Transcript
001: Wahine Kai Women’s Surf Club

Theresa Christine: Welcome to The Wild and Curious Podcast, a show that's part travel 

Suzanne Schmedding: Part feminism 

TC:  And completely inspired by extraordinary women worldwide. I'm Theresa Christine, 

SS: And I'm Suzanne Schmedding.

TC: Suzanne, you have been to Huntington Beach, right?

SS: I mean, I'm from California. I feel like there are very few places that I haven't been in my home state. 

TC: What? California is huge!

SS: Uh, Yeah, but I've lived here for 400 years. So...what I'm saying is that, like, I've hit like those major destination points in California that like you think of as California like, you've been to Tahoe and Santa Cruz and San Francisco and Oakland and you know, obviously live in Los Angeles. But what's so funny is just, you know, you get this idea in your head that Los Angeles or San Francisco like IS California but 

TC: Oh my gosh, yes.  Because, I didn't, I'm not from California. I grew up in South Carolina, 

SS: You fool!

TC: I know what was I thinking? And definitely the vision of California. It's almost like I thought that Los Angeles and San Francisco were you know, the palm trees and the beach and especially Los Angeles, it definitely is. But then you go to Huntington Beach and you're like, Oh, this is California. 

SS: Right, right, That's California. And it's, I think, I think that's what's so funny about like, especially growing up here, you don't really get that vibe of like, Oh, I am IN California now until you get to one of those beach cities, but like, really specifically Huntington Beach. Like you go, and there are these signs that say 'Welcome to Surf City USA'. And and you know, it has that that beach and that kind of laid back vibe and, and it's 

TC: So perfect. 

SS: Yeah, it's it's perfect and it's beautiful. But it's not, it's not really like at the top of anyone's destination list. They're like, where you're gonna go in California? It's like, Oh, I'm gonna go to Los Angeles. I'm gonna go to

TC: Yeah, you go other places first, you hit those big ones. 

SS: Yeah, you know, you're not like 'Huntington Beach!'

TC: But that's why it's a really exciting to chat with our guests today. 

SS: We have Cathy Young and Susan Janechek the President and Vice President, respectively, of the Wahine Kai Women's Surf Club. They just celebrated their 15th anniversary last year. They are co-founders founders of this incredible surf club for women. We are so excited to talk to them. 

TC: Super stoked. 

SS: I think we're gonna be surfers. 

TC: Yeah

SS: We're gonna be surfers. By the end, 

TC: Definitely 

SS: I'm pretty sure.

Cathy Young: Well, for me in 1979 I was met with pretty much the same sort of attitude that women face today in other aspects of life. And that is that women I wasn't supposed to be able to do that. You know, women don't surf, women do not skateboard. And at that time, I didn't understand it as a cultural issue. I thought they meant like, physically I couldn't do it. So when I had teachers telling me and classmates telling me that girls don't skateboard and girls don't surf, I was like, No, no, I can actually, you know, watch, you know, I can do these things. And, you know, I had girlfriends tell me, you know, the guys would like you better if you didn't come around with your surfboard and I remember that time,

TC: Ok, thanks a lot!

CY: I'll never forget that one. Well, you know, it was more she was trying to help me. She was trying to say, you know, you could get a boyfriend, Cathy, maybe if you didn't have that surfboard, so I remember looking at her and just saying, you know, saying 'well, then they don't really like ME, then if they're not gonna like me as a surfer, then they don't like me.'

SS: Right.

TC: Seriously. Yeah, it's if it's something that you love and is part of who you are, why would you, like hide that?

CY: Well that was the culture back then in 1979 when I was, you know, a junior in high school and, but it's funny now because, you know, I would say it's now we're cool, right? You know, now, you know, female surfers are on the in. I don't think a young girl today would get that same comment.

TC: And, and Susan, I'm curious to know, so you started in 2009 surfing? I'm curious to know, like what the scene was like for you not only as a woman, but also as a woman who you know, you're not like, you're not 18 years old going to the beach like you're a little older, like, 

Susan Janechek: Right. 

TC: Did you face biases as well?

