Surfing: How to get started!

I have been practicing (and practicing and practicing some more!) surfing in an attempt to learn as much as possible in the two and a half months that my husband and I are in a surf town that has consistent waves, good weather, and a good, safe beach. I have been surfing at Ngaranui beach, near Raglan, New Zealand. The surf beaches at Raglan are well known for their consistently good waves, including the famous 'left hand break'. Don't expect to be riding these waves for awhile if you are a beginner though!

Having a surf coach has made a huge difference in our initial development as surfers. If you are in Raglan, I would highly recommend Steve at Surf Safe. He is very professional and thorough. He is catching small mistakes and correcting them before they become habits, even if it is as simple as moving my foot two centimeters further right on the board when I am standing up. He also has a good eye for judging waves that only comes with experience, which means I am able to catch more waves and get more practice with his help. While it is technically possible to just rent a board and learn on your own, if you can afford lessons, I highly recommend doing so. You will learn not only surfing skills, but also safety and surfing etiquette.

Without further ado, I present you with: How to Surf. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or comment on the post and I'll do my best to help you.

Equipment

Realistically, to go surfing, you need a surfboard and yourself. However, to make it safer, more fun, and more enjoyable, there is some additional equipment that you might want to consider taking with you.

Surfboard

Soft top, hard top, foam, fiberglass, and a variety of lengths from 10 feet to 5 feet. So what board to choose? As a beginner, the wider the better. A soft top foam board also offers more buoyancy and is a little bit more forgiving if it happens to hit you in the back of the head after you fall off. Repeatedly. Once you have mastered the largest, widest board that you can lay your hands on, slowly start progressing down in both width and length. The shorter a board is, the easier it will be to turn.

Wetsuit

In cold waters this is practically a must for surfing for any length of time. However, one should be worn even in warm waters if possible. In addition to warmth, a wetsuit protects your body from scrapes on the sand, provides extra flotation, and protects you from marine animals such as jellyfish.

Leash

A leash will ensure that, when you fall off of your surfboard, the board will stay near you instead of careening off. This protects not only you, but also those who are around you.

Sunscreen

Surfing takes place at the beach and on the water, where the sun and sand act as lenses to reflect the UV rays of the sun. This can make the sun more intense, resulting in you getting a sunburn more quickly. To make sure that you can surf for many days instead of enjoying one day and then hiding from the sun for the next four, apply sunscreen to anywhere that is not covered by your wetsuit.

Hat

For particularly sunny days or locations like New Zealand where the sun is harsh, it can be worth investing in either a surf hat or a floating tilley hat. These both feature straps around the chin that make them difficult to lose in even the hardest falls.

SNACKS

Surfing is hungry (and thirsty!) work. Make sure you bring along some water and a few healthy snacks for your day on the surf! If you are surfing a lot or just learning you will probably find yourself eating more than usual.

My husband and I surfing

When to go

Safety is key! 

Always make sure that someone knows where you are going and when you will return. 

Don't surf alone! Especially when you are just learning. Take someone with you for at least a few months, if not a few years. A surfing buddy makes things more fun anyways!

Alright, now that I am done with the warnings, there is some other information that is useful for knowing when to go surfing. 

Tides

The most dangerous time at any beach to swim is within three hours of low tide. The best surfing at any given beach is generally in the three hours leading up to high tide. Tide charts for your preferred beach can be found in a local Farmer's Almanac or by a simple internet search. If in doubt, ask a local! If it is a popular surf beach, then most people nearby will likely have an idea of where to find tide information.

Weather

Weather will affect the surfing at any given beach just as much as the tides. In order to assess whether it is a good day to surf or not, it is helpful to look at weather forecasts and, if available, surf reports for your chosen beach. 

An example of a surf report is shown here. It is much more detailed than most. Ideally, one would aim for a minimum 10 second period (the amount of time between waves) and approximately 2-3 foot waves for learning. A shorter period makes it difficult to catch a wave properly as the surfer is being constantly pounded. Taller waves might seem tempting, but they can result in an inexperienced surfer simply nosediving into the sand (unfortunately, I learned this the hard way!).

Example Surf Report via Magic Seaweed

Wind

Onshore winds will push the waves in, making them slightly bigger and choppier. While it is quite possible to surf with an onshore wind, the waves aren't as nice. 

