Pacific Ocean Memories

When I was a kid my dad used to take the family to Sea Cliff Beach south of Santa Cruz in California. There was a pier there with a cement ship at the end of it. We would go out on the pier and fish. I remember cutting the bait and baiting the hook. We never caught much off of the pier, but I enjoyed it and I know my dad did. Later in life I wished that he was around when I had the opportunity to fish for Salmon and Steelhead. He would have really enjoyed that.

He taught me to swim in the ocean when I was about 7 or 8. He would take me out where it was over my head and he would let me go and then back up. Once I learned how to swim we got half blow up rafts with a rope on the end and he taught me how to body surf. I really didn't like it very much because the water was so cold.

When I turned twelve I remember a church trip to Santa Cruz. It was really funny because whenever I went to the beach I body surfed. When we got to Santa Cruz I started running to the water out of habit. One of the other kids asked me what I was doing and I told them I was going to body surf. It was at that time that I realized my dad had taught me something that most of the other kids had never done. I felt like the king of the world. From then on body surfing became my passion.

As the years went by I went body surfing with friends. I never went snow skiing because my passion was the ocean. It didn't matter what month of the year it was and I never wore a wet suit. I think back now with wonder at my fortune. Someday I want to visit these places again and give it another shot ! :)



The following is a song I wrote that I hope paints a picture in your mind for you. These are some of my greatest memories of the beach and body surfing. Anyone who has a love for the ocean like I do should relate to the words. The pictures all hold great memories for me.

Please enjoy the journey!