Naturalists | 04.01.24
Olivia VanDamme
On Surfing, Community and Connection
Intro
Olivia VanDamme comes from a family who has a natural connection to the sea, so as an educator, poet, surfer and naturalist her ties to nature run deep. We caught up with Olivia in her homebreak in the Ramaytush Ohlone Lands (San Francisco) to capture this rare, yet familiar feeling. Tune in as Olivia touches on her journey as a surfer, the emotions that arise out in the lineup, her family roots and the simple reminder that we all should embrace the changes that come with the tide.
First tell us who you are and what you're into these days?
Hi, my name is Olivia VanDamme! I was born in LA and raised in the Inland Empire. I am Chicana, mixed-race woman raised in California. Both my maternal and paternal grandmothers are Mexican. My maternal grandfather is Italian. My paternal grandfather is Norwegian and Belgian, where my last name VanDamme comes from.
I work in the museum and environmental science field! I work alongside an amazing team in the Center for Biodiversity and Community Science at the California Academy of Sciences.
I identify as a polymath- a person with so many interests and hobbies— a lifelong learner always trying to soak in as many experiences and perspectives as I can. I am a multi-sport athlete: surfer, rock climber, backpacker, soccer player, skater and snowboarder.
Did you start surfing when you were a kid? What got you into it?
I first was excited about surfing when I visited the tidepools as a child. I saw surfers and was able to learn more about the ocean, and more about the nature that lives in the ocean, especially dolphins. I remember seeing a dolphin for the first time and told my mom, “I love dolphins, I want to swim with them and be in the ocean with them!” And that got me really excited. The dolphins inspired me to surf; it's so cool to see them play in the waves and be in a pod together and enjoy that time jumping in the waves.
Tell us about your family and their impact on you and your love for the ocean.
Surfing has connected me to my family through my dad telling me stories about growing up in LA and buying a surfboard at a garage sale with a lot of dings in it. The dings were so bad that the board couldn’t float out in Long Beach where he and my uncle would go. Their neighbor, who was a Japanese man from Hawaii, had a pool in the backyard and saw my dad with the board and offered to teach him to fix it. The neighbor helped him learn ding repair to repair the board and eventually jumped in the pool to show him how to paddle and maneuver the board and sit on it.
It was such an amazing story of kindness. Learning about my dad’s upbringing and connection to nature and the outdoors only makes sense that it was passed down to me and that my dad also taught me how to mountain bike, identify plants, build a fire and this sort of connection to the ocean and how to swim. This connection is so special and I continue to have so many cherished adventures with my Dad.
Was there a moment in your life that brought you closer to the outdoors and surfing?
I started to learn more about water when I was in a program called “Adventure Outings” at my college, Chico State. It was a really powerful program that invited students to become leaders in the outdoors and learn new skills. That program was a really important part of my surfing journey.
They had trips that went out to Santa Cruz. My coworker/fellow trip leader led a trip where we had a van, went to Santa Cruz, picked up surfboards and camped. We brought other students that were wanting to learn, too. Those trips were amazing; it was a really nice way to connect with new people and get out of the college scene- having a space to learn with experts and leaders. That program and surfing with them inspired me to be an outdoor enthusiast and gave me the feeling that I belong in nature and the outdoors.
What kind of feelings come up when you're out there in the lineup?
I think when I’m under the water and have my surfboard there’s a little bit of safety that the surfboard brings. It gives you a little moment of pause.
I’ve been inspired to tap into my own special way of surfing and be proud of my own style and my own body. To honor where I’m at in my surfing journey. It just really matters how you feel in your own body and your own connection and relationship to the ocean.
Tell us more about this connection you have with the ocean and nature as a whole…
I feel connected to the ocean through many different pieces, many different parts of the coast bring me to the sense of connecting and belonging. I feel connected to the wind, to the tides, to having to track storms and understand currents and temperature. There's so many elements the ocean invites you to learn about and understand. As you begin to embrace those, you start to naturally feel drawn to wanting to learn more about who else lives in the ocean, who else you will be sharing that space with.
What are some topics surrounding surfing that you feel aren’t talked about as much that we all experience when out in the water?
I have written about my surf sessions in my poetry and my journal. I have experienced so much joy in the water, but have also experienced anger. It’s not an emotion talked about a lot in surfing. You can think of what that would feel like - anger, frustration, disappointment, there's all of those feelings, too. A lot of people talk about surfing being so peaceful and connected, but we’re still human. I think it’s great to experience the full range of human emotions when you’re in “la mar” (the ocean). It’s truly a full range. I want to feel and embrace those other not so pleasant emotions.
Sometimes there’s conflict and there’s natural human head butting. It’s also interesting to explore and think about the systems of the world we live in and how those carry over into the water. I don’t think the ocean erases all of the racism, sexism and homophobia that we have to live within our society. It sometimes does translate into other spaces in nature and I think that’s really important to discuss and acknowledge.
How does surfing change your outlook on the world?
Being a surfer inspires me to consistently be open to change. To learn how to evolve and grow.
“I am where el sol y la Luna meet the sea blending boundlessly.”
-Olivia VanDamme
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