MECCA SURF

RIDEAGNARLYWAVE,CATCH AHARD-COREVIBE,GETHOOKED INTHECOUNTRY’SORIGINAL SURFCITY—SANTACRUZ.IT’SEPIC.

SO,THISISSUPPOSEDTOSTARTOFFASA TOTALLYSTOKEDSTORY ABOUTSEARCHING FORTHESOULOF SURFING,DESCRIBING THAT LIFE-CHANGINGMOMENT OFCATCHING AFIRSTWAVE,MAKINGACONNECTION WITHTHEOCEAN’SBOUNDLESSENERGY ANDBEINGPROPELLEDINTOANETHEREAL EXPERIENCEWHEREYOUHOPETORIDE ATOPTHEROILINGWATERFOREVER. BUTTHATWOULDN’TBEENTIRELYHONEST.

THEREALITYGOESMORELIKETHIS:IT’SABOUT HOWIMANAGEDTOTEETERPRECARIOUSLY ONAWOBBLINGLONGBOARDFORAFEW PRECIOUSMILLISECONDS.ANDTHATWAS ONLYTHROUGHTHEHERCULEANEFFORT OFAMASTERSURFINSTRUCTOR,RICHARD SCHMIDT,WHOSKIMMEDNEXTTO MELIKEAN ATTENTIVEPARENTDASHINGALONGSIDEA CHILDLEARNINGTORIDEABICYCLEWITHOUT TRAININGWHEELS.BUTEVENASI TUMBLED OFFTHATWAVE, WHOSEHEIGHTPROBABLY WASBESTMEASUREDININCHESRATHERTHAN FEET,IGLIMPSEDTHEMYSTICALAPPEALOF SURFING. THIS,ITHOUGHTWHILETAKINGINA MOUTHFULOF BRINYWATER,ISJUSTSOCOOL.

This isn’tauthor MarkEmmons. This is an experienced surfer riding thewaves at Santa Cruz’s popular surf break Steamer Lane. Located off a point in theWest Cliff residentialarea near downtown, SteamerLane

Living in the BayArea,as we all know,can befilledwith migraine-inducingstress.Mostof us arefocused, whennottrapped in endlesstraffic, on payingexorbitant rents and mortgageswith thegoalofhavingalittle leftover attheend of eachmonth.

Butpartofthecompensation for putting up withallof that is the knowledgethat Northern Californiacan beanadventure waiting to happen.

Borrowingfrom author J.R.R. Tolkien, it’sadangerous business goingout your front door and steppingonto the road because there’snoknowing where you might beswept offto. Graced withaMediterranean climate, theBayArea is a living, breathing outdoor playland oftrails to hike and bike, rocksto climb and, perhapsmostenticingofall,waves to beexplored.

THEEPICENTER OF Northern California surfculture, and its ancestral birthplacein the mainlandUnited States, isinour backyard.Andno wonder Santa Cruz oncewas namedAmerica’s best surf town bySurfer magazine.It’shome toacoupledozen surf breaks,O’Neillwet suits, acommunityofboard-shaping artisans, international star Nat Youngand…well, you getthe idea.

Welcome toSurfMecca.

“Santa Cruz just has the whole surf vibe,” saidMichel Junod, 66, who for nearly fivedecades has beenbuilding surfboards thatare works of art. “There are so many goodsurfingspots herebecause thetopographyofthe shoreline is notlike anywhere else. Youcan surf maybe 300days ayear,and it can begoodalldaylong.Then youtoss in thesurfschools and theunbelievable number of surf shops, andthere’sacomplete lifestyle dedicated tosurfing.It’sthe best city in Californiafor surfing.”

Sittinginanoffice next to his workshop, filledwith colorful boards, Junodshook hisheadin aweofitall.

“Nobodycould have predicted this,”he added. “It’samazing what’shappened withsurfing here.”

Amile away,thesport’slocal historyis detailed at the quaint Santa CruzSurfingMuseum, at

Lighthouse Point. The storybegins withthree Hawaiianprinces. Theywere in the Bay Areaattendingamilitaryschool when they first surfedoff the mouthofthe San LorenzoRiver in 1885.

