The Wave I Didn’t Bail On

Sharing moments like this is why we created retreats. Early bird for June ends April 25, now including a complimentary wellness treatment. Read on or explore more.

I'm next in the line up, the sun is setting, it's beautiful out here, at the edge of the world. The waves are huge in Lobitos right now, for me at least. The surf forecast app Surfline says 6-8ft, which I'm sure is undercutting it. A wave is approaching with a nice long wall. That feeling hits me, this is yours. I paddle but not too much, I’m in position. It builds behind me, and I start to rise-- it's big.

Recently I've been wiping out pretty hard. Not more than usual (I generally wipe yout a lot), just harder. I'm kind of at that point where I can surf bigger swells, but when I mess up, the consequences are more intense. Harder falls, stronger whiplash, the ratio between surfing harder waves and bodily harm is "igual" (or the same, locally).

This wave, that I think I’m claiming is building, about to break, I tell myself "come on— you’re not bailing. You can do it, and you cannot deal with another wipe out."

Determination – or desperation – manifest into aggressive commitment. I commit to my power strokes: 1 -2 - 3, chin down, as the wave breaks I grab the rails as hard as I can and man-handle the board to angle down the face, parallel to the shore.

This is the moment I usually bail. My board is usually perpedicular, I ditch it (a major no-no), cover my head, and go over the falls. Through the washing machine, count to hopefully no more than 3, eventually buoy to the surface.

But this time, I'm not underwater, I am flying on my stomach along the wall. "Pop up!" I think. I push up into a cobra posture, step my feet forward, and I’m up. In this moment, I am the highest I have ever been on planet earth, or so it feels.

This alone is also momentous because I have time to think about my next move. I dig my back heel down, look over my front shoulder, and the board - freaking - turns! I'm in awe. I hear a resounding "yaaah" in front of me, so I start yelling too. Out of the corner of my eye, I pass my coach paddling out to the line up. He saw the whole thing. The stoke is shared, and it’s real.

We started hosting retreats a few times throughout the year to extend experiences like this to our community. The next one is this June and as a special offer we’re adding a Free Wellness Treatment (think: Deep Tissue Massage, Reiki, Equine Therapy) for guests.

Whether just starting out or looking to progress, moments of stoke are what define surfing. These seemingly small moments of unlocking radiate with inspiration that carry on far beyond the session and into day to day life.

Early Bird for June is open until April 25th, 2026, regular pricing kicks in after.

Discover all that’s included here or contact us with any questions.