I've been surfing for 30 years...


I learned to surf in Hawaii while on vacation with my family when I was 14. It was my first trip to Hawaii, but definitely not my last. It was the start of my love for surfing, waves, light,the smell of coconut, and a lot of things I am today. We went to Waikiki,we stayed at the Moana Surfrider Hotel, it was a big vacation for my family. We had a beautiful Aloha welcome and we saw all the amazing things Oahu had to offer that vacation. But, the only thing I wanted to do the whole vacation was learn to surf. My mom got me a surf lesson our second day there. My surf instructor was a handsome Hawaiian and my 14 year old teenage girl self was, well, smitten and excited. I was learning to surf in Hawaii! My surf lesson was awesome and I got my first taste of surfing.


The magic happened when I went back the next day and went out by myself. I paddled out on my big rental board to the outside. There was a local older man on a paddle board next to me in the line up. He watched me try to get into a couple of waves and then paddled over to talk to me. He said "you want to get into the waves like this" gesturing his arms. "Try it" and he paddled on. The next wave that came my way I fixed my paddle and got into the wave. I felt the wave give me a push, then the board sailed forward. I popped up like I was instructed the day before. Then it happened, the rush of the ride, the view of the ocean, steering the board around the wave. When my ride ended, I was in love. In love with the feeling of riding the wave, in love with the sensation of all of it, the water, the sun, the feeling of stepping into liquid. I wanted to surf from then on. I wanted to live near the ocean. I wanted to be a surfer. It felt so right. When I closed my eyes to go to bed that night, I saw waves. It was true love.


I did not surf much from 14-17 years old, but when I applied to college they were colleges that were only by the beach. San Diego State, Cal State San Luis Obispo, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego. Well at 18 years old, I ended up at San Diego State. I had a old surfboard I used those first few months. I started at La Jolla Shores and Turmoline as my first surf spots. My first board got quickly waterlogged. When I started making friends at State,I would take weekend adventures with them. Sometimes home with them and sometimes wherever we decided to go. On a random weekend I joined a friend to visit her parents in San Clemente, my friend's dad was a shaper. Her dad sold me one of his boards for $100. It was a Rick James board. I still have it, it is a great board. It was later I learned he's kind of a big deal in the surf world. I rode that board regularly for over 10 years. Then my roommate started working for Rusty and I bought my first custom board. A fun board tailored to my liking and a game changer to my surfing game. I can't bring myself to get rid of that board. I love it to much!


At age 30 I hit my surfing peak. I was surfing Oceanside breaks regularly and switched between my long board and my fish. I was in the best shape of my life. Like the title states, I am a curvy surfer girl. I have always been curvy, at my surfing peak I was curvy, but in pretty great shape. I have always been athletic. I played Division I college athletics and I have ran a marathon and several half marathons. I was a lifeguard from 16-21 years old, 2 of those years was for the State of California. But, I am not a skinny girl, never have been. My Irish heritage has me built for famine. I am okay with this, I used to not be, but as I get older, I am more comfortable with my body. The only shame is, it took me 40 years to be this comfortable. During my surfing peak I would run 5 miles to the pier then surf in the afternoon on my days off, sometimes I would surf twice. In that time I traveled all over the world. I surfed again in Hawaii, and this time with friends on the North Shore of Hawaii. It was glorious! And it was one of the best times of my adult life.


Fast forward 14 years. I went to grad school. I got married. I had two babies and lost several others. I work full time. COVID. All the things life gives us. My surfing slowed way down. I was out of the water for over a year. I gained 40 lbs. I was always at the beach, but I wasn't in the water (my kids are mermaids, I have to drag them out of any body of water we come across). The ocean was calling to me (Que the Moana music). It was calling me back. I felt like I couldn't go back, I felt bad, out of shape, and larger than before. My boards did not float me the way they once did. When I did surf, I would just about die paddling to the outside. It thought to myself: No wonder I was so fucking fit! It was hard. But, it felt like home. I was happy to be back.


Then I was inspired. I was inspired most by Malia Kaleopaa. I came across her on Instagram. There was a post where she was expressing similar feelings I had. She too was not in the same body she once had. She was a surfer (a good one!). Here she was a mom like all of us, juggling her kiddos, work, and life. She is bigger than she once was, but she was getting out there. She is curvy like me. She has cellulite like me. She loves to surf like me! Her post said to get out there and surf, get the bigger board to float the body you are in. Buy the bigger bathing suit and wet suit. Her message was if you love it, get back out there! At least it is how I interpreted it. She looked like me and she was right. So I did buy the bigger board, a double wide, extra thick. Literally, it is called the double wide from Global Surf Industries (great board!). I also invested in a bigger wet suit. The biggest size O'neill makes in fact, size 14 in my 3:2. And the largest Rip Curl makes a size 16 for my 4:3 (Curvy girls get cold in the water too!). But, I did it, I bought the bigger things and I got back out there! I'm not awesome. But I am out there and I get that feeling every time I go out. That feeling keeps me happy. It gets me through my work day. I am excited for the next time I go out. Another awesome surfer that inspires me and spreads the same message is Curvy Surfer Girl.


These days now that my kids are not toddlers, I am out once a week, sometimes twice if I'm lucky. The best part is there are more ladies out there. Guys, I love that you are out there too! There are more people, especially ladies of different shapes,sizes, and ages surfing. It is refreshing and awesome to see every body enjoying the sport of surfing. You know the saying, the best surfer is the one having the most fun! Surfing is the best part of my week. If you surf Tera mar point or Warm waters and you see a middle aged curvy girl out there. Say Hello!! And if you are in Oceanside this weekend, the Super Girl Pro is in town. Check out some awesome lady surfers, great music,and cool stuff from some great local vendors. Get out there and surf!