La Voz

Issue date: 6/4/07 Section: Athletics

Instead of sitting on your couch and playing your X-Box, here are three outdoor activities that you can do to enjoy that California summer. Surfing

Surfing is an incredibly athletic and difficult sport. It takes upper-body strength to paddle out into the water, core and leg strength to get up on the board and stay there and skill and timing to catch the perfect wave.

Whether you're a beginning or expert surfer, Shoreline Surf Shop in Santa Cruz is an excellent place to begin. On top of selling surfing gear, Shore- line also offers surf board and wet suit rent- als and classes for all levels. Classes are $75, and include board and wet suit rent- als for the entire day. Two surfing spots lay nearby. Cowell's Beach has mellow waves, which are great for beginners, and Steamer's Lane is a challenging spot with waves that should only be attempted by very experienced surfers.

Shoreline Surf Shop is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 125 Beach St. in Santa Cruz. Call 831-471-7873 for more information on rentals and lessons.

Kayaking

Kayaking is an excellent way to get out on the water and witness nature with- out the high skill level that surfing requires (although some kayakers step it up and challenge them- selves to riding river rapids or ocean waves).

Located across from the Shoreline Surf Shop (mentioned above), Venture Quest Kayaking offers classes, rentals and tours. Classes include kayaking safety and res- cue, rolling (getting yourself face-up when capsized) and lessons on riding ocean surf.

Tours are open to beginners and offer a variety of experiences, including tours of the Pescadero Marsh, Pillar Point Harbor in Halfmoon Bay, and the Elkhorn Slough in the heart of Monterey Bay, as well as, moonlight paddles and whale watching. Kayaking is an opportunity to see ocean and marsh habitats in a close up and personal way. For more information on classes and tours, go to http://www.kayaksantacruz.com.

Frisbee-golf

Frisbee-golf is played on a large course, much like a golf regular golf course. The only difference is that the "holes" are baskets three feet off the ground and the "balls" are Frisbees. De LaVeaga Disk Golf Course in Santa Cruz is an fun facility to test your Frisbee throwing skills. Their 27 hole course ranges over mead- o w s and hillsides in much the same way traditional golfing greens would.

Playing at De LaVeaga is free, and the pro shop sells disks if you are in need of supplies. De LaVeaga recommends four people to a group for smooth play through the holes and asks that all players be earth conscious while they play.

De Laveaga Disk Course is located in the upper part of the park on Upper Park Road in Santa Cruz. You can find out more information on the course and frisbee-golfing on their web page, http://www.delaveagadiskgolf.com.

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