Two Fish In the Sea
by Devon DeMint
When I was pregnant with my second daughter, my dad got a new boat. He was going to pick it up around the same time I would have my daughter. He would check in on it via emails like I would check in on my baby via apps. I joked with him about how we had similar due dates and made fun of him for trying to steal my "thunder". It helped a dad in his 60s and a daughter in her 30s navigate two very different things in similar ways. 
photo: Ashley Yob @sandiegosurfphotos // sandiegosurfphotos.wordpress.com
My dad taught me to surf when I was nine and, shortly after, I was breaking his boards and borrowing his car. He was a longboarder, I was a short boarder. We surfed together all the time. He watched me ride the worst Huntington Beach in the rain for a contest and showed me all the good surf spots in San Diego when I decided to go to school there. We still surf together as much as we can, but I have kids now and when I surf, he and my mom are often the ones who volunteer to watch them. As a grown woman with kids, I have a lot in common with my mom these days. We lament and rejoice about having daughters, swap recipes and books and exchange commentary on the latest Bachelor candidates. My dad and I talk boards, swells, and house projects, but some of the time we revert to our introverted selves, quietly tinkering with the kids' legos or checking our emails.
Photo: Scott DeMint
In late November, I ordered a custom Bing Sunfish. I love a good fish. They're skatey, but give you the power right under your feet. You can pick a floater, fin drift or the most locked in cutback, plus they're much better in bigger waves than most people give them credit for. I ordered it in a yellow that Jeff from the shop called "spicy mustard". It was finished just after New Years'.
Photo: Bella Glickman @bellaglickman
My dad hadn't been surfing that much. He was busy, maybe the waves weren't that good, I can't remember. He seemed bored with his quiver. He seemed resigned to having the "Surfer's Ear" surgery. One Friday, after I came back from a cold surf in small waves, he said, "Let's go down to Bing. I need a new board". I was surprised and thrilled. I don't get to give back much to my parents besides the customary love and occasional baked goods and coffee refills.
photo: my dad on his Bing, taken by me
Helping my dad pick out a great Bing board and introducing him to the staff would be really special. He took home a "High Five" that afternoon and we were out in the water on our new yellow boards before the sunset. He had never tried a quad in all his 50 years of surfing.
Photo: Scott DeMint
He couldn't believe how fast it was; how responsive. When we were walking home, wet footprints following us on the cement, he told me he thought it was the best board he'd ever had. And there we were again, a dad is his 60s, a daughter in her 30s, riding two completely different boards made by the same shaper, connecting about nothing and everything.
Photo: Ashley Yob @sandiegosurfphotos // sandiegosurfphotos.wordpress.com
More from Devon at taleofamermaid.com and on instagram @mermaidsightings
Also in Bing Surfboards Blog
THE LEGEND OF TOOTHLESS JOE
Working with Bing is so much more than I ever expected out of “work”. The entire Bing team has not only pushed me to be as creative as I can be, but it’s given me a sense of family in a new place. I have moved all over the world in my life and I’ve never felt such a warm welcome before. Their collective positivity and warmness has brought me so much inspiration in the few months that I’ve had the pleasure to work with them. I can’t wait to see where these friendships will take us all. I’d like to give a special shout out to a guy who’s inspiring positive attitude and willingness to give a random toothless guy from Delaware a chance, Grey Lockwood aka “Team Dad”
THE REUNION
On a Saturday afternoon Bing and David gave a group of friends, surfers, surf historians and surf-stoked groms fascinating insights into what it was like surfing and building surfboards in Hermosa Beach in the 60’s and into the 70’s.
MUY BUENO
I surfed the Church + Middles zone a lot when I was in San Clemente. I definitely clocked a few magic sessions in that part of the coast. I have always kinda been allergic to the crowd factor in California…. But this season I feel like I had a few sessions that felt like I was in the Baja. Maybe 6 people out… all smiles and good vibes. So many waves! We did a morning meet up with the Bing crew and absolutely scored… glassy perfect waves. That was a standout session for sure. When I was staying in Venice I was surfing Malibu, which never felt like Baja, with 600 of my best friends or heading up the coast to Ventura to surf the beachies or Rincon. It’s always kinda fun to get into the mix at the Bu. You just have to think of surfing as a completely different activity. It’s more of a happy hour vibe all the time.