Surfing is so much more than just a sport. It’s a way of life for many. The lifestyle’s deep connection to nature can be profoundly therapeutic. There are no cell phones, emails, or distractions. It’s just you and the ocean. There’s also so much beauty linked to surfing that it inspires a great deal of art and culture. It wouldn’t be uncommon to catch your first wave only to then become totally and completely addicted to the feeling. If you can relate, or you’ve been constantly watching surf videos hoping to get out and experience it for yourself, then this article will be a nice guide to getting prepped for the waves!
If you’re new to surfing, there are a couple of things you might want to get the lowdown on before getting in the water. First, pick a good surf spot. As a beginner, you probably want to be learning on beach break. That way when you fall (and yes you will fall… a lot) you won’t have to worry about rocks or reefs. Also, the waves tend to be a bit softer. When you’re just starting, you’ll want to practice on a nice looooong board. Something 9 feet or more would be ideal, especially in summer waves. A longer board will give you the volume you need for stability and increase your chances of catching waves. The more waves you catch, the more you can practice! Just be sure to always have control of your board. If you’re riding a 9-foot board, you will also have a 9-foot leash attached. That also means you’ll have about an 18-foot radius where you could hit someone. Just be aware of who’s around you. In the early stages, you’ll probably want to practice in the whitewash. This will also increase the number of times you catch a wave, giving you more practice. Once you go out back to catch ‘blue waves’ or ‘unbroken waves’ you will want to be mindful of the fact that it’s only one person at a time on the wave. That’s why it’s called ‘the lineup’. So be sure to always do a shoulder check before popping up! Some things you’ll want to remember before heading in the water are to zinc up, hydrate, and always put your leash on at the water’s edge! It doesn’t look too cool when you’re walking down to the water tripping over a leash. Finally, you’ll want to brush up on water safety. Watch a video on longshore, and rip currents. They can be scary if you don’t know what to do, so empower yourself by learning more about how to handle them. Hope to see you out there! Yewww