Derek Gerard: "It’s hard to surf small waves like these.”

Name: Derek Gerard

Age: 13

Location: Ocean Beach

Off Abbott Street, 13-year-old Derek Gerard was looking out at the water after a long surf session.

“I just had a problem out there a couple of minutes ago, because someone pushed me off the wave,” Gerard says.

Gerard has had trouble in the past for being one of the youngest surfers out on the wave. “I don’t really keep up with people like that. I just tell them back off.”

Gerard sticks to Ocean Beach most days, but the best place he has surfed is Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

“The waves were big, but I normally surf bigger waves. It’s hard to surf small waves like these,” he says, looking out at the surf.

“I like surfing because you’re always focused on just catching waves and just paddlin’. I try to share all the waves I can.”