a couple hundred yards north of the Ocean Beach pier under a patchy May sky after a morning surf. Yamaoka grew …
June 19, 2018
Seals and dolphins all the time
Name: Julian Malotti Age: 43 From: Clairemont Location: Ocean Beach It was a windy day at Ocean Beach when I approached Julian Malotti. “I’ve been surfing since 1986, when I was eleven. It’s a hobby, …
June 5, 2018
Longboard first
Name: Joshua Beneventi Age: 24 From: Ocean Beach Location: Ocean Beach, near the Jetty Local surfer Joshua Beneventi has been surfing Ocean Beach since he was a kid. “I’ve been surfing on and off throughout …
February 26, 2018
Around surfing, but played football
Name: Tyler Vasquez Age: 24 From: La Mesa Location: Ocean Beach Tyler Vasquez was sitting on the beach, watching the waves and other surfers. “My buddies surf a lot, so I came out with them …
February 19, 2018
Guys with holes in wetsuits nar-doggin’ it
Name: Noah Roistacher Age: 22 From: the SDSU/College Area Location: Ocean Beach Noah Roistacher frequents O.B. a couple times a week. On this December early evening, Roistacher doesn’t mind the colder waters. “As long as …
February 12, 2018
The swell last week was six feet
Name: Jonathan Hays Age: 20 From: Ocean Beach Location: Ocean Beach On a December afternoon in Ocean Beach, Jonathan Hays is considering getting a warmer wetsuit. “Yeah a wetsuit is a must [in the winter]. …
February 5, 2018
Get barreled in Popotla
Name: Amanda Plesa Age: 23 From: Del Mar Location: Del Mar Beach Amanda Plesa has been a surf instructor for Fulcrum Surf School for five years. “We work with all the local high-schools and middle …
November 7, 2017
San Diego surf spots — if it's crowded, it's crowded
Name: Evan Harris Age: 22 From: Del Mar Location: Torrey Pines Evan Harris was heading to the water when I caught up with him on a cloudy day in Torrey Pines. Harris finds himself at …
October 31, 2017
El Cajon to La Jolla in the name of surf
Name: Margaret Sporleder Age: 20 From: El Cajon Occupation: Swim instructor and lifeguard Margaret Sporleder takes the 35-minute commute from El Cajon to La Jolla Shores. “The waves there don’t come in at an angle, …
October 10, 2017
It can be dangerous in Windansea
Name: William Farris Age: 34 Location: Windansea Beach It was a crowded day in Windansea when I caught up to William Farris, on the corner of Neptune and Fern Glen. The San Diegan started surfing …
September 11, 2017
Someone pushed me off the wave
Name: Derek Gerard Age: 13 Location: Ocean Beach Off Abbott Street, 13-year-old Derek Gerard was looking out at the water after a long surf session. “I just had a problem out there a couple of …
September 4, 2017
Girls cheer each other on
Name: Carla Verbrugghen Age: 54 Location: Ocean Beach Occupation: Surf Instructor Carla Verbrugghen and her daughter were at the showers in OB when I meet up with them. Verbrugghen has been surfing since she was …
August 28, 2017
Wetsuit gets stuck to my body
Name: Jonathan Du Age: 20 School: UCSD La Jolla Location: La Jolla Shores Near Life Tower 33 in La Jolla, Jonathan Du was heading to the showers after a day of surfing. The UCSD student …
August 22, 2017
Don't fight it
Name: Ray Vanta Age: 62 From: Clairemont area. Location: Tourmaline Surf Park Vanta ‘s surfing career all started when his kids wanted to learn. “I wanted to be with them.” “For good surfing I go …
August 15, 2017
We want to hug the ocean
Names: Holly Belasco and Heidi Johnson Ages: Both are 27 From: Imperial Beach and Mission Hills Location: Mission Beach Jetty Holly Belasco and Heidi Johnson surf together whenever they get the chance “When I saw …
July 31, 2017