I am a boat captain. I run whale watching boats all summer and do yacht delivery the rest of the year. when not driving boats I shape. I work when I need cash and surf almost everyday. BTW it was double over head + at our local point today and only 6 guys out.
Teaching (public school)…three reasons people go into teaching ? June, July and August. And how many people (in the U.S.) get Chinese New Years as a paid holiday ! Ocean Beach (San Francisco) is 5-10 minutes from work. Whenever I take a ‘sick day’, why do my students ask what beach I went to ? I mean, like totally, like no respect.
I'm another teacher. I just wish we could change those three 'reasons' to November, December, and January... We get just about every holiday off except Chineese New Year. Plus, the money is GREAT! Mike
I work in a surfshop- owned by a surfer-run by surfers-naturally only people who surf work there, if i’m at work when the waves pick up- an intense game of rock-paper-scizzors determines who gets to dip out on work for a bit
I was on Maggie Thatcher’s surf team on and off during the eighties, mixed in with being a permanent student for four years (yacht design and naval architecture), you could sign on unemployed during the summer breaks back then too. Spent a year in Oz 89-90, six months in Sydney (not bad place to be a wage slave surfer), then six months in a Kombi surfing my way to Perth.
When I got back to the UK I qualified as a teacher and worked supply (enough to keep the wolf from the door and plenty of flewible surf time). As full time teaching posts close to the surf are like hen’s teeth I bailed on that career path and went for a safer job (for my sanity anyways) as a firefighter.
The major plus of being a firey is the shift system. I get to surf six days out of eight. Pay’s not great, but that’s for my wife to worry about (she’s a much better worrier than me).
Hey Wouter, may I ask which company you work for? I worked at Mondial Assistance for almost ten years from 1979 when I was living in Paris. Good memories, especially in summer (which was our really busy months) when we had to hire plenty of young students to help with all foreign languages. Especially young female students…
One of them actually became my wife…
Mike Daniels through some PM's made me think about this one.
While living on the North Shore in the late 70's early eighties I surfed nearly everyday. Worked the second shift at the bakery in Waiphu. Pipeline at 6:00AM until 8:30AM with no one out was pretty dreamy. Rocky Point late afternoon glass off's were not bad either, Everyone was in town and I would catch the magic moments. How many day's of V-Land with no one out?
Chile: 1994 - Built a bakery West of Santigo. Set it up to run Monday thru Thursday. Friday, Saturday, Sunday surfing Left Point Breaks with no one out. Only got to surf 3 days a week for a 2 1/2 year period however cold it was firing. Felt like skiing were your thighs start burning but only on a wave!
Surfding
I took an early, partial retirement about 15 years ago. While I am usually just scraping by, I can surf whenever I want to. This is due to being self employed and picking my projects and jobs as I see fit. Right now things are about as tight as I’ve ever seen, but I will find a way to get through it.
When I’m about to take my final breath, you will not me hear wish that I’d surfed more, or taken more time to enjoy life. Work is only a means to an end. Though, there’s been times when I’ve really enjoyed working.
I work in concert production, mostly on the audio end of things. I supplement that by doing custom home building. Most of those projects are small ones I do solo, or I’ll sometimes sub-contract from friends. It so happens that those friends also surf, so there’s never any problem about taking ‘surf time’ off from the job.
One of the best jobs I’ve ever had, when it comes to being able to surf when I wanted to, was night club DJ. I worked 3 or 4 nights a week. Hours were typically 8:30pm to 1 am. Pay rate was $50US/hr. Plus, free beers. This was during the 80s and 90s, when $50 bought a lot more.
Got forced into “retirement” at 35. Worked on my houses in Cape Town and surfed at best times. When the cellar was empty I cruised the wine farms and came back half pissed with a trunk full of inexpensive good quality wine. Surfed some freezing isolated and often big waves (Betties Bay, Crayfish Factory, Outer Kom and Dunes) alone and lonesome, but still had a ball.
Sold the houses and moved countries and spent the first few years in Aussie stressing about money and work (no benefits for migrants), but also taking day long trips up and down the coast searching out spots waiting for the tide, wind, whatever by fishing and reading and walking around.
Went back to school for 5 years. Worked my ass off but still got a lot of surfing in and trips to Indo, Tahiti, Portugal and the North Shore et al, not to mention firing Bells, Cathedral and Quarra
Now at 50 I’m back at work, retirement planning and getting like 2 hours a week in the water (but there are compensations, like my 20 something wife). Looking back I think I shoulda surfed a lot more during my “retirment” but I’m planning a “sea change” in a couple of years time. Ps I have no inheritance coming and I’m not rich - just prioritising.
I can now get examples for my students from when I was in a SWAT team, dug holes for landscapers, did construction, managed a restuarant, sold chemicals, etc. etc".
I highlyI recommend early retirement. You can always work when you can no longer surf at the top of your game.
These days - Teaching is treating me well. I miss some morning off shores, but I’ve traveled during summer, and I can see the ocean out my class room window half a mile away… Even in winter, when it’s good, I can make to the local for an hour or so after work.
Back in my youth, in this same town (moved to So. Cal. and then up the coast, but that’s another story.) my best gig was at a pizza place. Started at 10am - dawn patrol every time there was surf, off by 4pm, most days, time for another surf even in winter, and plenty the rest of the time… Did I mention free food??? Ah yes… Then the fish cannery… odd hours, plenty surf, and did I mention free fish??? Ha! Ah, growing up… I’m thankful all the time for the time I was “poor,” but surfed my brains out… Serves me well in middle age.
Fun thread - Thanks
I have the best job in the whole world !! I know , cause everyone tells me so!! Ahui Hou-Wood_Ogre
How about retired at 54?
Does that count?
Kind regards,
surfding
…I m Fernando and I am a surfboard builder.
Sooner or a bit later I ll have 30 square meters more of wshop to have the freedom I want for my Surfing and music composing.
Surfed the TX coast on and off for 20 years, from Freeport to Port I.
Went back to school and became an Aquaculture Specialist. Figured this field would keep me on the coast.
First big job landed me in Kentucky (wife and 3 children to feed). Been landlocked here ever since. Feed my surfing Jones any way I can.
If I can find the escape route (and still paddle out), I’ll get back to the coast again.
Name is posted, Fashion Designer is my trade for the last 22 years in NYC which doesnt allow too much time to surf with the 1 1/2 hr commute from Jersey one way. Moving back to NY in the summer so I can be 1/2hr away from NYC and the Beach then I can Surf dawn patrol again and get to work on time.
If your young become a firefighter....
My name is Andrew
I am a Broadcast Engineer and I work the AM shift (4a-noon). Glass off every day.
I met Tom Curren here at the station yesterday
My name is Richard, former Royal marines commando. Now head water bailiff on the River Spey in Scotland (17 years this month!) been surfing since 1993 & can see & hear my local break from my bedroom window, which is sweet… Joie de vivre. This is a sound thread. Slanj
Seymour Butts---- Currently serving on a garbage skow oft the coast of New York and Jersey.
NICE!