All I Need Are Some Cool Buds and Tasty Waves

I forgot to mention in my last post that the first Friday I was here was the day I learned how to surf. Cabarete is world renowned for wind surfing and kite boarding, but it also has some decent surfing (so I've been told. I don't really have any place to compare it to). There's a surf company that has a shuttle in the morning out to the surf beach, which is about a ten minute ride from the main strip. Out there, they have a little shack with all of the boards and equipment. I paid about $50 to be able to head out there as much as I like for at least the summer. I phrase it that way because there isn't a real firm price structure for anything and I plan on just going as much as I feel like until, if ever, he asks me to pay more. We'll see how that end of it goes.

Anyway, that first time I had a lesson on land, which covered the basics of surfing. Then I got out into the water and had another guy assisting me and giving me pointers. Basically, I would lay on the board towards shore, and he would give me a nice push when a good wave came. After a while I was able to get up and ride the waves straight in. I was surprised at how easily I picked up the basics.

That day was the first of 7 days in a row I surfed. The surf is always best in the morning here so that worked well even during orientation week. A group of us would get up for the 6:30 shuttle every morning, surf for about an hour, and still make it back for orientation at 9. Not a bad way to start the day. As the week went on I got better and better (relatively, I'm still terrible) and learned about how to paddle better to build up speed when catching the wave (very important), how to turn and ride down the wave a bit, and other such things.

I haven't gone during the week since camp started, but have only made it out once a week on the weekends. That may change, though, as we have become more comfortable with the routine in the morning, I don't think we'll have to be there as early and may have enough time to hit the beach beforehand. We'll see.