Vol. XX, No. 77
Friday-Saturday, November 10-11, 2006 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

Travel

BY ANNA BARBARA L. LORENZO, Reporter

Riding the waves

I held my breath the moment I felt the wave stir from underneath the board. Behind me, I could hear my instructor’s yell for me to stand up getting fainter and fainter.

I knew that the board was now out of his safe grip. I was on my own. I pushed my body up and worked my legs to a standing position.

I thought I was doing well until for some reason, my feet refused to move to the proper position. I slipped and conveniently landed butt flat on the waxed surface. To cover my embarrassment, I just looked back at my instructor, smiled and gave him a beauty queen wave, the surf board being the throne carrying my initial failure to the shore.

I saw my instructor’s expression turn from slight frustration to amusement. At least my clumsiness made someone smile.

My instructor has been surfing for five years. He should have known better than to expect to turn me into a surfer chick after a few minutes of what I would hardly call a lecture.

Surfing 101 was basically "paddle," "one, two, three," and "tayo (stand up)!" but it was not as easy as it sounds.

Before hitting the water, a newbie has to practice these three steps on a surf board parked on the dark, smooth sand. This helps one familiarize with the board, know the proper feet position, and simulate a balancing act as if already on water.

I was in La Union on a media invitation from the Tourism department but I was relieved to know that I was not the only sucker for waves that weekend.

Despite warnings of a typhoon that was expected to be stronger than "Milenyo," over 200 wannabes flocked to the beaches of Urbiztondo in San Juan for the La Union Surfing Break.

La Union is a popular venue for surfing because its waves range from beginner-friendly ones to challenging swells suited for competitions. That it is just about six hours from Manila by bus is also a plus factor.

Foreigners particularly enjoy La Union because it is not as crowded as bigger surfing areas like Hawaii or California.

Japanese surfboard shaper Kazuo Akinaga, known to the locals as "Aki," is one of the many foreigners who fell in love with the waves of La Union. He came to the Philippines in 1981 when he read about San Juan in an American surfing magazine.

In 1996, he established the La Union Surfing Association and started teaching locals how to surf. Although the association no longer exists, Aki still teaches and lends his surfboards to friends every now and then to share his love for the waves.

"The waves here are consistent from October to the end of March. When there is low pressure in China and when there is snow in Japan, there are big waves here. The wave quality here is best for long riding. When there is typhoon in the San Fernando Bay, the wave can stretch for 300 meters," Aki said.

The current surfing group is led by Filemon Dines, "Lemon" to anyone who shares his passion to surf.

He said surfers are expected to gravitate to La Union until March due to the "north swell."

"Maganda ang alon, glassy ang tawag. Pagtayo mo hindi malakas ang current, hindi bumpy (The waves are good, they’re described as glassy. When you stand up, the current is not strong, it’s not bumpy)," Lemon said.

Lemon did not surf until he finished school in 1998. He had to settle with just standing by the walls of their compound and watching surfers as they rode the waves.

Within five months after getting his degree in tourism, Lemon hit the waters, mastered surfing, and started teaching newbies

He is now the president of the LU Surf Club, a group of more than 50 members who teach surfing to locals and tourists.

On ordinary weekends, members of the LU Surf Club charge P200 for surf board rental and P150 for an hour’s session with a surfing instructor. Living typically carefree surfer lives, Lemon and his team just hang around the beach waiting for potential students.

Due to the growing awareness about the surfing haven in La Union, officials from the provincial government, the Tourism department and the local government are working together to improve the facilities in the area.

More shower rooms and toilets are being constructed for the surfers’ convenience, while a promenade is set to be erected by yearend for those who enjoy watching the surfers. Beach parties are also held to attract the public.

When there are no tourists, the local surfers have the waves all to themselves. For the uninitiated, getting an instructor is the way to go when learning how to surf. One also needs to be a strong swimmer in case the waves and the current turn nasty. 

"Dapat marunong mag-swim. Pag tumira ka ng alon at na-wipe out ka, baka magkaroon ka ng beginner’s panic (You should know how to swim. When you ride a wave and you get wiped out, you might get beginner’s panic)," Lemon said.

The waves can be intimidating and the current is a force to reckon with.

It took quite an effort for my less than 100-pound body to wade until the water got to my waist and it got frustrating when a wave would blow me back to knee-deep water levels.

I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be when the wave rises to as high as five meters.

But my instructor assured me that no fatal accident has been recorded among surfers as they always watch out for each other.

After a few more attempts, I finally got the hang of it and started to experience a few seconds of standing and balancing on the board before tipping off again.

My last try turned out to be the best as I was able to gain balance just moments after my instructor released my board. I was able to sustain it until the surfboard reached shallow waters which were just perfect for me to get off.

During this time, my mind drifted clear of worries and my senses were focused on the cool wind that was touching my wet skin and the water that I had under control just beneath the board.

These are, however, mere words. As Aki said, "Only surfers know the feeling."

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