The Daily Froth
ISPE Set To Run In Historic Conditions
The last time I saw tuna crabs littered on Southern California beaches was when I was 11 years old. I recall being bummed out by the helplessness of these little sea creatures. I remember the appearance of the tuna crabs because they were an indicator of a record breaking weather pattern known as “El Nino”. The autumn of that year ( 2003, I know I’m a grom!) the water was in the low 70’s to upper 60’s throughout November and December, and wave heights never dropped under four foot! Due to the consistent swells generated by El Nino, I was able to surf my way through elementary school in style, learning just off the shores of Seal Beach. I was blessed to be baptized in this great season of surf, as it was one of the last times the waves broke like that at my home break.
Guess what grom moms and surf dads? This year is going to be the best fall/winter San Diego has seen in the last 10 years. The water will be warm, and the sandbars will be sculpted by more persistent rain fall. What’s that? You don’t think you can afford our ISPE program? No worries! El Nino will cure that too, historic high amounts of rain will couple with a severe drop on your water bill! Surfs up because you are saving while it’s raining !
ISPE stands for Independent Surf Physical Education and it’s the best way for your son or daughter to receive mandatory P.E credit, while learning a sport that challenges body and mind. This will be my second year as an ISPE Coach and I can’t wait to commence our training program with the kids. Last year, I got to see a wide array of middle school aged boys and girls progress tremendously. From the aerial antics of Shane Cox, to the stylish carves from Luke Auger, I was able to assure the kids got more time in the water and less time playing dodgeball.
It wasn’t always a cakewalk however, when the waves were small and gutless, it was difficult to keep the kids entertained. Their is only so many trips to the Swami’s Meditation Gardens a kid can take! That’s why this year is going trump years past as the waves are forecasted to be bountiful.
This winter will be one for the history books, and it would be a shame to miss out on waves that will be talked about for years to come. We at Fulcrum are prepared for the larger surf and encourage our students to express concerns if they think the waves are outside of their comfort zone. We do however, assure that we will assist in the pursuit for those who wish to sample the stronger surf.
Last year, ISPE Surfer Aidan Taggert conquered his fear of big waves by learning to maintain steady breathing, and remaining calm. This skill set he learned is applicable to any stressful situation. It takes tremendous self confidence in one’s own ability to surf waves in the 6 foot range and we saw Aidan begin to paddle for more waves, take more risks, and challenge himself to surf better. Through his trials and tribulations with waves outside of his previous comfort level, Aidan was able to learn to trust in himself in those situations.