Drowned

How do you save someone who's already dead? Rafa Ortiz, Rush Sturges, and Gerd Serrasolses found out.

The Rio Tulijá is a remote white-water river that snakes its way through the rainforest of southern Mexico. Often called Agua Azul because of its swimming-pool-blue color, it features a stunning stretch of five waterfalls ranging from 40 to 70 feet tall. This past March, a team of four world-class kayakers—Rafa Ortiz, 26, Rush Sturges, 28, Evan “E.G.” Garcia, 27, and Gerd Serrasolses, 24—attempted to descend the falls as part of an expedition they were filming for a documentary. The previous day, they had become the first paddlers to drop all five waterfalls on the nearby Río Santo Domingo, arguably the steepest navigable section of whitewater on earth. The Agua Azul mission was to be their final day of filming:

RUSH STURGES: We were coming off the biggest descent of our lives and were tired and sore. I had two black eyes and a broken nose. We were really pushing ourselves to get this helicopter footage on the Agua Azul.

E.G.: We had driven six or seven hours in Rafa’s van, slept for like five hours, then woken up at about 6 a.m. The plan was to meet the heli in these flat pools about two-thirds of the way down to the big waterfall set.

RAFA ORTIZ: At the pools, I paddled upstream, away from the guys, to get in my zone, and Gerd kept practicing his hand rolls.

GERD SERRASOLSES: As soon as we saw the chopper, we all got fired up.

E.G.: We had scouted the hell out of the falls when we ran them a week earlier, so I knew exactly where I was going.

GERD: We had to pretty much go one after the other. I watched Evan drop over the lip, then Rush. I wasn’t too nervous. I had done it before and knew what I had to do. I went over and threw my paddle.

E.G.: I got out of my boat and was standing on a ledge about 25 feet from the base of the falls. I watched Rush come off. Gerd came next on a similar line, but he corked out and missed a few hand rolls.

GERD: I tried to roll up, but I wasn’t feeling any grab.

RUSH: E.G. and I were right there with throw bags, but I didn’t think it was that bad.

GERD: I tried to roll a few more times, then got pushed up against some rocks. I grabbed them, but my hands slipped and the water pushed me back down somewhere else.

RUSH: Gerd’s boat was full of water and spinning like crazy in this vortex of an eddy. We’re not seeing him come up. Fifteen seconds go by. Twenty. Thirty. I was like, Dude, we gotta do something.

GERD: I kept fighting to get to the surface, but I couldn’t get there. I remember opening my eyes and saying, Fuck, I’m running out of air.

RUSH: He’s under for about a minute and a half, and we’re panicking. I clipped E.G.’s rope into the back of my life jacket and went over to the spot where Gerd disappeared. I stuck my leg in the water and could feel it sucking down super hard, like a siphon. I didn’t want to go
in there.

E.G.: I looked downstream and suddenly saw Gerd’s yellow vest.

RUSH: He was facedown. It was the absolute worst-case scenario.

E.G.: I jumped into Rush’s kayak. No helmet, no skirt. I paddled like a bat out of hell in this heinously flat pool.

RUSH: Gerd was probably 100 yards downstream from us, and the next waterfall was coming up soon.

E.G.: Rafa actually ran the first waterfall while this whole thing was going on.

RAFA: At the bottom I looked around, and there’s no one there. Then I see Gerd floating facedown and E.G. and Rush chasing him.

E.G.: When I pulled him up he was super heavy—like some weird Jell-O object. I was screaming and slapping his back, then started in on CPR. Rush and Rafa got there about 20 seconds later.

RAFA: Gerd’s eyes were open a little but not showing life, and he was a mixture of white, purple, and black—the color you see in zombie movies.

RUSH: We were taking turns at CPR and slapping him in the face. It was a primal feeling, just the strongest desire to save a friend.

E.G.: I was yelling at him, “Come on, Gerd! Fight!” He was vomiting up some real nasty mucus and blood. Then we got the idea to pull off his life jacket, and we loosened the neck gasket on his drytop.

RAFA: For four minutes, we were doing CPR on a dead body. I don’t remember having much hope. But then he took a breath.

RUSH: His eyes literally lit up.

RAFA: That’s when I jumped up and started looking for the heli.

RUSH: The chopper hovered over the middle of the river. We carried Gerd to it, and Rafa jumped in with him. He was breathing a bit but still convulsing and coughing up water.

