Longboard first

Name: Joshua Beneventi

Age: 24

From: Ocean Beach

Location: Ocean Beach, near the Jetty

Local surfer Joshua Beneventi has been surfing Ocean Beach since he was a kid.

“I’ve been surfing on and off throughout my whole life and I’m just getting back into it. The ocean has always been very important to me. I’ve always been in the ocean one way or another, it’s kind of a part of me. It just makes me feel good.”

Beneventi also surfs P.B. and Scripps, but Ocean Beach is “just home.” On this particular day, Beneventi is surfing with a longboard, which he recommends for beginner surfers.

“The board I have is a Chris Ruddy, it’s a mini drifter so it’s like a longboard but it handles with a little more shortboard-ness. I would definitely recommend a longboard for new surfers. They have these foam boards that you can get at Costco that everyone has. Unless someone has experience already with snowboarding or skating, longboards are always recommended.”

“Once you get a handle of the board and start to pop up, feel your weight around on the board a little bit, then the shortboard is better because it has a lot more maneuverability.”