"The majority of board surfers don't like to be around their own kind, so how could you expect them to accept another form of surfing?" Phillips said.
But the vibe at Jalama, a remote, curving, sun-soaked beach, is laid-back and friendly. Amtrak's Coast Starlight train rumbles by over a steel trestle and palm trees provide a bit of shade. Jalama is the only public beach on 61km of coastline.
"There is a place for everybody," said Don Kline, a surfer from Valencia, California.
Phillips said his philosophy was, "Give a wave, make a friend." With powerful paddle strokes, surf kayakers can catch waves that board surfers cannot and can surf in more adverse conditions. So Phillips advocates letting board surfers catch a wave first, and letting them have the easier-to-catch waves.
"It's all about sharing the stoke and sharing the waves," he said.
It is also about observing the unwritten but rigid etiquette of surfing, or as some call them, "the rules of engagement." For example, the surfer closest to the peak of the wave owns the wave, and others need to get out of the way. Snaking — trying to get in front of a surfer near the peak of a wave — is a no-no.
On a Saturday night at the Jalama Expression Session, Phillips set out barbequed tri-tip sirloin and chicken, chili beans, salad and garlic bread. A cooler filled with margaritas stirred with a broken paddle is another tradition. After the sun set, the kayakers watched video of the day's exploits and carnage projected on a portable screen, yelling and laughing.
At dawn the next morning, the kayakers paddle out through the pounding surf, and sit patiently beyond the breakers, waiting for that one perfect wave.
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