Page 39 of Erase Me
ChapterNine
Reed
The midday suncast a brilliant glow over Doheny Beach in Dana Point, painting a picturesque scene along the Southern California coastline.The sky was a vibrant blue, unblemished by clouds, and the air was filled with the invigorating scent of saltwater.
Standing in the warm, white sand by the water’s edge, I took in the view of beaches, bluffs, and shimmering water all the way to the pier in San Clemente.To my right, the manmade breakwater for the Dana Point marina offered a perfect stretch of beach for a beginner surfer like Avalie.
Right now, there were surfers on their boards for as far as I could see, but there was a small congregation of newbies close to where we were.
We’d agreed to meet up outside my place this morning, and Avalie showed up with a borrowed skin suit from one of her neighbors.I drove us over from San Clemente in my car with our surfboards strapped to the top.
For the next hour, she’d been a rockstar of a student, totally acing all the warm-ups I threw at her on the beach.I think she must have practiced the pop-up move after seeing that little girl do it at the beach last night because she did that with the agility of a martial arts professional.
“I needed that break,” she called out, her bare feet sinking into the sand as she strode over from the state park restrooms.
“What do you say we try catching a wave?”
“Definitely.”
I strapped the board’s leash around my ankle, and she watched me.
“Oh, I was wondering.Why come to Dana Point?It’s only a couple of miles from San Clemente.But that beach where we were last night, T-Street, why not go there?”
“The long, consistent break of the waves here is perfect for novices.Plus, with fewer people spread over a wide area, there’s a reduced chance of collisions.”
“I spent an hour going through all those exercises, and you still call me a novice?”She smiled.
“Let’s see what you got.”I picked up my surfboard.“Ready?”
Once she had the leash secured around her ankle, Avalie picked up the board and stood studying the breaking waves.If I didn’t already know she was new to the sport and that everything she knew was from our morning lesson, one might have mistaken her for an expert ready to deliver some ass-kicking runs.
“Competitive, aren’t you?”
“You could tell?”She smiled.
We waded into the water, and the light, quartering, offshore breeze made for excellent surfing.
“First things first.Let’s paddle out and get comfortable on the board.”I stretched out on my board and showed her the paddling technique, lifting my head as my arms pulled me through the water.
She followed my movements, staying at my side.We weren’t far from the shore when a wave crashed over her head.She surfaced, smiling.
“Paddling is crucial.It gets you out to the surf break, the zone where we pick our wave and take off.Just remember, slow and steady to start,” I told her.“The fast, hard paddling comes when we take the wave.”
Avalie nodded and followed my lead.
“Now, once we’re out there, it’s all about positioning.See those swells and the waves forming in the distance?We want to catch one just as it starts to peak,” I explained, pointing to a set of waves coming in.
“How do I know which one to go for?”
“You watch the approaching swells.You want to catch a wave before it gets too steep.Wait for one that’s just starting to form, and when you decide to go, paddle hard and pop up on the board.”
We sat on our boards, Avalie studying the waves, and I couldn't help but watch her.With her wet hair slicked back and her face lit with excitement, she was absolutely stunning.
“Here comes one,” she called out, drawing my attention seaward.
As the wave reached us, I gave her a gentle push as she paddled.A moment later, she stood up, attempting to find her balance.The wave lifted her, and for a few seconds, she rode the surface before pitching sideways off the board.
She was laughing hard when she surfaced.“Well, that didn’t go as planned.”
