Catch a wave and get some health benefits

SWAMPSCOTT – Ocean House Surf Shop is pointing a new spotlight on the North Shore surf scene with the first “surf cam” in the area, and owner Timothy Oviatt is hoping the attention proves well for the store.The “surf cam,” added two weeks ago, is set up in the window of the Humphrey Street paddleboard and surf shop, capturing a live feed, which surfers can watch online, of the adjacent King?s Beach, stretching toward Nahant. After three years of operating Ocean House, Oviatt said he was disappointed to notice that New England surfers were traveling to Gloucester and Hampton Beach instead of choosing the swells in Lynn, Nahant and Swampscott.?We get surfers coming from Boston and Cambridge who say they has no idea there were waves here,” said Oviatt.Oviatt said while he?s not an advocate of ruining “secret surf spots,” King?s Beach and Long Beach remain sparsely attended even during the coastal storms that draw surfers to the shore. “Diehards come here because they don?t like the crowds (at other beaches),” he said. “We have 3 miles of beach here, with sometimes six surfers out. That?s pretty unheard of.”Prior to Ocean House?s addition, Hampton Beach?s popular surf shop Cinnamon Rainbows was the closest storefront featuring a “surf cam.”?Now with the web cam, people can find us online, and that puts us on the map,” said Oviatt.Oviatt said he was on the hunt for decent web camera for the store?s window for months, and finally the region?s tight-knit surfer community delivered when New England Cable News weather forecaster Tim Kelley, an avid surfer, found one to pass on to Oviatt, and even presented it to Oviatt in mini “weather forecast” skit on Ocean House?s website. (To watch the video go to Kelley?s website at http://surfskiweather.us/surfcast-11-13-14-new-surfcam-in-town) Now the camera will lend an extra spotlight to Swampscott when Kelley features the camera?s live feed of the coastline during storm coverage reports.The addition of the surf cam is just one element of Ocean House?s evolution. Former raw-food restaurant owner and Lynn native Amber O?Shea is partnering with Oviatt is to bring new life to the shop?s cafe with an all-organic menu, featuring farm-fresh eggs, gluten-and-dairy-free baked goods and even grass-fed, locally produced whipped cream topping the lattes.?We didn?t want to be like any other cafe around here,” said Oviatt about the staple pastry-and-bagel fare in other local shops. “We?re all about an active, healthy lifestyle.”In that vein, O?Shea plans to share her knowledge of meditation, Reiki and “earthing” (barefoot hiking) through a series of workshops. “We want this to be a place where people fuel their body, mind and spirit,” she said.With a focus on encouraging a sustainable lifestyle, O?Shea and Oviatt plan to feature lesser-known surfing and lifestyle brands as well as jewelry from local artists.The shop?s renovations have also been achieved through a barter system, with the pair trading boards, wet suits and accessories for services like carpentry work and even rugs from local businesses. O?Shea shared her plans for a chain-link fence to be upcycled into a display for sunglasses.Though the surf camera is up and streaming, the shop?s changes and cafe menu will be updated over the coming weeks as the pair observe the needs of the surfing and active-lifestyle community. To check up on coming additions and upgrades, including the organic menu, go to www.oceanhousesurf.com or the shop?s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OceanHouseSurf.Kait Taylor is a personal trainer and health and fitness writer. She can be reached at [email protected].