Surf’s Up!

27 December 2012Jun Ha P, Ellis ‘13

On a cold and wet Saturday morning in November, eleven valiant students and two fearless teachers of the Outdoor Pursuits Program set out on a mission to Jordan River on Vancouver Island’s southwest coast. Huddled on the seats of the bus, we anxiously awaited the sight of the surf beach even though the clouds loomed above our heads and the rain bombarded the coast. When the wall of trees revealed what lay behind it, however, we all shuddered.

It wasn’t the freezing cold weather that made us tremble. It wasn’t the rain that seeped into our toques and jackets. It was the waves, ranging from five to a towering height of nine feet. I wanted to say, "Mr. Norman, I have soiled my pants." When we all got out of the bus, we couldn’t help but stare in awe of the booming, thundering waves. Some perked up the courage to say, "Wow! Look at those waves! Awesome!" while others looked apprehensively at the monstrous surges that broke upon the shoreline.

Feelings jocular yet quite intimidated by the surf, I geared up with the rest of the crew. Helmet? Check. Kayak? Check. Paddle? Check.

After wrestling on wet suits and spray skirts (those things that you wear in order to keep water out of your kayak) we were ready. Armed with our knowledge of kayaking and a scattering of courage, we set out for the ocean.

We first did a quick warm up along the river where we were under the safety of the down current and then set out for the open ocean. The ocean started to bulge more frequently and the waves became bigger and bigger as we travelled on. Then we stopped. Mr. Norman took our brave voyagers one by one into the maw of the beast. I was third in the line-up and boy, did I lose heart after floating over a seven foot beast.    

When my name was called, I reluctantly, yet with strange delight, paddled over. He instructed me of the procedures of catching a wave: go straight and accelerate, brace when you turn and try not to flip. I nodded my head as a wave came over. We went over that one with ease. Then the next one came closer. Oh it’s just about the same size as the last, I thought. I started paddling as the wave bulged up in size and I was looking at a wall of salty water that was taller than my body. I paddled faster but as I came closer to the zenith, the wave started to cap. "Oh my (enter water gargling noise here)."

But lucky enough, the force of the wave knocked the water straight back out and we both descended. Now it was the time to surf. As Mr. Norman gave the signal to turn, I pointed my boat straight to shore. A thumbs up and I was paddling. Accelerating with my paddle to get to the speed of the wave, I burst into motion. I felt my boat slowly tilt downwards and gravity pull me faster and faster. Wham! And off I went. That was my first surf of the day.

An hour …or two…or three later, we all paddled back exhausted yet exhilarated from the event and then went for a short hike to a nearby beach where smooth stone beaches and waterfalls lay. A moment of relaxation from adrenaline-filled adventures was a welcome time. Gentle tides washing the shore with sounds of trickling water completed the tranquil scene.

Later on, the group headed back to the bus to go to our camp ground for the night. A pot-luck was served as the students made dinner ranging from Korean BBQ to Caesar salad. The night was serene with our campfire burning brightly in the night accompanied by the gentle strumming of guitar chords.

The next day something just as amazing unfolded. It was to be another hike to a beach: Mystic Beach. The hike was about an hour long, but it only seemed like ten minutes due to the easy slopes and awe-inspiring scenery. Then we came upon the stairs leading down to the beach. It was a criss-cross section that slowly revealed the mysterious shore. We descended one by one, with the sound of waves lapping against rocks, to Mystic Beach in a state of meditation. The group enjoyed the scenery and the fun the beach offered: rope swings hanging from trees! Sweet! Tackling in the sand and playing Get Down Mr. President! (You don’t want to play this game). Time went by in a heartbeat.

By the end of the trip, tired yet cheerful faces filled the bus back to Brentwood, as the exciting and happy memories were engraved in our minds.

Jun Ha P, Ellis ‘13