Posted by Rick Civelli | 08.23.2008 | Womens Surf Camp

2008 Women’s Only Surf Camp

    Looking back on this past summer, there were tons of waves, lots of new faces, plenty of laughs and many new friends.  There is no better way to finish up the season than with a Women’s Only Camp. Brian, Jen, John, Chris and myself had been looking forward to this week all summer; a chance to interact with adults, eat out at some of our favorite restaurants in Wilmington and share our amazing sport with fourteen complete strangers. Well, we were not strangers for long……after a quick orientation out on the beach, we cruised into town to the best Thai restaurant that I have ever been to. Once the ladies found out that it was Brian’s birthday, drinks were ordered, Happy Birthday was sung, and a good time was had by all (Then the jokes started flying about Brian getting to spend his birthday with 14 awesome women). As I sat around the table, watching all the soon-to-be surfers getting to know each other, I knew it was going to be a week to remember.

    As usual, our first day out on the beach with the campers began with ground school, followed by some stretching and a group paddle out. After an adrenaline pumping paddle race, it was time to get everyone into their very first waves. I don’t know what it is about riding waves, but whether you are standing up, laying down, young, old, guy, or gal, it doesn’t matter.  It just always puts a smile on your face! After only two hours of surfing, Chrissie along with several other participants, were already trying to figure out how she could move to the coast. The thought of going home to Missouri was too much for her to handle.  We spent that evening eating fresh local seafood around a table at the Bluewater Grill, overlooking the Intra-Coastal Waterway, reminiscing about everyones first waves and of course, wipeouts!

    The most spectacular day of the week began with a beautiful boat ride to Masonboro Island, just south of Wrightsville Beach. The ladies had heard us instructors raving about what an amazing place Masonboro is, and low and behold, we walked over the dunes to find chest high, super glassy conditions, with turquoise water and no one in sight. The surfers got some of the best waves of their entire week, hooting and hollering each other into one perfect wave after another. We ate lunch right on the beach, on make-shift picnic tables using our long boards as benches and tables. After lunch, the instructors got to go out and grab a few waves, which made all of our day complete.

    On the last night of the week, Brian grabbed his guitar and put on a performance out on the dock behind the Blockade Runner Resort. Under a full moon, the women sang karaoke, had a dance-off and told jokes till almost midnight. I couldn’t think of a better way to end a perfect week. On our last morning, a few of the surfers were itching to try and catch one of the massive waves breaking behind the resort. With the wind howling and waves in the head high range, we decided that if anyone wanted to give it a try, myself, Brian, Chris and John would take them out. Three brave souls stood up for the challenge and were all rewarded with the most exhilarating waves of their trip. With the other surfers on the beach cheering up a storm, it was hard to believe that just a week prior most of the surfers hadn’t ever even been on a surfboard. Hopefully they will all continue to ride waves and enjoy the ocean as much as I do.

-Doug