Surfing is more than a mere sport for La Jolla minister David C. Nagler: it’s spiritual.
Nagler was recently elected to a six-year term as Bishop of the Pacifica Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America covering 99 congregations throughout Southern California and Hawaii. Previous to that his ministry was at Christ Lutheran Church in PB.
The bishop has decided to turn his passion for wave-riding into something purposeful: an annual fundraiser for the Surfrider Foundation. “I’ve long been a supporting member of Surfrider,” he said. “They do a lot of great advocacy work making sure beaches and the ocean stay clean. And to me, it’s super important to care for the environment, especially the ocean environment.”
Surfrider is a grassroots, environmental non-profit working to protect and preserve the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches.
Nagler said the goal for his 60th birthday wave riding this year is to raise $6,060 for Surfrider between now and July 19.
Every year since he turned 50, Nagler has ridden as many waves as his age on his birthday. He turned 60 on July 13, so he rode 60 waves at Tourmaline Surfing Park in North Pacific Beach. But not all at once. “I broke it up into two sessions, one the day before, which took about three hours,” he said adding, “That was in 24 hours, so that was still a day.”
Nagler surfs three or four days a week, something he’s been doing since age 14. It was a natural development for him having grown up in Ventura, which is known for its beaches.
Of how he got into surfing Nagler said: “I saw people surfing and I was just captivated and had to learn. I traded my 10-speed bike to a neighbor for his surfboard.”
After which Nagler proceeded to teach himself how to surf, which he doesn’t recommend. “I got my lumps,” he admitted. “I had the wrong kind of board and I went out on days I had no business being out on because the waves were too big.’
Yet surfing sustained him. “Once I got into it, it was something really good for my body and my soul,” said Nagler. “You are out in the elements and every wave is different. It’s relaxing and also has a meditative quality. It’s a time of just quiet introspection.”
Added Nagler: “What I didn’t plan on while catching each wave was thinking about where I was in my life, who was in my life. It took a long time to be reflective, and then grateful for the people and the events in my life. I’m just so incredibly grateful for the time I’ve been alive and the people who’ve been with me.”
He moved away from the California coast for a time and tried snowboarding and mountain biking, but Nagler said none of those compared with riding waves.
Nagler intends to do his Surfrider fundraiser every year now. But after this year he may change the routine a bit, or even take a break. “Sixty was good but that’s getting to be a lot of waves,” he noted. “I don’t know what will happen at 61.”
The bishop said he raised the money for his Surfrider donation through Facebook and other social media platforms as well as through his friends and family and the Pacifica Synod newsletter.
But it’s all for a good cause. Nagler urged people to find their unique way to meditate through sport. “I encourage people to think about doing something that allows them to reflect on the genuine goodness of their lives,” he concluded. “Think about someone you love, and about who’s been with you on your journey.”
