Summertime Grom – Corinne Clegg

We always like to have a “grom” on our team. If you don’t know what a “grom” is, click here! The youthful energy of someone who is seeing the world through excited eyes and is always super fired up about everything is just nice to be around. This is the first time we’ve had an Amiga return as staff and we’re really looking forward to having 20 year old Corinne help us out in June and July. To get to know a little bit about her, check out her story below:

As a young girl, I started swimming almost right when I could walk. I’ve had a weird obsession with water from then on, always going swimming constantly in my pool, or the lake where I spent a lot of my childhood visiting.  To this day, I’m in a pool, Jacuzzi, or the ocean at least once a day. I was truly a water baby from day one. I started surfing at age 8 and fell in love with the surf camps and would stay after hours in the water. People would call me “smiley” because no matter what I was doing I wouldn’t stop smiling. I was a very happy kid. On top of that, I was very competitive at a young age and would constantly try to race kids in the ocean or the pool. I did junior lifeguards for years which was extremely competitive and I would surf for hours and get chili cheese fries or mexican food every day of the summer as a treat to myself for working hard. I have always had a passion to be good at everything and anything, so naturally I really wanted to get good at surfing because I loved the ocean so much. Since I was young I have always loved reading and getting to know new people. My greatest joy is found in helping people in any way I can.  I spent almost every day in high school at the beach either before or after school. I got into surfing even more around my Sophmore year, at Bolsa Chica High, long boarding with my mom and my close friend. My friend helped me to work through my struggles, and was always pushing me. I loved long boarding and just recently started short boarding within the last three years.

22571_1231682845788_289188_n

I joined the surf team at Huntington Beach with my 3 best girl friends and in the mornings we woke up threw our surf stuff together, goofed around and cheered each other on to catch waves. It was great. After surfing, we ate donuts and big breakfasts at Sugar Shack and then would all nap at my house before school.  We loved to go to “Old Mans” San Onofre and Trestles to shortboard. Our other favorite spot for the weekends, was Ventura’s C Street, Cardiff, and Blacks Beach. There probably wasn’t one day I didn’t show up to school with wet hair. We were living the life of “Blue Crush”. I always was a tomb-boy though so It’s always been more difficult to find girls to surf with and do fun stuff, so when I find them I am overjoyed.

1011394_10200962480657829_1690570997_n

In college I competed on the Long Beach Surf Team before I decided to study abroad in Italy to immerse myself in a completely different culture. Last year was the first time I went out of the country to El Salvador with Surf With Amigas and I loved everything the camp did and stood for.  It’s the kind of mentality I want to always embody which is “no matter what it’s all good and were going to conquer our fears and have fun.” The idea of teaching other girls to surf and help them through the process I went through really excites me. That way girls like me can find other girls to surf with at home to live the grungy beach life style, as well as share the fun with others. There’s nothing that would make me more happy than to help people learn and believe in themselves.  

corinne grom

 

The “Y” Word

Our good friend and awesome yoga teacher, Cyd, recently made a trip to Nootka Island in exploration of adventure and waves with some like-minded ladies. In this short film, the girls highlight the value of pairing yoga (or “stretching”) with surfing.  The backdrop looks amazing and the waves look cute! Future retreat location?…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYsFFsOembw?feature=player_embedded&w=640&h=360]

For the full article about the benefits of yoga for surfing, click here.

Cydney is a lululemon ambassador, surfer and yoga teacher who hails from Vancouver, B.C. but is currently living and working in northern Nicaragua. There, she’s soaking up a healthy lifestyle full of daily yoga, surfing, music, speaking Spanish, healthy food and great humans. You can follow her adventures past and present on Instagram and on her website.

IMG_0126

‘Taking Sexy Back’ on Surfline Now…

Image

Surfline recently posted a feature article by Lauren Hill, ocean activist and professional surfer, about the sexualization of women’s surfing.  Hill’s insight along with a few frothy videos by Hayley Gordon, and some beautiful shots by the talented photographer, Ming Nomchong, come together to provide some food for thought and inspiration for all of us ocean-loving ladies. Click here for the full article on Surfline. 

The page also features a teaser for Hayley Gordon’s film, Party Mix. Check out the full length version below. These girls rip. [vimeo 59689649 w=500 h=281]

For more information about Lauren Hill, check out her website here: http://seakin.wordpress.com/, for more by Hayley Gordon, check out her website here: http://www.leashless.tv/, and for more images by Ming Nomchong, check out his site here: http://www.mingnomchong.com/.

 

Come on a Retreat and Raise your Confidence in Bigger Waves

Allison Cecil came on a retreat last year with her friend Minette. She is an active member of the San Diego Surf Ladies so she gets in the water quite regularly in San Diego in between caring for her two very large dogs, mischievous cat, and running a very cool jewelry company. She came down to refine her surfing, get some tips, and just have fun riding waves in warm water. Although she claimed to be a surfing chicken who only liked 1-3 foot waves, we saw her tackle a few really nice overhead drops. I received the message below from her a few days ago and was really stoked to hear that she’s been charging Black’s beach and has really raised her confidence in the water. See below from Allison:

19630_553197231380275_899639989_n

“I think I’ve told you this before but I wanted to tell you again because tonight it reminded me of this. My time with you, Kim, Jackie and Jaime pushed me past my comfort zone of 1-3 foot waves and got me to drop in on bigger, scarier waves. I left Nicaragua with a new found love and appreciation for bigger waves. Every time I paddle out on a big day (well for me a big day is 5’+ plus) I’m filled with gratitude for my time with you guys. I feel at ease and excited to catch a big whopper waves instead of fear!

