Chris Juloya
Stoked /sto?kt/ adj – exhilarated; excited
The feeling most surfers chase after. The feeling that changed my lifestyle. How surfing became part of my life.
Bali
How it all started:
THE INSPIRATION
What is something you’ve always wanted to try but never had the chance? For me, in 2008, that thing was surfing. Ever since I discovered Andy Irons, I wanted to surf. Watching him ride massive waves, pull off huge airs, and disappear into enormous barrels made me think, “I want that too!” Like an excited teenager, I downloaded Andy Irons wallpapers for my laptop, watched countless surfing videos, and constantly daydreamed about being out on the water. Surfing was all I could think about.
Baler
THE HINDRANCE
Just like with any dream, there are always obstacles. For me, it’s work, school, and the biggest obstacle of all: my girlfriend. She never wanted me to try surfing. She would say things like, “It’s too dangerous,” “It’s expensive,” and her go-to line, “Bahala ka sa buhay mo.” Would you still pursue something if your girlfriend said that? Would you? Honestly? In the end, I gave in. But sometimes I’d still mention surfing. Of course, she still wasn’t interested. She was so against it that she suggested I try skimboarding instead and even sent me tons of videos to show how cool it is. Naturally, I turned down skimboarding.
Happy Surfer
THE OPPORTUNITY
In 2011, my life changed dramatically. All my reasons for not surfing disappeared—yes, we broke up. Move on, man! Even the cars along EDSA have moved on! One weekend, I woke up with surfing on my mind. I asked myself, “What if I go to La Union and surf?” To be objective, I used a scientific decision-making method: I tossed a coin. I told myself, if it lands on heads, I’ll go; if tails, I won’t. I tossed a 5-peso coin and stared as it spun in the air—slowly, slowly… BAM! I caught it and slapped it onto my forehand, covering it with my right hand. When I looked, it was HEADS! I couldn’t believe it—“Is this fate? Am I actually going to surf?” To be sure, I tried again. HEADS. One last time… and again, HEADS. That settled it. I packed my bags and went to La Union. Nobody disobeys the coin—three heads in a row.
Stoked
How I imagined it:
THE JOURNEY
I was on my way out, feeling really excited. Alone, I started imagining what the experience would feel like. Suddenly, I realized—I didn’t know how to get to La Union! So, I went online, searched for ‘how to go to La Union by bus,’ and found directions to the Partas terminal in Cubao. And so, my journey began.
Surfers Sketch
It was a long bus ride, but I stayed awake the whole time. I was excited to feel the waves and imagine myself standing up, riding one after another, thinking, “I was born for this. I’m going to be great at surfing.”
THE LESSON
At 8am, I arrived at Urbiztondo Beach. I got off at the highway directly in front of San Juan Surf Resort, walked toward the beach, and gazed at the waves, thinking, “This is it!” After checking in at Sebay, I dropped off my things and headed straight to the surf school.
Surfing in Baler
We covered the required on-land lessons, safety rules for surfing, paddling techniques, and popping up. I was an A student during the lesson. I told myself, “I’m going to crush it!”—or so I thought.
THE PRE-RIDE
As my instructor and I headed toward the water, I was required to carry my board. It was heavy! Back then, there were no foam boards—everyone had to use hard boards or epoxy boards. That was okay; carrying your own board is part of surfing. Once we reached the water, my instructor told me to put the board down, get on it, and start paddling.
My face lit up. So I paddled, and paddled, and paddled, until I was exhausted. Paddling was hard—really hard! When we settled at the lineup (behind where the waves break), my instructor gave me further instructions. When he said ‘up,’ I was to stand. Focused, I watched the beach, waiting for his cue—then I heard, “Ready… UP!”
How it got me hooked:
THE RIDE
As I stood up, everything was in slow motion. I couldn’t see other people. It felt as if it was just me and the wave, no one else. It was a great feeling.
Just like what Andy Irons said, ”Surfing, if you catch a good wave, you’re hooked right then and there. You ever heard of being kissed by God? Cause it’s pretty much what it is. It’s the closest thing you can feel, as in being kissed by God. For those 10, 3, 2, 1 seconds, it’s like God came down and gave you a kiss and then you just chase out the whole rest of your life trying to get the first wave, the first barrel, or that first turn. And you get it sometimes but you’re always gonna go back and try to do it better. Do it longer. Do it higher. And I think it’s just being kissed by God.”
THE FAILURE
I want to feel that again, that first ride. I thought I was good at riding the waves, and I think I can manage without an instructor. I rented a board for half a day. After lunch, I got back into the water and started paddling out. All I could think of was riding another wave. That didn’t happen. From 2pm to 6pm, I was just paddling the whole time. I never caught a wave. I was stupid to think that I could do it alone.
