Text by ANDIE TETZLAFF and TARA KOTHARI
Shredding the gnar EMBRACING THE OUTDOORS
BEFORE THE BARREL — Sitting on his surfboard, senior Alex Washburn enjoys the brisk ocean water during a sunny afternoon in Santa Cruz. “When I have more time, I tend to go down to Santa Cruz because that’s just world-class surfing right there,” Washburn said. Photo: Zoë Wong-VanHaren
H
E SLAPS ON a wetsuit. She buckles up her ski boots. Two Palo Alto High School athletes prepare for an eventful morning of fun and adrenaline. While senior Alex Washburn enjoys riding the waves, senior Emma Jacobi spends her morning flying down the slopes. These Paly athletes represent a category of unique athletics that have proven to be invaluable during the pandemic. v
Surf’s up Hopping out of bed at 5 a.m. and preparing a cup of hot coffee, Washburn gets ready to go surfing before school. He arrives at the beach as the sun is rising and quickly dresses in his wetsuit and jumps on his board. After riding some waves under the ascending sun, he starts the long drive home to make it to his first period class. Surfing has become an almost daily activity for Washburn since sophomore year, and under campus closures, he finds himself embarking on his early morning adventures more than ever. With the rise of COVID-19, many people have been spending time learning new hobbies or practicing old ones. For Washburn, that passion is surfing. Despite Washburn’s time commitment to surfing in the past months, he has had to consider that although there is flexibility with online learning, senior year often comes with added stress, whether it be college applications or keeping grades up. Overall, Washburn still believes the distance learning format has made the work easier to manage. “Before online school, I couldn’t surf before school because I didn’t have time,” Washburn said. “Now, I can surf in the morning and then free up my afternoon for homework and other stuff.” As the first semester of the 2020-2021 academic year comes to an end, Washburn reflects on how surfing has been a positive outlet for him to release stress and anxiety. “Whenever I’m surfing, I don’t think about anything but surfing,” Washburn said. “Every other thought just goes away, and I find that a very beautiful aspect of the sport.” Back in August, Washburn collaborated with fellow senior Charles Mitz to form the Paly Surf Club. The club has nearly 40 active members and holds weekly Zoom meetings at lunch, often featuring guest
