Beginner's Guide To Surfing

Now that you have read the "Surfing" section and are in a position where you can get to the beach with your surfboard, you're ready to have a go at surfing Pipeline, the barrels of Kirra or huge Mavericks. (If you haven't read the Surfing section, get back there you 'orrible little grommet!). Well hold on there, maybe not quite yet. Before we go any further we should first check a couple of things.

The first thing to consider is how strong a swimmer you are, and how far you can swim. Paddling around in the sea is not the place to be if you are used to wearing a rubber ring to keep yourself afloat at the local swimming pool. As with all sports there is an element of risk, and the sea is much more unpredictable than a football pitch or tennis court. One thing to always keep in mind, even when you are a competent surfer, is that you should never paddle out farther than you can comfortably swim out to and back in without your surfboard. Your leg rope could break at any moment, and you may find yourself going from a nice paddle back to the beach to having a really long swim.

It goes without saying that if you are looking to take up surfing seriously, being physically fit is essential. A good surfer will make paddling, carving and wave riding look effortless, but the reality is that there is a lot of physical work involved in paddling around, getting up on your board and doing manoeuvres. (But lets not get ahead of ourselves!).

Additionally, safety should always be at the back of your mind. For example, you should never be surfing alone. You never know what might go wrong even on the smallest of waves, and it's good to have someone who can help you out should you get into trouble.

One final thing, like swimming you should never go surfing straight after a meal. Wait at least half an hour after eating before going for a surf. If you're up for a surf first thing in the morning you should wait until after for your breakfast. Well, if that hasn't put you off surfing, then let's get going with the "Things to Know" section.
Things To Know Before Surfing >>