Tips on transitioning from whitewash

[Buttertoes]

hi all, my friend and I started surfing almost 1 year ago (minus winter hiatus). We are getting up reliably on broken white water and are now trying to move to the unbroken waves. We are learning on beach breaks and are finding some frustration in being in the right place at the right time (precisely, not being there!). The beach breaks often seem to be shore dumps, or unpredictable breaks that always look better wherever you aren't.

I don't think I am confident enough to try out a point break where skilled people are (don't want to be in the way or make an ass of myself!) and wonder if anyone has any tips on transitioning from white to green. Do you have any suggestions on identifying or positioning yourself for the right wave, or is the key really to move on to the point breaks?

We were out today in some windy rough stuff and caught a few good ones, but missed many more than we caught!
(BTW, we are using 9'1s)

Thanks

[tonylamont]

Not sure how much this helps, but I am learning to surf in Texas where almost everything is unpredictable beach breaks. Based on my limited travels to places with more predictable breaks, I can say it can definitely be easier to surf a peak that always breaks in the same place (all other things being equal, of course). That said, plenty of people learn on beach breaks. I have struggled (and continue to struggle) through many sessions of watching more experienced surfers catch waves that I miss, or that I don't identify as catchable until too late, or that I don't quite have the paddling power to catch. Learning to identify and position yourself to catch waves that don't always break in the same place is a big part of surfing. And then there's the whole other issue of reading the waves and trying to ascertain is it going to break left or right, close out, etc.

Which isn't to say you shouldn't try a good point break, I would just make sure to be realistic about your abilities and make sure you can surf there without being a menace. Personally, I think you want to be able to catch green waves fairly reliably without bailing all the time before you try catching them in a crowded line-up. If there are just a few other people out and the vibe is mellow, prob no big deal.

[jaffa1949]

The beach breaks often seem to be shore dumps, or unpredictable breaks that always look better wherever you aren't.
. Do you have any suggestions on identifying or positioning yourself for the right wave, or is the key really to move on to the point breaks?

We were out today in some windy rough stuff and caught a few good ones, but missed many more than we caught!
(BTW, we are using 9'1s)

Thanks

Hi Buttertoes, glad you ain't froze, you might have to look around a little for a beach that is a little more regular in its wave patterns. The shore breaky long sand beach frustrates most surfers as the peaks shift on the sand bar each wave and are a little hard to get you initial timings right.
BTW catching a green wave is a different from positioning yourself to be caught by white wash.
For white wash you are further back on the board and can still get it, beginners often start paddling quite early and get the wave.
So here is the difference in what you need to do.
FInd your green wave spot, hopefully with regular timing and not too steep a face but some power non the less
lie on your board a little further forward, so the nose is about 1" above the water and your paddle can be an easy glide.
Judge the wave you want but don't start paddling too early as you won't maintain speed, wait till the wave steepens, just behind you the then paddle hard, you can have the board at a slight angle in the direction you want to go.
DO NOT try to stand until you feel gravity and the wave begin to pull you down the wave ( do this lying down several times until you can really tell that you have caught the wave) when you recognise the feel and are ready pop up in one fluid motion, it's a little more critical here as you are not be pushed by white water behind you but angling across the face. Have fun and it's only practice that makes it easier, but the feeling of the difference between white water riding and actually surfing green is so good.

prejudicial me does not consider anyone is surfing until they can begin to surf the face and it just improves from there on in.

[Buttertoes]

Thanks for your thoughts guys! We found some youtube videos called 'big whiteboard wednesdays' that were helpful as well, and we went out today on some smaller surf. We tried your suggestions and did manage to get up on a couple of greenface waves with an angle and they felt great! We missed and pearled more times than I care to admit but I think we are making some progress. I'll have to ask at the local surf shops if there are any decent learner breaks around here. Our usual spot is a big long sandy beach like you describe and it was so hard to be in that sweet spot as often as we'd have liked.

We're loving it and only wish we'd discovered surfing sooner

[jaffa1949]

That youtube site is a good one, keep looking and trying what they suggest. Well done you've felt the difference

[Ed McDead]

. . . and wave selection/positioning is key. You learn to read the surf better with time and the more you surf a given break. But all the time you are surfing you are learning and that's fun!!

[Buttertoes]

. . . and wave selection/positioning is key. You learn to read the surf better with time and the more you surf a given break. But all the time you are surfing you are learning and that's fun!!

Can't argue with that! We've been having the best time this past year. Why didn't someone tell me sooner this was so fun lol

We took a lesson the first time out and have been wondering if another lesson might be helpful, or whether to keep working at it ourselves. We are progressing and are enjoying learning from our own experiences, but do you think that booking a more intermediate lesson would be a really good idea or would you suggest keep working at it ourselves until we hit a roadblock? do most people learn on their own?