Surfing Waves

Hi - a friend and myself decided that we both want to learn how to surf this summer. I've gone once (and I was horrible!) and he's gone a couple times - and isn't quite as bad as myself. Anyways - I'd like to get my own equipment. So - what would you suggest? If it matters I'm just under 6 feet tall, I'm fairly athletic (I run about 3 times a week, go to the gym maybe 5 times a week, ski as much as I can during the winter, and play both golf and tennis whenever I get the chance). Oh and I'm in Oregon, and plan on staying there, if that matters at all.

So what kind of board should I get? Mostly I just want something that is easy to learn on at this point. Thanks!

a longboard. theyre easy to learn on and if youre not going to be surfing that much its not worth buying a shortboard. i learned on a shorboard and it took me a year of going atleast 3 times a week to get good at it, but now i can do cutbacks and everything, the only thing i cant do are aireals. you cant do cutbacks too well with long boards, but you can learn to stand on them 3 times as fast as you can with shortboards.

you arnt going to learn to surf in one summer. maybe to stand. it takes a long time and lots of practice. buy a longboard if youre just going seasonally.