Water sports such as stand up paddleboarding, wake boarding, and surfing were the rage this summer.

Many, including freshman Shannon Campbell, started paddle boarding for the first time. Campbell likes paddleboarding because “It’s just really fun. You can paddle around for awhile, then mess around on the boards with your friends. Maybe attempt some gymnastics.”

Campbell said people should try it because it’s fun and “it’s really good exercise and you don’t know you’re exercising. Not until the next day when you wake up and you’re really sore. It’s just really fun, especially with friends.”

Freshman William Berten prefers wake boarding. “I saw it in a magazine and thought it would be really cool to try it out, so my family got a boat and I was able to really get into it,” explained Berten. He spends weekends on the Sacramento River Delta. “The water is kinda dirty, but it’s a lot of fun once you get out. You don’t notice it because you’re having so much fun,” added Berten.

Sophomore Connor Ogro started wake boarding when he was about five. His family owns a house boat at Lake Englebright, near Sacramento and he has been visiting it since he was a baby. A weekend at the lake consists of wakeboarding, and hanging out in the houseboat with the rest of the family. “We go most weekends in the summer. We’ll wake up early Saturday morning, drive up and take the houseboat to a certain part of the lake and then go out in the wakeboarding boat and spend a few hours out,” explained Ogro.

According to Ogro, the best way to break into the sport is to find someone who already knows how to wakeboard and go with them, or go to a camp (there are several around the country). He said, “You have to have a boat to go wake boarding or you can go to a cable park where you don’t need to have a boat.”

“It’s a fun way to spend your time and it’s different than most sports. It’s more individual.” Bergen said.

Sophomores Matt Peterson and Michael Williams spent many summer days in ocean waters.  Rather than being towed by a boat, the two find their thrill riding the natural waves along the Pacific coast.

The two generally go to Santa Cruz’s Pleasure Point or Steamer Lane, or Ocean Beach and it’s usually with other friends. Williams has a house at Stinson and spends some time at Bolinas as well. “Bolinas is fun because the waves are super casual and it’s not a challenging spot which also makes it good for beginners,” he said.

According to them, going to any surf shop and renting a board is the first step for the newbie surfer. Taking lessons is another way to get more comfortable in the waves. “But don’t be a kook,” said Peterson.