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Virginia Beach’s Betty Michels continues the empowerment of Salty Sisters surfing
Photo: Katelyn Macmillan

Virginia Beach’s Betty Michels continues the empowerment of Salty Sisters surfing

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Even when a sport is open to all genders, abilities and experience levels, it can be intimidating to join in when you feel like the odd man out — or woman in this case. Betty Michels grew up surfing with her brothers and their friends. It wasn’t a lack of ability that made her look past the break, but a longing for connection to other female surfers.

Photo: Katelyn Macmillan

“My older brothers were the ones in my family who knew how to surf and encouraged me in the water when I was first starting out,” recalled Michels. “As much as I loved being in the water with my guy friends, I wanted to get to know other female surfers. I knew there had to be lots of other women who felt the same way I did scattered around VB, and so I created Salty Sisters as a gathering place for connection and growth between women in the surf community.”

Salty Sisters doesn’t have a membership roster. There aren’t dues or even prerequisites. Well, perhaps one. Michels stated, “The most important thing to note is that there is nothing you have to ‘do’ to be a part of Salty Sisters besides just showing up with your board, excited to paddle out.”

The group is open to any age and skill level, although so far, the majority have been beginning surfers in their twenties. Depending on the weather and conditions, Michels typically posts weekly on Instagram the day before a scheduled paddle out, and about a dozen women show up. Recently, Salty Sisters held an event with about 30 attendees. “We called it ‘Girl Party,’ where we dressed up in fun outfits/costumes, had a photographer and ate donuts on the beach,” said Michels. “Tidewater Insurance Brokers was so kind to sponsor us by providing donuts as well as prizes for our costume winners. It was a really fun day and hopefully the first of many more to come.”

Photo: Katelyn Macmillan

Days that are fun on the water are easy for Michels to find. “Even when the forecast says ‘flat’ it’s nice to take a board out on the water. Although, I do love the adrenaline rush of catching a wave,” she said. “I love the surf community, and spend a lot of time surfing at the 1st street jetty. I always run into a friend or make a new one in the lineup.”

Michels especially enjoys surfing with other women and admits it’s not often you see a full line up of girls on the water. She said, “The presence of women in the water has been empowering; we all sort of cheer each other on. I’ve had multiple ladies say that they would paddle out all the time if there was always a group of girls in the water.” For the beginner surfers testing the waters, it has been much less intimidating. Michels chuckles when she sees the reaction from the male surfers. “The best is when I overhear other guys in the lineup say they’ve never seen so many girls out before.”

The whole surfing community has shown their support for Salty Sisters, and Michels hopes it will be an inviting sisterhood. “The hope is that Salty Sisters will be a place where women feel welcomed and encouraged, all with the collective goal of embracing our differences and sharing our love for the ocean,” she said. Their Instagram page slogan says it best: Connecting and empowering women in and out of the water while cultivating a love for surfing.” To quote big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, “We’re all equal before a wave.”

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