Confessions of a surfing traitor

I write to you on the fence, precariously straddling my surf origin story like surfing’s Romeo — caught between the Mantagues and Capulets all in the name of love. Tomorrow is the first event of the West Coast Boardriders season and I’m doing something controversial: I’m surfing for Seal Beach. 

The reason that's controversial is because I am from Huntington Beach. Born and raised, etc. If you were to ask me at any point in life where I’m from, I’d say Huntington Beach. Even in some of HB’s more notorious or embarrassing times; I’m still proud to be from there and never hide that fact. To run around HB as a surfer or skater in the ‘90s and early 2000s felt like being a part of a subculture that did some things. There was a surf scene, a skate scene and a music scene. It was influential. I liked that. I like saying, “I’m from Huntington.” 

I will add that I grew up in northern Huntington…a lot closer to Seal Beach than the HB Pier. The other side of the tracks Huntington. I went to Marina and not Huntington High. I rode my first wave at Seal Beach river at age 5 and I have imagery to prove it. My middle school days were spent surfing the blown-to-hell peaks at the Seal pier. I pulled my first 360 — a serious resume builder in 7th grade — in Seal. The coach of the boardriders team is Chad Wells — he was my high school surf team’s coach at Marina High; I rode Seal legend Chas Wickwire’s boards all throughout my gromhood and you all remember Stingray…he’s from Seal too. So I'm not a total stranger. But I will admit, it does feel funny.

I’m not even all that particularly fond of Seal Beach. I don’t frequent there often these days. I think they have good Irish bars — the place makes me think of green beer for some strange reason — and they have a really good burrito spot called Nick’s. I usually quickly dart between Long Beach and HB, hardly registering it. Especially since the city messed up the sand — which was always thin and dirty feeling —  all but rendering it a bay these days. The rivermouth is probably one of the dirtiest surf spots in California and the spot’s saving grace (Southside) was ruined in recent years by Instagram thanks to the proximity in which it breaks to the shore (easy to film viral clips on a phone). 

Needless to say, Seal called me and I said yes. I may skip wearing the team sweats tomorrow and may not be invited back, but I’m gonna try to give ‘em a 6 if I can and thank them for adopting a kid from the other side of tracks. Seal did provide a ton of my favorite surfing memories as a kid. Maybe I can do the same for them tomorrow. HB, you still got my number? —Travis Ferré