Vintageblack-and-white photosofthe Santa CruzSurfing Club, formed in 1936,capture when surfingfirstgrabbed a toehold here.A13-foot redwood plankrisestoward theceiling— looking more likesomething a shipwreck survivormight have clungtothanaboardfor early surfers.

Morephotos,these in color, chroniclethe decades as surfing went from curiositytoapop culture touchstone of American film and music.

Thebest thingabout the museum, though,is thelocation. It’snear a cliff face where you can stare down atSteamer Lane, one of Santa Cruz’s mostlegendary surf spots, along with Pleasure Point.

Mother Nature not only gave Santa Cruz wonderful surf breaks, but also amphitheater-style viewingso landlubbers can share in the spectacle. On days with goodswells, thecurious will be mesmerizedby dozens ofwet suit-clad acrobats cutting through frothy,curling waves.

SURFING ISNOTMERELY asport, but awayoflife — orso say hard-core surfers. People may play tennis or golf, but youlive surfing.

Butformost people, the idea of surfing is moreseductive than actuallysurfing. That’sbecause we nonsurfers understand,deep down,howhardit mustbeto look so incrediblygraceful on a slim board carved fromplastic foam andcovered infiberglass and polyurethanematerials. Besides,it takes farlesseffort to buy surfclothesandjustlookthe part.

Butthe sportis ridingarising wave.In 2014,morethan 2.7million peoplesurfed, accordingto theSports &FitnessIndustry Association—anearly7percent jump overthepreviousthree years.

Longtime surfersgrumblethat all of thoseknow-nothingnewbies —or“kooks,” inthesurfvernacular —aretryingtojumpontheir waves. After all, the breaks are few,and the surfersalreadywere many.

JeffLangston, aSan Jose nativewhofirstcame “over the hill”to surf inthe 1960s, has witnessedthegrowth firsthand. He tells of surfing with friendsin the dark beneath dimlight castfrom the Santa Cruz Wharf,wearing white T-shirtsoverwetsuits to keepfromhittingoneanother. There was a time, hesaid, when Santa Cruzwaves were empty.

“When we were kids,wewould be looking for people,”added Langston,66. “Now, you’re lookingforplaceswith nobody. Surfingis kind of suffering,to some degree, from its own success. Costco has boards nowstarting around $100, so anybody can try it prettycheaply. It’sbecome crazy.It’sbetterfor metowork on theweekendsand catchwaves duringthe week.”

Actually,surfing ishiswork. Heowns theretail side ofHaut Surf Shop,whereSantaCruzlegend DougHautcrafts world-famous custom boards.Langston often finds himself counseling potentialcustomers with surf feverto take adeepbreath.

“Wealways sayyou should demoaboardbefore you spend a thousand dollars,”he said. “The real shocker sometimesis the cost ofawetsuit. Itcan be$500 to $800. But it’sonly50degrees in the water, andthe cold will suck the energy right out of you.”

Hepreaches the wisdomof starting with a lesson.

“It really opens up the world of surfing, and then youcansee if it’syour cup of tea,” Langston said.

That’showIended upstandingatCowell Beach,feeling like astuffedsausage in askintight wet suit, nervously listening to Schmidtexplain theSurf 101 basics as he raised his softvoice above thesoundofthe waves lappingagainst theshore.

“It’sreallygoing on out there today,”Schmidtsaid, staring out atwater sprayingupward as it crashed upon adistant rocky point.“This will be good.”

Gulp.

COWELLISSCHMIDT’S “office.” Awide expanse of smooth beach next to thewharf,

Cowell is consideredone of the best places anywhere tolearn howtosurf,thanks to long, rollingwaves and aforgiving,sandy bottom.

Addtothathow this was a warm spring day andsunshine glistenedoff the oceanlike sparkling diamonds,andIwondered if Schmidthad the bestjob ever.

