Kate ShefteStaff Writer
While many Australians were settling down for the winter, Daniel Almirall and Andrew Parker, both officers of the N.C. State surf club and rising seniors in textile engineering, were hitting the waves.
After a quick stop in Waikiki, Hawaii, which Parker described as “on the way” for another surfing excursion, Almirall and Parker made their way to a city in Australia called Torquay in the southern providence of Victoria.
“We got to see a lot of the country — it was so beautiful,” Almirall said.
In addition to being one of the “surf capitals of the world‚” Torquay is also known for being the birthplace of the popular surf company Rip Curl.
“We kind of knew it was a great city to go surfing in, and we sort of planned our trip around it,” Parker said. “We lived about a block from the beach and hit all of these famous surf spots.”
Although they spent much of their time in the water, it was not all fun and games for Almirall and Parker.
“We would wake up at sunrise, surf for an hour, go to work, then come home and surf again,” Almirall said. “On weekends, we would surf nonstop.”
They set up the trip through the North Carolina Textile Foundation and the University’s study abroad program and worked consistently throughout their trip.
“We went for research, but we went for the surfing just as much as the research,” Almirall said.
The twosome lived in Torquay outside of its normal tourist season, as it is currently wintertime in Australia. Parker said this provided better waves, but chilly temperatures.
“When it’s 7 a.m. and the water is in the 50’s in degrees Fahrenheit, nobody gets in the water except the really dedicated surfers,” Parker said.
Although it was cold, Parker said traveling to Torquay in the offseason came with its distinct advantages.
“It was a great experience because the Australian surfers were much more friendly than we’re used to,” Parker said. “Even on the Outer Banks, people can be pretty rude. There are so many tourists and not all of them are really as into it as we are.”
While in Australia, Parker and Almirall found a potential new member for their club. By chance, they bumped into a fellow State senior, Daniel Walker, who happened to be living in the same town. The three shared a house and Almirall and Parker successfully got Walker, who majors in business management, hooked on surfing.
“He bought a board, and we think he may join the club this season,” Parker said.
Meanwhile, back in Raleigh and around the country, the rest of the surf club has temporarily disbanded.
“It’s on hold for the summer,” Almirall said. “Most of the people go back to the coast. The surf club is a great way to get together and surf while we’re landlocked, but in the summer we usually go our separate ways.”
Matt Gibson is one of the members that are biding their time. Gibson, who lives on the Outer Banks, says he waiting impatiently for school to be back in session.
“I’m so ready to go back,” Gibson said. “During the year, I miss the ocean, but it’s kinda boring in the summer. I’ll surf any day that there’s waves, but the ocean has been really flat.”
Gibson, a junior in meteorology, said he is looking forward to reuniting with the surf club members.
“Everybody is really chill and fun,” Gibson said. “Whenever there’s a swell we’ll call each other up and head out to the coast. I’m looking forward to having company again.”
