Having made it past the break, Nishk Shah (11) balanced easily with his surfboard on the now calm water. The weather was mild and the ocean was quiet, which is why Shah said it was a shock when the surfers around him began to excitedly paddle away from shore.
“Everyone was paddling into the ocean and I was like, ‘Why is everyone moving? This is a perfectly fine spot to stay,’” Shah said. “Then I look to the horizon and there’s a huge wave forming and coming for me. So I’m paddling and paddling, and I just barely make it [over the wave]. It was like when you’re on a rollercoaster and you go down, you feel butterflies because you’re weightless.”
This was one of the first times Shah had surfed on his own.
Shah first learned to surf during summer break 2023 when his parents enrolled him in a surfing class, but since last June, he couldn’t balance frequent classes with his busy schedule, and decided to pursue his goal of improvement alone.
“I started surfing in the summer after 9th grade because my parents just were like, ‘Hey, do you want to go to a surfing class?’ and I was like, ‘Sure, why not?’” Shah said. “So, I tried it out and thought, ‘Hey, this is really fun!’ I enjoyed surfing a lot, so I was like, ‘Okay, let me get better at it. Let me do this more.’”
On a surfing trip in August of 2024, Shah made his favorite memory on the beach, watching as the sunset painted vibrant colors onto the sky. It was then that he fully dedicated himself to surfing and decided to begin documenting his journey. Now, he shares those vlogs online through his Instagram profile.
“One of my favorite moments was when the sun was setting over Torrey Pines and I got to see dolphins,” Shah said. “It was beautiful. I decided, ‘Okay, why don’t I just record my journey, see how much I progress, and [try to] inspire and meet other people who also like surfing.’”
Now, Shah surfs and films almost every weekend. The vlogs vary in content from “Day in the Life” videos to “Recap” videos of his surfing goals and progress on specific moves.
“I’m currently working on tighter turns like the bottom turn to be able to get into the pocket of the wave and ride down the line, and I want to angle my takeoffs so it’s easier to turn,” Shah said. “I’m hoping to expand [my videos] to little skits eventually that are relatable to surfers and are more entertaining, but for now, it’s really just seeing my progression on certain moves.”
Following an upload of an Instagram reel, Shah keeps a close eye on each video’s view count, adjusting his editing on the next one to maximize his online presence.
“The first few videos I made are really slow is what I’ve noticed; I just needed to get more into the action,” he said. “Another thing I’m learning about content creation is what gets more views, what gets less views, what’s interesting, what’s boring. I like to start with a hook, having something to start off with that’s interesting, and then getting into the meat of the video as quickly as possible, trying to keep it under 45 seconds so it stays fast-paced.”
According to Shah, his growth since he first started has become noticeable, not only in his videos, but also in the skills he can now execute.
“In August [2023], I could barely stand up on the board, but now I can actually turn and everything. I think that’s pretty cool. I feel proud of all the work I’ve put in. I’m happy and excited to keep going on my journey because there’s so much more to learn.”
Shah said that when he was starting out, the most difficult part of surfing was getting past the “break,” the point where waves start to collapse as they come into shore, creating white water. According to Shah, that’s where he’s improved his mental resilience most significantly with practice.
“I was just riding the whitewash and standing up on that,” Shah said. “I couldn’t get past there and ride the unbroken waves. But now I’m able to do that somewhat consistently. Some personal changes I’ve made are being much more resilient and not easily giving up. It’s a little cliche, but when you’re stuck getting past the break, the waves keep coming. You have to get past that with your board and that takes a lot of grit and effort. They’re going to keep pushing you back and you have to get back up on your board and keep paddling.”
One day, Shah said that the struggle to get past the break nearly made him give up and drive back home, but after a brief rest, he persevered.
“Once, I was stuck at the break for 30 minutes,” he said. “That day, the waves were a lot bigger than usual and I was trying a new board for the first time, so it was really hard to get past. But, I went on shore, took a quick break, and I went back out there and was actually able to get past the break to catch the unbroken waves.”
Shah said that another major reason he gets through tough days of surfing is his mom, who records his action clips and gives unwavering support.
“My mom has been there since day one,” he said. “She’s always with me when I’m surfing to record me, no matter how cold it is outside or how early it is in the morning. She makes sure I don’t quit by letting me know that I did good and that it’s okay if I have a rough time surfing. If she wasn’t supporting me in my journey, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”
Though the videos began as a way for Shah to keep track of his progress, he said it quickly connected him with other students at Westview who share his interest, as well as seasoned San Diego surfers.
“I hope to inspire other people and connect with other people who also like surfing or want to improve,” he said. “There’s a pretty big surfing community in San Diego and they’re all really welcoming and helpful.”
One special interaction, Shah said, was when a stranger taught him how to maintain his momentum when he was still a beginner surfer.
“When I was first starting out, I was surfing in La Jolla and it was super crowded,” Shah said. “I started off on my foam board and there was this dude on a Japanese bodyboard. It was shaped differently and was a really thick piece of wood. He was giving me advice on how to keep my head low when I’m trying to catch the wave, so I have enough speed to actually go forward and not fall behind.”
Shah said that nothing will top the exhilarating feeling of surfing, and its beauty is meant to be shared with the world.
“I love the thrill of it,” Shah said. “The thrill of getting up on the wave and going fast down the line, just being in the ocean too, I think are the best parts about surfing. I’ve found a hobby that I will keep for my lifetime.”
