Hey everyone! I’m Rachel and I will be writing to you from the cold waters of Long Beach, New York. I am so excited to be joining in on the new site! I will be keeping you up to date on the waves, the weather and the travels of a cold water wahine!
I grew up in Florida near Satellite Beach and moved to New York in December of 2004 to continue my education in social work. I did not start surfing in Florida until about 4 years ago and have been hooked ever since. I have not done any contests yet but I surf whenever possible, rain (snow) or shine. I am currently sponsored by Girls4Sport and locally by Etnies Girl.
A lot of people wonder why you would move from Florida to New York. Believe it or not, but the waves here in Long Beach can get a lot better than the drifty chop that Florida typically gets. BUT, when I’m out there with an ice cream headache after my first duck dive and there is ice whipping me in the face as I paddle against the drift, I often long for the warm waters of Florida. That being said, I do a lot of travelling (thank you student loans!) to warmer places (Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, California) and will being going to El Salvador over the April break.
I am looking forward to hearing from everyone and keeping in touch with the East Coast Wahines surfing community! Peace and good waves! ~ Rachel
You have to come down for the 11th annual Wahine contest. It’s like no other and it is perfect for non-contest surfers. You’ll get lots of swag just for showing up and if you place, well you get more swag!
Hi Rachel…Oldlady surfer here…I grew up on LI and surfed mostly in Atlantic Beach…Sun and Surf Beach Club…our Dad was a solo doctor…lots of kids….not alot of money and no vacation time… but surfed Long Beach in the winters. (1960’s in some pretty funky wetsuits)…2 of my 4 brothers also surfed and all of my family stills lives on LI…except me ….have lived in NC for 25 years…am going up for a week in April with my husband. Here is a sentimental story for you…my husband…(not a surfer among all his friends who did surf)…recently lost his best friend…a surfer…to lung cancer…..his friend always surfed Bunger surfboards so when we built our house in Wilmington we planted two palm trees and named one “Jackie”(his friend) and the other “Bunger”….corny, I know but ya gotta love a man who names trees!!!
Where are you getting your social work degree? Both my husband and I have our first degrees (long story) from Adelphi University which I know has a great SW program….
I also lived in a house on Delaware Ave in Long Beach in 1971-72 with 6 others…a little “hippie haven”…filled with roaches and I am now sure it would sell for millions…
The Wahine contest is awesome and you really should come down…just great vibes all around….
Hope you don’t mind the ramblings of an old lady…