Catching a wave: New surf shops and inspiring scenery make La Push worth the trip

LA PUSH, Clallam County — Surfing in Washington has never been glamorous. Forget the mainstream perception of a feel-good pastime practiced by a carefree clan of thrill seekers and bohemians. Nothing is laid-back about struggling into a soggy, smelly wetsuit as cold rain drizzles onto your shivering, bare skin. Nothing is groovy about paddling out in gale-force winds because you drove four hours to surf and the forecast was wrong. Nothing is amusing about dodging floating logs and 40-foot pieces of bull kelp as you try to take off on a wave.

The up side: can't-beat-it scenery, like the unreal sea stacks jutting out of the ocean to frame the isolated coastal village of La Push.

My wife, Bethanne, and I recently made our first surf expedition to La Push, which has been home to Quileute Native people for more than 800 years and, with the help of new surf shops, is beginning to draw more wave riders. Water defines the place: La Push's idiosyncratic name, given by old-time traders, is a variation of "La Bouche," French for "river mouth." This is where the Quillayute River meets the Pacific.

Surfing here is no secret to the handful of Olympic Peninsula locals and the regional surfers who regularly make the arduous journey to this out-of-the-way spot. Frank Crippen, owner of the North by Northwest surf shop in Port Angeles, has been surfing La Push since 1977.

"We didn't know anybody who surfed," he said. "It was just me and my buddy."

Crippen, 46, remembers his first trip to La Push. They planned on paddling out at Second Beach, but ultimately decided against it.

"The park ranger told us we could die," Crippen said. "We went to Westport after that."

After stints in Southern California and Portugal, Crippen moved back to Washington in the early '90s and set up shop in Port Angeles.

Last year, Crippen opened a La Push surf rental and demo center he calls North by Northwest West. On summer weekends, the portable surf center is parked near the Quileute Nation-owned Lonesome Creek Store and RV Park, which is also where you buy passes to park in front of First Beach, the large sandy cove where most surfers congregate. Crippen's new location offers surfboard and wetsuit rentals, surf accessories, and repairs for when you drill your board into the steep beach.

"It's something I wanted to do for a long time," he said. "I finally got the permission from the Tribal Council last year."

From Hawaii to Forks

After years with no local access to surf supplies, the La Push area saw the opening of another surf shop last year. Relocating from the Hawaiian island of Kauai, Darren Greeno and Leah Hornaday opened West End Surf in the nearby town of Forks to serve the local surfing and skateboarding population, small as it is.

"I grew up in Spokane and found surfing later on," said Greeno. "We would come back here and vacation and thought we would like to live out here."

Despite neither Greeno nor Hornaday having experience with running a business, the relaxed West End Surf received the Forks Chamber of Commerce award for Best Business in 2007 and received mention in a New York Times op-ed piece ("Surf's Up, Hopes Are Too," Nov. 25, 2007) about the town of approximately 3,000 residents.

In regards to trading the warm water of Kauai for the fickle waves of La Push, Greeno is optimistic.

"La Push has its days," he said. "It's kind of a throwback to a different time."

Make no mistake — La Push isn't exactly a cozy little seaside town. While the Quileute Oceanside Resort facing First Beach offers some great deals on oceanfront cabins complete with Jacuzzis and fireplaces, don't expect a polished tourist destination.

Surf and turf

After a drive, a ferry, and an even longer drive, my wife and I arrived at La Push just before nightfall. The journey alternated between epic views of Lake Crescent and glimpses of the snowy Olympic Mountains, dark forests and logging clear-cuts.

Although camping near the main surf break on First Beach was an attractive option, we chose to stay in Mora Campground on nearby Olympic National Park land because we thought the forest canopy would provide shelter from the June drizzle. Mora is also ideally situated to hike on the wild sands of Rialto Beach, which could come in handy when the surf is unmanageable.

The next morning, we checked the surf and found the southwest-facing First Beach flat and glassy, except for the occasional mushy, waist-high wave. We paddled out anyway and caught a few quiet rides. While weekends can draw a crowd, we shared the water with only a curious seal.

We used the early afternoon for another quick surf session, then hiked through the forest down to nearby Second Beach, taking in more jaw-dropping views of geologic formations dotting the coast.

The next day, heavy onshore winds created larger waves, but it had all the appeal of trying to surf the spin cycle at the local Laundromat. We paddled out anyway. A local surfer who stopped by First Beach to check the swell told us that they get a handful of good days and a lot of OK days.

While the sandy bottom at La Push can offer beginner-friendly waves, neither surf shop currently offers instruction.

"There's some days that beginners shouldn't be out there," said Greeno. At First Beach, there are several spots or "peaks" where the waves are usually breaking, and Greeno suggests that beginners should choose an uncrowded spot in the water where the waves aren't breaking as steeply. Crippen recommends that beginners try the north side of First Beach.

Even though popular surf destinations such as Westport or Seaside, Ore., are more accessible and may receive better waves, the stunning scenery and sense of adventure make surfing this Olympic Peninsula outpost worthwhile and refreshing.

John Kinmonth is a Bellingham-based freelance writer who teaches snowboarding in winter and dabbles at surfing in the summer. Contact: johnkinmonth@hotmail.com