Trimandpossessing a Zen-like sense of calm,Schmidt firstrode air mattresses in the white water as a youth and later graduated to big-wave surfing — makinga name for wrangling someofthe biggest,baddestwater monsters. Since 1978, Schmidthastaught the sport’smechanics,etiquette and safetyatasurf schoolhe runs with wife Marisa.

While there isnolack of knowledgeable instructors inSanta Cruz, Schmidthasareputation for beingthe best.Ialsosought him outbecausehe isknown as an ambassador for thewaves — a philosopher-king ofthesport. Hespeaks fluent surf.

“It usedto be more of arebel thing,but now it’sgonemuch more mainstream,” saidSchmidt, 54.“It’sdefinitely alluring. It’s just wildbeingimmersedinthis bodyof water and feelingits power.There’san adrenalinerush when you’re harnessingnature’s energy.It’sexhilarating.

“But it also can be therapeuticout there,just sitting onthe board, watching the dolphins and the sun setting. There’snothing like it,andthere’sneverabad day on thewater.”

With that,he told metoattach the Velcro leash to my ankle and pick up the 9-foot longboard.

“Ready?”

Aquick Word Here About

the actof surfing.The “standing” portion is briefcompared withthe “paddling” part. Friends warned me about howtaxing Imight findjust reaching the waveswith alongboard because it meansgettingreacquainted withyour underusedtriceps.

Schmidtaddedthatalesson canbe awake-up callabout your levelof physicalfitness. So true. I quicklylearned that,at 53,mine was not as goodasIhad hoped. Early on, pridegave wayto fatigue, and the tireless Schmidt offered to help towmy board — deftly holdingthe nose withhis feet—on thelongpaddle out so Icould conservestrength for actually tryingto surf.

Once Schmidtdeemed that we hadgonefarenough, he had me point my board toward the shoreandhe began scanningthe horizon the way acity resident looks for a cab.

When you’reprone on the board, thewaves lookmuch bigger. Belatedly, I realizedthat I was a fish outofwater … despite thefactIwas in the water. Ieven wore a purpleshirt over the wet suit to ID me as anovice,as if that weren’talreadyblatantly obvioustoanyoneelse in theocean, includingthe seals.

Butitalsowas a truly breathtaking scene, watching accomplished surfersupclose as they glided byonwaves with acasual rhythm. Abovewerelooming cliffs where countless timesIhad stood, staring down atsurfers, wondering howthe heck they did that.

Iwas about to find out.

Schmidtthen began picking out waist-high waves, told me when to startpaddlingtocreate momentum, showed mehowto lumber up to my unsteadyfeet and crouchinto apoorman’sversion of the classicsurfer position. Heevenhelpedsteady me while riding his board nexttomine.

And I found myself standing, sort of,on amoving surfboard. Withoutevensufferingany blunt trauma intheprocess.I was stunned to find myself once coasting on a small wavemaybe 30 or soyards. Onlyafter I fell into the water didIrealize that Schmidtpeeled offand letme take thewavealone.

Somethingthat Junod had told me a fewdays earlier popped into myhead. Surfing,he said, can be incredibly addictive.

“For somepeople, their life becomes surfing,and they build their world around it,”Junod added. “If youdon’twatchout, you’ll gethooked, too.”

NEARBY,AFATHER RODE tandem on aboard withalittle girl. I would findout laterthat Brian Grasser and hiswife, Sheri, recentlyhad moved toBonny Doonfrom Pacificawiththeir twodaughters, partlytobecloser to thewaves.Hehasbeencoming to Santa Cruzto surf since age14 and now was passing onthe sport to 6-year-old Bea.

Sheseemedalotmore comfortableonthe board than me, by the way.Nosurprise there.

“Surfing justgives you a real connection to thewater,”said Grasser, 42,aSouth San Francisco firefighter. “When I’m away from the ocean, Imiss it. Iwanttoget back to it. It’ssoneatwatching mydaughter’ssmile, knowing that shefeels that energy,too.”

