An A to Z of surfing advice
An A to Z of surfing advice
I spent five years surfing the south-west coast of France. Want to have fun surfing? I have a few tips for you. From A to Z.
Aloha is Hawaiian for hello, welcome, goodbye, affection, love, compassion, mercy.
You don't need the latest pro model to have fun surfing. I had more fun with a cheap foam top surfboard than an expensive shortboard. To save money, try to buy second hand boards.
If you can cycle to the beach, do it! It's a great way to warm up your legs. You'll be surfing at your best from the first wave.
Don't wait for the whitewater to catch you, paddle fast towards it to make your duck dive easier.
Don't wait until you're exhausted to get out of the water. Better to reach the shore when you still have the energy to paddle than to be caught in the current with noodle arms!
These are ridiculously expensive for what they are: just pieces of plastic. If you know someone with a 3D printer, they can help you save money.
The kids who surf. They're really young and already surf better than you. But surfing is not a competition. The best surfer is the one who has the most fun.
Keep your head still and face forward when paddling. This will stop your board pitching, which will ruin your paddling efficiency. And don't let your feet drag into the water as they will slow you down. Link them together like a cliff diver.
Thank them for making wetsuits, but hate them for ruining the spirit of surfing. "Surf is life!" is a marketing invention. Surfing is great, but there are plenty of other things to enjoy. And you definitely don't need surfwear. It's super expensive and won't make you any cooler than you are.
I know. There are no waves there. But a lot of other places have not been surfed yet. The search for new waves is still on!
Don't wrap your leash around the tail of your board. It's made of a memory material that will tangle around your feet the next time you go surfing and you'll miss waves.
The wind is often offshore early in the morning. It's the best time to catch waves before the wind changes direction. And early in the day there are often fewer surfers in the water, which means more waves for you!
Leave the wave if someone is in front of you! Nobody wants to get stabbed by your surfboard fins. And a collision between two surfboards is a recipe for expensive repairs.
Never ride a wave when someone else is riding it! IT'S THE LAW! It's against the spirit of surfing and will get you in trouble.
Never let go of your board to dive under the wave when people are paddling behind you! The wave will push your board right into their faces.
When the waves are bigger than a standing person. Accept your limits before the ocean reminds you of them in an unpleasant way. If it's too big for you, it's too big. And don't follow the daredevil who says: "It's not that big!
The surfer who is closest to the whitewater has priority to take the wave. Again, IT'S THE LAW!
A versatile surfboard will make you happy. Having too many boards creates anxiety: what if you choose the wrong one for the session?
A rip current is a strong, narrow stream of water moving directly away from the shore. It forms in areas where water that has been pushed towards the beach flows back into the ocean through channels. Rip currents can be dangerous for swimmers and surfers, as they can quickly pull individuals away from the shore.
How to escape a rip current?
Stay Calm and Conserve Energy: If caught in a rip current, the first step is to remain calm. Panicking leads to exhaustion.
Do Not Fight the Current: Avoid trying to swim directly back to shore against the current. This can quickly lead to fatigue.
Swim Parallel to the Shore: To escape the current, swim parallel to the shoreline. Rip currents are usually narrow, so swimming out of them is feasible.
Signal for Help and Float: If you can't break free, float to conserve energy and wave your arms to signal for help while waiting for assistance.
The more flexible you are, the better you surf. Relaxation is important when surfing. Don't force manoeuvres. Yoga will make you a better surfer. Yoga is a very effective way to stretch your muscles, cool down and improve your balance.
Don't grab the board, put your hands flat on the deck. Put your back foot on the deck first, then your front foot. Then get up with your head first, not your hips. Once you're on a wave, you don't have time to learn how to do a take-off properly. That's why you need to practice it on the ground a lot until it becomes a reflex action.
Don't ruin what you came here to enjoy. The ocean is fragile, and surfboards and wetsuits are made from very polluting materials. Buy second-hand surfboards and wetsuits whenever possible. The environment and your wallet will thank you. Eco-friendly surfboards and wetsuits are available if you can afford them.
The late triple world surfing champion Andy Irons said: "I tried to change my surfing, which is the absolute worst thing you can do. Everybody surfs their own way. If I try to surf like someone else I look like a dork.".
Rinse your wetsuit in clear water as soon as possible after your session. Hang it by the waist on the horizontal bar of a coat hanger. Never leave it to dry in the sun. All these tips will prolong the life of your wetsuit.
If you have difficulty putting your wetsuit on, put each foot in a plastic bag before getting into the wetsuit. You can do the same with your hands.
Most of the time you can do one more manoeuvre before exiting a wave. There is always room for fun!
If there's one activity I'd recommend out of the water, it's yoga. It makes you more flexible and relaxed. Many professional surfers use yoga to improve their surfing and prevent injuries.
If you're new to a surf spot, watch the best surfers in the water and notice where they wait for waves, where they get in and out of the water, and which way they go to get back to the lineup after catching a wave. Better still, ask the local surfers on the beach. They'll explain the dynamics of the spot, its possibilities, its dangers and what to expect when the tide changes.