What do you do for a living?

[BaNZ]

I've been told that most surfers are not that well off. They invest too much time into surfing and leave no time for other activities. Wondering whether any of you agree?

I'll kick it off. I'm a system administrator in UK and I make a good above average salary. I picked up surfing last year and I lost my ambition in moving up the career ladder. Willing to forfeit my job and move closer to the beach but I haven't yet found something that I can actually do to make a living. Friends and family thinks I'm nut and is only a phase that I'll get over soon and regret.

[CARBr6]

I know what you mean.
Me and the missus are always looking at the house prices on the South Coast (way out of our price range), fortunately working in London I would still be able to keep the same job (which is great as I love my job and am not looking to change any time soon!) although the travel costs would double!!

[oldmansurfer]

I think you will find that the one thing surfers share is the desire to surf. Finances, jobs, relationships and other stuff will vary. I am a veterinarian and I live a mile from the beach and 2 blocks from where I grew up. Financially I am doing ok but I have no retirement plan (hopefully I will die working or surfing). I am on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week so I actually quit surfing for a while due to that. That was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. But when I do surf I either need to have someone on the beach with my cell phone or I need to come back in within a 30 minute period to be sure that no one has an emergency. This is why I pretty much only surf for 30 minutes at a shot.

[drowningbitbybit]

I had a real job in London, shifted to Sydney to do the same job basically so I could surf, then quit the job, moved to the Gold Coast, and now do photography full time... in between surfs

So, yes, I think I fulfil the stereotype

[jaffa1949]

Over thirty years working in my own practice as a chiropractor, some stints at acting, but always having a set day for "Hydrotherapy" ( read surfing) couldn't escape notice, a board on top of my 4x4 ready to go. Life coaching patients to have a full life, design your your life the way you wish it to be. Prior to that surfing cost me a first marriage ( would have failed anyway) numerous jobs but the 5 years uni to become a Chiro was spent away from surf . Success, my life is the way I wish it to be! Now retired, the PLAN worked well!!!!

[BaNZ]

I think you will find that the one thing surfers share is the desire to surf. Finances, jobs, relationships and other stuff will vary. I am a veterinarian and I live a mile from the beach and 2 blocks from where I grew up. Financially I am doing ok but I have no retirement plan (hopefully I will die working or surfing). I am on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week so I actually quit surfing for a while due to that. That was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. But when I do surf I either need to have someone on the beach with my cell phone or I need to come back in within a 30 minute period to be sure that no one has an emergency. This is why I pretty much only surf for 30 minutes at a shot.

I saw someone strap the phone onto their arm. Maybe you could get a cheap phone and do that?

I think I would be so depressed if I live a mile from the beach and not able to surf as much as I wanted.

[BaNZ]

I know what you mean.
Me and the missus are always looking at the house prices on the South Coast (way out of our price range), fortunately working in London I would still be able to keep the same job (which is great as I love my job and am not looking to change any time soon!) although the travel costs would double!!

Isn't London prices much higher than the South Coast like Brighton and Southampton? Plus it doesn't look like we get much swells down the south.

dbb- I've been convincing my gf to move over and do photography for a living here. It would be a dream life but problem is photography here isn't a stable income and would be hard to start it up initially.

[oldmansurfer]

I think I would be so depressed if I live a mile from the beach and not able to surf as much as I wanted.

I have found other things in life I like to do other than surfing including my job. I regret ever stopping surfing though. I have never lived more than a mile from the beach..... well except when I was at Colorado State University but I did go back to Hawaii on breaks and I did wind surf in Horsetooth reservoir.

[CARBr6]

BaNZ, I'm not central London I'm on the outskirts and the property prices in Brighton, Southampton (Wittering would be ideal) are WAY over what I paid for my place. Unfortunately it is the rich city types that have moved out to the coast and the country have really pushed the prices up.
As for not much Surf, no there isn't a great deal but there is enough if you know where to go. Keep an eye on East Wittering it's had a few decent waves recently, and Shoreham gets them too. I stay clear of Brighton and have high (probably misguided) hopes for the reopening of the Boscombe reef.

