Surfing Waves

Hi,
I just picked up a 9 foot epoxy longboard after taking some lessons, and at this point I am pretty comfortable riding the whitewash. I think it's about time to start surfing the bigger waves but I have a few questions... (I am surfing in Venice, CA by the way). So say I go out there in the lineup and decide to paddle for and catch a wave...how do you know where the water will break first, as in right or left? Basically, how do I know which way to make my first turn? And when should I start making that turn? or do I not need to turn at all? Any tips for transitioning from whitewash to bigger waves?

Hi Sigma, First and foremost spend some time looking at the break where you plan to go out, you will see what way the waves are breaking and this will tell you which way you want to go.
Do you know which foot you have in front when you are surfing the white water?
Right foot forward = goofyfoot, left foot forward = natural footed. if you are a goofy footer then you will initially be best served riding lefts so a natural will be best on rights. Make this choice first and try that.

This is where it gets confusing until you get out the back. You know what is a left and what is a right when you are facing back towards the beach.
Rights break toward the right, away from you and lefts do it towards the left.

Try making some turns in the white water first to see if you can turn, a good way to go is to find where white reforms and makes a little clean wave catch the white water, turn or angle towards where the wave reforms and see how you go if yo can get onto that.

The level you are at suggests that you need to pick somewhere where you won't be in traffic so you can just get everything together.

So go back to step one look at the break and see how it fits what you need to do, have a good read though this forum and get and surf and surf and surf til it becomes natural.

Sigma,
please don't try to surf beyond your ability. You may get hurt or worse.
billie

I'm new to surfing (started learning a few months ago), so I don't feel equipped to give advice, but I can tell you what I did. I actually didn't start on whitewater; instead I started on very small waves (probably 2 feet) that were really gentle. I was on a huge soft top board so I could catch them, though my first time out my friend pushed me. So you could try to find some really small waves and start on those, even if they look too small to surf. If necessary, you could get someone to push you so you can catch them. That would give you the experience of feeling the wave come up under you, which is different from how the whitewater pushes you.

Also, you don't have to turn -- you can go straight until it turns into whitewater. I did that for awhile until one day I somehow accidentally turned my board a little and found it was way more fun to ride across the wave! But, personally, I don't think there's any need to start with that right away.

I definitely agree with jaffa that it's important to spend time watching the waves, and also watching what the other surfers are doing. I like to watch for awhile before I get in the water, and then once I paddle out I spend additional time watching before I try going for a wave. That helps me get a sense of what's happening with the waves and ALSO what's happening with the surfers (for example, which ones are likely to catch the waves they go for, so I know not to bother trying if I see them going for one).

Another tactic I've used is to look for other beginners (soft tops help me spot them) and see how they are handling waves. If they are doing okay, I try to go near them and do what they're doing. If they're not really doing okay, I try to see if I can figure out why! But either way, if they're not getting pummeled by the waves, I take it as a sign that I'll be okay in them.

blueness wrote:I'm new to surfing (started learning a few months ago), so I don't feel equipped to give advice, but I can tell you what I did. .

Hey Blueness it's great to give advice especially as a new surfer, sometimes the older guys can forget what it's like to be in the beginning stages

Your tactic of watching other learners is a good tip, see both their mistakes and successes and their wave area.
Both of you keep on keeping on.