MichelJunod shapes surfboards that areworksof artinhis shop in SantaCruz. “There are so many goodsurfing spots herebecause the topographyof theshoreline is not like anywhere else,” says Junod. “Youcan surf maybe300daysayear,and it can be good alldaylong. Then you tossin the surf schools and the unbelievable number of surf shops,and there’sacomplete lifestyle dedicated to surfing.” At left: Surfersride thewavesatSteamer Lane.

Muchofmytimeonthe board was a blur. But Ialso know it was heart-pumpingfun.

And I do have one vivid memory on thewater.During alull, I sat on theboardbobbingwiththe gentlemovement of theocean beneath thecloudless sky.Schmidt was taking in the cliffs,thewharf wherethebarking ofseals echoed and the endless water.

“Aren’twe blessedtolive here?” he asked.

Iwas too out of breathto respond. But looking back now,I have ananswer.

Yes,weare.

FOLLOWMARK EMMONS ATTWITTER.COM/ MARKEDWINEMMONS.

VisitAngelIsland

When you thinkofBay Areaislands, Alcatraz might very wellbethefirst onethatcomes to mind. But why not check outAngelIsland?It’sthe largest natural island in SanFrancisco Bay,andyoucan get thereby ferryfromSan Francisco orTiburon and spend thedayorthe entire weekend.The islandis beautiful, with severalcampsites(although thewait times for them arelong),biking and hiking trails, and an amazing 360-degree viewfrom the peakof theisland. Youfeel likeyou’re out in nature,but you cangetgreat viewsofBayArea cities.Andaround now, thereare wildflowersallover.There’salso a fascinating museum commemorating theinternment of Asian immigrants on this “EllisIsland of theWest.”

Fordetails, call415-435-5390.

Run‘TheHill’

JerryRice, Roger Craig and other49ers greats used to testtheirmettle by running up a scenicstretchof Edgewood Park in Redwood City.Rice usedtocallthe 4-mile loop his“fourth quarter”becauseitrepresented his dedicationto training. Itmakes for a lovely hike — andafabulous photo.

FordetailsonEdgewoodPark,go tohttp://bayareane.ws/1DXaSz6.

CycleatPointReyes

Lovecycling? Log someserious miles atPoint Reyes NationalSeashore. Options cater to those looking for shortertreksaswellas seasonedcyclistswhowantto complete a 100-mile, or century,ride. Visitorscenters offer a freemap, which indicatesbicycle trails. Just make sure to keep your eyes peeled, and yield,for horsebackridersandhikers.

Forasample trek,go tohttp://bayareane.ws/1JPnrkC.

Boogieboardat RiodelMar

Boogieboardthe day away atRio delMar State Beach,atthe end of Beach Drive inRio delMar. Because ofthe topography,thebeachoffers plenty of rideworthywaves.If you seesurfers, you know the conditionswill begood.This isalsoagreatplacefor beginning surfinglessons.

Fordetails, call831-685-6500.

Mountainbikeat Sanborn

Thenew John NicholasTrail atSanborn CountyPark is the kind of trailmountain bikers long for — that’s because it wasdesigned andbuiltwiththe help of mountain biking enthusiasts. Beforestarting your journey,park atthetrailhead, on Black Road in Los Gatos. Thenhit thetrail. Itnever gets too steep, and it affordspleasant scenery,with canopy cover the wholeway.Check out the viewofSaratogaandthe bay near the top. The downhillreturn isablast, with minimal braking required.The onlycaveat:There are no toilets.

Fordetails, go tohttp://bayareane.ws/1OFRrX0.

Runin theSouthBay

Hitthe ground runningonLos Gatos Creek Trail. Start near Lark Avenue(find parking on Charter Oaks Drive). Head toward downtown Los Gatos on thetrail, and turn aroundatthe drinking fountain just after goingunder the Main StreetBridge. This section of the creektrail has the mostshade, drinking fountains and bathrooms. The sceneryisgreat, with Vasona Lakeand plentyof wildlife along thecreek. Toadd3milesandsome hills to your run, keepgoing past the turnaroundspotandhead up the damat LexingtonReservoir. Staytothe leftand return on the Jones Trail (it’saheartbreaker upthe hill), and then theFlume Trail dropsyou backatthe waterfountain under theMainStreetBridge.Ifthisdoesn’tsatisfy you, adda3-milelooptoreach the topofSt.Joseph’s Hillfor ahalf-marathon.

