Portland State welcomes a surfing club
The Oregon coast the ocean has an expansive presence. Looking tothe right, it looks like a never-ending line of surging blue water- the brownish gray sand meets the waves and the water draws backand stretches to meet the skyline in the distance. It is thisamazing landscape that has inspired the creation of the PortlandState Surf Club.
A quaint little cove is alwas occupied by Viking surfers. Thesewaveriders find thrill, peace and enjoyment while floating atop awhite crested wave. For some, it is the thrill of catching the nextbig wave and for others, it’s merely about the sensation of cuttingacross the top of the constantly folding water.
Even still, there are some who cannot explain what it is like orwhy they find enjoyment in the sport. Jacob Redding, one of theco-founders of the PSU Surf Club said, “only a surfer knows thefeeling.” Redding added, “It’s great to be out in the water. [It’s]hard to explain, you just have to do it.”
Jacob Redding and David Nunn started surfing as a “club” in thesummer of 2003. The two surfers officially co-founded the clubearly in the spring of 2004. The club currently has 30 members, tenof whom are considered regulars. The idea behind the club comesfrom PSU surfers who simply wanted to surf with others. They acceptall who know how to surf as well as those who want to learn. Thereare no leadership, team or budget meetings. This club meets in thesurf.
Recently, the Surf Club camped and surfed in Beverly Beach withstudents from both Oregon State and University of Oregon. The PSUSurf Club is funded by SOC at PSU. Redding and Nunn asked only for$260 to fit their budgeted needs. Members carpool or drivethemselves to events and surfing areas via their own personalvehicles. Among plenty of surf spots along the Oregon coast, ShortSands, Pacific City, Otter Rock and Roads End are some of thefrequently surfed areas.
The club structures itself around its mission statement: “Theclub is dedicated to promoting the sport of surfing by providingstudents with an opportunity to meet other surfers and to learn froone another. We achieve this goal by organizing events that involveall levels of surfing.”
The members keep in touch via a listserv over email. Reddingsaid, “We communicate via email and things just work out.”
Watching the surfers as they glide along the tops of theblue/white waves, it is not hard to see why any surfer would enjoythis. The water may be only slightly chilly in those skin-tight wetsuits, but as the surfers paddle their hearts out toward thehorizon and get themselves ready for the next set, they lookpeacefully content in the moment. It is easy to understand clubmember Jacob Redding’s comment that, “surfing is a way oflife.”
If you’re interested in joining the PSU Surf Club check outtheir Web site, www.surfing.pdx.edu
