i know some of you surf and i was thinking about going on weeks trip to get the basics…weve got a nice beach locally so i could surf here after having learnt how to do it

does anyone have any recommendations/tips/trips youve been on that were good.

i thought about maybe morocco in october

get the biggest damn board you can still run with – carrying it under one arm.

(8ft mass-produced foam board, nice and floaty, wont hurt to much when it tries to kill you)

don't bother if the waves are too big or blown out, small days are good, even flat days are good for a beginner – get out, have a paddle, practise manouvering the board.

just accept that some (most) days the surf will be cack.

learn to swim crawl.

I know a girl who learned to surf in Morocco and is now completely hooked – Google Surf Maroc.
Or if you want UK, check out Pete Craske's Surf's Up school – he does full holidays too. Based Polzeath (where I grew up) and ideal for learning.

ahwiles – I don't think they make boards big enough for him LOL.

QUOTE: Surf-Mat – Member
Or if you want UK, check out Pete Craske's Surf's Up school – he does full holidays too. Based Polzeath (where I grew up) and ideal for learning. QUOTE.

+1

Sorted in Boscombe (Bournemouth) is a very good surf school (and shop) too…even if our reef doesn't really work!

rapture camps, agadir, morocco – ace, maybe not totally learner friendly though

see surf south west trips ( I did France), good hol, they do quite a few places

why not try UK, Croyde, Gower, etc – plenty of UK companies.
if I were you I'd try local – try some natives and hire a few times, learn a bit about wetsuits and boards and take it from there.

I've taught a few people to surf if you want to do it on the cheap (I get free hire boards in Polzeath)… Then you can spend the rest of the money on a nice place to stay!

But do check Polzeath – pretty safe beach that gets most swells. A couple of pubs, loads of posh totty and some good eateries.

nowt wrong with scarboro

Another vote for Gower. Campsite and surf school and Llangennith are great

dont go on magic seaweed forum as a newbie as there`s some real cocks on that forum who will just take the piss big time if you ask basic questions,find a surf school and do a lesson,worth the money spent and you can ask all the questions you need to there, have fun! 😮

Rather than going around the World, why not just learn on the beach down the road?

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coastkid – Member

dont go on magic seaweed forum as a newbie as there`s some real cocks on that forum who will just take the piss big time if you ask basic questions
Posted 9 minutes ago # Report-Post

Regrettably, in my experience that's a feature of all surf forums and a lot of snowboarding forums. By way of contrast, MTB forums are a veritable bowl of cherries in comparison!

I stopped using the MSW after certain brothers from Plymouth bullied the shit out of Mat on it. Didn't seem like a fun place to be anymore.

Chris, speak to Jonny, he is still in touch will all the guys down the east coast.

Sponging-Machine – Member

I stopped using the MSW after certain brothers from Plymouth bullied the shit out of Mat on it. Didn't seem like a fun place to be anymore.

It's **** ridiculous. I've seen blood feuds and undying vendettas over little more than disagreements over whether tail grip is worth having!

'Net threats' are so lame. Why do people want to create online enemies?

Polzeath is good but avoid the two weeks of public school invasion

I prefer Saunton/ Putsborough / Woolacombe of the N Devon beaches but would stay in Croyde

Scarborough/Saltburn can be good but can be crowded when the surf is good

I would however recommend going abroad, Morocco and Costa Rica are supposed to be learner friendly with consistent waves and above all warm!

Get fit before you go otherwise you will waste some of your time

What about Lagos in Portugal? You'll always find learning waves and there are plenty of surf schools there and some good riding to boot.

I prefer Saunton/ Putsborough / Woolacombe of the N Devon beaches but would stay in Croyde

School holidays are equally as mental here.

I'd not go somewhere warm to learn to surf – the shock and differences to surfing in the North Sea might kill you upon your return!

Save your money and learn somewhere in the UK – as close to home as possible. Then spend your money as an improver on a nice trip – you'll get so much more out of the travel etc with the basics tucked away first. You'll need a different wetsuit plus boots and gloves (and possibly hood if surfing winter)for Scottish surfing.

+1 for staying local.

For one thing, there's always the danger that you don't get on with surfing (weird, I know, but apparently there are some people out there who don't). Going abroad to discover this is an expensive and boring exercise.

Have a couple of lessons in the UK, then buy a swell board – you'll get back exactly what you paid when you come to sell it (which you'll want to once you're up and running). Then just get out and surf your local break as often as you can.

You can always go to Morocco or wherever once you're good enough to really make the most of it

I stopped using the MSW after certain brothers from Plymouth bullied the shit out of Mat on it. Didn't seem like a fun place to be anymore.

Did they?! They took the piss but no way "bullied" – I'm in regular contact with both now.

I just got sick of keyboard warrior kooks having a go non stop and then MSW started attracting mega spam and even porn. There's also a guy on there who is genuinely mentally ill – been "stalking" me for years and got really nasty. He's actually a crap surfer that's got a screw or three loose. Nope – not for me.

Met a fair few people from it and always got on well.

Crazy swell down here at the moment but the wind (enough to blow down trees last night) is pretty wild. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!!

Talking of "lessons" – had my second coaching session from Mike Young (head BSA coach, instructs Alan Stokes, etc) last Sunday – now that's someone that really can surf! Very interesting a few areas to improve on. Well worth doing, whatever level you're at.