Covering more than 70% of the Earth's surface.

The oceans are inspiring.

Power can trigger an immediate, positive psychological and physical response whenever we are in or near the water.

An ancient elixir helping to cleanse the body, recharge the mind and revitalize the soul.

Surf therapy is a proven, efficient and effective way to connect and work with this powerful, energetic phenomenon that can help restore balance to all dimensions of one's life.

Surfing makes my life good.

It's like I'm dreaming.

Refreshing your mind, your body, your spirit and releasing rebalancing.

This is more than just some kind of lifestyle for me.

It's a way of life.

From sunrise to sunset, Refresh Quest joins family and friends as we explore and bask in the healing surf of Southern California.

Refresh Quest is the search for refreshing travel experiences that aim to inspire and uplift the mind body and human spirit.

With a team of like minded friends.

Refresh Quest invites you along the journey as we explore unique destinations.

Meet inspiring individuals and gain empowering knowledge that will help us to create new realities and refreshing possibilities.

Welcome to Refresh Quest.

We're going surfin'.

We're going surfin'.

We're going surfin'.

Refresh Quest unplugs as we go surfing.

Accessing one of the may beaches off the Southern California coast.

A place where people gravitate to experience the sun, the sea and the sand.

With an abundant supply of healthy, negative ions that increase the flow of oxygen to the brain, the natural healing powers of the ocean have been realized since ancient times and now celebrated by all walks of life, even those that can fly and swim.

The coastal bottlenose dolphin seen along the entire Southern California Bight, always a welcome presence and a joy to watch any time of the year.

Southern California is loaded with exceptional beaches and surf spots where you can catch waves year round.

You would be hard pressed not to find sunny skies, golden sand and epic waves almost anywhere along the southern Golden Coast, highlighting a few of our favorites.

Beginning at San Diego's Blacks Beach, a secluded beach that lies beneath the 300 foot bluffs of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, Huntington Beach in Orange County, a.k.a.

Surf City.

Eight and a half awesome miles of soft, warm, golden sand Santa Monica in Los Angeles County with its famed amusement park on top of the pier.

But underneath lies a visual hidden gem.

Be sure to pack your camera when you come.

The photo op at sunset will be unforgettable.

Winding our way north on PCH, another 12.7 miles.

We come to the iconic and beloved Surfrider Beach wall where surfers post their boards to be a part of history.

Working our way into Ventura County, the south jetty near Harbor Cove is always fun and exciting and finally drifting over to our quintessential surf destination of the day, Ventura Beach is a surfer and beachgoers dream.

And the reason we woke up at the crack of dawn feeling giddy with excitement.

Here we are driving to the beach.

We woke up super early in the morning to come out and tackle Southern California beaches.

And today we're headed towards Ventura County to a place called "C" Street.

You have to go where the surf is actually happening, where we have an opportunity to catch some waves.

Right.

So not only we're going to be surfing today, but I'm excited, too, just for all of us to be out there, because I get to show you what I do for a living and which is help a lot of people, you know, through therapy and surfing.

I'm excited.

Me, too.

Me, too.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

What's so unique about Highway One is the actual scenery.

Where you have incredible mountain views to our right, we have beautiful blue ocean to our left.

I mean, to me, it's almost like a different world.

You don't feel necessarily like you're in Los Angeles or the L.A. area.

You escape to the beach.

It's a whole nother world.

Yeah, it's like a little bit of a paradise here.

It really is.

Back along the Pacific Coast Highway One, Rey and I discovered a giant sand dune near Point Mugu State Park.

We couldn't pass up the chance to get out and stretch our legs.

This mysterious sand dune was the result of aeolian transport, a process of coastal dune formation and involving the movement of sand particles from the shoreline via the wind.

Of course, that's technically speaking.

Oh, this is awesome.

Oh, my goodness.

Count to three.

Ready?

One, two.

Three.

Um, technically, it's just a whole lot of fun for children and adults alike to come and play.