Offshore winds will push against the waves, holding them up as they break and making them easier and better to surf.

Strong winds should be avoided if at all possible.

On the beach

Warm up

Surfing is a sport and, like all sports, it is important to do a proper warm up prior to starting to avoid injury! Don't worry about looking silly; it is much better to possibly look a bit silly than end up with an injury that keeps you from surfing!

You might have a favourite warm up from previous sports experience, but if not, here's a basic one. 

1. Begin by jogging away from your surfboard for approximately 30-45 seconds. Stop and jog backwards for about half the distance back to your board. Turn around and for the remaining distance jog forwards while alternating kicking your heels up to your glutes and bringing your knees up high.
2. Roll your head, stretching the neck in all directions. Bring the ear to one shoulder, then the other. Bring the chin to the chest, then tilt the head back.
3. Roll the shoulders, then move the arms forwards in small circles, slowly increasing the circle size. Repeat moving the arms backwards in circles.
4. Stretch your sides by standing straight, then reaching one arm over your head and sliding your other arm down your side towards your knees. Repeat on the other side.
5. Stretch your hamstrings by putting one leg forwards slightly, then pulling the toes upwards as you bend forward to touch the toe of the outstretched foot.
6. Standing on one leg, roll your ankle in all directions. Repeat with the other leg. Walk on tiptoe for 10 paces, then walk on your heels for another 10.
7. Twist at your hips, warming up the back.

If in doubt, it is possible to ask at any nearby gym for them to show you a basic warm up routine. There might be a small fee. Youtube can also be a good option if you haven't done a warm up before.

Practice on the Sand

It is a great idea to practice standing up on your board and getting a feel for it while it is on solid ground. If you can form the muscle memory and some of the balance prior to taking your board out on the water, your body will generally do as you trained it to, allowing you a better ability to focus on staying on the board itself.

There are several different methods (14, I think) to go from laying on the board to standing on the board. It might take some experimentation to find one that works best for you, so don't get discouraged! I was getting a little bit frustrated that my husband was progressing a lot faster than I was. I was then shown a different method for standing up that suited me better and made tonnes of progress in just one session on the waves. DON'T GIVE UP!

Begin by determining if you are natural or goofy footed. The easiest way is to have a friend gently shove you from behind when you aren't expecting it. If your right foot comes forward on instinct, you are a goofy foot; if it is the left foot, then you are a natural foot. This is the foot that you will want at the front when you stand up on the board and what we will call your 'lead leg'.

Standing Pop Up

This method is great for those who have pretty good balance and good upper body strength.

1. Begin with lying on the board, facing the shore (when you are on the water), with your toes at the back edge of the board. Notice the chicken wing position of the arms, hands positioned below the armpits and gripping the rails of the board. This is a good position for simply riding waves into shore while lying down and is the starting position. 

Lying down, Chicken Wing

2. Assume you have paddled hard to catch the wave and you feel it beginning to lift you (we will get to this in the water). Plant your hands firmly in the chicken wing position on top of the board. Push yourself up, bringing your back foot (or trailing leg) to the middle of the board approximately where your knee was.

Back Foot Up

 3. This is where the upper body strength comes into play. Simultaneously push up hard with your hands, swinging your leading leg to the centre of the board between where your hands just vacated. This will bring you into a standing position. At the same time, plant your back foot.

Stand up

Stand up! Great! Now stay on the board. The easiest way to do this is to make sure that your knees are bent, your hips are forward, and your front arm is pointing where you want to go. Also look where you want to go, not at your friends, the board, or the water. Looking at the water will generally result in you falling in the water (again, from experience). The back arm should be slightly bent and pointing out to the side. This allows you to adjust your balance; think a tightrope walker with their arms outstretched.

Practice a multiple times on the beach (or in your living room or on the bed). The more routine this feels, the more natural it will happen when you are on the water.

Kneeling Stand Up

This method is great while learning as it allows you to break things down a bit more. It is also good for those with less upper body strength.

1. The start position is the same with all stand up methods. Start with your toes at the back of the board and your hands planted firmly on the board in the 'chicken wing' position. 

2. Push up on the board, bringing your the knee of your trailing leg forward. Your toes should be approximately in the centre of the board, located about where your knee had been. 