E.G.: After the chopper flew away, there was this weird quiet.

GERD: The next thing I remember is trying to wake up. I was hearing all these loud noises—the chopper, screaming—but I couldn’t react, and I couldn’t see anything. Inside, I was screaming to try and regain power. And then I woke up in the hospital in Palenque. —Mark Anders

Stuck

On a fall day in a Utah canyon, 25-year-old Robbie Tesar WAS nearly swallowed by quicksand.

It was late fall 2011, and I was three weeks into a course with the National Outdoor Leadership School in southeastern Utah, hiking with three other students along the Dirty Devil River. Around midday, we came to a point where the canyon wall met the river. A sandbank extended into the water, and I walked out on it with another guy. About 20 feet from shore, I suddenly sank knee deep. The other guy did, too, but only one foot. After 15 minutes of struggling, it was clear we were going to need some leverage. The two students on shore helped us rig a pulley so we could yank ourselves out. After about an hour, the other guy was able to slip out of his boot. He and one of the other two students went for help while the last one stayed with me.

It was about 65 degrees out when I first got stuck, and I was wearing cotton work pants and a long-sleeved wool shirt. When the sun went behind the canyon wall at around 3 p.m., it got cold, and I was wet. I put on a couple of jackets. The runners came back after not finding anyone, and we agreed to activate a personal locator beacon. They passed me warm food and hot water over the pulley. We built a raft using a sleeping pad and sticks so I could rest my upper body without sinking deeper. From my waist down I went mostly numb, though I kept my leg muscles moving.

A helicopter arrived at about 8 p.m. The plan was for me to build a harness with some webbing and tie it to one of the skids, then the chopper would take off while I held on to the skid. But when it started pulling, I didn't move. On the fourth try, I felt my back goĚýpop.ĚýI heard the pilot say over the radio, “If I try this again, I'm going to rip the kid in half.”

The helicopter left to get more help. When the rescuers got back, they passed me a backboard and a shovel, but I couldn't get any leverage to dig. Then ten guys got into rafts on either side of me. I held on to the sides while others dug. I finally broke free around 2 A.m. I was so elated that I tried to step into a raft and face-planted.

At the hospital, after they warmed me up, they wanted to give me a shower. I couldn't stand, so they said I could get help from either a guy named Jed or these two beautiful nurses. I hadn't bathed in 25 days. “I'll take Jed,” I said. “I'm in no state to be showering with women.” —Joe Spring

Overboard

When 50-year-old South African surfer Brett Archibald fell from a chartered 72-foot motor-boat this past spring, during an overnight crossing from Sumatra to the Mentawai Islands, he was some 40 miles from the nearest shore.

April 17—1:30 A.M.
I woke up feeling sick and went to the head and immediately started exploding out both ends—it was food poisoning. I went on deck to throw up and saw one of my mates, who was also sick. I went and told the captain, then went back outside. That’s the last thing I remember until I came to in the ocean and saw the boat about 200 feet from me, sailing away. I must have fallen over the railing. I screamed, but I knew it was futile.

April 17—3 A.M.
I decided I had two choices: live or die. I chose to live. I immediately started focusing on getting my heart rate down, using breathing and meditation. Thankfully, the water was about 82 degrees.Ěý

April 17—2:30 P.M.
I knew the guys would look for me. And that afternoon, as a storm was lashing, the boat came along. It was within 350 feet, but because of the rain my mates couldn’t see me. I screamed and swam toward them, but the current dragged me sideways. The boat stopped, and I thought they saw me, but a minute later they sailed away. That was a meltdown moment. I thought, That’s it, I’m done.

April 17—Sunset
Something hit me on my left side. Fish had been nibbling at the back of my leg, so I was bleeding. Then it hit again, harder. I wanted to see what it was, so I swam under-water and looked right at a blacktip reef shark about my size. I thought, At least it will be quick. Then I realized, Wait, it’s a reef shark. If he attacks me, I’ll shove my arm down its mouth and have it drag me into a reef. Then it was gone.

