by dtc » Sat Apr 04, 2015 1:28 am
You want white water that is big enough to push you along, has a bit of length to it (ie the waves break a bit out from the beach) but keep in mind that the water has to be deep enough so you aren't hitting your fins on the bottom. However, if the white water is too big its quite hard - the impact when the water hits you may knock you off your board or be so bumpy that its takes you 5 seconds to get your balance back and by then you are already at the beach. There doesn't need to be much white water; if you have a long (and thus floaty) board, shin high white water will usually be enough
I think there is benefit in starting in white water on a proper surf beach (ie where there are surfers) so that by the time you start going out back, you 'understand' the beach a bit, are comfortable on it, have watched other surfers. While starting in a nice quiet beach seems good and you are out of the way, if that isn't a surf beach you then have to move over to a totally different beach, which adds to the stress and uncertainties.
Of course, you don't need to surf right in front of the other surfers, go over to the side out of their way. You only need white water, not a surfable wave; most beaches will have waves good to surf and a secondary or 'thirdary' break that no one will be surfing, but which will still produce white water.
I also urge you to, if you can, try and spend several days in a row surfing. Surfing with a long break will be two steps forward and 1 or 1.5 steps back due to the break. Sure, after 10 months you might be 7 steps 'ahead'; but if you surfed 7 days straight you might be 10 or 12 steps ahead. 7 days straight up might not be physically possible (your arms will fall off), but a few weekends then a 5 day stay or something might be doable. I reckon, starting from scratch (and it being very variable between people) that you probably need 20 - 50 hours in the water before you are starting to catch green waves on your own; having a month break between sessions probably adds 30-50% to those timeframes.
I don't live on the coast so am perfectly aware there are life and expense and other reasons why you can't always spend a week surfing; but if you can manage it (even just staying over night on your weekends) it will be greatly to your benefit
Once you are able to consistently pop up in white water without falling over, start going out back. I imagine in the UK there will be a usual mix of good and bad surfers; but as long as you know your surf etiquette I can imagine the other surfers will mind - everyone has to learn, most surfers are more than willing to give you some leeway or tips - so long as you aren't getting in their way or being a danger to them