Surfing Waves

This is quite embarrassing (well i think it is!) Been surfing for well over a year now. I can pop up every time with no problems. Can drop down into the wave and do a bottom turn and start to climb back up the face.

The problem is i have this fear about paddling out the back, even on smaller days. As soon as i get out of my depth i panic and think i am being pulled out to sea. So i start paddling back like mad. As you can guess this is hampering my progression big time as i don't get to catch many unbroken waves. The few i do get i am ok with. Any ideas how i can over come this fear. I also do scuba diving and have no problem with deeper water when doing that! (That would be an even bigger problem!! )The trouble is i always surf alone as i get days off in the week and none of my mates surf. Was thinking about having a couple of 1 to 1 lessons do you think that would help?

Lessons are not needed as the problem is to do with fear and not skill.

I found when i started id watch lots of big wave action and see those guys take massive wipeouts and come up as if nothing had happened. It made me realise i was stressing over nothing. You just need to reasure yourself and pluck up the courage.

This problem no one can help you but YOU!!!!

Best of luck

I had the same problem too, didnt like being out of my depth,

After a few good wipe outs i wasnt scared anymore !

Best of luck and go for it !

isaluteyou wrote:This problem no one can help you but YOU!!!!

I disagree a bit.
Its all about confidence, but surfing with someone else or better still as part of a group gives you a huge amount of confidence. Partly just knowing somone is there should it all go pear-shaped, but mostly just being with your mates means you're relaxed. And of course you dont want to look an idiot in front of your mates

Im not sure lessons are the way to go (they're hardly relaxing things) but if you can get out there with some mates or people off here, then that'll help no end.

Thanks for the help. Its not the size of the waves or the wipe outs i'm worried about (i quite enjoy the odd wipe out!) its the thought of not being able to get back in again. I think i would be more confident if i went with some one more experianced thats why i thought lessons would be good, just to be out there with some one experianced.

I always find that I feel like that. That you are drifting out. I find that it is easy to just pick a spot on shore, and every once and a while look at it. There is a dammed good chace, you are still in about the same spot(it helps if you are in a bay so you can just look sideways to get a better judge.

try surfing around l.a., you'd wish u were by yourself

sarge wrote:Thanks for the help. Its not the size of the waves or the wipe outs i'm worried about (i quite enjoy the odd wipe out!) its the thought of not being able to get back in again. I think i would be more confident if i went with some one more experianced thats why i thought lessons would be good, just to be out there with some one experianced.

I feel the same way mate, just remember to paddle parallel to the beach and you will be fine. Its a shame your mates don't surf though I always find it gives you more confidence.

You shouldn't be ashamed :) I would have thought it was perfectly normal. When i first went surfing with my mates family, before i left my dad told me to be really careful cus the sea is dangerous and all that, but as soon as i went i got dragged out and then paniced but i was soon back. The best thing you can do i'd say was to maybe become a really confident swimmer so you have the confidence in yourself to be sure that you could swim your way back to shallow if you get dragged out.

Im probably wrong but worth a try

Tom-Irons wrote:You shouldn't be ashamed :) I would have thought it was perfectly normal. When i first went surfing with my mates family, before i left my dad told me to be really careful cus the sea is dangerous and all that, but as soon as i went i got dragged out and then paniced but i was soon back. The best thing you can do i'd say was to maybe become a really confident swimmer so you have the confidence in yourself to be sure that you could swim your way back to shallow if you get dragged out.

Im probably wrong but worth a try

Your board is a floatation device...if your in trouble..use it! and paddle parallel lol

But you should be prepaired to be able to swim back in without your board.

Leashes break, boards snap etc, being a good enough swimmer to get back in without it I think is important, at least for confidence.

TicTac wrote:Your board is a floatation device...if your in trouble..use it! and paddle parallel lol

I found it harder tryin to get back with the board under me than without it

i know exactly what you mean, i find it scary cos its so quiet out there and though it should be peaceful and nice it gives me the heebie jeebies as I look back to shore. Try training to get you confidence up, Ive taken up swimming and am trying to do it with a fair intensity so I know/hope that i could get myself out of trouble if ever needed.

best tip i can give you guys, "when in doubt, don't go out"

Paddle.
Harder.

Now for the caveats... Ah what the flesh, they've all been covered above

Make sure you are ready (skills, attitude, etc) and then PADDLE HARDER. When you are ready to get out there you'll make it.

-doug

uh, unusualy, I dont think he has a problem getting out back, just scared of being so far offshore & out of his depth.

Depth has never been a concern to me. You can drown in 6 foot of water just as easy as in 60 foot of water.

remember, all the rips and currents are generated by the wave motion on the beach. When properly out back, there shouldn't be any current dragging you further out. You may get washed along the beach a bit, but definately not pulled out to sea.

You will definately always make it back to shore, as the waves you are surfing will lend you great assistance to get in with little effort. It will never take as much energy and effort to get to the beach as it will to get out back, so you don't need not be afraid of being "stuck" out back, or washed out to sea.

You should know a little about the effects of wave motion from your diving (i.e. you move backward and forward when in unbroken waves, but mostly remain in the same spot).

I would recommend paddling out on a smaller day and just sit there for a while. Don't give in to the pressure to get a wave etc. just sit until you're happy. Then give it a go.

I've never suffered from that fear myself as it's better to be sitting behind the line than in the impact zone!

Also in most places, if you were in trouble and started shouting for help, you'd have a load of surfers over to you within seconds (even if it's just a panic attack). I know I'd paddle over to help someone.

Cheers

Sinista

I think some surf schools do a supervised practise rate.

Its cheaper than a lesson, but if this really is such a stumbling block you should do this, tell them your worries, then you know you have qualified life save on hand if need me.