Mission Beach sandbars not what they were

Name: Cory

Age: 45

From: Mission Beach

Location: North Mission Beach

Cory was walking up to the showers past the boardwalk when I stopped to talk with him.

“I’ve been surfing for 25 years. It’s been a huge part of my life. I came to UC San Diego because I wanted to go to a good school with good waves.”

Cory surfs at Mission Beach mainly despite its mediocre waves. “The sandbars here aren’t as good as they once were, so the waves aren’t that great. I always go in the morning. By the time I’m done, it starts to freshen.”

“This is a little 5’4” Tomo Evo. You can ride it when the waves are small to when the waves are a foot over your head. About 80 percent of the time I use this and then if it gets a little bigger out there, I use more of a short board.”

The 45-year-old has surfed in Costa Rica, Panama, New Zealand, and Australia.