old, we got Boogie Boards, a spongy foam body board for riding
waves. We spent hours out in the water, me probably more
than my brother. I went Boogie boarding (lying on the board on
my stomach, riding waves) with my parent’s friend’s kids and
when my friends were around, I’d go with them, pretty much
anybody that would go out in the water with me. I grew to love
being in the water.
We’d even camp at the beach for weekends, our family and
other family friends would all camp together, most of the time
at Carpinteria beach camp grounds in California. Carpinteria
beach is a very flat beach; with waves that washed up onto the
beach thin and flat, and would stay on the beach for longer
than normal. I would lay my Boogie Board on the beach, take a
few steps back and wait for the right moment when the water
would wash up under the board. I’d run and jump on the
Boogie board, for a short ride into the shallow water. I would
do these short rides over and over for hours at the time. I
didn’t know that I was learning the balance I needed for
surfing. After a few seasons of riding the Boogie Board in the
water and on the beach, I was ready for the next step, “Skim
boarding.”