As a California girl, people always thought it was odd that I loved the ocean but never participated in the most Californian water activity. So, I decided to dedicate a couple of days while in Baja to learning a new skill.

The thing about surfing is, that I grew up in decently sharkie waters and I heard stories about shark attacks and even deaths right in my hometown. I never wanted to swim on the surface in deep water, board or no board.

Also, like many people, I grew up with a healthy fear of great whites thanks to terrible shark portrayals in movies. It was only when I became a scuba diver that I began to see them for what they are: super important and beautiful apex predators that don’t have hands so they have to explore the world through their mouth. Unfortunately, that exploration oftentimes leads to serious injuries for us tiny humans, but it doesn’t mean they’re out to eat us.

As I began to travel in my 20’s I never prioritized learning and now that I’ve hit my late 30’s my hesitations are more linked to injuries. I’ve known people to have bad wipeouts and be held underwater. So I combat that fear by reminding myself I have a 4-minute breath-hold. I will be ok. What about getting smacked in the head by my board? Well, I’m starting with a foam board, so even if that does happen, I should be ok. How about the pressure of being out there with other people and possibly getting run over. Also, a real thing that happens, but probably not life-threatening.

In the end, I did somehow wipe out and get smacked in the butt by one of my fins giving me a dead leg and a bruise for over 2 weeks, but nothing serious enough to scare me away from the sport. The feeling of sitting on the board with the rocking of the surge and then that moment of standing up and moving with the force of the wave is not like anything I’ve ever done before. It’s exhilarating and I understand why people get addicted. After I caught about my 15th wave on the second day, Cas said, “Well, I hate to break it to you, but I think you have a new hobby.” So… I guess I’ll have to try out surfing in California one day.

See what trips are coming up. I always give my community first dibs on spots, so you can sign up for Patreon (and get trip discounts) or my email list to be the first to know about new expeditions in the future.