where is the love?!!!

[thaya]

hey guys and gals. I have a question for you. i was in brighton this weekend (not to surf as it's flat as usual) but I decided to pop into all the surf shops in the hope of finding some buddies to hook up with locally. when i explained to them all that i'm new to surfing, need some advice on where to go and people to go with, every single person i spoke to said "try the internet". Not one of them offered to let me tag along or was even in the slightest bit welcoming. i thought most surfers were a bit like me - friendly, kind, love meeting new people and share a sense of solidarity! Was it just bad luck that no one was interested in making a new friend or is it that no one wants a "beginner" hanging around? My search continues......!

[borneng]

Surfer in general are more tolerance type of people, so you were probably just unlucky (like I have been). But I met some genuinely nice surfer. I think one guy I met in Lahinch was an Irish longboarding champion. He was the only one who gave me tip about surfing there.

Out of frustration I chose the paying method to learn. I may not be an experience surfer just yet but I'll be more than happy to share what I have learned. Just ask away and hopefully I can give you good and helpful answer.

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

for me surfing with someone is just awkward like bringing a friend along when youre with your girlfriend.

[drowningbitbybit]

Sad to say, but mostly, yeah, its like that with surfers

There's a couple of reasons -

Partly crowds and locals. Noone wants their spot getting any more crowded (there's a strong local scence in brighton).

Experienced surfers rarely want beginners to be tagging along with them. An experienced guy is going to be out back, not playing in the shore break with the beginners.

There are so many wannabe's out there.

But pick the right beach, and its a whole different story (make sure you pick the right beach! Some places do not welcome tourists at all - but if its one of the 'famous' ones, then you'll be fine). Most people will happily chat away in the car park and give advice etc.

One thing though - if you've just made friends in the car park, even if they seem like your bestest friends in the whole wide world, dont expect them to hang about with you while you learn if its pumping out back. Most people will happily give advice, but dont want to be lumbered with the responsibility of teaching someone and making sure they're safe.


Dont worry - surfers are nice people really

[bgdkmetzger2003]

I gotta say, in my experience most of the strangers that I have attempted to say "whats up" to in the lineup are assholes!! Occasionally I might find a guy that is willing to say "hey" or "yeah it is a nice morning" back. In my experienced most guys take themselves way too seriously. Most girls are relatively nice though. I mean, how can you be sitting next to someone in the water and not bull for a second?? Most surfers are either insecure or stuck up. Not everyone, but most. This could have to do with the spots though as mentioned before.

I learned to surf from a very experienced friend who would come and pick me up early in the morning. He made me surf waves and spots that were advanced for me at that beginning stage but Im glad that he did. He made it possible for me to get good pretty fast. Because of him, Ive been out in waves that I wouldnt go out in now...hahaha. That was back when I lacked common sense I guess.

[tomcat360]

Yeah, the whole thing about "this is my break" thing comes in here.

Basically what DBBB said hits the nail on the head.

But once you are out there, they're some nice guys. It's just like anything else, some guys will be awesome and let you try their boards and give you tips, and then other guys will be assholes.

[thaya]

thanks for all your replies! I guess I understand what DBBB is saying. I suppose I'll just have to go it alone for a while till I get alot better. It's not long till there are lifeguards around the popular beaches - then I will feel alot safer!
x

[PapaW]

Drowningbitbybit touched on this but its very hard for both parties to be happy if they are at different skill levels.
Find someone who is at the same stage as you. You will naturally spur each other on progressing together at the same level. Everyones happy then!

[thaya]

easier said than done! am on the look out! x

[FormosanSurfer]

drowning's post was spot on.

I think the crowdedness of some spots is definitely an issue. There is also the fact that to be a surfer you need to earn it. Any putz can buy a surfer and call themselves a surfer. I know that when I started out surfing and I was pretty much heading straight down the line, people were a lot less friendly. Nobody really likes surfing around a beginner because they don't really know the rules and tend to get in the way (i'm thinking of a drop in king I met a few weeks ago who was super friendly but I wanted to rip his head off).

[tomcat360]

I looked in your profile for your interest....

It would be like taking a person you don't really know to your favorite mountainbike trail. It's a tough one, real steep with a nice 4 foot drop towards the end. It's never crowded, it's all to you.

And then there's the newbie coming with you. He's on his Wal-mart bike. Well he screws up. Everything. Just destroys the trail, and lands his bike akwardly on your beautiful drop off.

A week later, you come back to your favorite spot, and the newbie is there, with five of his other newbie friends. Before long, there are tons and tons of newbies on your favorite trail, the same trail that you never had to slow down or stop for a person in the trail.

Does it make more sense? It's not that they are nessecarily jerks, just don't really want to deal with it.

You'll be fine on your own, just go out and have fun! If you saw a newbie really trying and doing everything right and respectfully out on your favorite mountainbike trail, you might tell him about some others.

[drowningbitbybit]

Good analogy


Just to make it easier, Thaya, sort out which spots you can go to which are more friendly than others. Once a place has got a reputation for 'locals only' it just gets worse as people play up to it.

But you're quite near some friendly local breaks. A quick guide... (east to west, and only the obvious ones. No secret spots, so noone shout at me)

Joss bay - plenty of space, so no problems, but very fickle. Okay if you're close by, not really worth travelling for.

