I finally got it!

[Bub]

I finally caught my first legit rides this past Friday. Once I broke the ice, I caught 4 of the next 5 waves (with one screwup in the middle when I flipped over the front of the board on my pop-up). Rode all the way into shore each time...at least 5-10 seconds every ride. So all-in-all I finally figured out all of the surfing intangibles (paddling, positioning, wave selection, takeoff, poppup) after about 10-12 hrs in the water. With my skateboarding backround, once I caught a wave and could do the popup successfully it was up it was really easy...even carved a little bit once. I think alot the success had to do with the surf conditions as well. It was really nice frequent 3 footers with occassional 4 footers...everyonein the lineup (fish and longboarders etc) were riding nearly every wave with ease. Last time out I was trying to battle 5-6 footers and getting really pounded and exhausted so this was a much more enjoyable. I made sure I ended the session with a nice ride to keep the stoke going.

As far as what board worked for me, its kinda weird. I had my 1st time success finally on the shortest board I've tried out. It was a 7'4'' board, not sure what to call it it was sort of a strange custom hybrid I suppose. It had a pointy nose like a shortboard, but was really thick and bouyant, easy to paddle and was also as wide as a minimal and very stable. The other 2 boards I've previously tried out was an 8'4'' minimal BIC rental and an 8' custom minimal. Personnally I really liked how this pointed nose board I had success on slices through the breaking waves when paddling out. The rounded nosed boards I've tried before get me beat around some when paddling out. Plus the smaller board gave me more success getting into position quicker to start my paddle and takeoff. The larger ones, seemed to require more time to get aligned properly and I missed wave alot more frequently. Maybe I'm just made to be a shortboarder who knows. I don't have very strong paddling skills though, that would be my downfall, but I feel more comfortable and in control of things on smaller boards. Larger boards feel like they are controlling me.

[justloafing]

WTG Bub. Sounds like a blast. Hooked yet? Where are you surfing. I am in Wilmington, NC

[Bub]

This past Friday I surfed Indian River inlet in Delaware. Here are some pics I took. This was the first time I ever took pictures with a digital camera. Its a low-end one that I got my wife for x-mas. First time ever taking surf pictures as well. I think a couple actually turned out pretty decent.

[Driftingalong]

Sweet!

Going from floundering to catching waves is like someone flipping a switch..."oh, I get it now". Way to go!


It's amazing what a difference a foot in wave size can actually mean.

[Bub]

Sweet!

Going from floundering to catching waves is like someone flipping a switch..."oh, I get it now". Way to go!


It's amazing what a difference a foot in wave size can actually mean.

Sorry you got my message too late. Despite what the forecasts were saying it was really glassy, Indian River even had some nice waves at high tide (around 9am last Friday) which is unusual. It all "clicked" for my near the end of my session as low tide was approaching. I was in the water from 7:30am til about 9:30am and wasn't having much luck...still floundering around missing waves, getting pounded by an occassional large set (my usual agony). I took about a 1/2 hour break...ate a sandwich drank some water, then tried my luck again for about another 1/2 hr session til I got tired again. Still didn't get fair very well so I took another break. I almost called it a day at that point but figured that I wasn't cold so why not give it another shot. The 3rd attempt I finally struck gold on my 3rd session attemp. I caught my first wave rode it to shore and then it all fell into place. Granted, I'm sure I was just riding the white wash if I saw a video of myself but heck its a start. Its probably going to be 2 weeks before I have another chance to surf. No more vacation days from work I can use so its going to have to be a Saturday or Sunday trip. I'll be in Florida the last week in June (west coast though...uggh unless another tropical storm comes through). So I'll probably get just one more opportunity to surf in June..probably 3rd weekend (June 16th /17th).