April 18—7 A.M.
A fishing boat sailed straight at me. But it must have reached some coordinate, because it turned sharply and sailed away. Right then I thought, I can’t do this anymore. Before the trip, my wife had read me a story about drowning being a beautiful way to die. I tried to suck down some water, but it didn’t work. So I went about six feet under and breathed. It was actually quite easy. The water came in through my mouth and out my nose. Then my brain went, What the hell are you doing? and I came up like I had an engine. While I was sputtering at the surface, I saw a cross coming at me—a mast. I put my head down and swam while counting to 1,000. When I looked up, I saw four spotters on the roof of the boat. I screamed. They couldn’t see me, but they could hear me. They eventually located me with binoculars. I’d never been so happy to see a boat in my entire life—even if it was full of Aussies! —Ben Marcus

Falling

One bad decision sends northern California skydiver Craig Stapletoon toward a crushing impact

My skydive teammate Katie and I had planned a formation for a jump last March where we would float a giant U.S. flag between our two flying parachutes. I had done about 7,000 jumps and competed in six world meets and probably 14 nationals. I’m also the safety adviser for my local drop zone here in Lodi. Katie looked at me as we were getting on the plane and said, “I don’t have a knife. Is that a problem?” I took mine from my chest pouch and handed it to her. In 25 years, I had never needed one. Plus, I had a backup attached to my leg.

We started our trick at 6,000 feet. Katie placed her parachute just below me, so I could put my feet in the lines. I passed one end of the lanyard we’d use to hold the flag down to her, and she clipped in. At that point, we were supposed to move away from each other horizontally, but we ended up moving apart vertically, and I got jolted so hard when the lanyard straightened out that I was flung forward and upside down. My right ankle got caught in one of my lines, and my chute inverted, then circled around itself and knotted. The lanyard was around my neck.

At about 4,800 feet, Katie released her end of the lanyard, setting me free, then I pulled the handle to release my main parachute, but only the left side came off. I was spinning so wildly, I couldn’t grab the knife from my leg. At 1,800 feet, I fired my reserve parachute while tangled up, but the main parachute just started eating it as soon as it opened.

I was falling at 30 to 35 miles per hour. I looked down and saw vineyards. There were grape plants every four to five feet. Inside each one was an iron spike about six feet tall, and they were all strung together with fencing wire. I visualized the horrible things that were about to happen to me. I said goodbye to my wife and kids and apologized to them. I thought, Just relax as much as you can, roll with the impact, and exhale.

Next thing I know I was lying on the ground. I’d landed between all the wires, in dirt that had just been plowed, so it was like really fine sand. Katie called 911, and the emergency crew came pretty rapidly. They cut my jumpsuit off and looked at me. I didn’t have internal bleeding, just a separated left shoulder, and my left side was really sore. The best news I heard was the fire chief canceling the helicopter.

My wife was signing into the security desk at the hospital when I walked out. All she wanted to do was give me a hug, but I was like, “No hug! I can’t take it!” —J.ł§.

Shot

Two months into a planned source-to-sea expedition down the Amazon River, 24-year-old adventurer Davey du Plessis was in his kayak when the first shotgun blast hit his back.

I was having my best day tracking wildlife. I’d seen a manatee, a river dolphin, and a couple of new birds. When two guys in their twenties motored past in a pirogue, I didn’t pay them much attention. Ten minutes later, something slammed into my back and knocked me into the water. My arms were frozen stiff. I didn’t know what was going on. I kicked to the surface but didn’t see anyone. Then something hit my face. I used my head to push my kayak to the riverbank. I sat down and got hit again—someone was shooting at me from the jungle. I looked down and saw a pool of blood. I thought, This is where you are going to die. I lay down and closed my eyes.

When I opened them moments later, I saw one of the guys in the pirogue motoring toward me. I stood up and put my hands together like I was praying. “Please leave me alone,” I said, then kicked my kayak toward him. “Take it.” He just stared and headed upriver.

I ran. I got shot again, in the leg, but kept going. After five minutes, I saw two men on the opposite side of the river. I tried to yell, but nothing came out—the shots had damaged my neck and lungs. Eventually, they saw me and took me to their village, where everyone gathered around and whispered. I couldn’t feel the right side of my face or hear out of my right ear. My thoughts went all over. Then this old lady came up to me with a bucket of water and started cleaning the mud off my legs. That brought me back to the moment.