THE ATTEMPT
I got up on Sunday morning with sore arms. I couldn’t lift them. They were like noodles! But I still wanted to surf, and obviously, I would not be able to paddle out and catch a wave alone. So I got an instructor again. I asked tips on catching waves, on popping up, on turning, basically I asked a lot ‘coz I wanted to learn, to get better. From that day on, I surfed every other weekend with an instructor who taught me everything I needed to know.
How I surf now:
THE BOARDS
In total, I had four boards. My first was a Dalluyon surfboard shaped by Master Guido in La Union. It was an 8’6” longboard with a thruster setup, 22” wide, and 2 3/4” thick. It was a great board, but difficult to travel with, so I sold it to a friend. My second board was a 6’0” fish tail shortboard—a big jump from the 8’6”. I didn’t use it much, so I sold it online. The third was a 6’2” x 22” x 2 3/4” twin fin retro fish, which became my all-around board.
The transition from 8’6” was tough, and sometimes I could only ride it briefly each weekend. Despite the frustration, I kept at it and eventually got the hang of it, taking it to Siargao and Bali. My fourth and favorite board is a #4 Al Merrick Surfboard designed by Dane Reynolds, which I got after four tries.
Chris in Bali
THE SPOTS
I started surfing in La Union and have been surfing there for almost a year. However, one issue was that it was too crowded. There were lots of people surfing. It’s as if there’s always a party wave. (Party wave: where more than 3 people are riding a single wave). It was annoying, but I just had to move to an open-water area. Until a new spot was introduced to me. The northeast side of the Philippines was perfect for me. They said, “Welcome to Baler!”
Waiting for the wave
Baler became my home break. It is where I now surf all the time. The coastline is long, and there are few people. If ever there’s a surge in tourists, there are other spots. I forgot about La Union. I knew that Baler would be where I would be surfing for the rest of my life.
Surfing in Bali
There are other spots that I surfed as well. There’s Crystal Beach and Liwa in Zambales. Great locals, nice waves, long coastline, few tourists. PaRK at Real, Quezon is another option if you want to surf but do not want to spend a lot of time on the road and money on accommodation. The waves aren’t as consistent, but when they’re good, they’re really good. And my favorite, Siargao. If you could wish for a place with waves everywhere, go to Siargao.
There are spots almost everywhere, even in the middle of the ocean. It’s a reef break, so you will need to be extra careful, but because of that, the waves are better! The place is paradise. Lots of foreigners, lots of great surfers, and the waves are so good, you don’t have an option but to become better.
Testing the Waters
I was also given the opportunity to study abroad. I went to Bali, Indonesia. 8 days weren’t enough. There are lots of places to go to, awesome spots, but you will need more than 2 weeks to fully enjoy them.
THE WORKOUT
Not all the time will there be waves. Not all the time are your weekends free. You will not always have money. Because of those times, you will be stuck here in Manila. For someone who surfs, that’s torture. Thinking, ” How can I get better at surfing if I don’t surf?” However, it didn’t stop me. In addition to the usual push-ups and pull-ups, I found a way to practice my balance. I started using an Indoboard. It is a small board that you place on top of a cylinder and balance on while riding. Easy? Hell no! I dropped a lot of times, sprained my wrist, ankle, and hip. It took me some time to get used to it.
Surfs up
Another workout I use is skateboarding. It helps you with turning, balancing, and even positioning of your feet. You will fall a lot as usual, but it helps strengthen your muscle memory. And yes, it replicates the wave-riding feeling. All these, I do every day. Why? Because I love surfing. Surfing is my lifestyle.
How it changed my lifestyle:
MOVING FORWARD
Surfing is fun but challenging. It is breathtaking yet dangerous. Surfing is a lifestyle that requires commitment to improve. Working out helps, but discipline is what truly matters. Waking up at 5 a.m. to check the waves and catch those perfect glassy ones is part of the routine. Training allows you to paddle harder, longer, and faster.
Keeping your mind sharp enhances focus and awareness in the water. Most importantly, surfing is a fun sport—especially when shared with others. Through surfing, I’ve met many important people in my life. I also love introducing surfing to newcomers, many of whom now enjoy it as much as I do.
Chris and his favorite Surfboard
Like any sport, if you love it, you’ll work hard at it. The harder you work, the better you’ll become—and the more you improve, the more you’ll enjoy it. Remember, the best surfer is the one having the most fun.
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Read more:
- Learn Surfing in San Juan La Union
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