vidently the Beach Boys hadn't considered the shore breaks at Long Beach on the west coast of BC when they penned the lyrics to "Surfing USA."

Perhaps it was American pride or simply a lyrical decision based on the fact that nothing really rhymes with Canada. Either way the song fails to recognize some of the best surf on the west coast.

Having spent years observing and envying those gifted few with tanned bodies and sun-bleached hair gracefully carving up those endless Pacific swells, we decided to seize the moment and join the ranks.

Enter Jen and Dean, a husband and wife surf coaching team from Inner Rhythm Surf Camp in Ucluelet, BC. Originally from Toronto, they moved to Ucluelet in 1998 to start the first surfing camp in Canada. Supported by a clear vision, friendly demeanors and names ideally suited for their vocation (Jan & Dean, Surfing Safari) their business has thrived over the years.

Fully outfitted with wetsuits and surfboards we were led to the water's edge and provided with a half hour's worth of valuable dry land instruction. Jen & Dean patiently answered our questions and assured us that we would be hanging ten by the end of the day.

Armed with our newly acquired skills and coupled with a vivid recollection of old Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello movies we hopped on our boards and headed out to sea in search of the perfect wave.

We quickly deduced that Frankie and Annette must have had stunt doubles.

As in all things patience and perseverance paid off, and after 30 minutes of battling mother nature we embraced her for a few glorious moments upright on our boards joined in harmonious union with the breaking swell on the long and euphoric ride into shore.

Catching your first wave is a rush, whether prone or vertical. The moment you feel the back of your board begin to rise and the front of your board pulling you effortlessly down the face of a breaking wave you become hooked. Once hooked, the lyrics to any Beach Boy's song begin to make sense.

We surfed until our arms could no longer hoist our weary bodies into a standing position. We discovered muscles that evidently hadn't been stimulated over the past decade of stroking a computer keyboard.

We learned that the secondary purpose of a surfboard is as a floatation device for when your fatigued body ceases to respond to your mental requests. We also discovered, albeit a few days later, that unbeknownst to us, the deck of our surfboard and our ribcage were silently in conflict.

But all that didn't matter because we were Surfers, kin to the like of Duke Kahanamoku and Brian Wilson.

With our bodies still intact and our dream fulfilled we thanked our gracious hosts and vowed to join them on our next Surfing Safari.

Making the most of your adventure

Tip #1: Be respectful of the power of a shoreline break and ocean current. The rip tides in this area can be quite powerful. An unsuspecting surfer can find him/herself drifting toward Japan instead of Long Beach.

Tip #2: Drink plenty of fluids. It is easy to become dehydrated in a 6 mm wetsuit regardless of the ambient water temperature.

and most importantly,

Tip #3: Don't attempt to use the surfboard as a shield to protect your face from a breaking wave. The odds favour mother nature!