Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Griffin.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Growing up on Jacksonville beach, I always loved the water and enjoyed the power and energy of the ocean waves with my family. I had lived in houses right on Jax beach. My aunts and uncles managed to have a place together on Jacksonville beach, and we had many family reunions on vacations at the beaches and at rental homes in Vilano. I was on the swim and diving teams in high school and the dance-type flag/rifle teams in middle school. I never knew I might go on to combine my skills of dance movement finally with the sport of surfing to teach others to groove/flow/dance on their surfboards on the magical ocean toys of waves. Surfing was always something that deeply intrigued me as I carried a surf magazine around my first years in high school and everywhere. I also was gifted a surfboard (shaped by Sandy Forsyth of Aqua East) from my folks at 12 to support my interest. I wasn’t very good with it and did not get the opportunity to learn to surf it as much as I wanted, and I did more wake surfing on the river in Mandarin in high school. We didn’t have foam tops yet at all then, and my friends didn’t know to push me into the waves, I guess, so I paddled around and pearled a lot, mostly while watching others take my board to catch a wave just proving my board would work, but I never felt I had learned myself the way I needed.
I only had magazines and male friends that surfed, so only a few females were surfing at the time. If I had figured out surfing more, I would have done much better to have adopted surfing earlier than I did and have more of a career in surfing.
I traveled a lot after high school to experience and live in other areas of the country. I returned to surfing when I was 29 or 30 after moving back to the St Augustine area from the west coast during the recession of 2008. I started dating a wonderful someone who would take me surfing(even tandem surfing) which was so fun, and I got hooked on surfing again. I eventually moved to St Augustine Beach and picked up surfing for real when I managed to live right on the heart of ST Augustine beach to 11th st. So now, I’ve lived on St Augustine Beach ever since and had the opportunity to develop my surfing, then my teaching w/time working at 3 different camps in town to teach my way into realizing how much I love to share surfing! I wanted to focus on being available for a woman that wants to get out there and really for anyone eats all experiencing any struggle but still wants to surf or that is looking for a guide to get out in the ocean and learn to read waves and control a board or piece of equipment similar on a wave. So now I’m growing my business and creating different events holding a space for people, especially women who want to experience surfing or the beautiful healing energy the ocean can provide.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Learning the accounting part and other things have been very tricky for me. Always some struggles, and still struggling really can’t say a smooth road or anything. Still, it could be worse, just the everyday struggles of running a business in a town with lots of other businesses or surf shops offering something similar, soo marketing feels like a full-time job in and of itself.
As you know, we’re big fans of Surf with Candice. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
I specialize in surf lessons/surf coaching. So while I’ve been practicing surfing for over 30 yrs, only teaching for 8 yrs or so. I realized my passion for sharing/teaching surfing after working for my friends at three surf camps here in St Augustine, FL, and still manage to get overflow lessons from surf shops in the area for people looking for guidance in ST Augustine, etc. I have collected the boards slowly and have a nice collection for teaching. Lately, I’ve been getting into teaching year-round, which requires wet suites in the colder water, of course, during our winters which is incredible with the right equipment. It’s such an honor to share surfing and be available to meet and guide anyone wanting to develop their relationship with the ocean, especially in St Augustine. I’ve had even the blessings of working with all kinds of people, even those with special needs or challenges, so I have come to recognize the deep value or cathartic healing that surfing and the water can spark for anyone. Surfing is for everyone and can provide legit stoked and healthy high for anyone willing to engage. There are so many programs trying to make surfing accessible to everyone. I’ve been so happy to participate in different organized surf days aimed at people with special needs requiring assistance to surf, get stoked, and provide healing for all involved. I have been thinking of different ideas to get together in small groups of ladies to bond and have fun as we practice our path of the surf journey! I’ve always loved how the moon rises on the beach around the full moon at sunset and have for over 10 years tried to organize spectacular surf times to gather and even do things like play drums or something to bond and grow in support together. I hope to specialize in making surfing accessible for anyone, especially females or anyone needing the healing energy or the cathartic experience of interacting with the ocean.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
That’s such an interesting question, but I fondly remember being with my family for reunions on the beach for all the holidays. I always enjoyed Mardi Gras when we lived in New Orleans for ages 1-10 yrs. I loved being with my family and learning to love the ocean.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.surfwithcandice.com
- Instagram: @surf_with_candice
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SurfwithCandy/
