Panic and Advice :)

[Rainbolt]

Hello,

I am a newbie to surfing, but I've been working really hard with it. I have been trying to get out in the water at least twice a day during the summer when I live so close to beach! I love it a lot- and while I can't stay on for more than a few seconds, I want to keep trying! I need some advice for panic however. A few times I've had scary wipeouts and today I had like three fairly big waves crash over me, and I freaked when I couldn't get to the surface, and it was scary. Any advice to get over this fear? The second is any advice to not getting in people's way? I'm a complete newbie and I have felt I have cut a couple people off from their rides and I feel horrible about it. Kind of goes like: *Paddles out. Sees surfers. Attempts to paddle away in opposite direction. Goes in wrong direction anyway or surfers come near. Fails at paddling fast enough. Surfer drops off board. I apologize a hundred times.* I try to surf where they aren't all hanging out, but somehow I drift over by the end. Okay I think that's it I really do not want to come off as "that ignorant teenager who gets in every surfers way" -_-

Rainbolt

[pandarturo]

First off when a wave crashes over you, just hold your breath and enjoy the ride.the more you panic the more your body uses the oxygen you just took in. Add far add getting in people's way, everyone starts somewhere if they get mad at you just brush it off its not like they are surfing country, or any real breaks.

[jaffa1949]

Wow Rainbolt your surfing district covers a lot of territory Maine to Maryland? So is there a special beach where you are learning?
I read your profile and I have some thought about helping you with the panic you're talking about!
You are quite athletic but are you a strong enough swimmer to have confidence in your swimming?
I'm thinking you are only at the white water stage of surfing and probably only surfing at beaches with large sandy stretches, rocks piers and breakwaters would not be part of your environment yet?
White water is your friend on most sandy beaches it will always wash you to shore or close enough to swim in.
The first tool you can develop with white water and wipeouts is relaxing giving yourself quite a few more moments of oxygen that you would otherwise use in panic.
If you can swim go out a few times and learn to catch waves ( bodysurf ) and dive under them and let them wash you around , see how long they hold you down ( not long) and how much closer to shore you are when you surface. This training is good to do with a buddy or in a surf patrolled area. have fun in this and every thing you do in surfing. A BIG PLUS ON THIS.
a lot of surf fear is based on not feeling confident!

Now about getting in the way!
Let's cover a simple fact first, you cannot paddle faster than a person riding ever!
If there are clear routes out to beyond the break like currents or rips, use them, a surf teacher should show you how to spot them.
Most surfers other than a learning white water crew go across the waves if you are paddling out and this is happening do not attempt to paddle for the shoulder ( unbroken part of the wave) as you are guaranteeing a collision ( see first simple fact) you will have to take the white water on the head ( duckdiving skill needed) Another option but not quite as effective as heading toward the white water behind the surfer going side ways is to remain in one spot the surfer has more chance of going around you when they are moving. but they don't know where to go when you move..

An important skill that helps a lot is to sit and watch the beach the waves and the surfing traffic patterns so you know where and how to be.
watch good surfers and learn skills
watch learners surfers and learn what not to do see their mistakes.
You are on the same path every surfer has ever taken. Have fun.

mong the white water learners well just staying as clear as you can is the best bet.

[Rainbolt]

Hello,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Whoops, I surf in two locations. During the summer my family goes to Maine, and I surf there at a beach we live near by, and then in Maryland there is Ocean City and such. I wish I lived near a beach full time, and I hope to move near one in my life.

Yes, I love being active and trying new things, so far surfing is one of my favorite though. There are different rocky areas on the beach and a rocky island thing that sticks out of the water, but usually people stay away from those areas. Now, I will be sure to practice these things for sure. I can see how this would be useful. I could sure use more confidence when it comes to these things

Yes, I have discovered you cannot paddle faster than the person coming at you xD I would like to learn how to duck-dive, as I have seen people do it often, but have not tried it yet.Thanks so much for all your advice- I really don't want to cause collision while surfing! I have been taking time to watch other surfers, and it has been very useful! Today i was able to stand up and ride a few waves to shore, which is a big accomplishment for me! Thanks again,

Rainbolt

[dtc]

Ross Clark Jones, who is a big wave surfer and therefore insane, but is renkowned amongst big wave surfers as being particularly insane, says that when he has a long hold down he just imagines himself dancing in a nightclub, surrounded by beautiful women and, then, its all over

When he’s being held under a surging cauldron, Clark-Jones visualises a nightclub. “It simulates the energy (of a wipeout). You’ve got the flashing light and the flashing lights of the sunlight (underwater) because you’re being spun around and you’re spun around on the dance floor bumping into people.You're noticing the lights, the interior of the floor, all these little details that take time to think about, and during that time you’re getting thrown around and it takes up the time when you should be panicking. So you’ve almost deluded yourself into thinking about something else and all of a sudden you’re up, it’s over.

I doubt this works for anyone else though...I guess the secret is just not panicking. Unless you have hit your head, everyone comes up eventually.

In terms of paddling out, look at the wave and draw a line from the takeoff point (where people are catching the wave) to the shore and from the end point (where the wave stops/people get off the wave) to the shore. Then try and paddle outside of those lines. Obviously a good rip can help (and there are no waves in the rip so no one will be surfing there). Sometimes you are in the wrong place, eg when you fall off your board. In this case just try and get behind the wave as fast as possible rather than sitting in the impact zone, then paddle across behind the wave back to the take off point. As was said, its up to you to get out of the way, but if you cant then its probably better to stay still so the guy on the board can go around you.

Usually as a beginner you can do just as well on a second or third quality break, if there is one on your beach. These are the smaller ones that the good surfers dont want to surf on but they can be more than fine for beginners. So keep an eye out for other breaks, dont necessarily just head to where all the other surfers are. Or even, sometimes, other beaches that have small waves and are not reknowned surf beaches. I know I spent my beginner years mostly surfing at a beach that I now never go to because the waves are pretty small in general, but it was great for learning (and is where a lot of the surf schools go).