Surfing at 60 with Sujantra
I journeyed with Luna Surf Experiences to one of the surfing meccas of Southern California. Featured in Bruce Brown’s classic film Endless Summer, and only 58 miles north of San Diego, San Onofre State Beach offers the most alluring and beautifully breaking waves.
I opted for the half-day tour of this epic surf spot with Ryan Luna of Luna Surf Tours. He pre-selected our 6:30 am departure time to ensure our time in the water lined up just right with the tides and swells for the optimum surf experience.
Only an hour drive from the city of San Diego and we were in another world. Leaving behind the congestion of the city, my thoughts shifted from daily living to the liberating vastness of the sky and sea. It is amazing what a reset a good surf session can offer for your mind and body. The drive passed swiftly as Ryan and I chatted about surf tutorials in anticipation for the mornings experience. It was my first time to San Onofre, or SanO, as commonly referred to in the surf community, and Ryan felt this was the perfect next step in continuing my surf journey.
Although I am a beginner surfer, I am progressing quickly. I am now learning to ride (trim) along the green face of an unbroken wave.
Ryan intentionally selected a day with three to four foot waves. I surfed on my eleven foot slider which Ryan had been invaluable in my decision to purchase.
Unlike the beaches in San Diego, at San Onofre you can park on the dirt road right alongside the water. For full immersion I suggest you back your car in and bring a beach chair. In my surf journey, I have experienced beaches local to San Diego like, Mission Beach, Tourmaline, La Jolla, and Encinitas but nowhere have I seen such a concentration of surf lifestyle. The parking, single space and perpendicular to the ocean assures that you will have the opportunity to meet an eccentric array of characters, many for whom surfing is more a way of life rather than simply a hobby.
SanO is known for world class waves with clear peaks and opportunities for long rides with plenty of time to set yourself up for the thrill of your life.
Ryan and I watched and analyzed the waves and surfer line ups from the shore while stretching and warming up. I practice a ten minute warm up before I surf - thoughtfully moving through all my muscle groups especially my spine, shoulders and thighs to get things warm and ready to go. I also do a few yoga poses, specifically tree pose, to get my balance set before heading into the water.
Once our bodies felt well prepped for the water, we paddled out and started catching waves. Going to a surf spot for the first time with someone who is experienced and knows surf etiquette is extremely helpful. Ryan is low key, patient and very knowledgeable. I caught the best waves of my life. It was so much fun! After an hour of surfing we took a break back at our million dollar parking spot and enjoyed delicious vegetarian snacks, sport fuel and out of this world banana bread.
The one hour break rejuvenated my 58 year-old bones and I was soon ready for the second hour long session. Again the hour was filled with great rides and smooth waves.
Packing up was kind of sad. I wished I had signed up for a full day session so that I could surf in the late afternoon and watch the sunset but there is always next time! The drive back was against the traffic so it was fast and a great time to recap the lessons learned.
I highly recommend the journey to San O to anyone looking to step back into the golden days of surfing which still exist in the present moment!
About the Author:
Sujantra is the owner and founder of Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga in San Diego. This blog is number one of his series of 60 and Surfing. You can find his books on Amazon and more about him at sujantra.org.
