In case you’ve forgotten, summer is coming. And for the last five years or so that has meant that International Surfing Day is coming.
The premise behind International Surfing Day is fairly simple: You go to the beach. You surf.
Okay, maybe that’s not all. You’re also supposed to pick up some trash along the way.
I don’t know if dead marine life counts as trash, but it would have been great if someone had picked up a dead sea lion I saw on the beach in Cayucos last night. As I was walking along the beach with my daughter, I tried to shield her from the sea lion, which had been pretty mangled — nearly decapitated — but she managed to see it anyway. At first, she seemed okay, but when it came time to sleep last night, she started crying.
“I can’t stop thinking about that seal!” she said.
Now that might have been a plot to stay awake — I’m not completely naive – but it seemed pretty genuine. I was actually worried she was going to have nightmares about sharks. But I was relieved to hear she dreamed of talking ice-cream instead.
Anyway — back to Surfing Day: The unofficial holiday takes place on Saturday this year, making it a little easier for working stiffs to take part. Created by Surfing Magazine (insert sarcastic commercialization comment here) and the Surfrider Foundation, the day is recognized worldwide.
If you plan on taking part this year, you might want to get out a little early. According to PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey, it’s probably going to be windy again (When will it end!) on Saturday. The good news is the swell will be up a bit — possibly around head high. And the water is definitely warmer now. But I wouldn’t recommend you ditch the wetsuit like the guy pictured above (taken in March, 2004, at Pismo Beach.)
I also don’t recommend walking past dead sea lions with your kids.
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Tribune photo: Joe Johnston
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