I asked to be taken downriver to a city called Pucallpa. The villagers made a wooden stretcher, wrapped me in blankets, and hauled me to a boat. A couple of hours later, we reached another village. It was night, and the only light came from torches and candles. The people there said to me,Ěý“Pobre, pobre”—poor, poor. I took the blankets off and said, “I have nothing to give you.” After about an hour, I started to throw up blood. They put me in a different boat. Throughout the night, I was passed along like this, from village to village. Late the next morning, I saw port cranes over the top of the canopy—Pucallpa. At the hospital, I reached my mom by phone, and she helped me get a flight to Lima.

I had 22 pellets in my body and punctures in my lung and carotid artery. I still can’t feel the right side of my jaw. Initially, I thought my survival was a testament to my strength, but lately I’ve realized it was because of the compassionate villagers who passed me down the river like a baton. —J.ł§.

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SEEN NEXT: A short film about John John’s life, directed by actor Owen Wilson, will make the film festival rounds this spring.

MAMA’S BOY: John John got into surfing by following his mother, Alexandra, 36, into the water. A single mom and pro longboarder, she introduced him and his two younger brothers to the sport as soon as they could walk. “My kids have always been my best friends,” she says. “We have all kind of grown up together in our own little world here on the beach. John John’s progression just seems natural to me.”

BREADFRUIT WINNER: John John is a young man of few words, until he’s asked to name his sponsors. “Let’s see, O’Neill and Vans. Ummm, Dakine, Jack’s Surf Shop, Spy, Future Fins, John Pyzel, SoBe, and Astrodeck. I think that’s it.” The income enables him to island-hop around Hawaii for surf contests and to help pay his family’s way on exotic surf trips all over the world. Not bad for a guy who rides the bus to school.

WHAT BEGINNER’S LUCK? John John had a rough introduction to the Triple Crown. After choppy conditions knocked him out early in the first two events, he had high hopes for December’s Pipeline Masters. But on the day of his four-man heat, the ocean turned ugly. In place of the predictable, peeling waves, John John found massive, haphazard chop. He wound up a very close third—the top two advanced—but could take solace in the fact that he finished ahead of Shane Dorian, 33, one of the best Pipe surfers in the world.

SECOND OPINION: “He’s a little unprecedented,” says surfer/singer Jack Johnson, a North Shore native who’s watched John John grow up at Pipeline. “He used to scare us being out there, but now we just watch him get incredibly deep tube rides. He’s the real thing.”

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The tombolo at Frank Island in Tofino, British Columbia. The sandbar at Cowell’s Beach in Santa Cruz. Miles and miles of easy, rolling waves in Central Florida and Virginia Beach. The warm, sandy surf of the Wall in Hampton, Rhode Island.

What makes a great beginner surf spot is the natural alchemy of a soft, sandy ocean bottom that creates gentle, almost perpetually rolling waves and allows for mistakes and recoveries. Access is important: lots of parking, surf shops nearby for rentals and instruction, and an easy route out to the peak for those learning to paddle. Safety and security are important to, for in this crowded world, the best beginner spots provide protection from the tyranny of the elements and better surfers.

Scattered around North America, every couple hundred miles or so, are beaches and reefs perfect for beginning surfers. We polled surfers, surf instructors, and surf shop owners around the country and chose these spots based on setup, reputation, access, safety, and security. If you want to catch a wave, these are the places to get your feet wet.

Hawaii

Northeast

Southeast

Northwest

Southwest

Midwest

Hawaii

Waikiki-Hawaii
Surf Report: Warm and sunny, with consistent waves year-round (but best in summer). Try Canoes, an easy right break near the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
Scene: Touristy. But in the water, it’s pure “aloha.”
Bonus: In winter, watch the pros go big at Pipeline, on the North Shore.
Wax Run: Hans Hedemann Surf Rentals, 808-924-7778,

Hanalei Beach- Kauai, Hawaii
Surf Report: The North Shore of Kauai is best from early winter to late spring and offers a variety of breaks for beginners on up to World Champions. Next to the Hanalei pier, where veteran big wave surfer Titus Kinimaka holds his surf classes is the best spot for beginners.
Scene: The view from the water to the mountains could suck the stress out of the U.S. Congress. The North Shore of Kauai is one of the most localized surf spots in the world, but beginners generally stay in beginner spots, while the experienced surfers prowl the outer reefs.
Bonus: Up the beach a ways is Pine Trees, where Bruce and Andy Irons learned to surf and where they hold their Annual Irons Brothers Classic for up and coming Kauai surfers.
Wax Run: Hanalei Surf Co., 866-HANALEI, ; Titus Kinimaka Surf School,

