Kalistan

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Minor Princess Takes to the Waves
Mentored by Princess Margaret, Princess follows in brothers' Footsteps
Sunset Beach, Davon, Grand Duchy of Ananto
March 25, 5662


Minor Princess Nicolette interviewed at Sunset Beach in Davon this spring

An uncharacteristically mild and dry spring has brought the surfers to Kalistani beaches a month ahead of the normal start of the season. Usually, Ananto's west coast is still experiencing cold rains, but this year, most of the inclement weather patterns have confined themselves to the eastern part of the island, while beaches all along Davon and Luxon Counties have opened early.

According to Swell Magazine, Ananto surf culture's primary news periodical, one surfer caught hitting the beaches early this year was the 15 year old royal, Her Highness, Minor Princess Nicolette-Carolina Elizabeth Ananto-Collins, who joined the throngs of brave early surfers to take to the waves at Sunset Beach south of Kaliburg. The Minor Princess, interviewed by Swell and reprinted her, is in her fourth year of surfing and is being mentored by her Aunt, Princess Margaret Ananto-DeLaurentis, who herself remains an avid surfer, and has been all her life. In taking to the waves, the Minor Princess follows her brother, He Highness the Crown Prince Fredrick David Ananto-Collins, who was only prevented from competing in the Luxon Open this year due to his enlistment in the NSP.

"We got down here as soon as we could," said the Minor Princess. "I got lucky and could keep in practice over the winter down in Athosia, where my mother was in residence at Playa de la Paz. Aunt Meg came down and we went surfing together. She's really the best teacher you can imagine." When asked if the Minor Princess' mother, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto joined them in the water, the Minor Princess simply laughed. "My mother doesn't like being in the water. She is more of a wood spirit than a water one. She and Vicky... Lady Jensen, stayed on the pontoon and watched us."

The Minor Princess said she prefers surfing in Ananto to surfing in Baltusia. "Well, the sea is very peaceful in Baltusia. You almost have to wait for a storm to come in before there's waves that you can surf on. We do a lot of windboarding at Playa de la Paz." The Minor Princess said that the beach is not oriented in the correct way to bring a lot of big water into shore. "It the same issue they have when surfing in Yoshimi or, I don't know, like Vrassa. The ocean isn't going the right way compared to the shore, so either you have dead water which can't be surfed, or you have these monster waves which will kill you. Surfing around Sulari and Dana and definitely in Luxon and even up here is just way better because the geography is perfect."

The Minor Princess says she is exciting to start competing. "I know my brother started competing when he was 15, and I'll be 16 before I can compete in my first junior competition, but I'm totally looking forward to it, and I think maybe I'll even get to do Luxon Open before I go into the Service too." When asked if the Crown Prince is getting any surfing in, the Minor Princess said, "No, he's stuck in Bozo River. He told them he wanted to work near the water, so they put him on maritime infrastructure maintenance. He's doing beach erosion mitigation and jetty repair. I do think he will be able to get back this summer, and we'll get to surf together again. I think he will probably take leave in July so he can compete finally in the Luxon Open. But he won't see me then in the Sunset Open. Either way, we'll surf together sometime this summer."

Competitive surfing is rapidly becoming an Ananto family tradition. "Yeah, I hope someday I can mentor the younger generation like Aunt Meg is mentoring me," said the Minor Princess. "She really is like a duck to water. That lady can float like a cork, and she does things on a surfboard that amazes me, and everyone else. Of course she's been surfing since she was younger than me, and she stays super fit, and is out here with me every chance she gets. Someday I hope I am that good." Asked if the Princess intends to compete, Minor Princess Nicolette said "No, I think she has retired from competition. She wants to surf for her enjoyment, not to win anything. Plus, she's almost 50. The guys and girls out there now are in their 20s. She says she is happy to like vicariously through my brother and I. That's pretty cool."

The Minor Princess says she intends to spend as much time at Sunset as she can before school starts again in September. "I'll be out here every weekend until May, and then every day. My mom said I could stay with my Aunt this summer so I can keep surfing. I will also go visit my dad in Sulari and surf down there too. It's gonna be a regular Surfing Safari this summer!"

@LaModa