The Wondrous Waters of Puerto Rico

As a kid I spent as much time as humanly possible in water. I grew up in a land-locked part of Canada, so any time anyone got me near water it took a Herculean effort to get me out. But people grow older and wind up having dumb responsibilities like jobs and car payments, so over time I had to accept that I couldn’t live in water. But then the opportunity to get reacquainted with my mermaid-like self came in the form of fun and frolic in Puerto Rico. I didn’t have to be asked twice. One quick trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida aboard Spirit Airlines to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, and I was ready to take the steps needed to become a wave baby once more.

Step One: Surfing

I'll admit it -- I’ve never set foot on a surfboard in my life, ever. Sure, I've watched more than my fair share of surfing movies in my lifetime, but something told me learning by osmosis wasn't going to cut it this time. Luckily I had expert instruction from William "Chino" Sue-A-Quan, the president of Walking on Water Surfing School. A world-class championship surfer, William has surfed nearly every wave in every corner of the globe after learning how as a child, and now uses his expertise to teach people in Puerto Rico how to do the same.

William decided the best spot to teach a beginner was Punta Borinquen, a secret surf spot near Wilderness Beach. "It’s not too busy, so you won't run into anyone," he said. "Plus, the waves are manageable for first-time surfers." Sounded fair to me. I watched as he unloaded a beginner’s board from the back of his truck, then followed him to it to begin instruction. This is when William gave some basic tips to get me started on becoming a surf pro -- check the weather conditions and get to know how the surf works, always remember to use the ankle cuff that attaches the board's cord to you and you to it, and always be mindful and respectful of other surfers -- especially when you're a visitor.

Then it was time to get down to business. William laid down on a board next to me and planted his hands underneath his shoulders. I did the same.

"From here, it's easy -- all you have to do is pop up and plant your feet," he said, and sprung from a prone position, planting his right foot toward the front of the board, his left to the back, and spreading his arms out like wings. It looked kind of like he was doing warrior two, if you looked at it in yoga terms -- and I did, because that’s what I was familiar with. But even though I was relatively comfortable with the movement on land after repeated tries, I knew attempting it in the water was going to be a little more complicated.

I took the board -- now attached to my ankle via the safety cord -- and allowed William to tow me out to sea a little ways, trying to be mindful of how the waves were moving so I could get a feel for them. He found a spot he was happy with and stopped, turning me around to face the shore.

"Ready?" he asked.

"No," I replied.

He laughed. "I've never had anyone say that before."

"I'm very honest," I told him, and decided I might as well bite the bullet. William waited until an appropriate wave came up and let go of the board, instructing me to paddle and watch the wave as it crept up on me, then pop up when I felt it swell. Predictably, I didn’t land my first attempt. Nor my second one. But the more I fell and went back out, the more I was starting to understand the mechanics of it all -- how you can use the power of the wave to help you gain your footing, how important your foot placement is, how your movement needs to be both calculated and relaxed at the same time. After an hour and a half of attempts, I finally got up… for about 30 seconds. But those 30 seconds were enough to convince me that surfing was something I wanted to do again some day. For now, it was time for me to take the next step in my quest.