Looking out into the turbulent, dark ocean, junior Darin Pinedo, dressed in a black and blue wetsuit, positioned himself as a wave began to break. A rush of cold wind and the scent of salt surrounded him as he laid on his long, tan board to meet the crashing waves.
“Surfing for me is just a great way to clear my head and forget about problems at home or at school,” Pinedo said. “While I’m in the water with other surfers there is an unspoken mutual respect that we have for one another which really restores my faith in humanity.”
Pinedo learned how to surf from his father when he was 11 years old. The two surfed at Seal Beach when Pinedo was learning because of its small waves, but have moved on to bigger breaks at El Porto Beach, Huntington Beach and San Elijo State Beach.
“Honestly, it’s really serene how much stuff happens around you and it’s all drowned out when I surf,” Pinedo said. “My dad has a joke that surfing is cheaper than therapy.”
Pinedo advises surfers to be cautious, as they can get severely hurt.
“Talk to as many people as you can, and watch other people surf,” Pinedo said. “Where you should set up to catch a wave when it comes in and having an eye for where the waves break, and where you should be are some of the hardest things to figure out.”
Pinedo has surfed for five years without a serious accident. Scratches, bruises and sprained ankles are his most common injuries.
“Getting out into the elements and putting yourself in a vulnerable position is really humbling to me,” Pinedo said. “There is something calming about the change of scenery that gives you a different perspective on the world.”
Pinedo intends to improve skills like his balance and upper-body strength.
“Surfing has been a big part of my childhood and my family and I have grown up around it,” Pinedo said. “There’s definitely a lot of pros to surfing and honestly I cannot find enough cons to stop. I have so many memories tied to surfing that I feel like at this point, I’d be shooting myself in the foot if I stopped.”
TCHS School Newspaper