Surfing Waves

Hello. I have done a few surfing lessons but so far we've only ridden the whitewater. I reckon I'm capable of catching a green wave and I've caught some half-broken ones. About how far out do I need to go to get a green wave? Also, I have done some basic turning when riding whitewater waves, is a bottom turn the same thing or do I need to apply any other principles?

Thanks! I appreciate your help.

surfingduck wrote: About how far out do I need to go to get a green wave?

Um, to where they're green...

Um, to where they're green...

The thing is, I get out there where I see them green, but all those ones are half broken...because I don't have my own board yet so I go surfing with a surf school, and some days when it looks OK the surf school stays in the whitewater. Anyway even if I catch one of those half-broken ones I can't do my turn because the wave breaks before I can get up and going.

If the board is big enough, you should be able to catch the wave with a little paddling power before it breaks. You will want to sit just a little behind the spot where they actually break, wait for a wave and then paddle to the beach. If you can pick up some speed by the time the wave overtakes you (preferably still just a bit before it breaks), then you are ready to pop up and surf green waves.

If you are out with the school, then why not just get the instructor to show you? Surely you can't help that the rest of the class prefers to mess about in whitewater...

Thanks Thibb! It was a bit rough today but I managed to catch a couple of green waves. Next time I go out I'll go a bit further and see if I can do better