Landlocked Arkansan Newbie

[Denette]

I've never been athletic. I've never cared for the competition of most sports, or been particularly fond of relying on teammates.

Surfing meanwhile - man, it's the only sport I've ever tried and felt right about. It's perfect for me.

Well, at least I feel like it is - I've only surfed twice before, both times on vacation in Encinitas in the summer of 2016. Being a native Arkansan, I almost never get a chance to surf. I was self-conscious about ever even trying - I felt foolish. But I tried anyway, and I loved it. I took a lesson and managed to get up on my own a few times before our trip was over. I lament that I waited until the trip was nearly over to even try, because it was just awesome.

But this summer I get to go back. My wife and I are going to Encinitas again, and this time I've got a board rented for the whole week. We have a car with a roof rack rented, I've got a 9' foam board rented, and I'm going to get back out there. I'm so pumped.

Any tips on staying safe, ways to be a respectful learner, or good beginner surf spots in or near Encinitas would be very appreciated.

[dtc]

1. Get surf fit (to the extent you can). This means mostly swimming, some flexibility work. Swim fit helps safety as well

2. Learn/refresh the surfing rules of etiquette

3. If you don’t already have this knowledge, study how to read a beach, the waves, rips etc. Google ‘Dr Rip’ as a start

4. Watch some videos - the ‘surf simply’ videos are excellent. They may not make complete sense at the moment/at your skill level, but it won’t take long until they are helping you out

5. Remember it’s a long road; don’t get frustrated. My mantra is ‘optimism (you will get better), persistence (you will keep trying) and enjoyment (it’s always fun)’

Sorry, can’t help you with specific locations or local knowledge