Summer has finally hit the northern hemisphere and thoughts turn to planning an exciting summer holiday. Have you tried surfing yet? Surfing is something of an art form but beginners are always welcomed with open arms.
Beginners Checklist
• Suitable beach: A beach with the perfect level of waves is the first thing that is needed to learn surfing; the waves should not be too high and a location with mild waves is the best option for newbies.
• Check the latest surf reports. Now that you have found a suitable location, you need to make sure that the weather is suitable for surfing. The best waves typically occur when the wind direction is going offshore.
• Proper Surfboard: A beginner’s surfboard is the second basic requirement and it should have enough space to allow you to learn to balance on it properly. Wide, round, thick and soft should be the basic features to look out for and boards can be upgraded as soon as your surf skills progress.
• Proper clothing: Comfortable clothes are imperative as you’ll spend a fair amount of time in them. The choice between shorts or swimsuit or wetsuit depends on the temperature of the water that you’ll be practicing in. The aim is to feel comfortable and neither too hot nor too cold.
• Other accessories: Take along a leash to tether your surfboard to your person and a tub of wax is also handy to help you maintain traction.
Basic Tips for Begin Surfing
• Balancing: Practice balancing on your board, either on the sand or in your back garden, wherever. Just get used to the feel of the board under your feet. Marking a balance point on board will help you in future.
• Paddling: Next up you’re ready to try padding in shallow waters. Pick your spot and alternate your arms to maintain your pace.
• Sitting: This is the next step after learning to balance and paddle. Again in the same shallow waters, climb aboard and get a feel for the board beneath you.
• Standing: Practice moving from sitting to standing on your surfboard until you feel comfortable enough to do the move fluidly. Try firstly on dry ground then again in shallow waters.
Practice as much as you can to build your confidence and for extra guidance you can always hire a trainer. Take along a surf buddy to practice and learn with. Always keep calm and enjoy the experience and you’ll be a pro in no time! And if you’re looking for some inspiring surf hotspots across the globe, check these locations out;
• Old Man’s, San Onofre State Beach, California
• Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Outer Banks, North Carolina
• Les Cavaliers, Anglet, France
• Pavones, Costa Rica
• Surfers Point, Margaret River, Australia
• Restaurants, Tavarua Island, Fiji
• Surfrider Beach, Malibu, California
• Hanalei Point, Hanalei Bay, Kauai
• Banzai Pipeline, North Shore, Oahu
• Supertubes, Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa
