My father taught me to surf in San Diego, and I spent summers in Montauk. By 2003, surf lessons were taking off on Long Island. The thing that really triggered my interest was seeing instructors profit while not teaching safety and respect for the ocean. I started by re-teaching some of those students for free. The first serious lessons I gave were in 2004, for three boys from Spain. I taught them every day for a month and got hooked. So I signed up with a local surf shop to get more students. The next summer I began teaching full-time. I ended up with so many lessons I couldn't do them all. Launching my Web site [coreyswave.com] and taking clients on trips was a natural next step. I've taken them to Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Florida, California, and Hawaii. I get people connected to the ocean and help them forget about their problems. I've found a way to make my passion support me.