On Saturday Sept. 26th Recreational Sports Outdoor Adventures hosted a surfing workshop in Port Aransas. Students were able to learn basic skills in order for them to know how to surf correctly.

During the coronavirus, Recreational Sports has limited the amount of students who participate this semester to minimize their transmission. However, this will allow there to be more trip leaders, in case anything risky happens, to ensure the students safety. (Students had the opportunity of having two trip leaders that guided them throughout the entire day.)

In order to follow social distancing protocols, Recreational Sports maintained a proper six foot distance while wearing masks. Activities that take place in the water, such as surfing, may continue to be performed without a mask being worn.

This activity in particular cost students $20 due to the overhead costs that includes the gas, vehicle rental, entrance fees and more. In general, if the rest of the outdoor events don’t require overhead the activity is free to students who want to attend.

Recreational Sports plans to host more outdoor activities such as Paddling Fish Pass, Disc Golf at West Guth Park, Paddling the Nueces and Biking at Oso Creek. Due to coronavirus concerns, Recreational Sports had to make the decision to cancel their Windsurfing lessons and figure out a replacement for that day.

The Outdoor Program Coordinator, Cole Castleberry, mentioned that for these events, students are welcomed to use their own gear if they please. If not, Recreational Sports will be able to supply gear for these trips. Castleberry discussed how he hopes everyone finds something they’re interested in so they can have a fun experience.

“Since everyone in the workout is at about the same skill level, it helps to create a more judgment free/positive environment for everyone to learn in,” said Castleberry.

Sophomore nursing major, Kirbi Guthman mentioned that he always had an interest in the idea of surfing and this opportunity was a chance for him to be able to learn how to surf for a fair price. Guthman also stated that his favorite part about the event was that he was able to spend time at the beach.

“With online classes and social distancing, it is hard to make connections with other students that you would otherwise meet in class or on campus,” said Guthman. “I feel like these events offer some sort of normalcy in the unpredictable times we are currently in.”