Croyde here I come..

[peazz]

I looked at the reports saturday and got excited by the swell rolling in. Today will be a mellow 2 - 3 ft, but over the course of this coming week its going to increase by a fair bit into the 3-5ft range (while holding decent period).

Im out of shape but that wont stop me getting out there even if it does take me 40 mins! currently in a stop over hotel in tiverton, Will head off soon squeeze into my tight wetsuit and get paddling

Looking forward to catching some decent waves, last time I was down here it was freaking terrible, barely surfable - I still managed to catch waves longboarders couldnt

[BaNZ]

peazz, Cromer was brilliant today. Around waist to chest. You should've been there. I had trouble fitting my fin so I lost some surf time. But I had at least 1 hour of good surf. Ended up surfing for 4 hours, exhausted now. Locals was extremely friendly!

[peazz]

Haha why go to cromer when I have have 3ft walls in Devon ?

From looking at cromer it seems to be very much a longboard wave which is to bad for me, I have a compressed lower disc and while it may seem counter intuitive, I can only ride shortboards.

1 Mistake on a longboard for me and I can put out my back really bad however, since moving to a shortboard my back seems to be a lot better. I make sure everything above my stomach takes the brunt when I pop so might have something to do with it.

Im glad you enjoyed yourself thou bro, its picking up here tomorrow to 3 - 5 ft with it improving further into the week. Was out for 4 hours today must of caught about 20+ waves and its only going to get better tomorrow - not bad from being out of shape

[peazz]

So surf picked up big time today, easily 3 - 4ft with beautiful lefts (perfect with my goofy stance). Croyde really is an amazing beach break with several peaks, its easy to pick your spot - more so then Australia.

Caught so many waves once again, plenty of bottom turns but I cant nail getting back down the face - I kinda feel 'rigid' and to 'upright' when Im at the top of the wave, any suggestions?

Also when im going back side and try my bottom turns 2 things can happen.

1) I bog the rail. The rail tracks the face and I just wipe out from the momentum
2) I feel to rigid and nothing really happens...

Any ideas guys?

[oldmansurfer]

Hit the top of the wave with your legs bent, crouching down so you can push the tail or adjust. I try to learn several different top turns, for speed I just try to keep my head on the same level and move my body up and down the wave along with the board so as I hit the top my body is already leaning back down the wave. Try looking at surf videos of surfers doing the type of turns you want to do. Then try to create an image in your mind of yourself doing that. Stand on the floor in your surf stance and sort of dream surf just try to approximate the positions and picture in your mind you doing it. You can probably also do it while watching the video. It gives you some confidence when you try it for real so it isn't entirely foreign to you.

[peazz]

Cheers mate, I have actually been doing that with my backside bottom turns, back arm reaching down into the pocket etc, almost like a bob sleigher, you know you see them with their eyes close 'seeing' the route.

Keeping the low form makes sense, when im upright it all just feels to forced and 'rigid'. Fingers crossed my back holds up tonight and feels ok after a sleep and I can get back out there tomorrow before I go home Wednesday. swell should be picking up a bit in the 3 - 5ft range, so will have some extra power, height and ultimately speed to carry me through the turns.

Question - Could my quads me messing this up for me? From my knowledge, thrusters would be more suited for a top to bottom snappy style of surfing?

[oldmansurfer]

I am on a quad and have not gotten this maneuver down yet also so.....? It might be more difficult but not impossible, I most likely it is just a matter of learning to do it on a quad. It probably is different than a thruster but the pros do them with quads so I guess it is just a matter of learning. I am not getting a set of thrusters for my board yet to find out. I am still making progress learning stuff so I am happy with my board as it is. I figure if it is easier with a thruster then by the time I get it down with a quad doing on a thruster will be easy.

[oldmansurfer]

For me I have a single backside top turn I do which is entirely vertical and I hit the lip and straight back down. For me backside has come easier at first the bottom turn and off the lip was automatic since it was always an all or none feeling for me I just maxed out everything backside. When I try to do slower backside turns I have gotten hung up on the lip sometimes with the wave passing me by. But I don't surf backside much so not much practice and now I have my frontside bottom turn down and have a few frontside top turns getting there and my backside hasn't progressed.

[oldmansurfer]

Kelly Slater is surfing Cloudbreak Fiji backside on a quad and doing fine (just won his heat). That doesn't mean we will be as good as him but he is a smart guy and chooses his boards on which ones will give him an advantage.

[peazz]

Cheers dude, I went out today, it was considerably more powerful and ATLEAST overhead on some sets, First wave I paddled into was a decent size, done my backside bottom turn perfect and come up the face easier (due to power and speed) but it was not throwing a lip at mid tide so couldnt get the rotation through my hips.

Seems I need to swim more while im out of the water, get my fitness up and can see myself making some serious progression in bigger surf. I dropped in on bigger bombs then Australia and felt pretty confident doing so, I feel im at that advanced stage now which is not to bad for 13 months surfing

[surf patrol]

Sounds like the trip is working out well for you.

[peazz]

Yeah was a good trip SP, still no where near as powerful or scarey as OZ but thats not such a bad thing, they may of only been 5"5 - 6ft but still overhead to me as Im a short ass, was a real confidence booster dropping in on a huge set and bottom turning / off the top still need to perfect my late drop it and get my flexibility up but that will come when im in the water more

hope u are keeping well bud!