Your life outside of surfing

[cheyneskeezer]

34 year old, married with two young kids. Campground/Surf School owner in Ucluelet, BC Canada.(right next to Tofino) I’ve been doing it for 10+ years. My wife and I bought the campground using an inheritance we were fortunate enough to get when we were 23. We are seasonally open, Easter- Halloween and we do a years worth of work in 6 months, plus projects and prep through the winter. We do get a solid 2-3 months off where we don’t have to work much if we don’t want to. I’m 10-15 minutes from 3-5 consistent but marginal beach breaks. If we hire well and things are going according to plan, I can surf 5 days a week. If we don’t, I’m teaching surf lessons all summer and working night shifts after. Normally we hire around 20 seasonal employees and house them all each summer.

Think I got on ur mailing list when u first opened. One of my favorite trips is a road trip me and my wife did from Victoria to Tofino surfed a bunch what an amazing coast line. Remember having the best sea salt kelp porter at the Tofino brewery!

 

[thekookden]

34 year old, married with two young kids. Campground/Surf School owner in Ucluelet, BC Canada.(right next to Tofino) I’ve been doing it for 10+ years. My wife and I bought the campground using an inheritance we were fortunate enough to get when we were 23. We are seasonally open, Easter- Halloween and we do a years worth of work in 6 months, plus projects and prep through the winter. We do get a solid 2-3 months off where we don’t have to work much if we don’t want to. I’m 10-15 minutes from 3-5 consistent but marginal beach breaks. If we hire well and things are going according to plan, I can surf 5 days a week. If we don’t, I’m teaching surf lessons all summer and working night shifts after. Normally we hire around 20 seasonal employees and house them all each summer.

My sister lived in the area for years. I went and visited for a few months in Ucluelet and worked in the kitchen at the Wick. Last place I had a home in Canada.
My parents are going to retire on the Island. I’m hoping when I visit I can hit up Mt. Washington and Ucluelet/Tofino in the same trip. You definitely live in a little slice of heaven.

 

[JMAC]

38 years young, married with 3 kids(5,4,3) former defense contractor. Lived on the beach at Pendleton for 6 months and surfed DMJ’s everyday. Stopping for a surf at Rincon on the way to a morning meeting at Naval Base Ventura County was almost a weekly ritual in winter, sometimes there really weren’t meetings. Got out when the money was good and before the job itself killed me. Perks were great. Haven’t had a job other than raising kids in 4 years. 3 years ago went all in on our dream property in Lompoc just north of Santa Barbara. Going to be a small flower farmer. Surf when it’s good or just need to get in the water. Developed a new cutterhead for shapers planers a few years ago as a side project to keep my mind busy. In my free time I collect and work on old surfboards. The older I get the less I “need to surf”. I think last year I might have surfed 3 times?? Surfed more than that this week

 

[Surfy Surfy]

I don’t really have a life outside of surfing except for my love of nerdy shit like sci-fi and geeky stuff.

 

[Planktom]

In other words, you have transcended.

 

[shredsickgnar]

Think I got on ur mailing list when u first opened. One of my favorite trips is a road trip me and my wife did from Victoria to Tofino surfed a bunch what an amazing coast line. Remember having the best sea salt kelp porter at the Tofino brewery!

Also one of my favourite road trips. That was our honeymoon and how we ended up where we did. There are some fantastic and beautiful surf spots on Vancouver Island I’d highly suggest people search them out because there are few spots like it in the world, and the more remote you get the better it gets to some degree.

I think you’re thinking of Surf Grove Campground. They opened a couple years ago and are a really nice operation, right on Cox Bay. I own Surf Junction Campground. We have been a campground for 30 years or so and I’ve owned it for 10. We don’t have a mailing list. Our setup is kind of unique, quirky and family owned and operated. We have a hot tub, sauna, wetsuit washing/drying room, surf lessons and surf rentals. We are located in the South End of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Also the Spruce Tip Ale from Tofino Brewery is fantastic. Ucluelet now has a brewery too called Ucluelet Brewery and they are giving Tofino Brewery a good run for their money.

 

[thekookden]

I don’t really have a life outside of surfing except for my love of nerdy shit like sci-fi and geeky stuff.

Surfy Surfy, that geekiness is awesome. That Instagram video you did nodding to the Mandalorian theme. We played that at our house for a week.
This is coming from a guy who pretends he’s flying an X-Wing fighter when he rides his motorcycle at night, though.

 

[R1H]

Truck crane rental crane operator got in out high school worked my way onto the large cranes by 21 now operating one.36 years old now. Long hours lots of weird hours but always somewhere new. And being in the position I am being one of the few guys that will can want to run this size crane I have a bit more control of my choices….. though when they need you they need you. That’s how I afford my boards. But 3200 hour years and 6-7 days a week is common. Never been out of work never been off for more than 3 weeks in 16 years that wasn’t by my choice. Can’t wait till 60 years old! Also uncle sams best friend with all my OT and 65-80 hour weeks. I surf on my days off luckily alot of times i work weekends and have a week day off so crowds are not there. try to get out 4 times a month sometimes more than others sometimes less. Starting a 7-12s job 6p-6a for 55 days straight in 2 weeks. I always choose nights thinking ill surf when i get off but then at 6a im so tired i go to bed ha ha





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Very cool! Those are serious rigs.

 

[cheyneskeezer]

Very cool! Those are serious rigs.

Currently the largest mobile truck cranes that go down the road with them boom in them in Cali . Whites a 550ton grove I’m currently on the yellow is a 500ton leibherr German engineering at its Finest

Now crawlers is another story we assemble and run some pretty large machines Bragg crane has 2 1750 Liebhers 800t we can usually get it assembled in a day and a half fully dressed out

Here’s one in Mojave

 

[OceanBreeze55]

Commercial diver here, soon to be going into the military. Would love to be stationed back home in San Diego, but not getting my hopes up. Regardless though, I surf about 3-4 times a week and usually try to squeeze in two sessions on the weekends. Excited to start a new chapter in my life, even if it won’t involve surfing as much.

Had to comment …I grew up in the LA San Fernando valley area (I’m mid 50’s now) and of course had to drive to learn to surf (better traffic then).
I eventually joined the military and got stationed in San Diego and for about 3 years was able to surf almost daily.

So when people ask what was the best thing about the military I answer “Surfing”…

They always look puzzled …lol