FATHER'S DAY IN THE OCEAN - WITH MOMENT SURF CO

Ryan, on the far left, is relatively new to the ocean. His first time in (above his knees) was about two years ago. He was sporting a borrowed 5mm wetsuit and body board. Not everyone loves the ice cold waters of the Oregon Coast, but for Ryan it was love at first plunge. As Father's Day approached he came to me and said he thought a surf lesson would be a cool way to spend Father's day with his dad. I called Moment Surf Co in Pacific City about a week ahead of time and we were in luck. They had an opening for our family of five on Father's Day Sunday at 10:30am. 

Something we couldn't plan, or control was the weather and ocean conditions, but to our delight, we were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous day. High, wispy clouds were streaming to the NE, but not enough to block out the vibrant blue color of the sky. The ocean forecast was 2 feet at 14 seconds, which turned out to be pretty close to dead on. The wind picked up in the afternoon and the swell grew to about 4 feet at much shorter intervals, but we played so hard out there in the pre-lunch hours that we didn't need to brave the larger waves and relentless North wind.

Shortly after arrival we found out we would be taking lessons from Gary (pictured above crouching down in front of us http://momentsurfco.com/gary.) You only need to look at Gary for a second to know he is a seasoned surfer and loves the ocean. There is just something about him. He takes what he does very seriously, but at the same time was very interesting to get to know and a lot of fun to learn from. He is a teacher at heart -- very patient and caring. A little added education, prior to hitting the beach he had each of us wax our boards, then load them in our truck.

 We decided to drive down onto the beach, along with a couple hundred other people that appeared to have the same idea that morning. Crowded, or not, the ocean was there, waiting, bright blue and turquoise, calling to all of us to get in! Gary estimated the water temperature to be in the mid, to upper 50's, which is warm in comparison to to the mid-40's it can sometime be. It was warm enough we didn't need to wear hoods, which was nice. To have to submerge your head in a duck dive, or fall and not get an ice-cream headache makes things that much more enjoyable. In my mind, it was perfect.

Ryan and Kurt -- the first timers out there today were up and surfing in no-time. My husband, Kurt is a fourth generation Tillamook Dairy farmer. He says farmers don't surf (or get in the ocean for that matter), but I'm here to tell you they do, and this one loves it! I don't think I'll catch him out there alone, but he had a great time. Ryan on the other hand, said this was the best Father's Day he has ever had out of the 4-5 her can remember and I believe he will be back out surfing at some point in the near future. 

Lighting up the face of your children on a day that American tradition says is about you reveals the true meaning of being a parent -- being selfless, loving and willing to share your heart. This doesn't require being perfect, but instead it means you are willing to share your time, no matter how busy you may be. I think that's all they really want after all, our love and our time.

A little info about Moment Surf Co http://momentsurfco.com/ : They offer lessons I think pretty much year round, weather and ocean conditions permitting. Their surf shop offers just about everything you could need to participate in and embrace the culture of surfing in the Pacific NW. And, the people that run it, well they are pretty awesome, too! Something I didn't know when I signed us up for surf lessons is the fact that you get a free lunch next door at "Ben & Jeff's Burgers and Tacos" the day of your lesson. After surfing for a few hours we enjoyed cheese burgers, amazing fish tacos, beer and lemonade. With full hearts and full bellys we headed back to Netarts aroung 4pm for a restful finish to the day. One last blessing for the day was the sunset once we returned home. I think it speaks for itself! What a wonderful day we had -- Cold water, warm sun, great food, and fantastic company!

Change your pace, change our life. Visit www.iwantabeachhome.com to see homes for sale in Oceanside, Netarts & Cape Meares and www.ilovethenw.com  to get better acquainted with what our beautiful area has to offer. You're going to love it.

See you at the beach!

~Wendy