Surf's up: ready to unleash your inner big kahuna? Catch a wave at surf camp - Travel: Getting Started

Sunset, Sept, 2002 by Ken McAlpine

Luckily for us, Guzman and Schulkin prove as adept with rusty surfers as they are with beginners. I learn how to pump my surfboard to keep my speed up on small waves. I learn how to do a thrilling little trick called a reentry--swoop up from the bottom of the wave to meet the crest as it comes pitching over, producing a brief moment of gravity-free ecstasy.

A quality surfing camp offers various niceties, and Club Ed has them all. It's based in a eucalyptus-shaded campground at Manresa State Beach. The food is first-rate. A masseuse comes to camp midweek. Mike DeGregorio, a local surfer and video-grapher, shows up and films us.

Of course, taking a single lesson is also an option. But a weeklong camp, by definition, offers things you won't find in a day--the opportunity to surf different spots, and the chance to enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow campers. Each of us at Club Ed were privy to the taste of salt on our lips, the press of warm sun on our face. And when we woke every morning, the sound of the waves came to us, like a whisper, calling.

RELATED ARTICLE: Boards of education: Surf schools

The following camps offer adult instruction, from private one-hour lessons ($50 to $80) to weeklong camps ($950 and up; includes food, equipment, and added niceties like massages and surfboard factory tours). Even good camps can differ in philosophy and style: Talk to previous students before you make your choice.

Buzzy Kerbox Surf School. Launiupoko Park, Maui, Hi; (808) 573-728 or www.buzzykerboxsurf.com.

Club Ed International Surf School and Camps. 2350 Paul Minnie Ave., Santa Cruz, CA; (800) 287-7873 or www.club-ed.com.

Corky Carroll's Surf School. 624 20th St., Huntington Beach, CA; (714) 969-3959 or www.surfschool.net.

Paskowitz Family Surf Camp. 26791 Calle Maria, Capistrano Beach, CA; (949) 361-9283 or www.paskowit.com.

Surf Class. 519 San Clemente St., Ventura, CA; (805) 648-2662 or www.surfclass.com.

Surf Diva Surf School. 2160 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla, CA; (858) 454-8273 or www.surfdiva.com.

The Basics

A. Surfboard. You'll want a board you can handle: Longer, wider, and thicker is easier. Board size also depends on the height and weight of the rider: Bigger surfers generally ride bigger boards. Find a good surf shop and ask lots of questions. New long boards range from $450 to $650--for beginners, a good used board ($250 to $375) may be a better option. Ed Guzman likes softer foam boards for the first few months of learning.

B. Wet suit. What you'll need depends on where and when you'll surf: thinner for Southern California, thicker farther north. Depending on thickness and stitching, suits range from $240 to $385. Buy new--old wet suits tend to be leaky and cold. Depending on how cold the water is, you may also need wet-suit booties ($40) and gloves ($30).

C. Leash. Some experts don't wear a leash, but leashes are a must. Get a good one ($25).

D. Rash Guard. This soft (nylon or polypropylene) undergarment ($22 to $35) is worn under the wet suit to stop the rubber suit from rubbing directly on the skin and giving you rashes.