The annual Surf Sirens women-only surf kayak clinic took place on September 26 – 28 this year, and it was the Best Clinic Ever (I see you, Trina!) We missed top coach Jameson Riser because she was kayaking down the Grand Canyon, but we enjoyed having a new instructor from Iceland, Anula Jochym. Welcome Anula! We also missed our Canadian contingent but we still had a full house: 10 instructors and 32 participants.
There was a fair amount of rain to start, but the weather improved throughout the weekend. After my first year or two at Surf Sirens, I started reserving a cabin as soon as possible for the event because it’s much more comfortable than camping when it rains, and there’s always someone willing to share. This year I shared with Anne Demma, an old friend from Half Moon Bay, and it was nice to see her again. Sea conditions varied over the course of the clinic, but were pretty good overall.
Now that I’m on the instructional team, I have to pay attention to my group, so I don’t get to see what’s going on elsewhere, but my groups did great. On Day One I helped instructor Linda Beltz coach the Beginning Short Boat class. It’s always so much fun to work with these students. They’re motivated and enthusiastic, and I learn as much as I assist. We had some return students too and it was wonderful to see their progress. Carolyn, I’m talking to you!
It was also fun to team up with Linda. On Thursday while I was waiting for my cabin to be ready for check-in, Linda and I each took a Kaos out in the surf for a tryout. I’d never paddled one, and honestly at first didn’t like it much. My short boat is an old Pirouette, much lighter and more maneuverable, but after a while I started to get the hang of the Kaos. Linda and I also took the opportunity to discuss skills and technique for the class.
In the class, our students were doing well, but we noticed that in general they lacked a strong power stroke. When in surf, it’s important to have multiple gears. Paddling gears are what we use to get a racing start over competitors when rowing. First you take some short hard strokes, going as hard as you can. Then you shift down for some longer strokes, still going hard. Then you shift down again to your longest stroke, still powerful but steady and continuous, something you can keep up over the length of the course. This concept is useful in surf as you match your stroke to whatever the sea throws at you.
The students were doing fine handling the boats, but when confronting an incoming wave, their stroke didn’t change. Sometimes they’d even pause and take the paddle out of the water. Sometimes, when trying to catch a wave, they’d turn the boat but would lose the ride because they didn’t paddle hard enough to get up speed and the wave would go under them.
Linda and I decided to do some demos. We called the students back to the beach and explained what we were seeing and what we wanted them to do. Then Linda paddled out while I narrated. She demonstrated the basic stroke we were seeing and the power stroke we wanted to see. Then she demonstrated catching a wave and doing a few turns. After the demo she came in and I paddled out while Linda narrated. I tried to demonstrate the gear concept, paddling slow and steady into the surf, powering up to go over a wave, and shifting down till the next one approached, showing how the paddler can hold position or move forward and back depending on the size and strength of the incoming waves. Eventually I turned around and surfed in to the beach. When the students paddled back out they did better.
On Day Two I paired with lead instructor Kristy Dahlquist. Last year she and I had coached long boat surfing, but this year we took a group of 6 women out to Waadah Island for the Intermediate Rock Gardening class. The weather was nice, a mix of light rain and sun, but the swells were pretty big on the outside. Some of the playable features weren’t so playable, but Kristy still found things to do.
We went around to a place I remembered from the one time I’d been out to Waadah, a slot where we’d paddled in, landed on the rocks, and eaten lunch. This time there were monster waves totally wiping out that spot, but it was fun to watch the chaos. The point was made not to go in there because no one was going in after you.
Kristy demonstrated how to get up close to the rock walls and ride the waves as they worked up and down the rocks and I was able to get some nice photos of most of the students. We also got some experience paddling through kelp (“There’s no kelp in North Carolina!” announced Laura) and we saw an otter, as well as other wildlife. Lunch was on a sandy beach behind the island. Then we spent some more time checking out the environs before heading back to the take out. It’s always a pleasure paddling with Kristy, and it was a good day. We even saw a rainbow!
We debriefed at the take out before driving back to Hobuck to get ready for dinner. Despite the intermittent rain, which was sometimes quite heavy over the course of the clinic, we were blessed both nights with dry conditions for the Extraordinary Potluck. As usual, there was a great choice of vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore food for everyone, and a good time was had by all. Also, the Attack the Wave class was held on Friday morning and Kathy Altieri taught yoga on Saturday and Sunday. It’s nice to have something to warm you up before jumping into the water.
It is such a gift to be part of this event, held on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with some of the most amazing women. The stoke is real. Thank you so much to all the slaydies who keep this event going strong year after year, instructors and students all!
For more information on Surf Sirens, check out our website at https://www.surfsirens.org/home. Registration for Surf Sirens 2026 will be available around May/June next year, so keep your eye out for the sign ups. See you next year!
To anyone who’d like to fill us in on what happened with the other classes, or to leave your thoughts about this year’s event, please do so in the comments below. Thanks!
