Soul Surfer

In this chapter, Hamilton immediately places the reader in the moment shark attack, insisting that there was nothing out of the ordinary about that morning. She writes, “It came, literally, out of the blue. I had no warning at all; not even the slightest hint of danger on the horizon” (3). While that morning begins like hundreds of others, however, it ends with a 15-foot tiger shark biting off Hamilton’s left arm.

Hamilton leads the reader through the events of her morning. She introduces the members of her family, describes her bedroom and favorite objects in it, and describes the bathing suit she put on, which matched her surfboard. Hamilton recounts the drive she and her mother took to find the best surfing spot that morning, including descriptions of the banged-up family car, the Christian worship music they listened to, the beauty of the landscape, and the surf spots along the way: “In the darkness we passed lots and lots of surf spots: the Bay, the Bowl, Pavilions, Pine Trees, Middles, Chicken Wings, Wai Koko” (11). Bethany and her mother start out at Pauaeaka, but the waves are disappointing, so Bethany suggests to her mother that they check out a place called Tunnels Beach. As the two stand on Tunnels Beach assessing the poor surf conditions, Hamilton’s best friend, Alana, arrives, along with Alana’s father and brother. Bethany decides to stay: “Even though the wave conditions were crummy, everything else was working: it was sunny, the water was warm, and my friends were here to hang with” (15). Less than a half hour later, a shark will change her life forever.

The story goes back in time to the childhoods of Hamilton’s parents. Her father, Tom, grew up in New Jersey. Tom always liked to swim, but one day, fate changed Tom’s life. Hamilton writes, “One day, my grandpa, ‘Dr. George,’ brought home a surfboard for my dad. [...] One try and Dad was hooked” (22). Bethany’s father loves surfing so much that he seeks out people with the same passion, even on a Naval ship during the Vietnam War. One of those people is a man from Hawaii who invites Tom Hamilton to visit him at home in Hawaii. Tom does and immediately falls in love with Hawaii. He returns to California to attend college, but, as Hamilton writes, “[H]e was consumed with getting back to Hawaii” (24). Tom Hamilton soon drops out of school and books a one-way ticket to Hawaii, ending up on the island of Kauai, where he works as a waiter and surfs every day.

Bethany’s mother, Cheri Lynch Hamilton, grew up in California. At the age of 12, she tried surfing for the first time and was immediately hooked. Hamilton explains, “Surfing is an addiction, a pleasure rush indescribable to anyone who has not experienced it. And when it grabs you, it won’t let go” (27). She, too, moved to Kauai, where she met and married Bethany’s father. The two have three children, who, Hamilton writes, were “quickly introduced to the sport that both their parents loved. There was, after all, saltwater in the bloodline” (31).

Given the love that both of Bethany Hamilton’s parents had for surfing, it was no wonder that Bethany grew up loving the sport. However, she says, it is her two older brothers who get the credit for making Bethany a serious competitive athlete: “After all, when you’re the youngest of three kids and the only girl, you kind of have to learn to hold your own” (35).

Hamilton’s older brothers, Timmy and Noah, along with her parents, form her immediate community. They are supportive and encouraging and remind each other that part of competing is losing. Hamilton quotes her father as teaching them that “No matter how good you are, sooner or later you or your team is going to lose. [...] It’s over; move on. Tomorrow’s another day” (39).

Bethany Hamilton also has a strong community among other surfers, even at competitions. As she explains it, “These contests, while competitive in the water, are actually fun, happy events where winning is secondary to enjoying the surf, the beach, and all the companionship” (43). Hamilton is thrilled that more and more girls are taking up surfing, and she invites her readers into the surf community by sharing a list of her favorite surfing spots. She then shares her pre-competition routine, which involves prayer: “I don’t know what other girls do before they go out in a heat, but for me the routine is pretty simple: I pray” (48).