Never Have I Ever series

Surfing, not just for the cool, athletic set

Herald intern Shannon Plackis rides waves in Long Beach

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Part two in a series.

The Herald continues its summer intern series, “Never Have I Ever,” this week with 21-year-old Shannon Plackis taking a surfing lesson in Long Beach. Plackis is a rising senior at SUNY New Paltz.


July 29 was to be the hottest day of the summer so far –– a crippling 95 degrees. The relief of the ocean breeze was welcome as I stood on the Long Beach shoreline, the scorching sand between my toes. The waves fell gently onto the sand, collapsing into one another. With the blue sky above me, I had only one thought: I’ve made a terrible mistake.

Like so many who grew up watching “Johnny Tsunami,” a 1999 Disney Channel movie, I had long thought of surfing as the ultimate sport. It was for the cool and athletic people of the world, and since I am neither, it never crossed my mind to try it. I, however, have a motto: “Do the things that scare you,” not because I am a brave adventurer, but rather because I’m scared of everything, and if I didn’t have a motto like that, I probably would remain sequestered in my room for the rest of my days. So when I had the chance to try surfing, I had to take it.

It’s easy to say that you will do that which scares you, but when you’re standing on a beach at 9 a.m. knowing that you’re about to wade into crashing waves and attempt to ride them with a 30-pound board –– with no experience or athletic skill –– you feel just a little nervous.

‘Maybe I can do this’

One of my instructors was Roy Smith, a 34-year-old Long Beach native with 20 years of surfing experience. He had a relaxed demeanor that immediately put me at ease. He began the lesson by discussing with the class the importance of checking water conditions. Fortunately, conditions were perfect that day for beginner surfers like me. It was low tide, the water was calm, and there were no rip currents. All right, I thought, maybe I can do this.

After explaining critical safety instructions, Smith demonstrated how we would go from lying down to standing up with one foot in front of the other in a fast, ninja-like motion that I didn’t believe I could ever master. Other students in the class felt the same, so we learned a slower, less-cool-looking maneuver in which you go from lying down to your knees to standing up. With that, we took to the water.

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