3. Bring your leading leg forward, positioning it between your hands. YOUR HANDS SHOULD BE ON THE BOARD STILL. Lifting your hands off will result in increased instability and make it much more likely for you to take an unexpected swim instead of standing up.

4. Stand up! Keep the knees bent and the body pointed forwards. Same as before, front hand should be pointing where you are going, which is also where you should be looking.

In the water

Once you have practiced your stand up method of choice until you could do it in your sleep, it's time to get wet! Again, safety first. Look at the beach. Assess hazards, such as rocks or dangerous currents. If at all possible, ask a local since you might not be able to see those rocks that are visible at low tide and are lurking just below the surface at high tide. If it is a lifeguard patrolled beach, make sure that you stay out of the swim area.

For the first few times out, you will be riding whitewash waves. These are the waves that have already broken and are great for beginners. Until you are comfortable riding these in to shore and are getting a good long ride off of them consistently, leave the green unbroken waves alone. Trust me, you aren't ready for them yet!

Controlling the board

It is important to know how to control your board in the water. Be aggressive. Point the board nose first into the waves, place a hand on the back of the board and one in the middle of the board. Push down slightly on the back to lift the nose over the wave and use the hand in the middle to keep the board from spinning out of control. To begin, you should be in water no more than shoulder deep.

When you need to turn your board, after you have fallen off, for example, always turn so that your back is to the waves. This will prevent the board from hitting you in the face while you are turning it if a wave catches you off guard.

Rip Currents

Rip currents sound dangerous and they definitely can be, especially if you are unprepared. 

Life Saving Victoria has some good information about how to identify and escape a rip current.

Survive a rip
via Life Saving Victoria

Generally, if there is an area of the beach where it is calm, with waves breaking on either side, then this is likely where a rip current is flowing. These tend to be strongest at low tide, which is part of why low tide is considered to be the most dangerous time to be in the water. 

Rip currents can also be beneficial while surfing as they tend not to extend far from the beach. They can be used to get 'out the back' past the breaking waves, allowing more advanced surfers to catch green waves without getting pounded by the whitewash. 

On the board

Practice on the board is very similar to what has been practiced on land. Watch the waves and spend some time observing other surfers if there are any nearby. Look for larger waves that will be breaking just before they reach you. This judgement takes some time to develop. Generally speaking, you want about a bus-length of space between you and the wave when you start preparing for it. This will allow you enough time to get yourself lying on the board, pointing the right direction, and paddle enough to gain momentum, allowing you to catch the wave. 

Once you have spotted your wave, turn your board towards shore, perpendicular to the wave, and jump on. Position yourself as you practiced, with your toes at the back edge of the board. 

Remember all those lengths of front crawl that you did in swim lessons? Time to put them to use! Paddle in a smooth, circular motion, reaching as far as you are able to and cupping the water with your hand. Strong, smooth strokes are your best bet. Paddle hard to gain momentum before the wave reaches you. 

When you feel the wave starting to lift the back of your board, paddle four hard, strong strokes to make sure that you are riding the wave. Then plant your hands in the 'chicken wing' position. 

The first few times you catch a wave, it can be a good idea to simply lay on the board, getting a feel for it. Gripping the rails (the sides of the surfboard) and leaning slightly to one side or the other will allow you to turn the board from the prone position. This can be a useful skill to practice, especially at a busy beach! Getting yourself aimed away from other surfers or swimmers before you attempt to stand up is a very good idea. 

When you are ready to stand up, practice the stand up technique that you are familiar with from your work on the sand. 

Be prepared to inhale and swallow copious amounts of seawater! It will get up your nose and in your mouth and you will fall off. Don't get discouraged! 

When you fall off, bring your arms up. Put one hand on top of your head and one on the back of your neck. Squeeze your elbows together. Hold your breath and wait patiently until your head breaks the surface of the water. Especially if you are wearing a wetsuit, this shouldn't take longer than a few seconds. Positioning your hands in this manner when you fall accomplishes two things: it prevents the board from smacking you in the face and it protects your head and neck from the bottom of the ocean if you fell off in shallow water.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Like any new pursuit, you will fall, you will fail, and you will get back up and try again. With some practice...lots of practice...you will be surfing like a pro in no time!