Shannon Halberstadt is a junior at Redwood and has been surfing since she could first walk. She learned on a longboard with her dad, Chris Halberstadt, who began surfing in college. Ever since she caught her first wave in Florida, her passion for surfing has only grown. Shannon switched to a shortboard during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when she had more free time. She fell in love with the way short boarding allowed her to cut through the water with sharpness and speed and ride bigger, more powerful waves. Shannon and her friend, junior Georgia Harlow, have a tradition of surfing at Cronkite Beach every Friday before school. Even though it can be a challenge to get out of bed that early, Shannon feels that the stress relief and joy that comes with a morning surf session is worth it. 

“I think it's really special to surf when the sun is either going down or up because it's so gorgeous on the water. Even if it’s at five in the morning, we see the sunrise, and it's such a therapeutic feeling,” Shannon said.

Oftentimes, Shannon is the only girl in the lineup, but that does not stop her from going after her wave. “I think it’s cool that I [surf] when the stereotype is that men do it. It doesn’t stop me, and I don’t think it should stop anyone,” Shannon s

Oftentimes, Shannon is the only girl in the lineup, but that does not stop her from going after her wave. “I think it’s cool that I [surf] when the stereotype is that men do it. It doesn’t stop me, and I don’t think it should stop anyone,” Shannon said.

“I feel like I’ve been pummeled enough while surfing that I’ve realized it’s really not that bad … and it’s much more worth it to go for the wave,” Shannon said.

“I feel like I’ve been pummeled enough while surfing that I’ve realized it’s really not that bad … and it’s much more worth it to go for the wave,” Shannon said.

Shannon and Harlow joyfully watch the waves crash against the shore at Cronkite Beach after their sunrise surf session on a Friday morning before school.

Shannon and Harlow joyfully watch the waves crash against the shore at Cronkite Beach after their sunrise surf session on a Friday morning before school.

“My dream day of surfing would probably be in Mexico. I would do a sunrise surf … [and] I would catch beautiful, crisp, clean waves … Then I would go back out for a midday session and then end it off with a sunset session,” Shannon said.

“My dream day of surfing would probably be in Mexico. I would do a sunrise surf … [and] I would catch beautiful, crisp, clean waves … Then I would go back out for a midday session and then end it off with a sunset session,” Shannon said.

When Shannon was in middle school at surf camp, one of the male coaches named her “butterfingers” because she would always fall off of her board and goof around with her friends in the water. She was a more experienced surfer then and knew she had mo

When Shannon was in middle school at surf camp, one of the male coaches named her “butterfingers” because she would always fall off of her board and goof around with her friends in the water. She was a more experienced surfer then and knew she had more ability than her coach thought. When the next set came in, she caught the wave. “It was just a power move, and it was cool to see his reaction because he clearly underestimated me,” Shannon said.

“Whenever there are other girl surfers out there, we support each other,” Shannon said.

“Whenever there are other girl surfers out there, we support each other,” Shannon said.