You step on land, get in the car, and reality hits

• Name: Octavio Gonzalez
• Age: 39
• From: Ocean Beach
• Location: Sunset Cliffs

Octavio Gonzalez was sitting on a bench watching the surfers on the water when I stopped to chat.

Gonzalez frequents Sunset Cliffs, “because it tends to be consistent even when the weather is not favorable. I also like the Point and Imperial Beach. I love the Cliffs and Big Rock. There really aren’t any beaches that I avoid— if it’s surfable then I wanna try it.”

Gonzalez has about 15 boards; his favorite for Sunset Cliffs is a 7’8” pintail. “The only way you can really figure out what board works for you is when you try it out in the water.”

Gonzalez is a self-taught surfer and began as a kid. “I started with body boarding and then went into surfing. I taught myself and then made friends with people who pushed my skills to the next level. They encouraged me to build myself up and get into bigger waves. If you are not comfortable in a certain kind of wave, just don’t do it. It’s one of the most important things out in the water to feel safe. Know your limit.”

“The best part about surfing is the freedom that you get mentally. When you’re in the water, you are just in the water and that’s all you’re really thinking about. The bills, the relationship problems, the mortgage, the dogs, everything goes away for that moment. You forget about everything out there. Then you step on land, get in the car and reality hits. There’s traffic, I need to get gas, I need to do this and that.”