Summary
Board surfing know-how isn't needed, either. [Buck Johnson]'s son surfs, and he's tried to teach his dad, but Johnson hasn't been a quick study: "I still can't stand up."
Johnson's big on maintain- ing polite relations between kayakers and "boardies," too. As an instructor, he's a wel- coming ambassador for the sport, explaining and demon- strating technique- paddling through waves, surfing, "mooning the beach" to bring the boat to shore. He's also a safety net of sorts, encourag- ing us to play and instilling in us the confidence to do it while he watches, offering helpful tips and praise. During the lesson, we laugh loudly and often, at ourselves and each other- when a kayak flips, or someone gets a face full of white water, or an oar unexpectedly separates into two pieces while surfing. And we cheer when one of us has a good ride.The class begins on land, and the classroom is a sandy spot on the Salinas River Beach. Johnson's graying curls escape beneath an "Old Guys Rule" cap while he builds a wave in the sand. "The waves will peak up and dissipate on the side," he instructs. "Surf either left or right depending on what way the wave is breaking."See the full content of this document
Extract
Surf Report
Buck Johnson promised thrills and spills. The sea delivers both.
Spills come first, as I'm paddling through the white water, out past the breakers, which seems a bit like throwing uppercuts at a wall while the wall throws buckets of salt...See the full content of this document
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