SJ: I think at that time for me, it was a little bit more active for women. So I was noticing more women dotted around the beaches, I mean, in the water as surfing, I think not as prevalent as it is today. But I felt a little bit more comfortable when I, whenever I did see a woman, and I would gravitate towards that. And then joining Wahine Kai was just a godsend. I mean, because it's the culture of women and the sisterhood of women that are all in the same boat. And so, it's from beginners to advanced and everything in between. So there's something that you can learn from somebody or you could teach somebody. So it was, it was quite a revelation for me.

TC: And I, I love that too, because first of all, Surfing is such a high adrenaline activity, but then also just female friendships and bonds are so strong and like there's so much energy surrounding that as well. What is that like?

SJ: It's very intense and and it's it's like you're, you meet your best friend and and there's just such a bond such a strong bond. And the surf culture in and of itself is strong but then having a sisterhood of surf culture is even like intensified. So we we gather together in the water and out of the water, so we support each other in so many different ways. So it's, it's really incredible.

SS: Yeah, no, I mean, especially considering it's a you know, essentially a solo sport and you have this community that you've created and like the bond is so intense like, I think that's one of the things that when we're reading about Wahine it makes it so special to learn about. I would love to hear more about how the group started and you know, what your roles are like in there. CY: So the club started in 2004 with Aimee Vlachos, who had the idea that she just wanted to have other women out in the water when she was out there surfing, you know, for friendship and for safety. So she put an ad on Surfline and she asked if there was women who were interested 

TC: Wait, I'm sorry, what, is Surfline like Craigslist for surfers? What is this? What is Surfline?

CY: Surfline is a company that has cameras placed, like, all over the world, and it's a subscription service and you can go and you could check out the waves. Like if you want to see you know from your house, you can go check it and see what how the waves are breaking that day. They also give you forecasts and you know on tides and the swell itself. You know, they'll give you water temperature

TC: Oh, that's incredible

SJ: Anywhere in the world, anywhere in the world. So if you want to look at waves in Hawaii, you can go to Surfline.

TC: Oh, wow. Okay, thank you. I just wanted to clarify that.

CY: So, so right so she places this ad on Surfline. It's just a, you know, little communication blog board. And just looking to see if there was anybody interested in meeting up with her because she didn't really know a lot of people out here. She had just moved from Maine. And she gets 20 ladies to meet her in Huntington Beach. They go out, they surf, they have dinner, and they come up with this idea of what's you know, let's form a club. And last year was our 15th anniversary. And out of those 20 members that started the club, we still have 10 of them in our club. And we've gone from excuse me, we've grown from 20 members to 300. We have the original chapter here in Huntington Beach, which consists of the Orange County/LA chapter, we've grown to and started the San Diego chapter. We have a San Francisco chapter and then we have a splattering of members from Washington State down to San Diego. We have members in Hawaii. We have one in Japan. We have one in England. 

TC: Oh, wow. All over.

CY: Yes. 

TC: That's incredible.

CY: So we want to do our goal is to continue to grow chapters and continue to grow the sisterhood that we've started here in Huntington Beach. And as Susan mentioned, it's phenomenal. And you do get to meet your new best friend. When we have new members. I tell them that just like every other aspect of their life, you get out of Wahine Kai what you put into it. So if you just pay your $15 a year membership, which is nothing, you can can't even buy a dinner for $15 anymore. But if you just pay your membership and don't show up to anything, you're not going to get anything out of the club. But if you come and you meet other women like yourself who are down to earth, who are, you know, environmentally conscious, who you know, care about the environment, and you know who enjoy surfing, you're going to likely meet your next new best friend. We use Facebook as our communication. We use groups on Facebook, and we have a private group. So if I want to go out and I just post, hey, I want to go surfing tomorrow. Anybody want to join me? You know, there's a likelihood that I'm going to have a dozen women who say, yeah, sure, I'll meet you, where are you going to go? And I know I don't have to paddle out on my by myself. You know, from again, from a safety standpoint, but like you say, like, it's an intense exercise. And if I catch a wave, and it was like a great wave and I had a great drop and you know, and I It was really fun. And I get to look back and see Susan sitting out there in the lineup with a big smile on her face and, and I'm like, wow. 