This is my favorite part of the drive, giving away to rugged views of the Santa monica Mountain Range and the royal blue vistas of the Pacific Ocean, which seem to go on forever.

Up the road and around the bend, we find ourselves in Oxnard Farm Country, where you'll find orchards of citrus and nuts.

Rows of kale and greens and strawberry fields forever.

Roadside Mexican fruit stands are a treat for fruit lovers.

Seasonal cantaloupe, watermelon, coconut oranges, mangoes, cucumber and pineapple.

Hi!

Freshly cut and served with a sprinkle of sa or tahin pepper and a squeeze of lime, giving us that healthy boost we need for our morning diet.

Finally arriving at Ventura Beach off California Street.

This beach has one of the highest frequency of surfable days on the planet, making it a prime surf location.

But there is something here for everyone.

Even if you're not going in the water with a surfboard.

Just north of the pier.

A pathway connects to Surfer's Point where you can walk your best friend, skate, bicycle or jog through the sand dunes and over to the lagoon.

A great birding location, complete with a rustic train trestle For a backdrop, the lagoon is part of the Seaside Wilderness Park and is formed from the Ventura River, which then flows back into the Pacific Ocean.

And this is where we'll be setting up our surf camp for the day.

Here, the waves roll in with consistency.

The break is long.

The surf is smooth and soft, making it a perfect surf location for beginners and pros alike.

Connecting with the ocean can inspire a positive change in one's life.

Using a surfboard.

Surf therapy is one way to connect and ground to this force of nature.

No one knows this better than my travel partner and friend, Rey Carungcong.

Not only is he an expert surfer, but he's also a trained and certified therapist who has combined his love for the ocean into his professional work.

Before we suited up, I had the opportunity to sit down with Rey and ask him a few questions about this unique modality.

So, Rey, how do you refresh for yourself on an everyday basis?

Jer.

The way I refresh myself is that I'll come to the beach and I'll just meditate feel the sand on my feet, meditate for about a good 15 minutes and then get out, get out and surf for a good few hours.

Get my blood flowing.

And at that point, I come back and I'm just, you know, really centered and really grounded and, you know, just one with the moment.

I know exactly what you're saying, because I know when I came out with you and we go surfing, as soon as my toes hit the sand, I'm connected.

And like you said, the sun, the water.

Right.

And then, of course, being with friends and family and having all of that connection is overwhelming in one way.

But it's so gratifying overall in so many other ways.

Right.

When you're done, you feel this incredible release of energy and appreciation.

Right.

The energy here is very powerful.

And I always come back just feeling great.

You know, being able to sleep all through the night just because your body went from sympathetic to parasympathetic.

And that's what the ocean does for you.

That's what nature does bring you back into balance for me.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Shaka!

Rey founded The Shaka Surf Club in 2006, a surf therapy program that works with individuals to help them better understand and deal with difficult life situations through surfing.

Teaching one to balance on a surfboard in the ocean gives one the ability to look beyond themself and consider their situation with a broader view.

So, Rey, what is surf therapy?

Surf therapy is exactly that.

We're taking surfing and utilizing it in a therapeutic way to take oneself out to the ocean with the surfboard and to just refocus and rebalance with the elements of the ocean to help somebody who has stress, anxiety, depression, because they're so concentrating on what's happening right there, right in the moment.

It's a multisensory experience.

I feel exactly the same way.

I feel like everything that I do on the beach is a meditative experience.

Oh, yeah.

Putting myself out in the water like on a wave with a surfboard.

All those thoughts that I had before about my worries, stress and anxiety, they're gone.

And sometimes you'll see an occasional dolphin.

Oh right.

Some type of sea life.

And you feel the oneness of Earth, nature, yourself, the people around you.

Yeah.

You just feel connected.

Connected with everything around you.

Rey stated that as a therapist, their job is to guide an individual in the right direction.

But the master teacher is nature and all the elements in that environment.

In this case the sun, the sand and the surf.

We're going to have you jump over, grab the rails so you know exactly where the rails are.

And I want you to jump over.

Jump over.

So it's almost like you're doing a cartwheel.

So go ahead and try that.

Okay.

We're engaging our core.

We're firing up our core.

So I'm going to grab and.

Over as you do it, get a little higher, grab over, extend your legs out.

Woo!

Yeah.

Extend those legs nice and high all the way up.

There you go.

Nice.

Just like that.

Great.

Nice.

Now, what does that doing?

How's that?

What are we working on?

We are engaging your core, and it's just firing up those obliques.

Okay, so then your body knows and feels like this is what it feels like to grab the rail because you're using your whole body right when you're surfing cool.

Some people learn in different ways.

So I'm going to show you one of the ways that we teach people how to break things down on how to pop up on a wave.

This is one, two, three.

Bring your knees forward.

You'll feel unstable.

Four and five, pivot this knee from here and out.

Okay.

Gotcha.

Okay, your turn.

Okay.

Help me go through the steps, am I lying on the board?

Yeah, go ahead and lie down on the board.

So one.

Yeah.

There you go.

Now, look, skydiver archer back engaging your thighs, knees into the board.

Okay, there you go.

So that's one.

Let's go to.

Like a like a seal, seal position.

Hands on the rails.

Push yourself all the way up.

There's number two.

Number three.

Going to slide your knees all the way up as close to your hands as possible.

There you go.

Get them up there.

Good.

Number four, we're going to go into, like, a runner's position.

There you go.

Right in the center of the board.

Got it.

And then you're going to just pivot that knee out.

There you go.

Stand up.

Really?

No.

There you go.

Feel it?

Yeah.

Look at that board.

Shake.

I'm surfing.

All right.

Last and final step.

Okay.

The ocean.

I'm ready.

Let's do this.

The benefits of surfing are numerous.

Physically, it is a full body workout, concentrating on arms, shoulders and back while paddling, core and legs while standing and balancing.

Mentally, it increases focus and awareness.

Emotionally, it reduces stress, anxiety and depression.

And finally, when putting all of these frequencies together, our spiritual body reaches a new vibrational high that ultimately creates a roadmap to health, wellness and understanding our true beam.

All you need to surf is a surfboard, a little surf wax, a leash and of course, some waves.

From there, the rest is up to us.

Suit up.

Put on your best game face and let's have some fun.

For a beginner, it will take a little time to adjust to this new environment, and it certainly can be somewhat intimidating your first time out into the water.

A few good tips to keep in mind when you're ready to try this new wet adventure.

Get a good teacher.

Rey was my first surf sensei and the transition from sand to surf was smooth and comfortable.

Go with a friend.

Not only is it a good idea for safety, but it is always much more fun to share with those we care about.

Go where others are in the water and practicing like activities.

Find your own space when starting out.

Give yourself enough practice room to stretch your legs and spread your wings.

Pace yourself and know your limits.

Surfing is a very physical activity, and combined with the excitement you will have when entering the water, you can burn yourself out fast.

Stay positive.

You're going to get tired, you're going to wipe out a lot.

This happens to everyone.

But the important thing is to not get discouraged through all of this hard work.

There is a payoff and before you know it, you'll be riding on top of a sweet wave.

Having the feeling as if you're on top of the world.

Wooh!

It is awesome out there, man.

I've caught a few waves.

I crashed on a lot of waves.

But you can't complain.

On a day like this, you.

Got the sun.

Perfect, perfect.

Blue skies and nice clean waves.

Pod of dolphins swam by.

So I got to see some of my favorite creatures on planet Earth Doing stuff like this.

Refreshing your mind, your body, your spirit, and releasing rebalancing.

And that's what I appreciated about this the most, especially being at the beach and being at the ocean.

Ocean to me is purifying, is wiping away all that, is the nonsense that's going on inside.

I feel blessed.