Before my trip to Nica I was scared and loathed it when the reports would be for 4-6 foot days, now I’m stoked! This evening I rode a wave that I will probably never forget. I dropped into an absolute BOMB of a wave and zoomed past a zillion dudes who wanted that wave! I have never gone so fast on a surfboard in my life and the best part of it was that the wave was about .3 miles long (I measured it on Google Earth) ! SO THANK YOU!!!! I will never forgot my time with Surf With Amigas, especially on days like today.

Your Chest & Shoulders Will ‘Be Ok’

10168132_10151971308201135_3609985482549125714_n

Christine is a yoga teacher at El Coco Loco that can be often be found sneaking some cute waves at the bay, on her hot pink funboard, in a Seea crop top and surf skirt. Originally from Canada, she comes from a fitness background and has picked up surfing in the last few years after a lifestyle change and move to Nicaragua. Check out this cute little video filmed in the yoga space at El Coco Loco. She writes,

“Whether you’ve put in hard work on the waves or at the office, our chest and shoulders can always use a good stretch.  Here are my go-to stretches in a routine that easily travels to the beach or to your living room — filmed in fast-forward mode so you’ll get all 5 stretches in less than a minute!”

In addition to yoga and surfing, Chris has created a project called Vintage Love Manzano, where she works alongside local women in the remote Nicaraguan community surrounding El Coco Loco resort to create designs to be sold in the global marketplace. The goal is to create fresh and stylish designs to be used as a vehicle for social change and women empowerment… And the stuff is really cute!

For more info about Vintage Love Manzano, check out Christine’s website here: http://nicalogical.com and her shop page here: http://nicalogical.com/vintagelovemanzano/shop-vintage-love-manzano.

Go Chris! You rip!323564_10152350008360251_168142154_o

Surfing Yoga and So Much More in Costa Rica

Surf With Amigas is primarily about surfing. We surf when the conditions are best and schedule all other activities around that. However, there’s a lot more to it than what happens out in the water. There’s daily yoga, and all day laughter. Plenty of adventures, horseback riding, jungle hiking, monkey sound making, and good food eating. It’s hilarious, interesting, fun, and addicting!

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEkFyR8_rOo]

Falling in Love with the Ocean

We love keeping in touch and hearing from Amigas after their week with us. Sometimes it’s an email to ask for suggestions on what type of board to invest in. Sometimes it’s a photo of ladies who met on a retreat in wetsuits in the snow, or in Cabo, or at Coachella. Other times it’s a note of gratitude like the one below. Roisin joined us on our Southern Nicaragua Retreat in 2013. Thanks for sending Ro!
This email is really about sending a BIG overdue THANK YOU to You, Jackie, Nadia and Nikki for being instrumental people in a life changing year that was 2013. I knew something new and cool was on the horizon for me. I just couldn’t figure out how the fuck to get there! Until Surf With Amigas.
ro
Divorce, an ailing father, quitting my shitty job in New York City and a big nudge from my friend Emily all led me to the Amigas. I went down with a HUGE fear of the water, a weakened spirit, and out of shape muscles. Holly you got me on my first wave and I will never forget it!! Looking at the video, not sure who was more excited you or me! Either way, I got home, hit Mondos, near Rincon, caught the first wave I went for and rode it all the way to the parking lot!
Since then, I have taken up Stand Up Paddling boarding (shhhh….) (it is really good for your core, and the waves are more predictable), leased a horse and ride waves when I can. More importantly, I LOVE the water!! I paddle my SUP board like its a surf board and there is always white water to tackle and waves to ride. (although I haven’t actually done that yet..lol) My buddy is also an avid boogie boarder, fins etc…so water sports abound!! 
My point is without the four of you giving me the confidence to ENJOY our beautiful oceans, my time here in Cali would be wasted. Every Sunday I am out there paddling with the dolphins and the seals. I always jump in the water for a swim and we are bringing our masks and snorkels tomorrow and heading out to the reef for more exploring.
 It is impossible for me to be in the water without thinking of all of you.:)
In short, Thank you for getting me to the place I was meant to be. 
Fuck Yeah!! and Namaste:)))  
~Roisin

Rutty and Ro Ventura

Southern Costa Rica Slideshow

We’ve been seriously loving Costa Rica. The place we’re staying has two super fun surf spots right out front. One is good when the swell is a bit bigger and another is fun when the swell is smaller. Yesterday we had some small clean waves so we walked just a bit down the beach and scored this fun peak with no one else out! Check out a few snaps from the session.

Costa Rican Adventure – Surf Yoga and More

This is the highlight video from our first ever retreat in Costa Rica. As you can see, it was incredibly awesome. We hiked, we danced, we rode horses, we explored the jungle, we did yoga, and of course we surfed! We are super stoked and have decided to make the Costa Rican retreats an annual event. Stay tuned for details on future retreats.[youtube=http://youtu.be/sGUEoiA5Mhk]

First Look at a Costa Rica Retreat

Our first ever retreat in Costa Rica was a great success. Super cute long peeling lefts in warm water with great friends. The girls were cruising and shredding and loving life on the edges of the jungle. Everyone improved so much over the course of the week. We’re loving this place and looking forward to the retreat starting up tomorrow.

Join us in Spring 2015 for our next Costa Rican retreats!

[youtube=http://youtu.be/rJIAfYeUmkA]