** INTRODUCE YOURSELVES HERE!!!!!!! **

[xconguy]

Thanks for the props...
Berge

[Katsura]

Hi, I'm Ying, born in Shanghai China, raised in Manchester UK.

34yo male, I do programming for a living.

I'm currently living in San Diego USA (moved here because of wanting to learn surfing).

Complete beginner so pls bear with me. I go to local breaks like Tourmarline and La Jolla shores and some times Del Mar.

[essex sucks]

welcome all new peps

[tree4]

Hi.

My name's Trev and decided to join the forum after reading Phil Wilson's great 'newbie' post (more like a blog).

Ok. I'm 48 (yes that's right) and first learnt to surf as an 18 year old for one glorious week down in Croyde Bay, Devon.

And that was it for 30 years!!!

This year (having been the proud owner of a lovely VW T25 Multivan) I decided to take the van to its natural habitat and went for a week holiday driving from Lands End (Cornwall for any non UK posters) up the coast to North Devon arriving back at Putsborough sands.

On the way I hired a foam board at Poltreath (and again at Putsborough) and realised what fun I had denied myself for so long.

Anyway (completely bitten by the bug), I went back to Putsborough the following week (27th/28th August) with my 16 year old son and now he has caught the bug too!
I had borrowed a friends BIC 7'3"" and had no joy getting up (having previously hired a BIC 8'4" from the Gate House).

On the Thursday morning, the sea was as flat as Bournemouth (Yes I can bad mouth it, I live there), so we walked the mile or so to Woolacombe and looked for a second hand board (thinking I'd get a second hand BIC 8'4").

Well, one thing led to another an a really helpful guy at 'Le Sport' sold me an 8'0" Cortez including leash for £260 (It's great being older and earning good money to make impulse buys?).

That afternoon, the swell came back and although it was very messy, I spent a glorious 4 1/2 hours in the water re-acquiring skills and managed to pop and stand about 70% of the waves I went for.

All I need now is time, lots of time to learn to turn and carve.

As you may know, there is an artificial reef due for completion in B'mouth this year.

Depsite that fact that petrol is £1.10/litre and my van only does 26 mpg at best on a long run, I'm looking for a surf buddy I can take to Kimmeridge, and the B'Mouth beaches (or even Cornwall/Devon) who might give me some coaching/moral support in return for some free transport in one of the coolest VW vans in the area.

Anyway, thats quite a long ramble of a first post. Normally I'm the quiet one.

Oh, And thanks again Phil for your inspiring post.

Trev.

[xconguy]

Trev, there is nothing like the sight of a VW T-25 with a board or two on the top or just tossed in the back for a trip to the surf. If you get to California, I will host you at any of the beaches from Santa Cruz to Orange County....
Enjoy,
Berge

[Brimanu_Tong]

Good afternoon all,

My name is Joe Tong, 22, Male, Full Bearded.

Living in Burton on Trent doesn't present many opportunities to surf but I try to get away as much as possible. Been surfing for 3 years, I've got 2 boards, 7'3" Mini Mal and I'm not too sure what the other is but it's genuinely from the 1960's as it was my girlfriend's dad's board.

Favourite surf spot is Porthmeor or Hells Mouth to date.

Any questions just ask or I'll bore you by talking about my cat (he's called Hector.)

[tristgo]

Hi

I run a small navigation school in the UK.

Always keen to hear from anyone who has noticed anything in nature that has helped them find their way. Nothing is too obvious or obscure. Get in touch. Thanks

Tristgo
http://www.naturalnavigator.com

[GoatRider]

Hey everyone! GoatRider here givin' a shoutout from Santa Cruz.

I'm a 20 year old UCSC Student. I love pretty much anything outdoors: surfing, biking, running, backpacking. I'm also the Production Director and a DJ at KZSC Santa Cruz 88.1FM.

I look forward to meeting friends here and contributing to this great community!

[parrysurf]

Welcome All


Hey Goat.......Go Banana Slugs!!
Is Goat for:Greatest Of All Time??, Or do you take advantage of goats??
Right on DJing, I always have thought how fun that would be!
Better watch out..... that town will turn you into a damn Hippie!

