Wavestorms are respectable

How long have you been surfing?

Since I was 5. My dad used to take my brother and I to Scripps and put us on little foam boards. We would stand up and surf the whitewash.

Do you think you are a better surfer for having started out that young?

No, not really. I am comfortable in the ocean, but I wasn’t consistent about surfing until I was like 17.

Favorite surf spot?

It depends on the day. I like going to OB. Avalanche is super fun. It’s a nice fast break. When it’s big, I like going to Sunset Cliffs because you don’t have to go under a bunch of waves just to paddle out. It is a nice long paddle, and it holds up well when it is bigger.

How often do you surf?

When the surf is bad, I don’t go that often. I’ll take a break. If it’s good, I will go 2 to 3 times a week.

Are there certain beaches you avoid?

I don’t really like South Mission. I like the waves a lot, but it can be kind of competitive because it’s one of the last local spots. It’s a weird vibe with a bunch of old people.

If you could surf anywhere, where would it be?

I really want to go to Australia. The culture seems cool and fun. I know it’s sharky, but I want to surf Bells Beach.

Most bizarre surfing moment?

There was one time where I was on a wave and a fish popped out of the water and hit me on the leg. It was pretty funny. It flopped onto my board, and I was like ‘what the heck!’

What has been your best wave?

One of my favorites happened at Sunset Cliffs. I was with a bunch of friends. I dropped in [on a wave] and my friend Liam was going to drop in too. I was like, ‘Go for it,’. He did and we had a super fun party wave, just doing cutbacks and weaving in and out in front of each other. We didn’t even have to communicate. It just happened.

Advice for newbies?

Don’t get in people’s way and you won’t get heckled. Also, Wavestorms are respectable. If you are not good on a short board it’s better to be on a board that you can actually handle. Don’t go straight to a short board. You’ll have a lot better chance of getting on a wave and riding it a little bit and having fun.

Surfing pet peeve?

I hate when people drop in on me. It doesn’t happen a lot but when it does, it is annoying. I don’t have a long board so when it’s a smaller day like 3-4 feet, I’ll take my Wavestorm out to Sunset Cliffs because short boards don’t perform really well. When people see that I have a Wavestorm they will just drop in on me because they assume I’m bad because of my board. When I want to mess around and have fun, I’ll take my Wavestorm out.

How many boards do you have?

I have 7. A couple of friends and I bought 10 blanks on Craigslist for $200. As soon as we find a garage to borrow, we will make our own boards.