A Surf Series by Roberto Diaz

With the return of surf season on the horizon, I sat down with my friend Roberto to talk about what the season would bring. He mentioned to me that he had written a series called the Olas surfing series for his son. After finishing the first of five children’s book I was left with a great message about respecting the ocean and staying safe. As an avid surfer and skateboarder Roberto Diaz, sought to expose his children to the world of board sports at young ages. With no luck finding books to do the trick, Roberto began publishing his own. My Surf Tricks written in 2005 introduced terms like “the drop” and “barrel.” In 2007 Roberto wrote My Surf Lesson: Look Before You Leap. The book came with an interactive coloring book. Inside were a series of safety questions, the answers could be found inside the book. The rhyming story took Moe and Lani out on the ocean for their first surf session. The lesson warned surfers to always take some time to watch the ocean before paddling out.

Roberto’s next book Once Upon a Wave: A Surf Story followed a grom (young surfer) out to the break. The young surfer realized he was caught in a riptide, remembering his father’s advice he was able to get back to shore. Riptides can be a problem even for adults who are strong swimmers. Educate yourself and others about what to do when caught in a riptide.

Roberto’s last book, focused on staying safe when skateboarding. The book came with a CD with a message from the Surfrider Foundation. Various famous surfers spoke to the negative effects of pollution and shared a message of respect for the environment. Tony Hawk made a special appearance to speak about the negative effects of pollution in the concrete jungle. View the video on youtube - here.

The series of books, available on Amazon, are helpful in teaching children board sport safety. Roberto’s message is one we could all stand to hear again: Respect the ocean, keep the beaches clean… and stay safe!