Number Five on the Life List: CheckLearning to Surf at Ron Jon Surf School by Craig Carrollby Autumn Rhea CarpenterAfter moving to Central Florida, (Brevard County) learning to surf in the East Coast surf capital became a goal. I crave adventure, and have found it in skydiving, white water rafting, trapezing and co-piloting a confederate air force plane. It was only natural that surfing would rank high on my life list. In the mainstream, surfing has maintained a mystique that outsiders long to understand. Beyond the casual attitudes, tanned and toned physiques and memorable themed music, lies a deeper reason that people love the sport. Some claim it’s a connection with nature while others compare it to a form of religion. Craig Carroll, instructor and owner of Ron Jon Surf School, and surfer since 1966, shared his view on the topic. “Surfing is a way of life, presented by Mother Nature as yet another field of dreams for us all to play on,” he said. “I say, play on!” Brevard County maintains 72 miles of coastline and the small waves and sandy ocean bottom make learning to surf ideal. “We have more world champions, nine total, from just Brevard County,” said Carroll. “That is more than California, Hawaii and Australia combined.”  On a recent sunny Florida afternoon, my husband, Chris, and I ventured to Ron Jon Surf School by Craig Carroll for our initial lesson. Jonathan Mayberry, surfer since 1979, was our instructor. In addition to Florida, Mayberry has surfed Hawaii, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Australia, Fiji and California. He exuded enthusiasm, and quickly explained the safety precautions and form necessary for a successful day of surf.
“I always feel better after spending the day in the ocean,” he said. “It just has a way of washing away your troubles.” Mayberry guided us through the procedure quickly, so we could get to the fun part: catching a wave. He presented a 10-foot long board with a soft top. Carroll explained how a beginner should choose a board. “The surfboard should be at least 2 feet taller than you are, soft surfboards are highly recommended as they prevent injury when you wipeout,” he said. “Long boards are easier to ride because you can catch waves sooner than short boards and they can ride really small surf that is too slow for a short board. Short boards are much more responsive and turn quickly, letting the surfer do more high performance maneuvers.” Some common mistakes beginners make include choosing the wrong board, placing themselves too far forward or back on the board when paddling, attempting to stand too soon or too late, putting all of the weight on the back foot after takeoff and paddling too slowly. Board chosen, we were ready for the form lesson. We learned to paddle, grip the rails (side of board), keep toes toward the end of the board in a curled-up position, paddle, pop up into a side position, then find balance and cruise. “The most important thing is water safety and understanding riptides and strong currents,” said Carroll. “Next is the ‘pop up’ which is doing a push up and placing your feet on the board either ‘goofy foot’ (right foot forward) or ‘regular foot.’ Then putting weight on your front foot to help drive the board forward. After that the next step is turning the board and controlling it based on what the wave gives you.”   We practiced our stance on sand three times, and took the plunge into the ocean. Mayberry did the hard work, holding the board and looking for appropriate waves. Once the wave was sighted, he would call, “Pop up!” and release the board. On the first try, I went through the motions and surprisingly, balanced on the wave! There was a rush of excitement, followed by a surge of saltwater into my nose. Regardless, it was a thrill, and I was hooked. I caught seven more waves, each time maneuvering the board and maintaining a careful balance between the board and my feet. Chris waved wildly from the beach, and I found myself almost walking on water.
“Our largest increase in students is women ages 30 to 50 who are tried of gym workouts and fad diets and want to begin an exercise program that is more like fun and less like a boot camp,” said Carroll. “Proper diet is important, but as long as you get enough exercise you can eat just about anything you want because you burn tons of calories during a two to three hour surf.  Chris took his turn and was quickly on his board, riding a wave. His smile gleamed as he glided along the ocean, looking like a professional. “Many people are intrigued with the concept of surfing, but are frustrated when they are unable to stand on the board,” said Mayberry. “You definitely need a strong core, and good balance. It’s not as easy as in the movies. But it’s an incredibly fun, addictive sport. My favorite part of the day is at the lesson’s end, when a customer is wearing that huge smile. I remember that feeling when I first surfed, 29 years ago.
 Ron Jon Surf School by Craig Carroll specializes in teaching first time beginners the basics of surfing. They offer Summer Surf Camp for kids 8 yrs. old to 16 yrs. old from June - August. Competition training is available to surfers interested in surfing in local and national surfing contests. Ron Jon Surf School will offer kite boarding lessons in 2009.
 Ron Jon Surf School by Craig Carroll
150 E Columbia Lane
Cocoa Beach, Fl 32931
321.868.1980
www.ronjonsurfschool.com
Cocoa Beach Pier
401 Meade Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
321.783.7549
http://www.cocoabeachpier.com/ Cocoa Beach, FL, Vacation Guide
1.888.254.0637
http://www.cocoabeach.com/ Visit Florida
http://www.visitflorida.com/Cocoa_Beach
850.488.5607 by Autumn and Chris Carpenter |
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