Returning to surfing after 14 years

[Fay]

I have not been surfing for 14 years. I surfed, badly(!), throughout the 90s, including down at Fistral and at home here on the Isle of Wight. I gave it up, which I regret, because injury, illness (fully recovered now, thankfully) and a need to pay the rent meant I sold my board, an 8' 6" Custard Point longboard, and other demands on my time, such as work and other interests, meant I never got round to taking it up again. I have got a bodyboard but, while bodyboarding is great fun, it's lacking something compared to stand up surfing.

I am now 42 years old, not getting any younger and want to get back into surfing again before it is too late. I have got a trip down to Newquay planned for the first week of October - I can't get down sooner as I work in tourism here on the Isle of Wight and, besides, I want to avoid the worst of hordes of general holidaymakers - where I have booked a couple of one-to-one lessons to get back into things again. I haven't got a new board yet, as too many other things are competing for my money, not least my car MOT and tax, which is due soon.

Any tips and advice will be appreciated! I am a strong swimmer and swim on a regular basis but anything else you people recommend I can do, I am all ears.

Cheers
Fay

[jaffa1949]

Welcome back Fay, hen you head down to Newquay have look through the surf shops there and see if there is a board ( second hand ) that is about the same dimensions as your old board, you seem to have begun the rehabilitation well and a little time a little patience and lots time n the water you will regain your former levels and with your experience probably exceed them.
Being in tourism at home would also clue you into the time IOW breaks and where to go . Hook up with some of the clubs etc as a part of both your tourist and surf research. Cunning a forethought , try to persuade emplyers it would be good for you to personally
try each surf school and club on the island
Best of luck and welcome to the waters

[kitesurfer]

Get a board, any board and get out there.

KS

[Fay]

Thanks Jaffa and KS.

[dtc]

Fay
I often go a few months between surfs and was a late starter myself; so often feel like a beginner all over again. My tips, for what they are worth:

- as everyone has mentioned, get the right board and a good wetsuit (if you need one)

- practice your pop up on land. Not just getting to your feet a few times, but focus on getting it right - hands moving to where they should be, feet in the right position, balance etc. I found this is great for confidence, because when you are on the wave and needing to commit, you know you can do it and don’t second guess yourself.

- don’t be worried about taking a session or five easing your way back into it. Surf some white water; just swim or body surf to get used to the waves. Even think about lessons - lessons just aren’t for total beginners, I took some lessons after surfing for about 4 years and the teacher picked up on 2 or 3 things I was doing badly and it made a huge difference.

- depending on your style of learning, read some instruction books or watch some internet videos. My favourite - other than this site - is 'big whiteboard Wednesday' on youtube, but there are plenty of others. Obviously I don’t pretend that land based training is any where near useful as actually surfing, but I find it is good to have a base of theoretical knowledge in my head, so if I kept missing the wave or perling or whatever, I have some understanding of how to fix it. Its also helpful for knowing where to position yourself, how to avoid trouble and all of that.

- sunscreen...

- appreciate you may get obsessed, its entirely natural

[Fay]

Thanks for the advice. I have enquired about lessons here, I am going to join a group session at first, hopefully later this week, just to get back onto a board and then a 1 to 1 session, then I'm off to Cornwall in October where the surf is more consistent than here (couple more lessons and I'll hire a board, too). Can't wait!

Working on the pop-ups, too. Quite apart from anything else, it's a bit of good exercise.

I am now hoping my car MOT doesn't end up costing too much so I can put some money towards a new board.

[Fay]

I've taken Thursday afternoon off work (I would have gone tomorrow, only I have got a dentist's appointment - love flexible working!) and booked a lesson with a surf instructor. It's going to be interesting, as I have not been on a surf board for 14 years! It's a group session but should be great fun.

[dtc]

Have a great time. Exhausted but smiling is the best way to end your first time back!

[Fay]

Thanks dtc. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[Fay]

That was brilliant, and I can still - just about - stand up, albeit a bit clumsily! A problem I found was paddling, I was knackered after only a few waves and subsequently missed quite a few. I'd forgotten quite how hard this is, my shoulders and upper back muscles are sore ! The surf was 4 to 5 ft, at 11 second intervals.
I am hoping to get out again next week.

[dtc]

Now I'm envious (sitting in front of a computer 2.5hrs from the beach). Sore muscles are just your body's way of saying 'what did you just do to me, you havent done that for a while, I might just punish you out of spite". But a few more sessions will show who is boss.

[Fay]

Thanks dtc, yes my muscles are letting it be known they are not happy at all today! But that's good as it shows that I have been active after too long as a booze-swilling couch potato.
I tweaked my right knee yesterday, it hurt briefly when I stood up for the third time but just as quickly the slight pain subsided...however, when I got up this morning it was very painful, but the pain has gone away as the day's gone on.

[IB_Surfer]

Here is a better one, as a teen I only boogiboarded, 15 years later I decided to take up surfing and have for the past 15 years. Never too old. the body is older and not as light (in other words, we get fatter) but the skill carries on. Just reember, if you surfed a 6ft board when you were 21 enjoy the memory and buy what you need for your skill, weight and conditioning. That said, I'm gonna surf past my 70's so I'm glad I picked it up

[Fay]

Thanks mathteacher, I am definitely a bit fatter than I was at 20 yrs old. I am pleased to find I can still stand, even if I am slower (I think getting to my feet faster will come as I get back into this and surf more).
I don't intend giving up again! Not unless something terrible happens.

[IB_Surfer]

I don't intend giving up again! Not unless something terrible happens.

WRONG LOL! 10 stitched on my foot, hairline fracture on my shin, 3 stingray sting and a miriad of bruices too numerous to list, and still surfing, even after terrible things LOL

[Fay]

Those aren't too bad (and luckily stingrays are not too common in the north Atlantic - at least I don't think they are )...well, ok, they're bad but not totally crippling, at least not permanently. It's Really Bad Things like strokes or severe arthritis like my aunt has...

[jaffa1949]

Fay, go glass half full, surfing nourishes your body and soul, less stress which is the major factor behind most modern illnesses, the only strokes you need to have are the ones that paddle you onto a wave, old farts like me have some osteo arthritis, ( fair wear and tear) but can still paddle and catch waves . BTW I'm 63 heart is great, I have no vascular issues, but then I never smoked.

Focus on the good stuff how much you are surf ing and improving!
I invite every regular surfer to look at their non surfing contemporaries and see how much more relaxed, fitter and more capable in reflexes you are than them

[Fay]

Well, that's certainly encouraging, Jaffa.

Surfing also helps self-esteem. Mine is often non-existent and taking up surfing again will help, I know.

[dtc]

Surfing also helps self-esteem. Mine is often non-existent and taking up surfing again will help, I know.

Its interesting how a sport that most people completely fail at for at least the first 20+ hours can nonetheless help self esteem!

I mean, if people had to learn golf or tennis by spending the first 20 hours swinging at a ball but never actually hitting the ball, they would give up and feel frustrated.

But surfing - can't stand up despite hours of attempts- never mind, try again, its fun and feels good, you feel good. Catch one wave and it keeps you going for weeks (or months). Even if you fail or perl, you still feel better than when you went in.

I'm sure there are books written about why this is the case...but I'm too old and cynical to care. If it works, it works.

[Fay]

Yeah, funny that. No idea why. As you say, because it's fun, even when wiping out, going over the falls and generally failing at it, you're going pretty fast when surfing, which is always fun.
I've not managed to go surfing since the 16th, because of work and flat conditions, but I am hoping to go later this week (work permitting).