Surfing Waves

Some areas I go there is a break in between waves which gives me a chance to start paddling out and I actually get to the lineup. Then sometimes I head out there is wave after wave and is very tough to paddle out. Is this because of the time of day I'm going or is this due to the time of year?

I've tried to follow some of your advice and look along the beach at the best places to paddle out and it doesn't seem to matter much. It's like a washing machine and tires me out.

Slowly losing the stoke here fellas. Need a little encouragement. I'm not giving up...but the last couple times out have been disappointing to say the least.

Any advice, encouragement, etc. will be greatly appreciated!

I'm not sure where you are from or what beach you surf at, but it depends on the type of swell you are getting and the wind condittions as well. If you are getting a ground swell you will have time in between sets to paddle out, making it easier. Whereas if you have a windswell or wind chop there will be less definable lines and there will be inconsistant and sloppy sets.

Also depending if the wind is offshore or onshore will also make a difference in whether a windswell or groundswell is clean or not. Hope that makes sense. Overall you just have to be patient, but the windslop will only make you better. Trust me I live in florida and thats mostly what we surf.

it would help to know how big the waves are and what board you are using.

I agree with stuzzy, I think your conditions are rather washy with aliot of white water, then theres not much you can do but fight it?

pkbum wrote:it would help to know how big the waves are and what board you are using.

Agreed and also there is some truth in the saying if you're not fit enough to paddle out then you should be asking yourself should i be out there.
You'll find a size of wave that will allow you to paddle out, as you've said you make it sometimes.
But don't get disheartened as it happens to us all. There's plenty of day si haven't made it out back as it was too big for my abilities. Its part of surfing.

KS

kitesurfer wrote:But don't get disheartened as it happens to us all. There's plenty of day si haven't made it out back as it was too big for my abilities. Its part of surfing.

KS

a certain day at putts springs to mind. watching you and phil walking back up the beach from the lineup was fun.

anyway dont worry about not getting out every time. it happens.

surferdude_scarborough wrote:

kitesurfer wrote:But don't get disheartened as it happens to us all. There's plenty of day si haven't made it out back as it was too big for my abilities. Its part of surfing.

KS

a certain day at putts springs to mind. watching you and phil walking back up the beach from the lineup was fun.

anyway dont worry about not getting out every time. it happens.

No idea wot ur refering to James!

Besides which i could have paddled out but decided that phil needed looking after further in!

KS

wade out to waist depth, wait until there's a lull, hop on the board and paddle like a demon

Part of the learning process is learning when not to go out.

Short period constant waves of a decent size are tough to get out past, especialy at beach breaks.

RJD wrote:Part of the learning process is learning when not to go out.

Short period constant waves of a decent size are tough to get out past, especialy at beach breaks.

even very experienced surfers can find such conditions more than challenging. Of course some of the time it just aint worth it

But it IS worth it for a beginner if you live in a place with crap waves - you can't be picky and improve.

LOLRuss wrote:But it IS worth it for a beginner if you live in a place with crap waves - you can't be picky and improve.

This is what i meant when it aint worth paddling out for



Not a single soul out anywhere that day.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/mor ... rnia_4193/

This is your break ?, and I guess you are still on the 9' board ?

TOUGH – it’s gonna be hard !

Short boards can be duck dived with relative ease, but the long boards are dam tricky to get out there with.

I surfed a 9’ gun in 8 to 12 foot faces – the only way I could get outside was to swim, pulling the board behind me, diving under the breaking waves hitting me while the board was dragging back towards the shore !

I feel your pain !

And this when I was extremely surf fit, surfing three to four times a day in good surf.

Soo, and you might not like to hear this, how about getting a short board too ?

Once you regularly get to the clean green faces you will have a renewed zest for surfing.

Think of all those waves you have missed and the effort and cost of getting to the beach only to derive little stoke ! Shame ! Go swimming too -

I reckon : go swimming, lift some weights, buy a short board, take both boards and keep trying.

isaluteyou wrote:

LOLRuss wrote:But it IS worth it for a beginner if you live in a place with crap waves - you can't be picky and improve.

This is what i meant when it aint worth paddling out for



Not a single soul out anywhere that day.

good day for scuba diving.

pkbum wrote:

isaluteyou wrote:

LOLRuss wrote:But it IS worth it for a beginner if you live in a place with crap waves - you can't be picky and improve.

This is what i meant when it aint worth paddling out for



Not a single soul out anywhere that day.

good day for scuba diving.

I would have a run out the jetty....if I was determined to surf that day.

^^ looks like the surf we had today in Nor Cal. We had alot of closeouts that was tuff to get through with all the white water, but once you got out there was 5 to the occasional 7 or 8 foot waves rolling in. Took about 20 minutes to paddle out each time on my fishboard from the beach. Not a fun day I must say.

pkbum wrote:it would help to know how big the waves are and what board you are using.

Waves probably 4-5 feet, ride a 9' longboard.

This was how it was today at the spot I surf at, and I coulnd't get out. Each duck dive I tried to do was difficult, and everytime a wave crashed on me it took the wind out of me.

Too exhausting, but I still live to surf another day. Just gotta lick my chops and get fit.

^ well said: soon that surf size will be like a paddling pool to you.

teaweed wrote:This was how it was today at the spot I surf at, and I coulnd't get out. Each duck dive I tried to do was difficult, and everytime a wave crashed on me it took the wind out of me.

Too exhausting, but I still live to surf another day. Just gotta lick my chops and get fit.

I just barely got out about 2 hours ago on the 11' long board down here at Flagler. I got lucky on the second try and a lull came. I was stupid and paddled out right into a bowl.