As an instructor from Corky Carroll’s Surf School gave 9-year-old Maya Madden a gentle push into the whitewash at Bolsa Chica State Beach, her mother snapped photos. It was Maya’s first surf lesson.

Surfing has its own complicated mystique. Riding a wave feels magical and pure, but often, attempts end with a pummeling of salty whitewash. “Surfing is difficult because of the physical demands but ...

You gotta start somewhere, so the saying goes. Even Kelly Slater, the reigning GOAT of professional surfing, didn’t come hurtling out of the womb and straight onto the podium. And unfortunately, ...

You gotta start somewhere, so the saying goes. Even Kelly Slater, the reigning GOAT of professional surfing, didn’t come hurtling out of the womb and straight onto the podium. And unfortunately, ...