Fordetails, go tohttp://bayareane.ws/1EqRj5Q.

HikeMountWanda

Thewondrous Mount Wanda in Martinezprovides abeautiful, easyhike thatoffers panoramicviewsof Mount Diablo, Martinez, Beniciaand the Carquinez Strait. Namedbylegendaryconservationist John Muir after his daughter, it’sastone’sthrow fromtheJohn MuirHouseand wasfrequented by Muirduring the years he lived in Martinez. Therealso arelotsofinterpretive signs along the path peppered with inspirational quotes from Muir, andthe areaishometo deer, birds andother wildlife.The JohnMuir House, on the other side ofAlhambraAvenue, is itself a well-kept secret. A NationalParkService site,it provides a fascinating look at Muir’slife as a familyman and farmer when hewasn’texploring thewild.

Fordetails, go tohttp://bayareane.ws/1EqQHwT.

When Muir lived in Martinez, he oftenvisited Mount Wanda — named afterhis daughter.

Thisplacehasit all:archery,horses,wine...

What dobowsand arrows, horsesand wine haveincommon? They all canbepart ofanaction-packedday and are located (nearly) within spittingdistancefrom oneanotherin Santa ClaraCounty.Stevens Creek County Parkhasa28-station archeryrange on Mt. EdenRoad.Archerylessons areavailable from Bowhunters Unlimited. Nextdooris Cooper-GarrodEstate Vineyards (22645 Garrod Road, Saratoga) andGarrod Farms (22647 Garrod Road),whereyoucanhike, ridehorses and tastewines.Musicis featuredmanySundays.If youdon’tride horsesbut like towatchthem,check outthevaulting team during practice.

Fordetailsonarchery lessons, go tohttp://bhuarchers.org/bow7/lessons; fordetailsaboutCooper-GarrodEstateVineyards, go towww.cgv.com; andfordetailsaboutGarrodFarms, gotowww.garrodfarms.com.

Hikeat MountSutro

Thishilly61-acre parkinSanFrancisco’sInnerSunset neighborhood offerscinematicviews,shadytrails, and (bestofall)thefeelingyou’rewandering through aforestin themiddle ofacity.Climb thestairsat Stanyanand 17thstreets, andenterontheHistoric Trail.Hike through lush greenery andtoweringtrees to the FairyGatesTrail, and it’llspit you back out on BelgraveStreet, close towhereyoustarted,for an easy beginnershike. But thefun ofMount Sutro is following thenumerous winding pathstodiscover new views,quietreading spots andthe occasional renegadewoodsculpture.

Fordetails, gotohttp://bayareane.ws/1GIRUDo.

LaunchfromtheHeadlands

Torekindleyour daysbackpackingthroughEurope, spend aweekend at the Marin Headlands Hostel in the Golden GateNational Recreation Area, just past the Golden Gate Bridge. It’salaunching pad for hiking,biking,surfing and beachcombing,as well visitingthe PointBonita Lighthouse, TheMarine MammalCenter,Headlands CenterfortheArtsand Bay Area DiscoveryMuseum. Optimal timeisspring for the many varietiesofwildflowers in the area.

Forreservations, gotohttp://bayareane.ws/1HV5CU3,orcall415331-2777(office hoursare7:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.,daily).Walk-insare welcomewhenroomsareavailable.

CycleinCanyon

Escape theheat this summer withabicycleride throughthe redwoodgrovesofCanyon,anunincorporatedcommunitynear theborderofContra Costaand Alameda counties (betweenOakland and Moraga). Bring yourown water and lunchbecausethere is not much there—thelogging campsandsaloons of previouscenturies are long gone — but if you needto mail a letter, there isapostoffice.

