Greetings from the beach at Seal Beach.
I am Jake Tellkamp, I am 16 years old, and I am proud to say that I am a Seal Beach surfer.
Seal Beach’s surfing community is indescribable. But I will try to do it justice.
For the sake of journalism I will try my best to interpret what it means to be a Seal Beach surfer.
When a big West North West swell is marching upon the south side of the pier it makes me feel like a proud parent.
I watch as surfers from all over California become transformed from their preconceptions of our Seal Beach surf and are amazed at the quality of the waves we have here—albeit only a couple times a year.
Our beach is like an amphitheater and the ocean is the stage. Hoots and yells are heard as brave men and women accomplish tremendous feats on their trusty surfboards.
We have surfing legends in our midst, including Ryan Simmons, Chad Wells and Chris Waring. They can out-surf everybody from everywhere and I am proud to call them friends.
The local kids sit in between peaks of waves. They become wide-eyed at the talent of guys they see picking up breakfast from Nicks. We are proud to say that they are from Seal Beach.
The body of water in Seal Beach isn’t like anything I’ve ever experienced. The locals here sit patiently and reminisce of the waves that have passed through the years.
Longtime surfer Mark Burt has shared his infamous wisdom to me from how to get the pier bowls, what tide will make the river good today, and how to become a man.
The local surfers of Seal Beach are just as much of family to me as my own. Whether it’s Billy Lemiere, Julio and Adam taking me out for a bite to eat, or little Kirk Wiessigner who is like the little brother I never had.
Seal Beach is like one big family, something I’ve never experienced anywhere else in my surfing travels.
The men and women that make up the familiar faces out in the water I will consider to be the best friends I have ever had. I couldn’t be anymore proud to say that I am from Seal Beach.
Jake Tellkamp, 16, is a surfer sponsored by Lost clothing and surfboards, Killer Dana surfshop and Waxy Surf. Jake’s on the elite WSA PRIME circuit and competed internationally in a professional junior contest in Japan.