SJ: Or cheering her on.

CY: Yeah, it makes it so much better because you're just like, wow, I just got that awesome ride where someone's paddling out and they see you drop down and you know, and you make it past the section. And they're like, Oh, I saw that. Oh, my cat. Oh, isn't that gnarly? It's just yeah, it's just that much more exciting. You're just that much more pumped? 

TC: Do you feel like what surfing it is? More people do it as a community thing, are most people doing surf in groups?

SJ: It's more of an individual sport, I think. It's, it's more you know, like running you kind of run, it's an internal sport and it's, I don't know, they talk about it being a Zen activity. I think it's beyond a Zen activity because you have really have to engage your core and it's very physical and it's very

CY: Mental.

SJ: Yeah, mental, a lot of it is mental and getting over the fear of like giant waves or, or harder conditions. So there's a lot of factors like, the ocean is continuously changing. So you have to work with moving momentum, and also your own personal, like, overcoming whatever mental issues you might have going on in the day or

SS: Right. 

TC: Yeah, it's physical and mental. 

SJ: Right.

SS: I think it's one of the things that's so fascinating to me about it, is it's this solo sport, you know, and you do have to overcome all of those things. But like, there is that intense community and you know, it's it's so incredible that that that kind of dichotomy can come together in this beautiful group and, and I guess what, what I think is really fantastic about Wahine Kai is that you do make allowances and you are trying to be so inclusive. You know, so everyone can have this experience like the cost is so low, like you mentioned and Susan mentioned earlier that she was part of the Surf Mamas, which you know is kind of a harder group to get to because mothering is very difficult and challenging and time consuming. And to be able to kind of found that group where you're including everyone, I think that's so lovely.

TC: Can you tell us about surf Mama's like, because our listeners might not know.

CY: So that was interesting that you brought that up, because we actually do have a subgroup within Wahie Ka. So Wahine Kai members pay to be in the club and and all the money that we gather from dues we put right back, you know, into the club, we have amazing events and raffles and people get to win brand new surfboards and so all that money we're a nonprofit organization goes right back, but Surf Mamas is a subgroup and they don't pay in dues to be in Surf Mamas. We vet The members ahead of time, so you kind of have to know somebody in order to join the Surf Mamas group. But the idea is it's for moms with young kids, and they meet on the beach. And then they trade off with a safe, there's three or four of them that are there. You know what two of them will go out and surf and the other one stays behind and watches the little ones. And then they switch off and then they would say the other two of go out and surf while the other two are sitting on shore.

SJ: It's like childcare.

CY: It's child care Well, on the beach, but you you pay for it in surfing or trading off and you know, you surf and they watch your kid and then vice versa.

SS: Oh my gosh, I think that is so wonderful, because you know, I have I have a couple of friends who who do have smaller children and want to be active but like finding someone to watch their kids as part of the problem and like the fact that it doubles as this daycare thing, and an extreme sport and a community for moms. It's, it's so nice!

CY: That group is run by Jennifer. And she's been doing this for years. She's still got a little one. But eventually I'm gonna have to find somebody new. But we have a chapter here in Huntington Beach. And then there's a chapter in venture and one in Santa Cruz and the chapter in Santa Cruz actually had a little short film made of them, and they're called Surf Mamas. And Elizabeth Pepin Silva is the one who made this short movie about them. And you could Google that. Look it up.

TC: Wonderful. Yeah. And we'll put it in the show notes too.

SS: So being a mother and like, creating the community and finding time. That's just one of the many challenges that you know is part of this new generation of surfers, and we talked a little bit about the surf culture and the challenges you faced then, I'm curious, what do you, what do you think the scene is like now and what challenges are you currently facing as a female surfer or as a member of a female surf club 

SJ: Challenges, I think more in my experience of challenges are crowds. Surfing has become such a popular activity that you know, they always say surfing sucks. Don't try it. People that have been surfing for a long time that they don't want others to join,

TC: Like, Oh, surfing is awful.

SJ: Right, Right. Really sucks, yeah. But yeah, because sometimes when the surf is when I say going off and it's it's firing, people flock to that break. And so you get crowds of people short borders, long borders young old and and trying to share waves becomes a challenge because you'll get 10 people trying to go for one wave and it becomes dangerous at some point. 

