Chasing Waves with UF’s Unlitter Crew

On April 11th, 2026, we collaborated with UF’s Unlitter club to get a group of 13 students to Florida’s St. Augustine Beach for a Learn2Surf day. Unlitter is a student-run organization at UF dedicated to environmental change, sustainable habits, and community improvement. The name Unlitter comes from the philosophy to inspire and empower students to “unlitter” their daily routines, habits, and minds. Our Learn2Surf excursion was an excellent way for club members to get outside, practice a new skill, and expand their daily routines. The majority of the group members had never surfed, making it a perfect outdoor recreational activity for the club.

We met at our school’s gear outfitter on Saturday morning and loaded up our cars with surfboards rented out by the ambassadors. We then caravanned to Frank Butler Beach, next to St. Augustine, and started the day with a beginner surf lesson. After learning proper pop-up form and how to read the waves, the crew hit the water. Although the waves were a bit choppy, everyone got some solid practice on the waves, and by the end of the day, everyone had caught at least 1 good wave.

After 3 hours on the waves, we ended our day with an optional beach cleanup before heading back to Gainesville. Everyone walked away with a new skill under their belt, a sun-kissed face, and at least 1 new connection made with another club member they didn’t know before. Overall, everyone seemed to really enjoy surfing and appreciate the opportunity to join us for this adventure. Thank you, National Park Trust!