The Surfbug Story

Hello, my name is Chris Silva. I learned how to surf in San Diego, California, in 1995.  The experience was unforgettable. My friend invited me to the beach and lent me his shortboard, which stood just below my nose. I was super excited. He promised to teach me how to surf, but it didn't exactly work out that way. Instead, I watched my seasoned-surfer friend catch what looked like countless perfectly-shaped waves while I struggled to stay afloat on my board. It was frustrating and pretty humiliating.

I went through this ordeal for one week straight until I eventually stood on the board. The process felt like I was getting nowhere, but I didn't give up. Something refused to let me give up until I got it right. Later in the surf culture I learned this persistent refusal to give up trying to catch a wave is something known as the surfbug – an imaginary, pesty little bug that bites surfers and infects them with what feels like an incredibly stubborn desire to catch a wave, no matter the cost.

A few years later, inspired by my experience, I decided to start teaching others how to surf. My goal was to help people avoid what I had gone through when I learned how to surf. So, in 1997, I began teaching close friends and a few strangers here and there how to surf. I continued teaching surfing on and off until 2007, at which point I moved to Los Angeles. I decided to start teaching surfing on a more professional level, so I debuted The Surfbug in August 2011. The Surfbug has been around ever since.