How to overcome fear of bigger waves/how to paddle out?

[ngreene]

So, I have a surf camp this week, and in so cal the waves will be up to 7 feet. I ride a beginner longboard, and I can get outside when it's under 3 feet. However, I get super scared when it is above 5 or 6 feet. I have trouble paddling out as well. Any tips?

[jaffa1949]

You increase your size of waves capacity in small increments you get your skills improved to handle the smaller sizes then take on bigger waves. If you can't paddle out or you have more fear than confidence you are not ready for bigger waves.

Handle what you can on your standard days and graduate to taking the bigger waves on those days then make those waves the size of your next increment

The other method is not so good paddle out on a big day , and realize how out of your depth you are
( NOT good advice as being out of your skill zone could be harmful or fatal).

It may seem I'm giving you a hard time, read your posts and you will realize how much of a novice you are and hopefully commit to a reasonable evolution in your surfing.
I hate having to rescue guys who overstep their abilities, and often it scares them away from surfing entirely.
BTW any surf school that puts novices out in 6ft plus surf deserve to to have the book thrown at them!

[oldmansurfer]

I am perhaps different from most other surfers in that before I ever surfed bigger waves I was comfortable being in the ocean with them. Prior to surfing I had been an avid bodysurfer and probably bodysurfed waves bigger than most of you have surfed then I body boarded and knee boarded even bigger waves before I ever attempted to surf so being afraid to paddle out wasn't ever a problem for me. I will agree that you should take it in steps and having friends around who can help you out is a good idea too.

[peazz]

Its all about confidence in your abilities mate, You could just go and try and paddle out in 5ft / 7ft bomb surf but then you would never catch a wave, take a beating and knock your confidence.

As Uncle J kindly puts it, you need to increase the size of your waves in increments, actually take the drops make it, come out the other end and your confidence will slowly improve. I recently did 9 weeks on the east coast of aus and was scared to take 2ft drop on weekone, by week 9 I was paddling out and catching 5ft bombs, duck diving thick lipped low tide barrels and telling the locals to f off

Build up slow, get in the water every day and you will soon see a reduction in fear and you wanting to get into bigger and bigger waves

Good luck mate, the journey to finding some balls in the water is a fruitful ride!

[Tobikey]

Hey ngreene,

I can understand your fear.
From my experience you will overcome the fear with experience. Try to be as often as possible in the water. Get used to it. Something that always helped me is going out with sb experienced. You see how he is confident.
BUT: you cannot rush it too much. Big waves are just not for beginners. Catching 7 ft waves is for the beginning to difficult anyways.

Cheers,
Tobikey