South Florida surfing a hidden treasure
5/26/2004 11:25:54 AM by Pete Pelegrin
Like most that migrate from the northern part of the United States to Florida, Geoff Schmidt expected pristine, tranquil beaches where he could relax and maybe play volleyball.
The last scenario Schmidt, an avid snowboarder and surfer, envisioned when arriving in Florida to study international business and marketing at Florida Atlantic University was that he would be able to surf.
"People do question surfing in Florida initially because we're not known for the most consistent surf," said Schmidt, who moved to Palm Beach from Massachusetts in 1995. "I had been surfing for about 10 years up and down the East coast and in Costa Rica, but I never figured to do much surfing down here . "
Well, he's done plenty. So much so that he opened his own business, Florida Surf Lessons, in West Palm Beach last year and services fro m Melbourne to Miami.
According to Schmidt, Florida has become a harbor for elite surfers worldwide and even novice surfers, because of the unique surfing conditions .
One of the surfing hot spots periodically is South Beach. "
You'll see numerous surfers hit the water between first and third streets in South Beach when the conditions are right," Schmidt said.
"First, a wind or storm has to be coming out of the northeast, because South Beach works out of the northeast," Schmidt said. "Combine that with strong 15 to 20 mph winds out of the northwest for 12 to 24 hours, and it c reates a rebound swell which produces some nasty conditions. If you surf long enough, you learn to become a hack meteorologist where you learn to read the weather well."
Generally, Florida beaches consist of two- to three-foot waves.
M o re people are surfing, Schmidt says, because of the exercise benefits and exhilaration the sport produces.
"Surfing without a doubt is a fullbody workout," said the 27-year- o l d . "The assumption by those who have never done it is that you just paddle and ride waves. Alot of people don't realize it is a tremendous workout."
Like going to a gym for the first time, the whole body aches the next day. "The balance and agility that is required forces your body to work almost every muscle when you surf," Schmidt said. "Even though some people have said they can't get out of bed the next day, they still come back and surf, because the exercise part of surfing hooks them."
The exercise aside, surfers also come back, because of some intangibles .
"First-timers get an exhilaration and amazement when they just stand up on a board and ride, even if it's for two seconds," Schmidt said. "They say 'I'm hooked' after they surf for the first time. Part of that is the challenge that surfing provides .
"It also is way for some to get back in tune with nature. You can never master it because you're always learning. Even world champion Kelly Slater says that he learns something every time he goes out there. Regardless , whether you've surfed a lot or a little, it's nice to be able to surf in 70-degre e water down here, [rather] than in 30 degrees up north."
Pete Pelegrin is a Herald writer. He can be contacted at ppelegrin@herald.com.