Will Michaels(17), Jaden Castellon(17), and Grant Huntley(18) surf T-street, San Clemente.

What brought you out this far away from South Pasadena?

Grant: We came for the swell!

How often do you guys surf?

Will: As much as we can.

Jaden: If the waves are good, like once a week.

Grant: Once a week minimum, but that is only because we live an hour away from the beach.

What’s your favorite surf spot?

Grant: Churches

Jaden: Churches

Will: Churches

Are you applying for colleges near the Ocean?

Grant: Every school I applied to is in California; mostly San Diego because I want to surf. I want to have that to do on the side apart from academics.

Jaden: I applied to UCSD and SDSU and pretty much any other school along the coast because surfing is my thing.

Have you had any magical moments in the Ocean?

Jaden: I had this super chill experience with a dolphin in Huntington beach. I was just chilling in the water. You always see dolphins out there but literally, a dolphin popped up a foot away from me. It was awesome! Also, at Little Dume, I was able to catch a wave with a dolphin.

Any scary animal encounters?

Will: I’ve seen a shark out there. I’ve been stung by a sting ray. During the summer I work at a surf camp in Santa Monica. Last year, three campers were stung and just about every week a counselor got stung.

What advice do you give the groms in your surf camp?

Will: I tell them to go out surfing as much as they can.

Do you have any surfing pet peeves?

Grant: I feel like most locals have pet peeves. I don’t feel like I have the right to be a jerk in the water. I guess if I had one, it would be that I would appreciate it if locals were nicer to people like us who drive an hour just to surf.

Jaden: When we got out there, it’s the locals home. We try to be respectful.

Do you have a dream surf spot?

Grant: I watch this YouTube station called “Surfers of Bali” every morning before school. It would be the dream to surf in Bali.

Favorite day out on the water?

Jaden: Today for sure! It was a blessing!

Will: I agree, this has been one of my favorite sessions

Grant: It’s so nice today. We are used to waves that don’t really peel or close out. This, today, was amazing.