I feel blessed.

And I'm going to bless myself some more by getting back in the ocean.

The best way I can.

Describe my session today.

Oh, it's just peaceful.

All The thoughts I had racing and chasing around in my brain are gone.

This is more than just some kind of lifestyle for me.

It's a way of life.

Let's just keep on surfing.

The ocean is a natural way to clean the body, mind and soul, helping to restore balance in all areas of one's life.

The mere sight and sound of the waves can help increase blood flow, induce relaxation, and bring on a state of calm and contentment.

Certainly not a bad way to spend a hot summer day in Southern California.

Rey and his brother Eric have been coming to the ocean to surf for most of their life, and now they are passing on the love to the next generation of Carungcong children.

I like being in the ocean because it's really fun and we can surf.

It is always a joy to share a beautiful day like this with family and friends.

My favorite thing is surfing here because with my family, because I'm super free.

I like going into the ocean, to surf, because it's just me and my board and I don't have to worry about anything else.

These guys never fail to teach me a thing or two about having fun and diving headfirst without a care in the world.

Surfing makes my life good.

It's like I'm dreaming.

The conditions out there are pretty good.

There are some small waves, some big waves, but they're all fun.

I caught a really big wave.

but I flipped over.

Well I enjoy every weekend.

Hanging out with family and surfing is an integral part of my life.

And since I enjoy it so much now teaching my kids and my family to enjoy the beach and enjoy surfing, they get it part of their lifestyle.

I grew up in Kentucky, so being here and being able to have the kids go and be in the ocean and be free and feel that release of energy, but also a collecting of energy at the same time.

So it's really special Oh man I get to reset before work, after grinding all week, come out little slice of heaven hang out nature, enjoy, reset before the next week.

Today was my first day surfing in about ten years so I'm still a beginner.

It's definitely fun.

Definitely a workout.

Just trying to get out into the wave.

It is a challenge just to try to find your balance.

I feel tired but pretty accomplished.

My favorite thing about being at the beach is getting connected to the ocean.

Just getting out of my head.

Out of reality.

3 to 1.

Up!

Nice job guys.

Rey, is an attentive guide, always making sure that his children are using their energy in a productive, positive way.

That goes for the adults as well.

Oh, nice.

Go Eric paddle man.

Paddle.

Ooh.

Ah.

He wiped out.

The ultimate goal of surfing is to ride a wave.

Most of the time, it turns out to be a learning experience.

But that's what it's all about learning.

And as long as you're learning, you're progressing.

Whether you ride a wave, we crash and burn.

It's always such a special feeling just being in the water, being in nature.

Surf therapy allows one the opportunity to learn from all the elements in this environment.

Through this, one begins to learn about themselves.

And that's no small task at all.

That's big for anyone.

Humans inherently have always had a deep connection with the ocean, which science has tried to explain through experiments and studies.

But maybe the best way to understand this connection is to be a part of it, to experience it for yourself.

And who knows?

Maybe, just maybe, it can change your life.

For me, I will be coming back time and time again because I know that my energy is well spent in a place like this.

As the day began to come to an end, it was time to say goodbye to our family and friends, but not before taking one last, final plunge into the ocean.

I decided to stay behind so I could take one last walk along the beach to put my toes in the sand, to breathe in the saltwater, and to raise my face to the sun.

One last time.

The golden hour light at sunset is pure magic.

And if your timing is good, you will catch one last train heading south down the track.

One more dog that loves the beach as much as you do.

An opportunity to build your own rock Zen Tower and watch the kite surfers float on top of the water using nothing but the wind to fill their cells.

Spy exotic seabirds near the lagoon.

Watch the remaining surfers who refuse to get out so they can catch that one last wave.

Pick one or all of the above.

No matter what you choose to do, I'm positive you will not have any regrets spending your time in a place like this.

At the end of the day.

For me, I found the perfect place to sit and sungaze, dreaming of my next opportunity to come back and do it all over again.