TC: Yeah, for sure. So I would be remiss not to ask then, about your favorite surf spot in the entire world, a place where you can catch the most incredible waves

SS: Without having to share, where is that?

TC: Yeah, no sharing.

CY: We can't tell you.

SJ: That's the favorite spot. Not having to share.

CY: We can't tell you the name of it or how to get there, but you take this long path. 

SJ: It's called 'Secret Spot'

SS: It's called Nunya Business.

CY: There ya go. But the waves are incredible at Nunya Business, because there's like, rocks down in the water, and it kind of breaks up the wave so they're kind of the soft and they're very skateable, makable waves.

SJ: Yeah, the face of the wave. It's when it's starting to build. It's 'A' frame, the face of the wave is, is rolling. So it's not like pounding, so you're able to pop up on the wave and able to ride it into the, we say the pocket. So you're going down the line. So that, that secret spot.

CY: I think Susan and I are talking about the same secret spot, but it's the whole deal is, is you want to have a face, if you will. So it's like if you think about back in skateboarding, you know, you have banks and ramps and pools that you skate on. And that's the face of the wall where the wave kind of has the same face, that's what we're hoping for, that we can ride on and that we could go down and make a turn on the top and cut back into the whitewater and, you know, go down and make a big turn off the bottom and, you know, pop the lid up, and you know, and so it gives us room to maneuver the board and make these different turns and maneuvers. And that's what you're looking for. And so the place that Susan and I are not talking about, has and it's somewhere here in Southern California...But you know me let me into really it's anywhere you can find that, anywhere you can find a makeable wave 

SS: That sounds both beautiful and terrifying and

SJ: And that's exactly what it is. It's just this beautiful, like terrifying activity 

CY: It can be! So it's an adrenaline rush so you just gotta decide like how much adrenaline you're willing you know to go for

TC: Suzanne so how likely are you now to go surfing? 

SS: I think we can click that at 100%...you know that my mom had gotten me that surf gift certificate. I think we talked about like a while ago,

TC: A year ago right?

SS: Yeah, ya know a year ago she got it for me two months after I had surgery on a perforated eardrum. 

TC: Thank you, mom. 

SS: I was like, yeah, it's like, super useful at this point in my life, and I just sort of forgot about it. And when we had mentioned that we were going to be interviewing Susan and Cathy like, Oh yeah, I should, I should kind of put that to use. But now kind of after talking about, you know, sharing the stoke in this community of women, I'm like, like, Oh, I gotta get on that I gotta go surfing right now. 

TC: Love it! I like the idea of surfing. Um, I think that for me personally, because I'm a perfectionist, though, and I want to be like, good at everything the second I try it. And I think Surfing is something where you have to do it a lot and continuously to actually get good and to even just stand up you have to have so much muscle

SS: You have to have so much muscle but also, maybe I'm crazy, but I feel like I'm just going to be a phenomenon like Cathy was where, 

TC:Yeah, 

SS: I just stand up immediately and I'm 

TC: And everyone is like, 'Oh my God, SUZANNE!'

SS: Yeah, that's what I kind of think is gonna happen. Um, I just I feel like I'm going to be perfect immediately.

TC: You will be! You absolutely will be and I am going to be sitting in the sand, taking photos 

SS: You're gonna be my Wahine Kai. 

TC: Yeah, I'll be your little Wahine Kai 

SS: Which speaking of, anyone who is as interested as I clearly am now, should go to wahinekai.org. to learn more about the sisterhood of the Wahine Kai Women's Surf Club and their growing chapters, we will put that in the show notes.

TC: You've been listening to The Wild and Curious Podcast hosted by me, Theresa Christine 

SS: And me, Suzanne Schmedding. If you've enjoyed this episode, there's more where this came from. Subscribe to The Wild and Curious Podcast wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. You can also follow along with our adventures on Instagram. Our handle is @_thewildandcurious_ and we will also put that in the show notes for you.

TC: We are always looking for extraordinary women to talk to on our show. If you have someone in mind or you are that someone go to thewildandcurious.com to let us know