The World’s Most Famous Surfing Animals That Can Probably Shred Better than You
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Just picture yourself standing in the lineup, waiting for the next set of waves, when a few furry surfers come rushing in to share the break, some riding by themselves, some together with their owners. Don’t be so quick to judge; these cute animals sure can shred!
Some animals have a penchant for water sports. Remember that classic surf quote – “The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.” (Phil Edwards)? Some animals seem to be on cloud nine when riding waves, which is precisely what makes them so good at it. The list is no longer narrowed down to just surf dogs. These days, all sorts of animals are riding surfboards. And they are killing it!
Meet the world’s most famous animals that can surf. Hilarious and downright cute, their stories will melt your heart and inspire you to push past your limits. If these animals could, then so can you!
Ricochet and Abbie Girl, the surfing dogs
Photo credit: Instagram
Let’s start with man’s best friend. Dogs would do just about anything their owners ask of them, and surfing is no exception. Of course, that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy it too. Although stand-up paddling with your canine friend is far more popular, recent history has shown us that there are some dogs that can probably ride wave better than you!
The number of events and competitions dedicated to surfing dogs keeps on growing. Perhaps the most famous is the Surf City Surf Dog Competition, held each September on Huntington Dog Beach, California. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the World Dog Surfing Championships is North California premier dog surfing event, organized by the same people that pioneered the concept of surf dog competitions. The Surfing Dog Championships, a world-famous event that is part of the Noosa Festival of Surfing, attracts a wide audience and competitors from far and wide.
Photo credit: Instagram
Some surf dogs have already made a name for themselves. Surf dog Ricochet, a female golden retriever, was raised as a service dog and her owner Judy likes to call her a SURFice dog. She began competing in dog surfing events in 2009 when she was just a pup. Through the events, she managed to raise money for charity, helping children with autism, war veterans, people with disabilities, and even provide food to homeless animals.
Photo credit: Instagram
Abbie Girl is an Australian Kelpie rescue dog and the proud owner of a Guinness World Record in the world of surfing, having managed to ride the longest wave ever surfed by a dog in open water. Found on the roadside, she was adopted by Michael Uy, who would take her to the beach to help her build self-confidence. It wasn’t long before she became the world’s best-performing surf dog.
Kuli the one-eyed surfing cat
Photo credit: Instagram
Surfing dogs are no longer a novelty. But have you heard about the one-eyed cat that’s making waves? Or better said, riding waves with his owners?
Kuli means “to be blind,” and was rescued off the streets when he was just a tiny and malnourished kitten. Due to an infection, he had one eye removed. His owners, Alexandra and Krista, would give him regular baths and soon discovered that being in the ocean helped Kuli recover and regain his confidence.
Photo credit: Instagram
Kuli was introduced to surfing by being left on his own on a longboard while Alexandra and Krisa paddled around him. He quickly got the hang of it and it was only a matter of time before he got his claws into surfing. Literally. He now surfs on a boogie board and just loves getting his claws in the foamy material on the nose.
Kuli used to wear a life jacket until he was able to swim confidently, and started with small waves, just as any beginner surfer should, working his way up gradually. Now, he has his own Instagram account, counting a whopping over 58k followers!
Kama the surfing pig
Pigs are so underrated, wouldn’t you say so? We often forget that they are very intelligent and highly sociable animals capable of displaying a wide range of emotions. This is precisely why more people decide to keep them as pets. But, they are not the easiest of pets to care for, so make sure you are well informed before making such a move. It wasn’t hard at all for local surfer Kai Holt, who can be seen surfing in Oahu with Kama, a wild pig with a story worthy of Hollywood.
Photo credit: Instagram
Kama was abandoned at Bellows Beach, Oahu, when he was just a little piglet. He went into Kai’s cabana while he was vacationing there, and the two immediately clicked. They became inseparable and Kai brought Kama back home with him. A few weeks later, Kama fell in the pool and his owner was quite surprised to see that he could swim. Soon after that, he hopped on Kai’s surfboard. He is now an excellent swimmer and is not afraid of the occasional wipeouts.
Kama is sponsored by GoPro and Costco, just like a pro surfer. He has his own Instagram account, and he now has a son, a little piglet called Kama 2, who surfs too. Kama may not be the only surfing pig in the world, but he sure is the most famous and, together with his son, they make the only father-and-son surfing pig duo on the planet!
Goatee and Pismo, the surfing goats
Photo credit: surfinggoats.com
In the quaint coastal town of Pismo Beach, California, a local surfer enjoys some unusual surf sessions, to say the least. Dana McGregor taught his pet goats how to surf and, as it turns out, they have an incredibly good balance, which makes them quite good at it.
First, there was Goatee. According to McGregor, it took him some time to get her used to the water. Who'd have ever guessed that goats are not such big fans of water? Then, Goatee had a son, Pismo, named after his owner’s hometown. Pismo learned to surf when he was much younger than his mother was when she started out, and it all came much more naturally for him. He learned to hold his breath underwater and even caught a nine-foot (2.7-meter) wave, which earned him the nickname of “The Big Wave Surfing Goat.”
McGregor runs surf camps and other adventure activities featuring his surfing goats and has even written a children’s book – The Surfing Goat, Goatee. Furthermore, Goatee and Pismo have their own website and Facebook page.
Pisco the surfing Alpaca
Photo credit: Facebook
If you plan to go surfing in Peru, then you need to head on over to San Bartalo Beach for the most unusual sight you have ever seen – Pisco the surfing alpaca. After a decade of training dogs to ride waves with him on the nose of his board, Domingo Pianezzi, a Peruvian surfer, thought about taking things up a notch. So, he strapped on a floatation vest on his pet alpaca and hit the famous breaks near Lima. Why? Simply because alpacas are representative of Peru’s culture.
In an interview for the Telegraph, he said, “I’ve surfed with a dog, a parrot, a hamster and a cat, but when I was at a competition in Australia, I saw people surfing with kangaroos and koalas. So I thought that, as a Peruvian, it would be interesting to surf with a unique animal that represents Peru.”
*Cover photo credit: Nathan Rupert via Flickr
Is there any better way to bond with your four-legged friend than by enjoying the sport you love the most together? First, make sure you have what it takes to pass on the knowledge by joining a surf camp for intermediate riders.