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10 LIVE IT UP! FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016 W ater man, Ed Guz- man of Santa Cruz, has been swim- ming and surfing our local bays since 1969. In 1972, at the age of 15, his mother moved him away from San Francisco to Salinas, and bought him his first O'Neill wet suit. He has been in the water most days since. Ed says that the ocean's healing salt water helps to re-direct the body's energy, keeping one happy and healthy. It has "saved his life." Asked about staying active at age 59 and beyond, Ed says that ev- eryone can enjoy the water. "There are people that have wanted to surf all of their lives and haven't done it. They start having a family, life slips by, they may want to know what it's like, but not want to get out of their comfort zone. It's really a wonderful thing to be a begin- ner and feel the pure joy of not knowing how to do something and learning it." Ed says further that it's never a failure if you try something new, and that these are some of the best things about his work. "The only limits that we have are the lim- its that we place on ourselves", he says. Surfing taught him that. Guzman's passion for the water lead him to be a surfing entrepre- neur. Club Ed—his business of surf and stand-up paddling school and camps— is celebrating a major milestone, its 25th year. Ed has been teaching water sports pro- fessionally, since 1983. His drive and ability to offer the community professional guidance in the water, grew form his experience as Out- door Recreation Programs Director in the Army, at Fort Ord. Ed noticed that teaching surfing was never offered. Thus his learn-to-surf pro- gram was born. "I took the wind-surfing man- ual, and applied it to surfing. I talk about how waves are formed, why they break the way they do, hydraulics, rips currents, hazards, surfing etiquette. Every sport has an etiquette and rhythm to get in the flow of things." Ed says that this makes for a smoother learning transition. He also says that Cowell beach is the best "beginner break on the entire Pacific West Coast, a great start." It's interesting to note that water is also what healed his Grandmother, Dorothy Becker. She contracted Scarlet Fever when she was young, and had to have a major operation. She began swim- ming in the salt water plunge at the Santa Cruz Board Walk in 1908, to heal and regain strength in her body. In 1915, she set a world record in 50 Yard Free Style swim- ming in Hawaii. She learned to surf with David Kahanamoku, younger brother of "the Duke"—Duke Kah- anamoku. She also became the first woman to perform a head stand while surfing. Ed Guzman believes to this day that the ocean is the "fountain of youth" and loves to help people succeed in it. You can sign up for his classes at 831-464-0177 or go to club-ed.com.You can also say hello to Ed in the water most days, and faithfully find Club Ed's blue, lessons and rentals trailer, located on Cowell Beach. Surfing Entrepreneur Finds Ocean Healing By Susan Webb FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016 LIVE IT UP! 11 "The only limits that we have are the limits that we place on ourselves." – Ed Guzman , Santa Cruz Surfer ed guz man Club Ed Owner Contributed photo Dorothy Becker World Record Swimmer & Guzman's Grandma Contributed photo