I am glad I was born in California.

I am glad I was born so close to the beach.

My name is Hunter Robles.  I am 13 years old.  I live here with my family: my parents, younger sister Bethany (9), and my little brother, Mycah, who is five.  We live in the San Diego area, where the weather is nice almost year-round.

I am in the eighth grade.  School is okay, I guess, but honestly, I would much rather be at the beach.

One of my very favorite things to do is surf.  To me, there is no greater feeling than to be "hanging ten" on the waves.  I love the wind rushing past my face and in my hair.  I love it when I do fancy moves on my board and the hot chicks cheer and applaud my efforts.

I then feel like I am "Joe Cool"!  :)

I have been surfing ever since I was Mycah's age.  I picked it up naturally: just a few lessons from Dad, and that was it.  At first I spent more time in the water than on my board, but then I learned how to balance and control my body; it got easier as I went along.

Next year, if I continue to improve, I just might enter the Junior Surfing Classic, where they award the best young surfers cash prizes and a chance to go to Hawai'i, to compete on the international level.

Yeah, buddy, I think I could do that.  I do believe I am good enough!  :)

I heard that the biggest prize offered (besides the trip to Hawai'i, of course) is a cool $10,000!!!

Righteous!!

I can think of plenty of things that I could buy with serious cash like that!!

I guess that means if I want to compete, then more practice should be in the offing.  Suddenly the mention of cash (or a free, all-expenses-paid trip to Hawai'i) sounds nice!  Real nice!

~To be continued.~