Help, Im a beginner

[jane27]

Hello Im Jane,
I trained as an outdoor instructor some years back, I never tried surfing though. I live near Bournmouth and was wondering if anyone out there knew of some good beaches near by to learn to surf.
Im a complete beginner, but swim very well???
Kind Regards !!!

[RJD]

Hiya, Welcome!

Surfings ace, but try the learner section!

[bluesnowcone]

if your learning you can rent a board from sorted surf shop in boscombe (its on the hill leading to the beahc) and surf there, just dont surf directly next to the peir as it does get anoying when begginers surf there. you can also surf bournemouth, those are the two main beaches i would advice, if you want an instructor andy joyce at bournemouth surf school is good (look it up on google).

that should get you started, let me know how it goes

[jane27]

Thankyou, I will give it a bash with a friend asap. I will stay away from the pier, regards J.

[Milo]

Nice on blue

[Stone Fox]

Nice on blue

...........?

[^*^BATMAN^*^]

Nice on blue

...........?

I think its supposed to say 'nice one blue'

[jane27]

Ive planned to go down this Sunday and hire a board, would you know the best time to get the tides right. I need to pick up tide times from the surf shop when I go down. Many thanks J

[MorseyB]

i didnt realise there is actually pretty decent waves down bournemouth way, i was feeling a little depressed as am moving to branksome next week from braunton (north devon)
My new 9'6 noserider is arriving tomorrow so would it be better to take that down rather than my old 7'6??

[drowningbitbybit]

Ive planned to go down this Sunday and hire a board, would you know the best time to get the tides right. I need to pick up tide times from the surf shop when I go down. Many thanks J

If you go down this weekend, you'll find there are no waves

Unless the forecast changes (its only tuesday, it might - but Im fairly confident on this one) it'll be unsurfably flat.

Tide times wont be important.

[Tom-Irons]

I was a beginner last time i went too. I went to Croyde in north Devon. It was amazing, drew me into surfing incredibly. If your conditions are like mine, You will always want to return

[Sar]

personnaly I wouldnt bother with bmth or boscombe to learn - im trying there and just end up frustrated.

Head to devon/cornwall where there are VERY good learner beaches and make a trip out of it.

That way you'll be hooked for sure. I think they're sposed to be ok if you know what you're doing but not the place to learn imo.

[jane27]

Hey there, thanks for all the info.
I hadnt checked the weather, guess Im going to need a bit of wind. I will try Boscombe out, but Im planning to go down to Devon this summer camping. Can you recommend any good beginner coves, not too full of sunbathers laughing at me???
I love the ocean, an Ive allways wanted to surf. So thanks for the help and advice to get me started.

[bluesnowcone]

beginner in north devon, go to saunton sands, miles of beach so you can find a place thats not crowded. theres a chance of some surf on Sunday by the way

[drowningbitbybit]

I hadnt checked the weather, guess Im going to need a bit of wind. I will try Boscombe out,

Noooo!!! Swell, not wind!!!!!!!

A place to start

...or even simpler, your local surfcam


But this isnt the weekend to attempt surfing on the south coast. There wont be any swell on sunday - the swell direction is completely wrong, so it'll be just wind blown junk. Very cold winds as well.

[sinistapenguin]

drowning's right. The problem with bournemouth & surrounding area is that it's fickle!

More fickle than a fickle thing that's in a particularly fickle mood. If you were to try and create a sculpture that demonstrated fickleness and you used 'ficklebricks' to build it, you would still be a way off how fickle it is.

Also, if it's any good at all, it's crowded as hell!

Not the ideal place to learn. If you want some advise, talk to Sean at Sorted in boscombe, he's usually pretty helpful. But if you can get the basics down somewhere like Newquay/ N. Devon. you'll have a better time when the S. Coast is working!

Cheers

Sinista

[bluesnowcone]

the surf isnt goin to be good this weekend, but there will be something, not ideal tho for a first time surfer

[Milo]

It`s fickle then

[jane27]

Ok then, now Im a beginner so bare with me. Swells are produced by storms many miles away and that creates swell. (Powerfull, deep waves ideal for surfing as they come in sets). I figured with me being new to the sport I would be better on crappy wind waves. So I can get my head around paddling, and hopefully standing on the board. Are you saying that its easier to practice on stronger waves cause there easier to catch???

I have gathered Bornemouth isnt the best place to learn/surf, but I will try there as its easy for me to travel too. I will be visiting Devon though, nice one!

Im also realising how technical it can be to predict when great conditions will occur, apart from web cam is there a organisation that can help. Like the shipping forcast ???

If im talking b@ll@cks, I apologise! A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, so thanks again for advice!

[Sar]

you're right about the storm being miles away to create the waves - you want a light breeze by the time the waves hit the beach for it to be surfable.

With the windy conditions you are describing for surfing - certainly as much time as you can get in the water the better but wind blown chop (unfortunately for us south coasters) is not the best way to learn, for your first couple of go's getting into the water it may be useful. I find bmth/boscombe difficult to learn in because when ther is swell its packed and I mean PACKED 40 people chasing one peak on the unbroken waves - not good for green wave noobies, and the white stuff where you learn doesnt go on for long enough, before youve even thought about trying to pop up your fins are digging in the sand - at boscombe there is a little shelf near the shore which causes it to jack a little (only a bit) and you kinda pearl right into sand. I dont want to put you off, ive kinda fallen out of love with my local. Like I said (many people have told me!) all experience in the water helps just that you may (will) have a better experience at places like saunton where the waves are mellow and you'll be able to ride the whitewater for ages.

As for trying to predict conditions - I bought a book and asked around but now, just like everyone else it seems...i just ask DBB

If you ever want to meet up for a surf on the south coast just PM me - im only a weekend surfer though