Launiupoko State Wayside Park-Maui, Hawaii
Surf Report: Just south of Lahaina, Launiupoko State Wayside Park has long, rolling, easy reef waves that are perfect for beginners. This corner of Maui is protected from big winter swells and sucks in south swells. The outer reef breaks up the energy into waves perfect for beginners. Just be careful on the reefs. The coral and the vauna (urchins) are a little sharp so booties may be required.
Scene: Just like Old Polynesia: Everyone surfs, from grommets to grandma, with occasional Maui surf stars such as Buzzy Kerbox, Dave Kalama, and Laird Hamilton giving lessons to friends and family. Fun, friendly, and occasional bursts of true aloha.
Bonus: Great snorkeling when the surf is flat, great views to Kahoolawe and Lanai. Restaurants and nightlife are just up the road in Lahaina. The park has a children’s wading pool, restroom, and showers.
Wax Run: Honolua Surf Company, 866-HONOLUA,

Northeast

Robert Moses State Park—Long Island, New York
Surf Report: The break near the Field 5 parking lot is newbie-perfect in summer.
Scene: Gothamites escaping the heat (you’re just 48 miles from Manhattan) and, in August, hundreds of (mostly) benign jellyfish.
Bonus: Great angling for striped bass.
Wax Run: Bunger Surf Shop, 800·698·7873

Sea Isle City—New Jersey
Surf Report: Seventy-five miles from Philadelphia, off the Garden State Parkway, and over the marshlands on Route 625, Sea Isle City looks southeast into the Atlantic Ocean, soaks up whatever energy is out there, and spreads it over long, sandy beach breaks that are perfect for beginners.
Scene: Bustling all summer, with visitors from Delaware and Pennsylvania banging rails with the local rogues. Lots of accents, people, and attitude.
Bonus: Sea Isle is one of the only shore communities to establish a surfing beach every block or so. With several surfing beaches spread out throughout the town, crowds aren’t as much a problem.
Wax Run: Heritage Surf and Sport, 609-263-3033,

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Surf Report: There are 14 miles of beach breaks on Nantucket’s south-facing shore that pick up any hint of south windswell when much of New England is flat. The surf is easy, with rolling beach break waves along the south shore, and proximity to the Gulf Stream means water temps close to 70 in the summer.
Scene: Think of the beaches in the movie Jaws, (no, not the shark attack part). Kind of like that, but 30 years later and a lot more surfers. Beautiful girls in the summer and the occasional celebrity or two at the beach.
Bonus: Check out the local surf video Horny for Surf to see Nantucket at its best, year around. Fine dining all around the island and all the charm it’s known for.
Wax Run: Force 5 Watersports, 508-228-0700, www.force5watersports.com; Nantucket Island Surf School, 508-560-1020, ; Nantucket Surfari Surf Camp, 508.228.1235, ; Indian Summer/Upper Deck, 508-228-3632

Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore—Massachusetts
Surf Report: Nearly 400 years ago, the Mayflower crew first sighted land here after 65 days at sea. Now it’s a family beach that fills with visitors at the height of summer. Onshore and sideshore breezes during bouts of hot weather push temps as high as 70 degrees and the waves tend to be mushy and forgiving. If the wind blows hard offshore, cold water is pulled from the deep and temperatures can drop to 50 degrees overnight.
Scene: Beginners, longboarders, spongers, skimboarders. Restrooms and showers are available but no food. In season regular shuttles make the one-mile run from the Little Creek parking lot to the beach. Bonus: Intermediate surfers can head just one mile north to Nauset Light Beach for faster, more hollow waves.
Wax Run: Pump House Surf Co., 508-240-2226, ; Nauset Sports, Orleans, MA, 508-255-4742,

Narragansett Town Beach—Rhode Island
Surf Report: Only seven miles from the University of Rhode Island and 14 from Newport, Town Beach is a beautiful stretch of white sand backed by a wildlife refuge. Local instructor Peter Pan has been teaching surfing since 1978 and recommends the easy-breaking, mostly sand-bottom rights and lefts. Facing southeast, Town Beach is protected from the wind and there is almost always something to ride. Ideal for beginners: long, rolling waves with a fairly-easy-to-paddle-out lineup.
Scene: Narragansett Town Beach is the mecca of New England surfing. No real localism at all. Surfers come from three surrounding states to catch waves here.
Bonus: Lots of room to spread out. Relief from intense inland summer humidity, typical to New England with enough local flavor to give you a complete New England experience.
Wax Run: Gansett Juice Surf Shop, 401-789-7890, ; Surf Line: 401-789-1954; Warm Winds Surf Shop, 401-789-9040, ; Peter Pan Surf Lessons, Available at Gansett Juice Surf Shop, 401-575-0003, bicsurf@hotmail.com

