Surfing Waves

So at the ripe age of 30, i bought a nice foamy 9'0" and have been testing out the local beaches around LA. Lately I've been going out in Santa Monica. I've gone out about 4 or 5 times now and all I can muster the courage to do is get about shoulder deep in the water (much more comfortable with my feet on the ground!) and ride the whitewater in. I've gotten pretty good at this but I realize it's not what I really ought to be doing. I get pounded, I get intimidated, I get exhausted! Every time I try to paddle out further, I keep getting closed out and intimidated.

Even in the loving waves of Santa Monica!

Anyway, can you guys walk me through how you got over the fear of being way out in the drink!

1) on the shore, what should I be looking for and waiting for to get me a decent paddle out?

2) with the little mushy close out waves in Santa Monica, should I be trying to point the board at an angle or just hope to ride a bit before closeout and then wipe out when it closes out?

3) any other thoughts on getting over the fear and giving me a step by step would be REALLY appreciated!

I know what you mean mate. I've been out about a half fozen times on my new 7"6 mini-mal and it can get pretty scary at times. I went out on Sunday in 4ft surf. Up until then I had only ever been out in 2 or 3 foot waves and I found it hard getting to the lineup then! On Sunday I paddled out and just kept getting hammered by this "giant" waves. It felt like I wasn't moving and then all of a sudden I was out past where they were breaking. The place was packed and I must have sat there for 10 or 15 minutes just getting my breath back and watching the good surfers. I finally got the courage to attempt a ride... and pearled! I decided the waves were to big for me and lineup was to packed. I intend to go back on a week day as the weekend is just to busy and being the kook I am I just get in the real sufers' way.

Anyway, after all that what I am trying to say is that you just have to do it. The first couple of times you paddle out you are going to get pounded, but just get back on your board and paddle into the next wave. Your arms will hurt and you'll want to turn around and head back in. I promise you though, once you catch your first proper wave it will all be worthwhile

you might find that cos the foamie is so bouyant its more work than a proper board.

Go for a mini mal or funboard much easier

twizzly wrote:So at the ripe age of 30, i bought a nice foamy 9'0" and have been testing out the local beaches around LA.!

So, you need to get past the foam? Okay, get rid of the foam board and go and get a real one.

Oh... you meant the water?

Seriously, you wont progress very far on a foam board. They're cr@p.
And you really cant go out back on a foam board - first of all you probably wont be welcome, and you'll go straight over the falls time and time again

twizzly wrote: I've gone out about 4 or 5 times now and all I can muster the courage to do is get about shoulder deep in the water (much more comfortable with my feet on the ground!) and ride the whitewater in.

Right now you need to be thinking of getting onto clean waves ie not broken. And, contrary to popular belief, you can have small clean waves
Dont worry about going out-back just yet - pick a day when the surf is small but clean, then you'll be able to get onto clean waves.

twizzly wrote:1) on the shore, what should I be looking for and waiting for to get me a decent paddle out?

You're not experienced enough to be using rips yet (and on a foam board you'd probably end up hitching a lift from an oil tanker home). But the simplest thing is to watch the break and dont be tempted to paddle out into the impact zone where the waves are breaking most powerfully. Simply, looks for a bit thats got smaller/cleaner waves. NOTE : If there's a patch where waves arent breaking when everywhere else is, thats probably a rip.

twizzly wrote: 2) with the little mushy close out waves in Santa Monica, should I be trying to point the board at an angle or just hope to ride a bit before closeout and then wipe out when it closes out?

Yes, take off at a slight angle. That'll help you get onto the face.
But those foamies really easily tip over, so dont go too wild!

twizzly wrote: 3) any other thoughts on getting over the fear and giving me a step by step would be REALLY appreciated!

Do it again... and again... and again... and again... and again....
Confidence comes with experience. The better you are, the better you'll know how to get out back, back in again, where to sit so you dont get munched by close out waves.
I dont think there's a substitute for this. Get out there. Do it loads (and get a real board)

Hi Twiz,
Disheartening isnt it....I started surfing again at 37 after a 10 year break and getting out the back battling through the white water isnt fun and can be very intimidating for a while but it does get easier.

While your foamie probably isnt helping, you also need to think about what you are trying to achieve and approach it logically.

Walk out as far as you can while you can still retain your balance, paddling is hard work for the first few months and no use paddling thru 2 feet of water when can save your energy.

Before you jump aboard and start paddling for the horizon have a look at what the waves are doing, most of the time they will come in regular sets and you will usually find a reasonably preditable lull in the action, this is when you need to mount up and paddle.

When you are paddling dont freak out about getting caught inside and start thrashing around madly like a kook, all you will do is blow all your energy and get no where. Think about your stroke, make each one count and remember to breath.

Dont panic, you are physically attached to a giant floatie and accept that no matter how good you become, sooner or later you will end up getting worked just getting out.... everyone has to pay their dues but learning how to duck dive or turtle roll will help no end.

Be situationally aware, dont try to go out if its huge, dont go straight out through the middle of the line up and spend time worrying about getting run over and when you do get out there (and you will) make sure you respect the ability of others and power of the ocean.

This is extremely helpful advice guys! I will read it again and again -- but first things first, based on the advice above -- I'm going to dump the foamy. I was under the impression it was making my life easier, but apparently it isn't!

