Windansea

Name: Colin Foulke

Lives: Clairemont

Surfs: Windansea

Colin Foulke grew up a few miles from the beach in San Clemente, and although he surfed and played in the water during his early childhood, he started getting serious about surfing in fifth grade. His dad, mom, and older brother are big surfers, and Foulke was the last to get into the sport. "My dad would literally drag me out of bed kicking at 4:30 every morning to put on a cold wetsuit and go surfing before school," says Foulke. They would get on their bikes and ride two miles to Lowers, a fantastic surfing spot in San Clemente. Foulke continued to surf almost every day through high school.

After starting college in San Diego, he found his favorite surf spots here. He surfs Blacks in La Jolla and the reefs between La Jolla Cove and Bird Rock on his 6'5" Al Merrick.

One of Foulke's favorite surf stories happened out of the water. While home in San Clemente this summer, he went to a "crazy '80s" party hosted by some surfer friends.

"I was fully decked out in super-short OP corduroy shorts and rainbow reflective Oakley blades when I saw Cory Lopez walk into the party." Lopez, a competitive surfer, lives in San Clemente but travels almost the whole year. "I was super excited to see him, and I threw him a handshake. Then Cory Lopez looked at me and said, 'I know you! You're that big, tall, friendly guy from Lowers.' I was dying inside because Cory has been one of my heroes forever."

Though the 6'5" Foulke was honored to be remembered by the celebrity surfer, he still "razzed [Lopez] a little because he wasn't dressed in the '80s theme."