fear of winter

[Beachbum]

Hey guys, I recently went out with a friend and the winter swell is forming. It was 3-5ft and the andrenaline running through my veins wasn't helping to calm my fears of committing for a big one. It was barreling on some solid sets and I only caught some of the inside waves since there were like 40 guys out there.

Any tips on how to overcome this fear and make the commitment? Seems like whenever I would at least try for a wave there would be a hoot behind me since everyone was always deeper.

[Hang11]

Paddle into it. That's the only way you will get used to it.

[pkbum]

big waves, you just gotta keep surfing those days when its firing. the only way you can overcome your fear.

[oldgrom]

Take the bigger wave challenge head on !!! Fear disolves once you start getting it,but to get it one must commit to it and yes you will get tossed a few times. 3 to 5 footers are not considerd big so relax and if ya get tossed go limp as a rag let it pass and start over. Good luck.

[O_Danny_Boy]

agree with hang 11, the only way youll get used to it is to paddle into'em. youll get more respect in the line-up if you paddle for something and and eat sh*t rather than shoulder hopping

[oldgrom]

Absolutly I see some fool paddlin for big'ens and eat'n shizz/over the falls etc. I'll give way more respect to em for tryin and stickin with it and eventually help em out. Just don't KooK drop in on better surfers or !!!!!!!??????? might follow.

[Beachbum]

Haha, Thanks for the advice. Yeah, after I made the drop on a wave the lip clipped me in the head, and my fear went down a bit. The pounding wasn't as bad as I thought which calmed me down. What is considered big anyway? I thought some solid 6 to 10 foot faces were frightening lol.

[oldgrom]

Double overhead is where their just getting sized to surf 4'- 6'overhead nice very nice8'-10'overhead awsome and 15'-20' overhead( big waves) when ya start getting in the insane 60' 70' waves (tow in) it is literly INSANE !!! got three of those spots here in california and leme tell ya,,, just watching them makes yer butt pucker.... I personaly stay away from those... You can't comfort me into em when I see ya need a wet bike,tow rope wear a wetsuit and life jacket and sometimes I see em wearing skateboard hellmets !!!!! Ant time ya need a life jacket and helmet to surf,,,,HA HA no thanks,, not for me and to think of the metric tons those bad boys pack shezzz like I said just watching them makes ya shudder.

[isaluteyou]

a big wave is anything over 8ft really so DOH is pretty macking 15-20 is damn heart pounding and i cant say what its like bigger than that as i aint surfed it. But i consider tow in a completely different ball game than paddle in

Swallow that fear and go for the rush

[oldgrom]

Abolouty duty DROP IN AND FEEL THE SPEED !

[IB_Surfer]

Beachbum: one thing to consider is the break you are at. If you surf a hollow steep wave, then when it gets huge it can be way intimidating. Try going to a reef or point or somewhere you know is a little mushier, so that the size does not look as scary.

In San Diego, for instance, I've surfed blacks beach double overhead, uber fun but I did pucker on the drops, but I've also surfed sunset cliffs double overhead, super mellow and peeling and way easy to catch.

So, short end advise: try an easier wave when it gets bigger, just to build your confidence, then charge them barrels when you feel more comfortable

[stuzzy07]

all we have here in SoFLA are fast, steep beach breaks...so when it gets over 6ft. it gets pretty hairy, even when it's super clean. would be nice to have a reef or point break, but i guess those will have to wait for vacations.

[twerked]

^that's the outer banks too. but i guess if you can charge those macking shifty beach breaks, you could charge a crumbling stationary point or reef break with ease? kind of like the snowboarding, 'east coast riders can ride any thing...we're used to ice'

[Sillysausage]

paddle into the good waves and look for the closeouts. be careful when wiping out as the hold downs are longer and your board and others will hurt a lot more if they hit you

[essex sucks]

i just don't look down til i have poped up

[pkbum]

i just don't look down til i have poped up

looking down looks like you're gonna fall off a 4 story building. then I look foward, "oh sh.it".

[Beachbum]

i just don't look down til i have poped up

I gotta try that for those days. Whenever I look down I back out because as pkbum said, it looks like I am on top of a building.

[IB_Surfer]

i just don't look down til i have poped up

LOL, mental immage, you looking at the clouds during your drop in...