Surfing

Gear

• Board: Longboards offer more stability and are great for beginners. Pros usually favor shortboards which are faster and more agile. Avoid standing the board upright as it might get damaged when falling over. Instead, lie the board flat on the floor with the fins up.
• Surfwax: Improves the grip of your hands and feet on the board. Rub the wax onto the surfboard in diagonal perpendicular lines. Pay attention to the water temperature range the wax is intended for; otherwise, it might lose its stickiness or melt off.
• Wet suit: Keeps you warm in the water and protected from scratches. The thickness of the wet suit should be appropriate for the temperature of the water. The zipper usually goes in the back. I wear size XL.
• Sunscreen: Waterproof sun protection is essential when out on the water on sunny days. Cheeks, nose and back of the neck are most exposed.

Getting ready

1. Suit up and apply sunscreen.
2. Check if the surfboard needs a fresh coat of wax.
3. Warm up and stretch.
4. Attach the leash to the ankle of your back (weaker) foot. Ensure it’s tight and the leash points outward so it doesn’t tangle easily.

Heading out

Observe the waves and currents. Waves tend to roll straight to shore in the middle and push outwards on the sides. Mark a reference point on shore to tell if you’re being pushed to the side. Pay attention to other surfers. Head out to the side of the main channel, then move a bit sideways to join the lineup.

When walking into the surf, hold the board next to your body and perpendicular to the waves. Keep the nose pointed to the shore; this protects the fins, makes it easier to control the board, and is quicker to get on when catching a wave. Lift the tail of the board over oncoming waves. You don’t need to go out far. The whitewash is still powerful and easier to practice in for beginners.

Once comfortable in shallow water, try heading out further to catch bigger waves. When the water reaches your chest, turn the board around, lie flat on top, and paddle to move forward. When faced with taller waves, tip the nose of the board into the water, put your head down and dive under the wave.

Catching a wave

It takes some time and experience to recognize a good wave. Generally, avoid a wave closely followed by another one since it might break again on top of you and avoid the first wave after a lull since the water flowing back from the beach will shorten the lifetime of the wave.

Get ready by lying on the board with your legs and feet together, feet sticking out just past the tail of the board, and the nose pointing to shore. Look up and forward, then paddle, paddle, paddle. Once you feel the wave catching up and pushing the board, it’s time to stand up in 3 smooth movements:

1. Place your hands close to each other underneath your chest and push your upper body off the board. Continue looking up and forward.
2. Pull in your back foot and place it next to the knee of your other leg.
3. Push your torso away from the board and pop your front foot to where your hands were.

The feet should be in the middle and perpendicular to the board. Keep your knees bent, your center of gravity low, and your weight on your front foot. Twist your upper body to point to shore (or the direction you want to go in).

Logbook

• February 12-19, 2024, at La Cícer (Playa de Las Canteras) in Gran Canaria. 10 hours beginner’s surf course with Oceanside Surf School.

Links

Surfline