Looks like we’re off to south-east Oz in Jan to see wifes friend. I’ve always told myself that when the right opportunuity arose i would learn to surf, and I dont suppose its ever going to get much ‘righter’. I can see me having a couple of lessons to learn the basics, but want to know as much theory to the technique, ettiquette, and board types, etc. before I go. So, tell me what you know. Cheers

It’s all about the pop.

My mate does it & reckons it’s all about balance,by all accounts a plank of wood on a 6″ tube(bit of old soil pipe,probably best if it’s not use a used one)will work wonders…….

Learn the code

Learn out there wearing board shorts, or lessons here in a 5mm full wetsuit, hmmm…

in my younger days took a 4 week surfari up the east coast of Australia, great place. the three bits of advice i can give
1- the surf is really powerful, so if you not confident stick the the life guarded beaches
2- dont get hung up on the surfing, there’s a lots of other stuff to do
3- If you get the chance to surf with Dolphins, do it, its great. BUT if they leave get out of the water. I didn’t and came very close to having and intimate encounter with a Great White 😯

The fashion for ‘localism’ and ‘respect’ on the water has completely ruined surfing in many locations.

Cheers guys.

Ben – Did you take a boat or do it ‘properly’. Usefull link – Dont want to go upsetting people.

Elz – Really ? Is it that bad ? Are you talking UK or everywhere ?

Lots of surfers round here, the most important rule seems to be, under no circumstances buy a round of drinks ever.

Boards – choose something a bit larger than you see guys using in the water. Boards for conditions you will be training in, so an 8.6” will be useless in 3ft slop @12Secs’ what you’ll need as a minimum is a board of at least 9.5-10Ft and 28-36” wide, something with loads of float, something with a bit of a pin tail that will allow neat turns and not drag but not too pinned that it’ll dig and sink, so something with float.
A Mini Mal or Mal will be perfect.
Conditions – you’ll need at least 2ft, better off with 3ft with either cross-on or cross-off to enable a decent enough face of the wave, don’t get too hung up if this isn’t possible, but it will help you if the waves a decent shape.
Clothing – if in the UK I’d suggest 3mm body & 2mm arms as minimum, better if it’s a 5-3 as you’ll be hanging around in the water for quite some time.
Lessons – far better off going to a school where the teachers are surfers (rather than your mates helping out) It’ll cost a bit more but the technique formed in the early stages stays with you for life, you just build on it.
Where – where are you and where would you like to try it? South Wales is excellent do a search, West Wittering has great conditions most of the time and a decent school, so too East Witterings. There are so many schools in Cornwall I’m not going to list, so good, some bad, suggest steering away from Newquay if you can.
Technique – Pop and Jump, balance will come but you’ll need to perfect the pop and the jump to enable quick stand and posture.
Swimming – can you swim? Suggest you perfect strong arm crawl and spend some time really pulling hard to build muscles, you don’t want to be left behind when that wave comes along.
Patience – you’ll need a lot of this.

Basic paddling and positioning yourself is overlooked.

Learn how to paddle out and position yourself correctly (surfing is 95% paddling about 5% riding waves). Every spot will have its own quirks and currents. The route through the breaking waves and the timing are important to understand, as is the spot beyond the breaking waves where you chose to line up.

All these things take years of experience to get and it pays to watch how the better surfers do it. In small waves it has less impact but it is a habit you need to get into – trying to read the currents and the way the waves break and where you need to position yourself to think about riding one. You can learn a lot by just watching good surfers paddling out in big waves.

Marcus, both actually.
Ozzie’s aren’t used to seeing kayakers so got away with a lot – you’ll struggle to hire a boat out there and it’s definitely not worth taking one with you. Also hired a long and short board, all was good though the rips can be a PITA tho…

Only had one ‘point break’ moment on a ‘locals only’ beach. Just remember you’re on Holiday so you can surf whenever you like, the local generally surf out of work hours and lunch times.

