Surfing Waves

Anyone else get a bit spooked paddling out alone? Water here is like 2 ft visibility, and when its cold and the waves are low, I'm the only one out. Not really used to it. I just got a board and I've only been out here like 5 times, so I guess this will go away. But is this normal? Didn't grow up around the ocean, except on vacation, so I've not often been out to where its over 6 feet deep. I'm not shark phobic or anything, but being new at this I get pretty tired paddling out, tend to fall off a lot, etc. Is it wise to go out alone? The surf websites say to have a buddy but... I just moved to the ocean so I don't have one of those. I see other people out alone but they seem to know what they're doing. I swim ok, but its always a lot of work to get paddle in. Am working on my conditioning so its not as hard. Gonna get a lesson here in a week or so.

Anyway, just sharing. I get kinda nervous out there.

That's normal at first. It wont be long before you're longing to be the only one out there

Obviously safer to have someone else there with you, but, hey, you're a grown up and you can judge the risks.
The only thing is not to push it too far - there'll be a day when you paddle out thinking 'hey this is easy! I must be getting fitter!' and then only when you try to paddle back in again will you realise its because the howling gale was blowing you out and its almost impossible to paddle back in again. It'll be a very long twenty minutes while you try to get back in

Yeah, sometimes at Dillon Beach in northern CA. Not ever around Santa Cruz and Capitola.

can sometimes be bit weird paddling out alone. but then youg et out back and realise you can pick any wave you want to without worrying about dropping in or looking a pillock when you fall off like a kook.

Appreciate the replies. And yeah, I'm sure I'll prefer alone to fighting for waves.

Lol even after surfing for 1 and half years i m kind of like you, i just get scared sometimes when nobody is around. The buddy system will work, definetly helped my confidence when I was starting out a year ago.

pkbum wrote:The buddy system will work

The buddy system works really well right up until your 'buddy' shouts 'Go on! Paddle! Go for it! Paddle paddle paddle!!!' to convince you to drop suicidally late into a mutant death bomb wave... and stupidly, you do...

drowningbitbybit wrote:

pkbum wrote:The buddy system will work

The buddy system works really well right up until your 'buddy' shouts 'Go on! Paddle! Go for it! Paddle paddle paddle!!!' to convince you to drop suicidally late into a mutant death bomb wave... and stupidly, you do...

But if i make the drop successfully he will shout Yeeeeaaaaah!! WOOOOhoooO!! Which sounds so gratifying .


-1 buddy system from you
+1 buddy system from me
= 0 we're equal now

drowningbitbybit wrote:

pkbum wrote:The buddy system will work

The buddy system works really well right up until your 'buddy' shouts 'Go on! Paddle! Go for it! Paddle paddle paddle!!!' to convince you to drop suicidally late into a mutant death bomb wave... and stupidly, you do...

Or when a buddy convinces you to take out a completely inappropriate board for the shape of the wave........


eh Phil??

I like to take my wife out surfing on big gnarly horrid days where I get a bit scared if nobody else is out. Firstly, because it makes me feel better to have her there, but mainly, because she's insured for half a million $$.

Just wait till your first surf alone in fog!

Can't see the beach, can't see the horizon, only thing you can see is blue sky. Makes you feel like you're in a vertical tube!

There aren't too many things eerier than that!

Hang11 wrote:I like to take my wife out surfing on big gnarly horrid days where I get a bit scared if nobody else is out. Firstly, because it makes me feel better to have her there, but mainly, because she's insured for half a million $$.

I'm assuming we enter the last line of the old joke.....

"No mate I don't have to out swim the shark, just the wife!"

Kerrching!

Real Pol wrote:Just wait till your first surf alone in fog!

Can't see the beach, can't see the horizon, only thing you can see is blue sky. Makes you feel like you're in a vertical tube!

There aren't too many things eerier than that!

i love surfing in the fog good feeling

essex sucks wrote:

Real Pol wrote:Just wait till your first surf alone in fog!

Can't see the beach, can't see the horizon, only thing you can see is blue sky. Makes you feel like you're in a vertical tube!

There aren't too many things eerier than that!

i love surfing in the fog good feeling

its much more dodgy surfing in the fog when its crowded as you cant see nowt but hear the holla's of other surfers. Its even worse when the waves are banging. Still its dead cool cause every time ive done it the waves were ultra glassy as there were no wind at all

That's super cool.

The most creeped out I ever was, was surfing in the dead of Winter here at Jordan River at about 6 a.m. before work (Vancouver Island, Canada). I was out solo since my normal surf buddy dropped out after dislocating his shoulder while being dragged over rocks by a HUGE rogue set. The snow was falling, fog rolling in, and a MASSIVE sea lion hit my board.

Almost had a friggen heart attack.

But even before the Sealion hit my board, I was spooked due to how ridiculously secluded this place is.

I surf alot on my own and every time i go out i get spooked i think what if something happens to me! no one would now but when am out there i forget all about it and just have fun and tranqulity

i love it

I had a dolphin scare the crap out of me when I was surfing last summer. Was looking out to sea waiting for the next set and I heard a splash next to me. When I looked over there was a huge dolphin mid air over my left shoulder. Scared me pretty good. Funny in a way though.

surfed in snow for the first time about a month ago and was absolutely surreal. never even thought about fog. can't wait to give it a go. anyone in sligo/donegal know if we get fog often? haven't seen any out there yet but only been surfing little less than a year.
also find it helps to get to know a couple of beaches really well when going out alone... and try sticking to these places when surfing alone. more aware of the specific dangers. don't get caught in any dodgy rips etc.

Went out today and there were 4-5 people out, then went out again with a friend. I'm getting more comfortable out there. Got a bloody cramp though!

Ahh, surfing alone. I remember the days... Gone forever. You're lucky if there's a minimum of 4 guys out at any break any time in So Cal. But I do agree, if you're not terribly experienced, take a buddy (like the joke says, take one whose a slower swimmer than you).