Catching a wave and sitting on top of the world is not as hard as it looks. Kahuna Bob says 90 percent of the students in his class are erect in their first two-hour lesson. At least for a couple seconds. For that reason, the Kahuna teaches students on Nerf-like boards that are slightly padded. His lessons start on an Encinitas beach north of San Diego, where Edwards and his co-surfers set up students with the fundamentals.
Students start in waist-deep water.
The first experiences are on the foamy white waves that are already broken. With some practice and some patience, many coast to the shore by the end of the class. The bigger waves are saved for students who go for a second lesson. All their friends have the advantage. They can look at the waves and say it's a good day or a bad day.