Time flies.

I love to surf.  It's the one thing that keeps me grounded.  My first time was in '72 on the south shores of Oahu.  My ship was returning from a western pacific cruise and we were enjoying some rest and relaxation for a few day.  That was the start of it.  When I got back to San Diego I got a board and started surfing whenever I got the chance.  Most of the time I'd surf in Imperial Beach where I lived.  Other times I'd go to northern Baja with my buddies or maybe head north toward Del Mar.  It was a lot of fun and it taught me a lot.

Several of my surf buddies were building their own boards.  That got me interested in shaping and soon I was shaping in my backyard.  It wasn't long and I was making and fixing up boards for myself and friends.  I was able to complete my studies at SDSU and finally graduated.  It was all good until the Industrial Arts programs in the San Diego school district were cut back.  That lead me to move to Florida where there was still a demand for shop teachers.  Anyways, I'm retired now and enjoying the good life in Ormond Beach.

I purchased a beach house a couple years ago and just celebrated my 60th birthday last August.  The waves here can be alright sometimes and the water never gets cold.  I still like to build boards and try out new ideas.  It still makes me excited to paddle out and share some rides with friends or by myself.  I think that surfing has kept me healthy.  I'm going to keep doing it as long as I can.

Denny Hanson

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