I grew up on the northwest panhandle of Florida, about 20 minutes from the beach. As a kid, I loved the water and often tried to convince my parents to allow me to sleep in my swimsuit. Yet, I never learned how to surf.
I tried once as a 17-year-old but I can’t really call that a success. After what I can only imagine was an arm flailing of a paddle, I miraculously stood up on the board long enough to let out a screech of delight before falling back into the water.