North Beach—New Hampshire
Surf Report: The Wall on Hampton’s North Beach is so-called because of the 1.5-mile-long concrete seawall that extends from Boars Head north to Plaice Cove. With a wide, sandy bottom, the beach has a few exposed rocks at low tide and gets washy at high tide, but the waves here are generally long, easy, and forgiving-ideal for beginners.
Scene: New Englanders cherish summer and make the most of every hour of every day and that makes for a jumping beach scene. More experienced surfers go elsewhere, so the Wall is set aside for beginners.
Bonus: During winter storms, “Wall-Nuts” risk drenching and death putting the Wall between them and massive waves that batter the coast.
Wax Run: Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Company, 603-929-7467,

Ocean City—Maryland
Surf Report: Situated on a barrier island in the middle of more than 100 miles of beach breaks from Assateague Island, Virginia, in the south to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in the north, if you can’t find your own peak here, you might want to take up snowboarding. During summer months, the pacified Atlantic offers small and easy rolling waves up until hurricane season.
Scene: A tourist town packed with people from June through Labor Day. Learning to surf in Ocean City can be intimidating at times due to the crowds, so making the 15 minute drive south to Assateague Island is well worth it if you catch the right tide.
Bonus: There is always something to do if the waves are flat. Great fishing, boating, wind surfing, jet skiing, parasailing. Surfing continues to grow through the area, and there are a growing number of locals who can rip.
Wax Run: K-Coast Surf Shop, 410-723-3330, ; 24-hour surf report 410-524-SOUL; O.C. Groms Surf School, 443-880-0905

Southeast

Corolla Beach—Corolla, North Carolina
Surf Report: Here on the northern end of the Outer Banks, you’ll find warm water and mellow surf from spring to late summer.
Scene: A relaxed hot spot for East Coasters from Maine to Miami. Bonus: Scuba diving at hundreds of offshore shipwrecks.
Bonus: Scuba diving at hundreds of offshore shipwrecks. Hang gliding and hiking at the East Coast’s tallest natural sand dune in Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
Wax Run: Corolla Surf Shop, 252-453-WAVE,

Cocoa Beach—Cocoa Beach, Florida
Surf Report: Picnic Tables, north of Patrick Air Force Base, churns out gentle rollers year-round.
Scene: Novices from Tampa and Orlando; seasonal snowbirds.
Bonus: Watch rockets launch at Cape Canaveral while practicing your own take-offs.
Wax Run: The Goods Surf & Skate, 321-723-5267,

Virginia Beach—Virginia
Surf Report: Veteran instructor Jason Borte takes his surf classes to 5th Street, which offers a user-friendly break and a two-block surfing area that is rarely used. The general setup at Virginia Beach is shorebreak, then deeper water leading out to sandbars. These sandbars are always in flux, so any stretch can be good or bad for beginners.
Scene: Although the local ordinances have eased up a bit in recent years, Virginia Beach is notoriously anti-surfer and threatens fines for surfing either without a leash, too close to the pier, or in a restricted area. Better surfers hang out at the First Street Jetty, while beginners flock to Camp Pendleton and all over the North End.
Bonus: Nightlife, good times, occasionally good surf. If you get good, the Outer Banks are only two hours south-potentially epic.
Wax Run: 17th Street Surf Shop, 757-422-6105; Wave Riding Vehicles, 757-422-8823; ; Billabong Surf School by Jason Borte, 757-965-9659,

Folly Beach—South Carolina
Surf Report: Twelve miles south of Charleston, Folly Beach’s summer windswell kicks up enough surf for beginners, and waves are almost always 20 to 30 percent bigger than any of the other beaches accessible by car in the area. Folly is soft and sandy, and the surf is just right for learning the basics.
Scene: A kickin’ time. Good old boys and coeds from the college in Charleston getting loose.
Bonus: The bar and nightlife scene in Folly Beach and Charleston in summer is jumping, but if someone walks up to you and asks if you want to shag, be very careful how you respond. Down here, the shag is a dance, which came out of a local “Beach Music” scene going back to the 20s.
Wax Run: Ocean Surf Shop, 843-588-9175, ; McKevlin’s, 843-588-2247,

