Surfing Waves

Hi guys,

I used to surf in QLD Aus almost exclusively at pointbreaks. The waves were fat and slow all year round and easy to get into. I've now moved to Syd where it is almost exclusively beach breaks. I had trouble adjusting at first as they were much steeper but then got into it and wasn't having much worry. This was during summer and the early parts of winter. Now it is winter proper and, even though the waves don't look like they've changed, I'm finding I'm pulling back because I'm scared of them. They feel steeper or hollower but they look exactly the same!

Just wondering on any tips to get over the mental hump?

Cheers

Charge, take your beatings and learn that you will still survive....paddle in with full commitment.

I found that when I started practicing late takeoffs in head high waves over deep water that I lost a lot of my wave anxiety. I over paddled on one wave, got too far out in front of it, and the wave broke on top of me (super kookalicious). I was expecting spinal injury, but it was harmless. That was kind of the moment where I developed a better sense of what the waves I was surfing in were capable of doing to me. I always respect the power of waves, but it's important to have a view of things that is grounded in reality. The good thing about losing my wave anxiety was that my takeoff positioning improved a hell of a lot and I lost those moments of hesitation in my takeoffs. The bad thing about that moment was that surfing suddenly became far less thrilling than it had been before. Careful what you wish for.

RinkyDink wrote: The bad thing about that moment was that surfing suddenly became far less thrilling than it had been before. Careful what you wish for.

welll........ you can always go deeper and steeper, bigger and badder, hairier and scarier

I wasn't ever really afraid of the waves. I was a bodysurfer and learned to deal with wiping out and taking poundings and handling rough oceans big scary waves well before I started surfing. But I wanted to learn as quickly as possible when I started surfing so I started on smaller surf on green waves but in less critical positions basically shoulder hopping and then worked my way deeper and bigger from there. Body surfing might be good but maybe just look for a little smaller less scary waves and get used to them then work your way up.

oldmansurfer wrote:

RinkyDink wrote: The bad thing about that moment was that surfing suddenly became far less thrilling than it had been before. Careful what you wish for.

welll........ you can always go deeper and steeper, bigger and badder, hairier and scarier

Next stop . . . West peak, Sunset Beach.

Thanks for advice. I'm thinking I should just purposefully wipe out on one or two to see its not too bad. These waves are not huge, 3 ft but just seem quite steep! very frustrating

I think my main sense of fear comes from feeling like I will pitch forward onto my head/neck. But, wiping out on 3 ft waves can't be that dangerous or bad so not sure why I'm chickening out

lachyd333 wrote:Thanks for advice. I'm thinking I should just purposefully wipe out on one or two to see its not too bad. These waves are not huge, 3 ft but just seem quite steep! very frustrating

Go body surf a few , a fun shore break whomp, just make sure someone show you how to do a body surf pull out / how to,take the whump!

If you surf in water that is over, save, 6ft deep (or deeper maybe - just plucked a number out of my $#$) then the chances of you hitting the bottom are very very minimal. Now you could hit your board (or vice versa) or be rag dolled around and so forth, but that can happen on 1ft waves as well.

It can be hard. I'm not sure what board you are riding - can you go longer and get in a bit earlier, so its not as steep (or perhaps even just higher volume)? Also try surfing high tide if the waves are breaking. Check out high tide waves from the beach or from side on if there is a channel - quite often (not always) you can see they are rolling rather than pitching. So even if you fall off, you just roll along as well.

Advice #1 A STRONG paddle gets you in earlier, to your feet quicker and driving down the line faster. A WEAK paddle gets you in late, pop up later at a harder steeper angle and the wave's speed will be greater and harder for you to cope with.

Advice #2 Learning the WAVE, will let you know which waves are just not meant to be ridden.

taking judo may help since it teaches you how to fall without getting hurt.

I'd recommend taking out a soft board if you're tempted to practice late takeoffs in deeper water.

Just went out in slightly smaller waves and made sure to really commit to each take-off. was mid week and fewer people around and i took a slightly bigger board than I usually use to get in a bit earlier and had great success. Will try later throughout the week on bigger waves and let oyu know how i go

cool

most people have wave sizes they are very comfortable with, a size that they are ok with but with a bit of stress, a size that is 'maybe' and a size that is 'no way'. The difference between comfortable and 'maybe' is usually just experience. A friend of mine was stressed at about head high faces but there was about 10 days in a row with that size and bigger and he just went out and caught a few and then a few more and now he loves the head high plus stuff. Of course, its easier to say 'its a matter of experience' than actually get that experience.

And if you think 'no way' then that is fine; better to stay within your limits than do something dangerous.