I know the shop near me sells South Point longboards and has a 8'6" epoxy longboard made by them that looks ok...

Here's a link:

http://www.newsurfproject.com/86l.html



any opinions would be really helpful on this one as I'm not crazy about getting advice from the salesmen!

Anyway, once i'm done with that little acquisition, I'm going to focus on watching the waves, saving energy and getting to a point where I can battle my way onto a small broken wave!

Please keep the thoughts and advice coming, I know there are lots of people in my position with these types of struggles!

The NSP/Southpoints are okay for a pop-out, and you probably dont want a custom yet (you dont know what you need yet, they're easy to damage etc). They're not particularly light, but they're not so heavy that you'll struggle. A little bit of weight can make learning a bit easier too.

And 8'6 will be a sensible size for you - big enough to float you, but not so massive to be a handful

So that'd be a reasonable first real board - and a HUGE step up from a foamie

Don't dispare your foamie would have given you some good basic skills for getting to your feet. However as you've heard they really aren't much good after that.

As you've chosen to use longboards/Mals then there is a useful tip that with a tiny bit of practice can help. As you're paddling out and a wave approaches wait till it's almost hit you, hold the rails under your shoulders and roll the board, wait till the bulk of the wave is above your head (you're under water now) and heave yourself back on top of the board by rolling again. With a bit of practice this manouvre can be done smoothly and you won't give the wave so much of a chance to get a grip on you.

Make sure you start paddling as soon as you can again. Keep the boards momentum up! These boards are big and heavy so make sure you don't give that wave any chance!!

Hope this helps
If you need any of this clarifying please drop another post on here.

Happy Surfing
Tone.

This is all really good advice. I went to ZJ Boarding house yesterday in Venice and supported my local shaper by buying a 9'0" Raw (house brand) board. It was really well priced at around $490 which seemed in line with the popouts that I was thinking about. I also read how easy it is to acrylic on some designs so after i get the maiden voyage behind me today, I'm going to check that out too.

thanks for all your tips guys. i'm going to work on my TURTLE!

I wouldn't be too worried about getting designs - they only drawn the attention of your eyes when really they should be looking where you want to go.

When i got my first board a couple of months ago, i had no previous physical fitness level & had a 7'4" shortboard. I got pounded & where i live it takes the locals 10-30mins to paddle out, and that's on a calm day - imagine my frustration when my first week consisted of 45-60mins of paddle before i reached the break; most of the time i had to sit on my board for nearly that amount of time again just to muster the energy to paddle into a wave.

My advice on the fear/disillusionment side is this - remember when you first stood up? Remember the smile that carried across your face & even on the car ride home when you thought about it -- that's what gets me out there day after day - i come home from work & surf till its pitch black, i get stung by no less than 50 blue bottles a week & nearly drown 2 or 3 times - but what drives me is that feeling of the walk back to the car knowing the waves have somehow re-energised you & made you that little bit happier inside.

I'm having the smae problem on my 7' funboard. I just freak when I see a wave comming towards me and I end up eating it. Please see my other topic!

Well a 9 ft foamie can be a fast paddler if you get it going non stop,the only draw back,is you cant duck dive it so you have to turtle roll. and that can be tricky,you have to time your position to were the wave is breaking and you want to be a few feet in front of the wave when it impacts and relases the burst of water,to practice the rolls start of on the sand,always make sure your toes are at the end of the board on a 9 ft board weighin 150-180- toes can be a few inches forward of the end when paddling..turtle roll extend your arms all the way grab the sides"nose area pull your body forwrd roll upside down hold board close 2 you do it like 10 times then try it in the water,youll have to zig zag were there flat spots to get all the way out try to avoid angled waves comming at you.and a 9ft foamie you can only do the pop up when catching a ewave that has not broke,..and fast,,,i teach surfing year round and use these daily,, with students..i ride a 7ft custom x and can out perform most surfers out there on fiberglass,7-9ftriders,although i have been surfing steady since 1982.

Fear - just accept that you have fear and that it's normal and let your rational mind take control. In the end "just do it"

This has always helped me in other sports (like dropping into a huge 1/2 pipe)

I'm 37 years old and I just started surfing 3 weeks ago. I've been out there 9 times. Every time I went out I just practiced catching white water and popping up over and over. I didn't have the courage to go out back yet and didn't know if I would ever sit on the line up with all the other surfers. I got really good at catching the white water with my 8'6 board and riding it all the way to the shore.

Finally yesterday I told myself that I just have to do it. I walked all the way up to where it's shoulder height where I would normally stop to catch the white water. Instead of turning my board around to point to the shore, I climbed on and paddled out to where the line up was and sat on my board. I was pretty scared not knowing how deep the water was. All these scary thoughts came to my mind and I tried to block them out. I just sat there for awhile observing other surfers and trying to psych myself to catch one. All of a sudden there was a clean wave coming and mostly everyone in the line up turned their boards around and started to paddle. I did the same and miraculously I caught the wave and was able to pop up and rode it in. After that I paddled out back again, and again. I started to feel that my nervousness started to fade away and I actually started to feel comfortable sitting out there. I caught some, I wiped out (pearled) on even more but I survived it and it wasn't as I bad as I thought. I can't wait to go back out again!