But back on topic. I can't move too far from London as I adore my job and fortunately/unfortunately (depending on your point of view) I am the only one in the world. I can't do my job anywhere else.

[kitesurfer]

I work at a university for a marine consultancy commercial unit.
Flexible and it fits in with my surfing/kitesurfing. Also l;ast year bought a flat by the sea where i can walk to kitesurf and surf on the occasions we get get swell.
Currently planning a 6 month career break so i can spend a full winter season snowboarding/snowkiting.

KS

[dtc]

I have about the worst job for surfing - I'm a lawyer and I live 2.5hrs from the coast. I also have young kids, so free time is pretty rare anyway even if the clients arent having emergencies.

The upside of being a lawyer? I am in the very fortunate position of being able to make financially obtuse decisions such as buying a house at the coast (2.5hrs away...). I usually make it about 6-7 days per month on average (sometimes 2 weeks solid, sometimes just a weekend). I know 'people with children' who are my age and live right next to the beach and would be lucky to surf every weekend, which is only 4 days a month - so arguably I'm actually doing better than they are. Being away from my normal house means rarely do I have any chores, I can just surf every day for a few hours then drag the kids around the beach until they complain.

The downside is that I might go 5 weeks betweens surfs and start off rusty and miss every wave. Or there is no swell when I'm down there. Or too much swell.

Oh well, like oldman there are other things I do. Like sitting on this board to fulfill my surfing need through other people's experiences!

So I'm not the stereotypical surfer I guess. I am probably (for the Aussies) the stereotypcial middle aged BMW McTavish long board surfer sipping a latte as I check out the surf*


*I dont own a BMW, a McTavish or drink lattes. Middle aged? I'm younger than Jaffa so not quite middle aged yet.

Hey Jaffa - what acting did you do?

[jaffa1949]

Live street theatre at a special,venue and some TV and walk throughs and talk throughs on movies most of which hit the cutting room floor! I still write scripts and pieces and send out to directors and publishers.
I was gainfully employed full time as an actor for over eight years. In acting that is successful.
Recognisable talent? Not at all.

[kevinsonnier]

am a student studying business administration here in nigeria

[pentagreen]

I am working in a call center.

[Lillyfee3]

As I'm new to this forum, I'm going to present myself. I graduated university two years ago and am now working as a microbiologist in Western Europe, I have one more year until returning back.

[bnstphnsn]

Was an insurance agent in Indiana. Now looking or a job in Palm Coast, FL. Just swam my first "training laps" in a pool to get in shape (wow does that drain your arms quick)...so not sure I'm a surfer yet, however.

[Rock bus]

Dtc won't like me as I work for the solicitors regulation authority!!! I can relate to part of what he says in that I live over 3 hours from decent surf and have a young family. Sadly I can't afford a house near the coast so surfing remains a wishful thing rather than a reality. Do fit in to part if the stereotype as I own a vw camper van!!!

[RedLine]

I work as a copywriter, no problems for my surfing obsession

[sandyfrank]

I have restaurant.

[Big H]

I'm a chef. First job at 15, some messing around with college (Marine biology - didn't finish) and other jobs (bartender, bicycle messenger, waiter, dive master/dive instructor, fish feeder for submarine company, construction labourer, stadium concert security (highlight was being onstage for U2 - Joshua Tree Tour), English as a second language (ESOL) teacher and freelance photographer among the highlights) , settled back in kitchens when I was 22 and been at it until now. To this point I've worked 15 restaurants and on my 8th hotel.....restaurants were various types and levels, but were mostly French or Italian. Switched to 5 star hotels and have stayed in that realm ever since. Incidentally I have yet to make as much as I did when I was a bartender......when I was 21 I worked a few months in a popular gay nightclub, and being young and straight I would pull in 300-500 USD a night. Good times!