Surf's Up

I've been dreaming of learning to surf since "Endless Summer" was a first-run movie in theaters and The Venture's "Surfin"  was still on the charts (on long-playing vinyl).

Alas, school, work, kids, geography, and finances all conspired against my becoming a surfer dude. Decades later I had the money and time. Could I still learn to surf?

I decided to put my aging body to the test and took a beginner surfing lesson with Fun Seekers on Whitecrest Beach in Wellfleet, off Cape Cod. As I stuffed my body into a wetsuit, I noted that our young, tanned, fit instructor Ryan Garcia, like all of the Fun Seekers teachers, was certified in advanced first aid and CPR. That perhaps was more of a reassurance to me than to my fellow students, whose combined ages didn't equal mine. They included Andrew, a lanky, friendly teenager, and Vanessa, a high school teacher from Boston with a killer smile and a great attitude.

Ryan started us with a quick safety and surf-etiquette lesson on the beach. This basically boils down to staying out of the way of other riders and covering your head with your hands when -- not if -- you fall off the board. Then we dry-land practiced the critical move in surfing, paddling the board to get it started forward, then jumping to your feet and balancing as the wave propels you forward.

It's pretty easy on dry land, but much harder when you and the board are both moving.

Next we hit the water -- literally. Out where the (small, thankfully) waves were breaking, Ryan helped me get positioned on the board. When the right wave appeared, he told me to start paddling and gave a helping shove.  The wave took me, I felt the board surge forward, and I did that push-up-and-jump-to-your-feet thing.

Then I fell.

Young Andrew didn't seem to fall very much at all. Vanessa made some good rides. I, on the other hand, managed to stand up for at least 30 seconds of my two-hour lesson. I figure at this rate, just one or two more lessons and I'll be able to ride an entire wave.

Still, I spent the rest of the day grinning like an idiot with "Wipeout" drumming endlessly inside my head.

Some dreams shouldn't be denied. I've now felt the power of soaring on a wave, and I'm definitely up for more.

Cape Surf Instruction

The outer beaches of Cape Cod are surf-central for the northeast and most places on the cape offer lessons into October. A lesson includes full wetsuit and board for the time of the lesson. You can rent boards to practice on your own after your lesson. Rates run from about $50 for an hour-long private lesson to about $35 to $45 for a group lesson.

Here are some places to learn.

Fun Seekers

Cape Outback Adventures

Little Overhead Surf & Kite Board Shop

Sickday Surf Co.

Surfboards 101

Renting a surfboard makes sense the first few times you try the sport, but if you plan to stick with the sport, eventually you will want your own board and wetsuit. Having the right board and using it all the time makes learning easier.

There are all kinds of boards on the market. Soft, hard, long, short. Short boards are cool and do really wonderful things for riders who know what they are doing, but long boards are more forgiving for beginners to learn on. Soft boards are much cheaper and easier to maintain, but they are less durable than hard boards. An instructor or surf shop can advise you on a proper board for your needs/skills.

Fortunately, beginner surfboards are relatively inexpensive, and even cheaper if you buy used. In fact, most of the surf shops and surf schools will sell off their rental surfboards at the end of the season at great prices.

 I'm going to try to purchase the 9'4" Sunset I used in the lesson, because it seemed to work well for me.

Best Beaches for surfer-watching...in case you need to be inspired before you try it yourself.

• Cahoon Hollow Beach, Wellfleet
• Coast Guard Beach, Eastham
• Nauset Light Beach, Eastham
• White Crest Beach, Wellfleet