- December 28, 2024
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Instructor Aydin Every encourages his students William Ethan Sybert and Amiya Titova-Chiaravalle to stand up on their boards. Photos by Michele Meyers
Surfari owner Rick Gehris loads his Jeep with surf boards for the camp.
Camp instructor Amber Jeckovich has been with Surfari since 2019.
Camp instructor Aydin Every has been going to Surfari since he was 14 years old.
Surfari campers: Jason Sybert, Amiya Titova-Chiaravalle, Cami Mackersie, Asher Titov-Chiaravalle, Ivan Iorgulescu and William Ethan Sybert turn their instructor Amber Jeckovich into a sand mermaid.
Amiya Titova-Chiaravalle heads out to catch some waves.
Surfari owner Rick Gehris helps Asher Titov-Chiaravalle catch a wave during surf camp.
Cami Mackersie catches a wave during Surfari surf camp.
William Ethan Sybert jumps off his board as things started getting rough in white water.
Jason Sybert tries to get out of Amiya Titova-Chiaravalle's way.
Ivan Iorgulescu cruises on a wave.
Instructor Amber Jeckovich gets ready to go out with Cami Mackersie.
Amiya Titova-Chiaravalle.
Time for a break for Jason Sybert.
Cami Mackersie passes her glasses to Aydin Every for safe keeping.
Asher Titov-Chiaravalle keeps his eye on the prize.
Ivan Iorgulescu prefers the beaches in Florida.
William Ethan Sybert
Surfari owner Rick Gehris.
Surfari owner Rick Gehris.
A smattering of clouds flecked the blue summer sky as the waves beckoned six Surfari campers and their instructors into the ocean at the Granada Boulevard beach approach on Thursday, Aug. 12. The surf camp season came to a close as Volusia County students headed back to school on Monday, Aug. 16.
The Surfari Surf School has been owned and operated by Rick Gehris for 21 years. He currently maintains two locations — one in Ormond Beach and his original school in San Diego, California. After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a business degree in 1995, Gehris struggled to find his career path in Ormond Beach and decided to move to Hawaii to try his luck.
En route, he stopped in San Diego where he fell in love with the area and stayed. He found a job immediately, got back into lifeguarding and began to work with kids through the local junior lifeguard program.
Gehris’ zest for entrepreneurship led him to successfully run his own surf school from his Mission Beach apartment, followed by a serendipitous meeting with a property manager who saw him peeking into the window of a vacant retail space. He began leasing the space in 2000 for his surf school and after a consistent increase in business, he eventually made it back to his hometown to open the second location where he has found a zen-like existence.
“I’m no spring chicken any more,” he said. “I’m 51 years old and taking care of my health is the most important thing. Having a healthy routine when I wake up in the morning is key. Before I setup for camp, I swim with the lifeguards then do some training on my own. The feeling of jumping in the water almost feels like flying. It’s so nice and relaxing.”
Surfari surf camps usually consist of kids who are visiting from all over the United States. This week, a surfer from Canada dropped in for a day.
Camper Ivan Iorgulescu moved from Los Angeles three months ago, where he had accrued two years of experience surfing.
“I like the waves a lot there,” he said. “But I don’t like the beaches. Too much tar. My parents had to throw out so much clothing. Me and my parents like it way better here because we really like nature, the water and fishing.”
While surf camps have come to a close, the business will continue to offer surf lessons, surf board, paddle board and kayak rentals, including e-bikes.
