Your surfing expertise, please...

[Lola Lola]

I'm doing some research and would love to have a mixed pool of ideas
from different surfers...particularly of interest: those who can
remember their beginner days like they were yesterday. If you can
answer any of these questions, you'd be a big help. All of them? You
f'ing rule.

1) What made you start surfing?
2) How old were you when you started?
3) How did you learn how to surf?
4) Did you ever surf with an instructor? If so, did you find it
helpful?
5) How far did/do you live from the ocean?
6) What challenges did you face when you first started getting out
there?
7) In the early days, what did your surf regimen consist of?
How did you get through the very tough beginners' stage of
surfing?
9) Describe your first harrowing experience out on the waves.
10) How often do you surf these days?
11) What was the most important break-through you remember making and
how long, would you say, did it take for that break-through to
happen.
12) Any advice you would give to beginners?

In the name of academic inquiry, thank you so much to all who respond.

[Broosta]

1) Not sure how (since I'd never really seen it before) but I always seemed fascinated by surfing and finally got a chance to try it when on a windsurfing course in Widemouth Bay, Cornwall when there was no wind for a few days but good waves.
2)15
3)Surf instructor for 2 days then just practice and watching other people and vids.
4)Yes but only literally for 2 days and then not full days. It was not really that helpfull, probs no better than a barely adequate mate showing you the very basics then just getting on with it yourself.
5)2 min walk from a rubbish North Sea surf beach.
6)Er dunno just the usual stuff really.
7/8)Can't remember it being anything other than all I wanted to be doing all the time and it did not seem tough at all.
9)After 1 year of not surfing much I got taken along on a trip to this really hollow lava reef break. It was 12 f ft! I was out there 2 hrs and caught 1 xxxxx wave and 1 ok wave but no bad wipe outs!
10)Dunno, not as much as I want, maybe works out at 1/week.
11)Honestly can't say there has been any sudden breakthroughs at all, its just been 1 long gradual process. I have not surfed in good waves for long enough periods of time to make giant leaps forward. But I feel that when I pull a proper 360 or start landing airs then that will be the biggest breakthrough - and the clocks still ticking on those moves, currently about 19 yrs!
12)Just enjoy yourselves, don't worry about what others might think. I think surfing is at least as much about the journey as it is about the destination.
Happy to help .

[kieran]

1)Mate asked me if i wanted to give it a go
2)23
3)Self taught
4)No
5)20 mins drive
6)Paddling out back in anything over 4ft
7) Determination and commitment. Getting suited up in all conditions and whatever the weather
8)Whenever its up
9)Touch wood ive never had any serious injuries
10)Surfing the unbroken wave down the line
a good few months
11)Dont start there are already to many people in the water

[sinistapenguin]

1) My parents showed me the end of Big Wednesday when I was 15! I already skated and it looked like fun
2) 16
3) I walked into a surf shop, bought a starter pack - board, wetsuit, leash, wax drove to the beach and just went to it!
4) Never had instruction, but I think it would be invaluable in getting the basics
5) I live in Leamington Spa, England, officially the farthest point from any coast - about 200 miles
6) Cold water - living a long way from the beach and only being 16!
7) Just getting out there as often as possible - no matter how big or small the conditions!
8) The beginners stage may be tough, but it's fun!! I never saw it as 'getting through' I just saw every little bit of progress as 'getting better!'
9) Llangennith, 8 ft and storming - anyone who's been there on a day like this knows how hard the paddle can be. I wasn't good enough to get out back really, but I was so tired from battling the 'impact zone' I paddled like mad in the channel and made it out back - more for a rest than anything. Of course then I had the problem of getting back in. I was too tired and a sneaker set came through and wiped me out. I was held under for what seemed like forever, then in classic 'Point Break' style I surfaced just in time for the next wave to hit me!!
10) Not often enough - 2-3 times a year (babies and career make it difficult)
11) The big breakthrough would have to be my first 'open face' wave. The incredible feeling of carving along an unbroken wave for the first time is unparalelled. This didn't actually take that long, I think it was about the third or fourth time I went (it was a long time ago now!!)
12) My most important piece of advice is this: HAVE FUN. Don't worry about striving to be carving up 6 ft faces and getting barelled etc. Even if you only ever surf 1 ft reform, as long as you enjoy it who cares?
I read somewhere once - "If you aren't having fun, get out of the water" and I believe it. Getting good will happen naturally, or at least over the course of time, but FUN is what it's all about!

Thanks

Sinista

[IrishGirl]

1) A friend of my (at the time) boyfriend used do it and I was always keen to try, a few months after I broke up with him I saw classes advertised and said I'd give it a go.
2) 20. - 6 months after the lesson I got the board & wetsuit (wish I'd started earlier! )
3) Pretty much self taught
4) Yeah I did surf with instructor. Not that great, only advantage was getting the board & wetsuit
5) 15 min from closest break 30 from my usual spot.
6) Not being able to convince my friends to come with me, so surfing alone!
7) Same as the other lads, getting out as often as possible no matter what size.
I wouldn't see it as 'getting through' either. I had fun all along the way.
9) Getting battered against the shore and my board banging off my back and head for about 2 mins, and just as I surfaced another wave would slam against the shore and drag me back out.
10) 3-5 times a week usually. Swell depending, I'll be out every day.
11) The main ones that stick out are the first time I came across a perfect unbroken wave, after about 3/4 months (lost 2 months when away on holidays!) The next would be catching 2 big waves on a pretty messy day and it just opened up perfectly and went on, and on. And then when I went up the country and caught the most waves I'd ever caught on a session, all of which were perfect and I started carving properly.
12) Use your head and learn proper bloody etiquette and KEEP OUT OF MY WAY!!!
No really!

[PB PIPE]

1) What made you start surfing? i got sick of bodyboarding

2) How old were you when you started? 11

3) How did you learn how to surf? i just went out and waqtched people

4) Did you ever surf with an instructor? If so, did you find it
helpful? not really like this guy helped me but he was just a mate

5) How far did/do you live from the ocean? about 5 min walk

6) What challenges did you face when you first started getting out
there? umm get up and getting ou tthe back

7) In the early days, what did your surf regimen consist of? whats a regimen??

How did you get through the very tough beginners' stage of
surfing? just had fun with a mate of mine... we started at the same time

9) Describe your first harrowing experience out on the waves. im guessing harrowing means good? it was summer and it was pumping for like a week about 3ft.... not too big twwas he best fun that ive had i would stay out for like 6hours

10) How often do you surf these days? if theres surf ill be there

11) What was the most important break-through you remember making and umm making good smoth turns and pulling in with by bottom turn
how long, would you say, did it take for that break-through to
happen. ummm dunno a while

12) Any advice you would give to beginners? stay away from crowds and have fun.... but heep away from crowds good surfers hate learners that get in the way

[namino tsume]

1) nothing, i just wanted to.
2) 9/10ish
3) rented a board and went out, no lessons.
4) no
5) 2.5 hours in a car on a good day.
6) nothing that was really diffucult to over come... i guess the hardest part for surfing was duckdiving underwaves.
7) nothing....
8) by surfing... as much as possible
9) when i stood ontop of my first 8 foot waves, the thing seemed huuge.
10) as much as possible, usually 2 or 3 timees a month.
11) A) getting my first bottom turn done... about 3 weeks.
B) doing my first turn up and down the wave face.... about 1 year.
12) ummm dont ever let fear stop you... and um... just keep on surfing.