Brighton - Only works near the piers, and the locals will get all the waves. Wouldnt bother.

East Wittering - Huge beach, very friendly, very laid back. Bit of a bugger to predict, but can have some really good days. Suitable for a beginner, but watch the rips.

Bournemouth - Okay for beginners on the shore break, but the break off the piers get very crowded with locals. Boscombe is similar but a bit less crowded.

Kimmeridge - fickle break, can be a nightmare to get to, but has some epically good days.

After that, you may as well head west into Devon

[thaya]

thanks DBBB (hope you don't mind me summarising your name!) i've heard about east wittering, but it's still quite a way and i'd need to be sure it wasn't flat. I'm now on a mission to find a total beginner who lives in the south east. you're right about getting in the way and things - and thanks to tomcat (i think?) for the mountainbike analogy - it put things in perspective for me! excellent info fellas. x

[drowningbitbybit]

i've heard about east wittering, but it's still quite a way and i'd need to be sure it wasn't flat.

Well, dont go this weekend

Or anywhere, in fact, looking more-or-less flat everywhere!

Wittering can be tricky to predict, and it needs a certain set of conditions to work at all (very sensitive to tides). Next time there's a good chance of swell for the south coast, I'll PM a few people from here from the south east and see if we can all meet up

[CheeZee]

theres lots of reasons for surfers inclusions or exclusions of another surfer but i think most have been covered well above

heres a nice lil' uplifting story for ya though ...

Sunday just passed was a crappola day for me so at about 9pm i thought scr** this im outta here .. threw everything i needed into my car and headed at top speed for my beloved Saunton ... many rants and 2hours later i arrived at a pitch black , deserted car park ..sat there sulking for a mo and thought well if i stay here the night i can chuck my board in in the morning and forget about the jive .. so i lit a big sulky burn and headed off into the darkness with my lantern to sit in the middle of the beach and listen to the waves ... some time later around midnight i could hear someone making their weay towards me .. first reaction was well if your coming to try anything freaky ..F*** me you picked the wrong maniac tonight sparky ! . The guy stood well away from me and asked whether i was acting as a beacon for anyone ..to which i laughed and said yeh a beacon for me my man and no im not helping someone get anything illicit onshore ( obviously i was deeply offended at such a suggestion ) ... so i started telling mr Random stranger about my month and how i'd love to live down here somewheres and surf everday etc ..ya know the usual daydreams .. the dude sat down and told me how he'd moved down here for work and surf as his life wasnt really cutting' it at home in Sussex ... so he gave me contacts of everone he knew in the area and even suggested schools for lil'man ... with that i shook the mans hand told him i'd catch him in the surf one day and he wandered into the darkness ... leaving me sat there with a much better head on than i'd arrived with !.

" Basically peeps ... yes you'll come accross a few awkward situations whilst learning and continuing to surf but i still defy anyone to tell me a lifestyle/sport where a random unknown buddy will sit down with ya and share your deepest' just because you both simply love the sea .

" Thankyou Ben it was a pleasure to not know ya but know ya "

tales from the Cheezeside

[thaya]

thanks DBBB. shame about this weekend. am looking forward to another trip to newquay soon (but not looking forward to my bank balance!)
x

[lardyarse]

Hi Thaya,

Where did you go in Brighton? Most seem friendly but if the shops were miserable then name and shame!.

I would suggest that you go to the Hotpipe in Shoreham. Loads of us beginners there, at low tide it is about the best place in the area for learning.

Make sure you get out before the sea reaches the shingle bit of the beach since it starts to get a bit dumpy. There is plenty of room and you will always be able to find a quiet spot away from the main peaks for youself. Plus if you ask for a bit of advise then most will be willing to help. The best icebreaker is to ask for some help in zipping up your wettie.

It is generally a very friendly place, you do get a few nob heads but the majority realise that this is the Hotpipe and not Pipeline! There is a cafe for an apres surf cuppa and toilets in the carpark (which is free at the moment) Do not be tempted to park on the yellow lines you will get clamped.

I would avoid the other breaks in the area until you are competent. Having said that once you get out back then you will hear others chatting and get some knowledge of the other breaks in the area.

Hope to see you there soon.

[Whoops]

May i add a little question on to the end of this Thaya?

I just wondered what to do if youre a grommet moving on the bigger stuff out back?
I mean i've done all the beginners stuff and now want to 'strike out' on my own in the bigger stuff but i don't want to cause offense by dropping in on anyone unintentionally - has anyone got any tips on this?
I don't want to irritate the real McCoy by getting in their way but i want to improve as well.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Helen >:)

[surferdude_scarborough]

my tips for not getting in the way are

paddle out quite wide of where the waves are breaking then paddle into the line up from the side

dont go for a wave unless theres nobody on it until you know the rules for certain in a lineup situation

if it looks like someone on a wave is coming towards you on a wave n might hit you you should go through the whit water (i hate this rule but it has to be done)


anyway thats how i got through when i started going out back just went for the cautious approach. now i sit way out back so im ready for the bomb set when it comes so im paddling for my wave everyone else it paddling over


cheers,

james

[jennie]

heya thaya!

i think i spoke to you before about getting together for a trip to the surf because i think we live quite close! Anyways im always up for a trip at the weekend to where the conditions are the best plus it would be sooooo nice to have some company!

il pm you about getting together!