careers and surf

teach school,surfing before 4 p.m.,work 186 days - sick/personal days.

 

Im a self employed screen printer. The switch to doing my has greatly improved my time in the water. The work hours tend to be longer though. The only other job that I surfed more was as a lifeguard. That was a sweet deal. I think they have wised up and are more strict now though!

 

my ultimate goal is to own one of those wave gardens. so i can surf any time, and i can sell the sh!t out of it..business will always be good, because I'm selling the most intensely addictive drug there is...waves

god willing that happens and i will have a great surf career

 

i's a teechure

college professor. can grade papers around beach trips

 

If you're young and still in school - look into bar tending. You work 8 pm - 2 am and you're days are free. The money can be good. Or you can do what most of us workin stiffs do - find a job doing something you like within a 45 minute drive of the beach. Work hard when ther's no surf or when the days are short and develop a good relationship with you boss as being hard working and reliable. When the surf comes, hit it in the early am and stay a little late at work to make up the lost time-or come in early and leave early and catch the evening sesh. What I found over the years is that if you put in some time early on in your career and make some time sacrifices - you'll get more and more flexibility in your work schedule so you'll be able to catch the better swelss either before or afterwork. Plus you'll earn vacation and sick time to use as well. Any job is doable as long as it's within a reasonable drive to your breaks.

 

Field Service Tech- With my previous position I was able to easily schedule around swells- If it was a local client I would just schedule a time after 10am and surf in the am. Plus I covered the NE from NC to Mass- so I could bring my board and surf at various other spots and schedule around swells- that was the best job ever, was very thankful to work that job for 10 years, although I was on the road alot and away from home... Currently I'm covering NJ now, which still allows for surf time since the schedule is flexible, but if I go in the am, I will have to work later... or vice versa

 

Teacher/Professor
General Contractor
Civil or Structural Engineer
Marine Biologist
Attorney
Restaurant Manager
Recruiter
Computer Engineer
Any type of consulting
Architect
Short Haul truck driver
Loan Officer
Financial Planner
Accountant

And the list goes on.... All of the above you can be an entrepreneur and set your own schedule or set your schedule around swells and not locked into the typical 9-5, M-F. The key is to WORK HARD and when it's time, PLAY HARD.

 

Swabby nailed it. Key for me has been proving myself at work so they know if I'm an hour late (or 2) one day, I'll make it up by working 3 or 4 (and working hard) when the surf is flat.

My job is one that hasn't been mentioned: journalist (first print, now web). The hours are long and pay short (especially early in your career) but the often odd hours (lots of night shifts, and even most dayside reporters don't wander in until 10 am so you can easily do 2 hr DP sessions) and the fact that you're on the road most of the time lends itself to sneaking in little sessions when the swell comes up. Increasingly, more and more work is being done remotely. I've actually filed stories from my car parked by the beach and hit the surf it as soon as the editor ok'd the story. That said, I have turned down some possible chances to advance my career because they would've required a move to a places with no surf. Deal breaker.

 

just throwing it out there, the 8-5 BLOWS during the winter months. It's dark when I get home and the sun rises too late for dawn patrol. Summer / spring / fall all good.

 

U.S. Coast Guard. Always close to an ocean and sometimes stationed close to world class waves. Right now, my schedule has me getting off of work part of the year at approx 0600 in the morning a block from the beach. Not a bad setup for hurricane season and when there's a decent swell in the water.

Other jobs I've had conducive to a surf minded individual.

Waited tables, bartended, rented jet-skis, ocean lifeguard, full time college student (skip class when it's firing but you're the one who still has to pay off those student loans) and last but not least worked some night shifts at a mental hospital.

 

havanasand,

I used to work nights in a behavioral health hospital too. what was your position? I did psych tech and security

 

Mental health counselor. Mostly to troubled kids. Did everything from check vital signs for detox patients to keeping track of patient progress (or lack thereof) on a daily basis. At the time I thought I wanted to go to grad school for clinical psychology. Working there was a cross between watching a sit-com (one kid would sneak out of his room at night and climb in the plastic garbage can at the end of the hallway and sleep) on television and a day care. I took the kids for a walk around the grounds of the facility one day to get some fresh air and one of them decided he was going to hotwire a car and make the 2 hour drive to see his girlfriend. Good times. I quit.

 

firefighter or any other field that has 24 on 3 or 4 days off.....

 

im actually going into the first responder career.

 

adult film star... nothing like filming a scene right after a 3 hour dawn patrol sesh

 

It DOES finance my 2 yearly surf trips though. Getting pay checks while you are off blowing cash in another currency is comforting.

 

nice man...i'm actually not in that field,but was only throwing out ideas for him.... good for you that you going to try that.....

 

I second what lee said...stuck in that now and going apesh*t!