Where are you going? Australia is a BIG place. I think I’ve still got all the maps with all the spots we visited if you want a copy?

Ben – Emma’s friend lives in Melbourne. Staying there for a couple of days and then probably heading eastwards in a camper for a month or so. Maps would be ccol.

What jambo said. Practice by lying on the floor and getting to your feet in a boxing/skating stance (approx 90 degrees to how you’ve been laid) in one smooth fluid movement, no hesitating on one knee. If you’re right footed then that will be your back foot. Oh and get down the pool to build up your swimming stamina.

The fashion for ‘localism’ and ‘respect’ on the water has completely ruined surfing in many locations.

i’d argue that its the lack of respect for locals that is the problem.

If you’re right footed then that will be your back foot

Wrong !

If you’re right footed then that will be your back foot
Wrong !

Errr…no.

The actual surfing bit is fun, but it doesn’t last long and the rest of the time you need to be quite fit, fit enough to paddle out through the break, fit enough to hold your breath for what can seem like ages as you go through the rinse cycle and fit enough to paddle fast enough to catch the ride, which is all about timing.

So right now? get down the swimming baths and pile in a few lengths, test yourself under water oh and upside down, do a few underwater somersaults to simulate what the waves do to you, if you can find a couple of mates to beat you up whilst your down there you’ll get the picture..

As i said, surfing is quite fun, the rest of it can be tedious and very energetic, get as fit as you can.

Sorry, but theres plenty of right footed goofy riders.

Sorry, but theres plenty of right footed goofy riders.

Well they’re wrong 😉

As i said, surfing is quite fun, the rest of it can be tedious

thats like saying cycling on the flat and downhill is ok, but the hills bit!

Thanks all. I think my smim fitness definately needs improving after last nights efforts.

i’d argue that its the lack of respect for locals that is the problem.

Sums up the problem exactly.. This localism business has put so many off surfing. Why should you be shown some sort of respect just because you live closer to the spot than someone else?

Things have gotten crazy with punch ups, slashed tyres and dog shite pushed under car door handles etc. All because the locals are under some delusional view that they own the spot.

Pathetic. A stain on an otherwise great pastime.

Practise pop-ups and press-ups.

Swimming – swim using a leg float or a drag devise of some description.

Most importantly learn how to duck-dive or eskimo roll if you’re on a longboard.

Agree with elzorillo about localism.

Surfing in South Wales was always tricky when you were from the Valleys. Some breaks were utter no go zones, Aberafan being the worst. Great wave but you were literaly taking your life in your hands surfing there if you weren’t from Sandfields. Ogmore could get bumpy. Langland or Gangland as it is known is rammed with morons who try to intimidate you.

Localism,

Never encountered it.

KBay near Poole is excellent and encourages folks.
So too Bantham near Salcombe.

But then I do have a paddleboard, complete with paddle..
Maybe thats why I don’t get hassled.

If you really want to piss off the locals, get yourself a stand up paddle board and catch the wave before it gets to the line up..

If you’re right footed then that will be your back foot

Wrong !

As a broad generalisation, I’d agree that your “kicking foot” would be your back foot. But it’s not quite as clear-cut as that.

I think something like 20% of the population are left-handed/left-footed and more like 40% of surfers/snowboarders/skaters are goofy.

People agonise over it for ages, especially in snowboarding (where you’re tied-down and can’t change easily), but it’s best just to pick one and get on with it – really doesn’t make that much difference!

The actual surfing bit is fun, but it doesn’t last long and the rest of the time you need to be quite fit, fit enough to paddle out through the break, fit enough to hold your breath for what can seem like ages as you go through the rinse cycle and fit enough to paddle fast enough to catch the ride, which is all about timing.

I would agree with this – times I’ve tried surfing, I was pretty fit, and am a pretty strong swimmer, but it absolutely broke me after just 3 hours of it. Not sure what it is, I can swim underwater for ages, paddle a kayak okay, swim crawl quite well, but the whole thing just does something to your upper body that swimming doesn’t do.