Keep the stoke.

[parrysurf]

Hi

I run a small navigation school in the UK.

Always keen to hear from anyone who has noticed anything in nature that has helped them find their way.

While lost deep underwater during a bad wipe out I have used my leash to pull my board underwater to me to find my way to the surface....does that count?

[parrysurf]

Just signed up. Determined to learn surfing. Yeah, I am a Kook... Shoulda seen me at HB today!!! Will get a longboard appropriate to my size, 6'2" 215 #, Out there now on a 3-fin Phair, about 6'7" not good for learning, I realize... but it was what I picked up from a friend. Anybody in the Corona, CA area have a decent longboard for cheap, lemme know.

berge

Good on ya xcon..agreed you are a rock star. I am 40 still skate the skate park several times a week....my goal is to keep on that routine till the body give out...planning on that being after 50.
I will keep surfing waves till I die or am so crippled it is not safe for me to do so. Surfed with a cat In Malibu who was surfing great and he was 80. A friend of mine is 65 and he will out surf most of the people in the line up. Surfing is the perfect sport for aging gracefully.
Keep the Stoke!!

I have a 10'+ McCrystal, single fin, I would sell $350.00 in good shape. A wave catching machine. If you are interested PM me.

[GoatRider]

Welcome All


Hey Goat.......Go Banana Slugs!!
Is Goat for:Greatest Of All Time??, Or do you take advantage of goats??
Right on DJing, I always have thought how fun that would be!
Better watch out..... that town will turn you into a damn Hippie!

Keep the stoke.

Banana Slugs conquer all! haha, if only we had real sports. Yes, Goat is for greatest of all time. But it's also a reference to the band 3 Inches of Blood. THey have a powerful song titled "The Goatrider's Horde." I am a member of The Goat Rider's Horde. Check out that song. Taking advantage of goats? haha I only ride the cloven hoofed steeds into battle.

DJing is so much fun. I've taken a break this summer, but I can't wait to start up again when the fall schedule starts.

There are a lot of hippies in SC, but don't worry, I shower on a regular basis.

[LiveLoveSurf]

Danielle
age 15
From Malibu CA
Love to surf

[GoatRider]

Danielle
age 15
From Malibu CA
Love to surf

Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay!

[jon.biarritz]

Jon here
age 29
Paris, France
Grew up in the US, been living here for ten years
I usually get down to Biarritz 8 to 10 days a month to surf, just jump on the high speed train with a board and a rucksack and go.
Currently surfing a Maurice Cole 6'8 x 19 3/8 x 2 1/2.
On a scale of 1=newb to 10=pro i guess i'm a 2 working on getting to 3 this year.
Otherwise i work in music, running a festival and recording studio.
Anybody else surfing in Biarritz let me know!
Cheers

[bryansoderlind]

Hello my name is Bryan and I live in Orlando and surf and shoot photos, look for my website!

[Indy]

Hey guys, my name's Dan. Im a 19yo student from Sunderland.
Starting surfing again after a long break so back to being useless, not that i was ever really any good.
If anyone surfs in the Sunderland area then drop me a message.

[Budellonfame]

Gregory, 28, Florence - Italy

Water is my natural element, but touched my first surfing board 40 days ago... How novice is that?

[parrysurf]

Gregory, 28, Florence - Italy

Water is my natural element, but touched my first surfing board 40 days ago... How novice is that?

Right on Budellonfame....welcome to the rest of your life. once you feel the freedom, or even set your goals on it, your are changed forever. surfing is something you do for love of the feeling. give the ocean mad respect, as she will bite you on your journey. learn, grow, respect, thrive, pass the stoke!
Welcome!

[codyguy]

i live in fountain valley, ca, and i've been surfing for about two years (not as often as i would like though). i started off longboarding, which i still think is great, but nobody ever has room in their car. i now own a 20 year old waterlogged 8' funboard which i got for free from a friend. i'm now looking to but a decent used shortboard. i also worked at a surf camp a little bit over the summer. and i've been lurking here for a while, and just now decided to register.