Mike Doyle's Surf School Rocks - Surf Lessons From The Legend

"Take a surf lesson when you go to Cabo" said Lilly's friend. "It will change your life - connect you with the universe, and the aerobic benefits are terrific." Surfing on the conscious level is all about selecting a board, studying the surf conditions, paddling out, catching waves, standing up - then ripping and carving up a wave like Elton John working a piano keyboard. On a deeper cosmic level - surfing has few equals. And Cabo San Lucas, Baja California is a great place to learn how to ride waves.

Lilly Henderson, a manager for a New York ad agency was on her college tennis team years ago. She dances and plays an occasional round of golf with her husband Harry - mostly for the social action at the 19^th hole. She laughs when she recalls tennis pro John McEnroe's quip about golf: "I thought a game was where you ran around or something." But now, in the prime of her life - her knees quit and leave the tennis court after only one or two sets.

She loves dancing. But Harry has a hard time even with the Texas Two-Step. He has to be constantly reminded which is the left or right hand, foot, and correct side of the road after a couple of drinks. After seeing a surf school ad claiming, "Anyone can do it," she took her friends advice and signed up for a private surf lesson.

Surfing legend Mike Doyle runs the surf school at the Cabo Surf Hotel in San Jose del Cabo. Mike, the 50's surf movie star and surf pro "retired" here decades ago having found the location of the proverbial "Perfect Wave." In front of the hotel is a consistent surf break - perfect for beginners and long boarders.

Just a few yards away is Old Man's - an intermediate break, and further down the beach is Zipper's, where the pros rip. The wave action is good to excellent spring, summer and fall. In the winter surfers head over to the west side of the Baja peninsula, a short drive away to surf the Pacific winter surf.

"The basics are easy" Mike tells Lilly almost convincingly. "Easy for him to say that," she thinks, resurfacing after a wave breaks on her instead of her duck-diving under it as he had instructed. As you catch more waves - you become obsessed and immersed in the sport - some say it's addicting. It's not.

But like any truth in life - once you've discovered it - you want to become one with it - One with the sea, the sun, the breeze, and even the dolphins who may join you in a wave. Few sports allow you to enter the planetary continuum as surfing does. Some people have been known to quit their jobs to "Follow the sun." Ok, I lied to you - surfing can be addicting. Fair warning.

On the water, Mike is easy on Lilly, coaching her quietly in timing the waves until he shouts - "Paddle!" She senses the wave beginning to lift her board up and move it forward, faster and faster. In a heartbeat she's up on her feet to a chorus of whoo-hoo's from her friends on the hotels terraza. The adrenalin is pumping in her body as fast as her board is coursing across the face of the wave.

When you turn parallel to the wave - you go twice as fast. She pressures down with a back foot, leans and throws the board into a turn heading away from the center of the breaking wave. Yes! She cries out - she's never experienced such a high before. "Better than sex" she thinks.

"Well maaaybe...." Her Harry can be a lot of fun at times. She drops off the back of the wave, leans and spins the board around paddling out to catch another wave. And another, and another, and still one more until the sun sets. Harry notices she seems to be glowing when she rides the last one in lying on her stomach.

The hotel, once a secret destination for rich and famous stars and upscale surfers, was named one of the top boutique hotels in the world by Elle Magazine. Secrets like perfect surf breaks and special hotels - unfortunately don't remain secret forever.

Aching muscles from surfing, golfing, tennis, big game fishing and all-night salsa dancing are soothed with unique treatments at the hotel's new Sea Spa. Here specially designed treatments will rejuvenate sun and salt damaged skin. Their Hot stone Massage or Re-hydrating Mango Sugar Scrub will make a perfect ending for your surf safari or golf game.

The Cabo Surf Hotel is located in an oceanfront canyon oasis replete with an infinity pool and spa overlooking Acapulquito's spectacularly beautiful cove. It's blissfully therapeutic in ambience - offering pure surf heaven - pina coladas, swaying hammocks, palms, lush green grassy grounds and more.

Guests find it private, casual, fun and surprisingly affordable with rooms going for a fraction of the price of larger resort hotels nearby. The 22-room boutique hotel features the 7 Seas Gourmet Restaurant with a palapa covered dining area overlooking the surf break, an ocean art gallery and the Mike Doyle surf school. Take a surf lesson and learn to catch waves, and you'll experience wonderment, magic and the essence of life.

Private and group lessons are available along with board rentals, boogie boards, snorkel gear, beach umbrellas and a petite Surf Shop. The hotel is surf central with both the Pacific and East Cape surf breaks being minutes away in either direction with the best waves of all - right in front of the hotel and surf school.

Cabo is unique in that no matter the season - there is always great surfing. In the winter, surfers head up the Pacific side of the peninsula above Cabo to surf Cerritos, Pescadero and points further north to take advantage of swells generated by swells from northern winter storms. In the summer, they head for Cabo's East Cape to catch summer swells coming from tropical storms and hurricanes hundreds of miles to the south.

Mike Doyle Surf School, Cabo Surf Hotel, Sea Spa, and 7 Seas Restaurant are all located at Playa Acapulquito Km. 28. San Jose del Cabo Hotel: Tel. 142-2676 US (858) 964-5117 Surf School: Tel. 172-6188

Note by Writer David Mandich - My 20-year-old daughter took a first ever surf lesson at the Mike Doyle school summer of 2008. By the end of the session she had stood up and rode the board all the way in to shore four times - a distance of 300yds. She was quite thrilled with it all.

I learned the hard way - on my own in Ocean Beach San Diego in 1960 and remember every wipeout. Taking a surf lesson brings the whole experience home quickly and effortlessly enabling one to really enjoy the sport, as one should. Read her hub article titled: Birth of a Surfer.

David Mandich, has been living, surfing, writing and selling real estate in Cabo for 10 years. A Century 21 Paradise Properties Agent and expert on Condos, Villas and Gated Communities, he can be contacted at: yachtdorado@yahoo.com (From the USA) 520 204 1604, Cabo Local: 624-130 4094, Cel. 044 624 132 8919