Wrightsville Beach—North Carolina
Surf Report: Top East Coast pro Ben Bourgeois learned the ropes in this area of the country. Facing southeast into the Atlantic, and tucked behind the Outer Banks, Wrightsville’s soft, sandy beaches are the perfect venue for beginners and perfectly warm in the summer. Great for beginners, but a little frustrating for anyone beyond that.
Scene: Packed in summer with tourists, locals, inlanders, and students from nearby University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
Bonus: Non-stop socializing from Wrightsville to Wilmington and back. And if you want to move on to higher education, road trip-the Outer Banks are only four hours away.
Wax Run: Sweetwater Surf Shop, 910-256-3821,

Northwest

The Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area—Otter Rock, Oregon
Surf Report: One hundred and six miles from Eugene and 123 miles from Portland, Otter Rock is an exception to Oregon’s rocky, craggy, windy coast. With water temperature hovering between 48 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit over the course of the year full wetsuits, boots, and gloves are a must. A huge headland protects the beach from wind and giant swells.
Scene: Known as the “Waikiki of Oregon” more people have probably learned to surf here than anywhere in the state. A ton of beginning surfers, tourists, families, body boarders, and skim boarders. Family friendly with zero bad vibes.
Bonus: A beautiful, mostly undeveloped coastline, so it’s just you and the waves. There are public rest rooms and outside showers for day use and Beverly Beach Campground is just two miles down the beach.
Wax Run: Ossies Surf Shop, 541-574-4634, ; Otter Rock Surf Shop, 541-765-2776, www.otterrocksurf.com; Lincoln City Surf Shop, 541-996-7433,

Frank Island—Tofino, British Columbia
Surf Report: On the south end of Chesterman Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the best beginner breaks in North America. Cold in the winter, cold in the summer (this is Canada, after all so pack your wetsuit).
Scene: Tofino is the Surf City of Canada, a shockingly beautiful hamlet that gets 118 inches of rain per year, so it’s craggy like Ireland, quaint like New England, and as green as Hanalei, Hawaii. Beach fires and family BBQ’s line these sandy beaches, the smell of fresh cooked salmon wafting into the line-up most summer evenings. Tofino is a mellow scene that some say is similar to that of California in the 60s. It’s an out of the way place very popular with Canadians and tourists from all over. Snow covered glaciers and 1,000-year-old cedar trees form the backdrop. Don’t forget to look ahead for black bears when walking down the beach trail. This part of the world gets huge surf half the year, but Frank Island knocks down all that fury allowing beginners to splash away like baby ducks on either side of the tombolo (spit of land) that connects the island to Vancouver Island.
Bonus: Great stream, lake, and ocean fishing; kayaking by river, fjord, and open sea; and sight-seeing that is a little bit New England, a little bit Viking, a little bit Paul Bunyan. A place most people don’t even know exists, but is one of the best, most unique beginner spots north or south of the border because of that weird little tombolo.
Wax Run: Surf Sister, 1-877-724-SURF, Live to Surf, 250-725-4464,

Southwest

Malibu

Surfrider Beach is nestled next to a lagoon where the Malibu Creek meets the sea.

Cowell’s Beach—Santa Cruz, California
Surf Report: Waist-high sets that break 200 yards from shore; nippy, 55-degree water (wetsuit required) in summer.
Scene: Packed with locals, but the most welcoming spot in Santa Cruz.
Bonus: Après-surf, play pinball at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Wax Run: Cowell’s Beach Surf Shop, 831-427-2355,

San Onofre State Beach—San Clemente, California
Surf Report: Long lines of whitewater for boogie boarding and longboarding. Find low, slow-breaking peaks at Dogpatch.
Scene: A family-friendly mecca since the 1930s-with a few RVs and beer bellies.
Bonus: Cameos by longboard legends like La Jolla native Joel Tudor.
Wax Run: Rip Curl Surf Shop, 714-422-3600,

