Aissata’s First Summer Back
This summer was really special for me because I got back into surfing after taking a long break. I’ve been with Laru Beya Collective for years, and it felt really good to come back and surf again. I was in Senegal for school for several years, so I wasn’t able to surf much during that time. When I first started surfing again, I had to get comfortable in the water and get my skills back, but I improved a lot throughout the summer.
I got better at going down the line and staying on the wave instead of just going straight. I also improved at reading waves and understanding where I needed to be in the lineup to catch better waves. I started pushing myself to go out on bigger days, which helped me become more confident and comfortable in the water. It was really cool seeing myself improve and being able to do things that were harder for me before. I also got to meet a lot of new people through Laru Beya, which made getting back into surfing even more enjoyable.
I also worked this summer doing video editing. We recorded videos of ourselves and then edited them, which was something new and fun for me to learn. Outside of work and surfing, I spent a lot of time hanging out with my friends and making new connections with people I met this summer. I really enjoyed being able to spend time with people and make memories together. Another big thing that happened this summer was turning 18. It felt pretty crazy because it made me realize that I’m getting older and have more responsibilities now. Overall, I feel like I grew a lot this summer from getting back into surfing, working, meeting new people, spending time with my friends, and becoming more independent.
Words by Aissata Dia
All photos by Alex Walsh @altowa.image
