By ^{_{Mercedes Mandich (Edited by David Mandich)}}

Growing up in a family with a rich history of surfers, scuba divers, snorkelers, sailors, and swimmers, one might expect that I would be born with flippers and an innate ability to hold my breath for up to four minutes underwater. However, after many summers spent in southern California and Mexico visiting my brother and father, and after endless attempts to socialize me into enjoying water sports, my father had no choice but to throw his hands into the air and declare me a landlubber. And I was fine with that, until I was introduced to the Mike Doyle Surf School located below the Cabo Surf Hotel near Cabo San Lucas in Baja California.

With my very own surf pro close at hand, I paddled out into the water prepared to fall off my board - assuming I was able to stand on it at all. I could see my father on the beach, jumping around with his camera, taking pictures of all of the bobbing surfers, ready to snap one of me riding a wave for the family album.

After only two or three tumbles off the board, the instructor pushed my board and called, "Paddle! Paddle! Paddle!" So I paddled, and miraculously, I stood up! I was standing, steady, mesmerized by the surfboards sudden stability and the magical power of the wave. I rode the wave all the way to shore, (where I fell off) turned around to see my instructor, bobbing and flashing me a thumbs-up - and proceeded to race up to my father, who had been too busy yakking with some fellow American ex-patriots to witness my great feat.

"I was watching you the rest of the time though!" he mumbled sheepishly. Oh sure...

The Mike Doyle surf school's ability to teach me how to surf can be credited to a number of things. For one thing, surf legend Mike Doyle himself, invented the board I was using to learn on. It's larger than normal boards, and is made of a softer, more buoyant material than standard fiberglass boards, thus making it ideal for beginners. Before even going out into the water, I was shown how to stand on the board, told how to jump off the board (jump off? I'm still trying not to fall off...), as well as the proper paddling technique.

As graceful as those surfers look from the shore, gliding across the water as if it were locked in place like ice - the idea of surfing is intimidating to the uninitiated. Learning to surf would've been much more difficult for me without having professional one-on-one instruction. Mike Doyle has it right when he says that with an instructor - you'll get up on the board ten times vs. maybe only once, if you're learning by yourself.

My instructor taught me how important it is to assess the surf conditions before going out, about surf etiquette, when to stand up, how to move, position my feet and many other techniques that would have taken me years of wipe-outs learning "hard way."

If you're tired of sitting in the hot sand and are longing to paddle out and become part of the surfing fraternity - just do it - and you'll discover something new and potentially life-changing while in Cabo. But if you quit your (pick one): job, school, the military, religion, spouse etc.- to follow the sun and surf your days away, just remember that the US Surgeon General says that surfing can be highly addicting. But it's a healthy addiction.

The surf school and hotel fronts one of the best long board and beginner surf breaks in Baja featuring tropical ocean temperatures all year round. A few minutes walk on the beach leads to intermediate and advanced surf breaks known as the Rock, Old Man's and Zippers. The hotel sports a surf shop with everything from surf wax to lycra rash guards which no surfer can live without, and a fabulous palapa covered restaurant dining terrace overlooking the surf action below.

Board Rentals are available at the surf school and hotel surf shop as well as private lessons for beginners to more advanced surfers. Lessons include a Doyle Softboard rental, leash, rash guard, beach and in-the-water instruction. Most lessons run 90 minutes to 2 hours. I pretended to be a slow learner and spent more time in the water with the awfully cute surf pro.... The 4 professional instructors can accommodate groups up to 20 students. Doyle has taught kids from ages 8 to 88, and guarantees you'll stand up and surf! To schedule a lesson call: (624) 172 6188. From the USA: (858) 964-5117 Located at Playa Acapulquito, Km. 28, San Jose del Cabo, BCS. at the Cabo Surf Hotel.

Surfs up - gotta go!

David Mandich, has been living, writing and selling real estate in Cabo for 10 years. A Cabo Century 21 Paradise Properties Agent and expert on Condos, Villas and Gated Communities, he can be emailed at: yachtdorado@yahoo.com or reached via telephone at: (From the USA) 1 520 204-1604, Local: 624-143-1011, Cel. 044 624 132 8919