Hikeat PointLobos

PointLobos StateNatural Reserve,sometimesaptly referredto asthe “crown jewelof theStatePark system,” isabsolutely themostbeautiful place totakea leisurelyhike. Don’tbelieveit? Justlook atthephotos by Ansel Adams and EdwardWeston. Thepark offers guidedwalks, too.

Fordetails, gotohttp://bayareane.ws/1GCzzVL.

PaddleboardinSausalito

The website for thepublic CanyonSchool boasts this motto: “10,000 redwood trees, 70 students, 5teachers, 1school.”

Yearning for some peacefulpaddling? Head to Sausalito. Ifyou gettherebefore noon, thewateris usuallycalm andnottoo windy,perfect for paddleboarding,especiallyforbeginners and kids.Soak up therelaxingvibeswhile passing sea lions andpelicans,checkingoutthe boathouses,and taking in the fantasticviewsofthe Golden GateBridge and Angel Island. Rental boards gofor less than $20an hour. Fordetails, goto www.seatrek.com/stand-paddle. After you’veworkedupanappetite, go to Sausalito’sLe Garage(85 LibertyShip Way,Suite 109) formusselsor to Bar Bocce(1250 Bridgeway)for lunch: appetizers, pizza and drinks,with a similarview totheone you had paddleboarding —but with bocce!

KayakatElkhornSlough

Fancyabit of wildlifeviewingwithyour workout on the waterways?Head toMoss Landing,andrent akayak—orjoin a guidedtour —at the mouthof Elkhorn Slough, and paddle yourway through a state marinereserve rich with critters. The seaotter population here can be particularly activeand is most prevalent in thefirst 2 miles(also keepyour eyes out for sea lions, seals andpelicans). Afteryoudrop off your vessel, head 1½miles south, and rechargeon thedeck at Phil’sFishMarket(7600Sandholdt Road), whichoffers amouth-watering cioppino, among a dizzyingarrayofseafood, withaview.

Fordetails, go to www.elkhornslough.org/kayaking.

SurfundertheGoldenGate

Yes,theremight be sharks. Yes,thereare definitely jaggedrocks.And, yes,if youdon’tplan itright,the outrushing tidemight verywellsweep youright through thegate andinto veryrealdanger.But for anyoneaddicted to surfing, there isnomore surreal setting here. Getshackedwhile having your spatial awareness baffledbythat enormous backdrop.But please put in your time — and payyourdues—elsewherefirst. Thisis notan adventureforbeginners.

Action-packed‘playground’

Berkeley’sAdventure Playground is not your grandma’s playground.Thisspot, namedatop-10playground in National Geographic, ups the ante by offering fun activitiesthatengagekids’ creativityand imagination. With supervision, kids can playonzip lines and even take part in“build your own playground” activities,including painting,sawing,and hammeringtogethertheir own equipment.

160UniversityAve.Fordetails, call510-981-6720.

Flythroughtheredwoods

Mostvisitors to California’sredwoods—thetallest living things on earth —seeonly one-third of the trees’ towering magnificence.Mount HermonRedwood Canopy Tours in Feltonoffers adventureseekers aviewof therest.They’vestagedaSanLorenzo Valley forest with ziplinesandrope bridgesthat stretch high above the forest floor. Strap on a helmet, lock in your harnessand zip fromtreeto treeonaguided tour of the forest’supperreaches.

Fordetails, go tohttp://bayareane.ws/1GJzyC9.

ONREDWOODS

In addition to its basic canopy tour, thecompany offers an “aerial adventure course”for the slightlymore daring visitor.

ExploreRanchodelOso

Immerse yourself in seven distinctecosystems— from marshes to redwoods—at this exceptional naturecenter tuckedawayinBigBasin Redwoods StatePark’s wildly scenicWaddellValley.Once home to President HerbertHoover’sextended family, the historicranchhouse isfilled with interactive exhibits that illustratethe habitatsand wildlife of its wondroussetting.Aseriesof trails branchout from the center, and across theroad are the colorful windsurf kitesofWaddell Beach.

Fordetails, go tohttp://ranchodeloso.org.