Linda Mar Beach—California
Surf Report: Half an hour south of San Francisco, Pacifica’s Linda Mar is one-mile-long beach that picks up swell from every corner of the Pacific. Colder in the spring than any other time of year and generally foggy all summer and clear all winter, Linda Mar is extremely popular with beginner to intermediate surfers. It always has something to ride.
Scene: Packed every weekend and every swell with beginners, longboarders, shredders, valley kids, and city guys, this place is popular, but there is more than enough room from the Boat Dock break on the south end to the Round House break on the north end.
Bonus: Fast food within 50 yards of the surfline. World-famous surf spot Mavericks is less than an hour away.
Wax Run: Nor Cal Surf Shop, 650-738-WAVE, ; Surf Camp Pacifica,

Mondos, Pitas Point—California
Surf Report: In Ventura County, south of Santa Barbara, Mondos, on the inside of Pitas Point, has long and gentle waves over a sandy bottom, with a lot of room for everyone. The beach lacks massive swells because it’s tucked away and shadowed by Santa Cruz Island so beginners can splash and crash on the inside without getting in anyone’s way.
Scene: Some Ventura surfers consider Mondos a secret spot, although it’s visible to the whole world from Route 101. Generally friendly on the inside, but don’t get in anyone’s way.
Bonus: Mondos faces south and gets summer swells that flow under Santa Cruz Island. Get good at Mondos and go nuts on all the classic points and reefs of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Wax Run: Patagonia Great Pacific Iron Works, 805-643-6074,

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Surf Report: Thirty minutes west of Los Angeles, along 27 miles of beaches known as the 27 Mile Miracle, Surfrider Beach at Malibu is home to the original perfect wave. First Point is the most popular spot for beginning to intermediate surfers and some of the world’s best longboarders. Best in summer, when the water is warm and the south swells are running.
Scene: A great beginner break but crowded with ravenous surfers. Learning here is a bit like playing hockey on the freeway. Collisions happen every couple of minutes. Beginners should stay inside and close to the point and ride the wild whitewater.
Bonus: Surf Malibu all day, party in Hollywood all night. Dolphins in the lineup. Plenty of sunshine. And that guy who dropped in on you without looking back just might be Adam Sandler.
Wax Run: Pro Surf Instruction, Learn to surf from John Philbin, the actor who starred in North Shore and Point Break and taught Kate Bosworth how to surf for Blue Crush. ; Zuma Jays Surf Shop, 310-456-8044, ; Malibu Surf Shack, 310-456-8508,

Galveston Beach—Texas
Surf Report: Forty-five minutes from Houston, Galveston is the best beginner spot in Texas, with four piers and miles of un-crowded beach breaks. The waves here are gentle and rolling, and the Flagship Hotel/Pier is the best spot to get started. Jetties on both sides of the long pier protect the swell from chop and currents and help with paddle-outs during larger swells.
Scene: Tens of thousands of tourists will flock down to Galveston on any given summer weekend from cities like Houston to enjoy some gulf shrimp, a little sand between their toes, and some longboarding.
Bonus: Access to the surf spots is easy, with parking all along the seawall that stretches for miles. And if the ocean isn’t cooperating, you can always go ride the tanker wakes for miles over the shoals in the Galveston Channel.
Wax Run: Surf Specialties, 409-763-1559, ; 24-hr. Surf Reports: 409-763-2115

Midwest

New Buffalo—Lake Michigan
Surf Report: Nearly 1000 miles from the ocean and an hour east of Chicago, New Buffalo, Michigan, is a one-stoplight town on the southeast corner of Lake Michigan. The Great Lakes can get surprisingly good surf, but that’s usually in the winter. In the summer, New Buffalo gets wind waves from local high pressure systems that push dribbly one to two footers along the shore. June and July have a few decent days, but August is when it starts to fire up. Fall is best with head-high waves and the remnants of summer provide air and water temps in the 70s.
Scene: The public beach and harbor are popular in summer. Kids on skimboards, boogies, and surfboards are common. A prime lake resort destination for city folk, New Buffalo has become Surf City Central as thousands of visitors rent boards and wetsuits.
Bonus: More experienced surfers can be found at the south jetty, where north, northwest, and northeasterly swells wrap into a clean beach hidden from the wind. Check out the Great Lakes surf movie Unsalted () by Vince Deur and be shocked by the kinds of waves a short fetch can produce-and how determined these guys are to ride them in rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Wax Run: Third Coast Surf Shop, 269-932-4575,

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