which board?

[waikikikichan]

Just a little FYI, Costco in the U.S. sells ( or used to ) the CBC 5'8" sushi fish for $59.99
210 euros converted to usd is $252.99 !!

[reketepete]

I see people do generally is just go in the water [...] until where the waves don't crash and beyond [...]then from there they try to get some wave which hasn't broken.

Yes, that is the goal in surfing - catching unbroken waves. But as a complete beginner that is not where you should be, especially as Scheveningen is pretty chaotic without a clearly defined lineup (like many North Sea spots).

Stay far away from the harbour walls. They are dangerous and the current can sweep you there. But this is also the area where waves are best and the best surfers are, so you will not have fun and just be a danger to yourself and others.

Watch where the surf schools (like Aloha) go - this is your starting spot. Take lessons as suggested. Don't go out if winds are above 4Bft or waves are bigger than 3ft - in Scheveningen that means windy, messy onshore.

Take lessons at Hartbeach or Aloha - these are very friendly and helpful people.

I've been there quite a few times by now.
From what I noticed.....

On the left (looking at the sea), close to that big rock wall, is maybe the safest place.
I mean not so close (rip current) but around there.
And the waves are not that chaotic there.

As you start going to the right, the side where the big wheel is, it gets more rough.
And the sea tends to pull more.
It doesn't just pull in, it pulls to the side a lot too.

I never got to a point where it pulled me in so much that I can't stand up and walk back.
But well that was my thought.
What happens if one day it pulls you in to a point where you can't stand, there are no more waves breaking there.
You try to swim back, but what if the ocean is more powerful?
You swim to the side and then try to swim back.... but at this point I would be terrified
Also I felt and I heard about rip currents when you are where the waves are breaking.
But what about beyond that point?
Are rip currents still as strong?

[jaffa1949]

Learn to read the beach seriously what you are thinking is upside down!
The rips are strongest near a set object ( harbour wall) as the water from incoming waves needs to make its way back out to deeper water, the waves are your friend under most circumstances and you can body surf or allow them to wash you in.
Where there are rips there are less waves evident and often the waters deeper and can sometimes be seen moving out to sea.
If you are relying on swimming in , swim to the wave area and be washed in,
DO NOT try to swim against a rip, you will get rapidly exhausted and then have panic state and be at great risk, swim diagonally across the rip to the waves and get washed in.
DO NOT try to paddle against the rip either on a surfboard same result ( definitely do not throw your board away and try to swim in) paddle towards the waves and then allow them to wash you in.

You really need to go to a surf school and learn how the rips waves and currents work, as I said your assumptions place you at great risk of being a drowning victim, not something we want to happen.
Take Oldie‘s advice he knows the beach and conditions there, you couldn‘t have a better situation for advice

[reketepete]

Depends on the winds really.
If it's from left to right there will be no current in the rocks which are on the left.
If the winds are from right to left yes, probably there will be some current near the rocks.
But many times the wind is from left to right, not sure why.

[jaffa1949]

A bit more information that needs to be corrected.
Wind does not create rips, the amount of water coming in as waves develops the rips and their strength , onshore winds at an angle may slightly alter wave points but rips along side fixtures like the harbour walls and the pier usually stay regardless.

The rips are where there is the least resistance to running out

Are you prepared to bet your life based on a learner's guess?

Surfers paddle out in rips for two reasons , less waves to paddle through and the rip
is going out the way they want to deeper green wave catching zone.

Please take a lesson or two and go talk to the guys surfing there

Just so you know if you look at google earth at Scheveningen there are 8 rip points visible between the pier and the harbour wall, the two strongest are at the pier and the wall.
Several of the rips are lateral feeder rips to the main rips at each man made obstacle. They are the ones that pull you sideways.

I have been a qualified lifeguard at much more treacherous beaches than Scheveningen and I have had to rescue many people who thought they knew better.
Oldie surfs there, he knows, you are a beginner, the advice being given is for your safety, please don't ignore it.

[RinkyDink]

also, what I see people do generally is just go in the water and go in super deep, until where the waves don't crash and beyond.
like almost where that big rock wall finishes, sometimes even further.
then from there they try to get some wave which hasn't broken.

That's not how you should start surfing. That's how kooks learn. I recommend that you take a lesson, but if you decide to teach yourself, then you need to start here https://surfing-waves.com/surfing-etiquette.htm. Learn how to be safe in the water and how not to anger other surfers with your presence in a lineup. You can learn surf etiquette the easy way or the hard way, but you will learn it eventually so take some time to make sure you understand it before you go anywhere near a lineup.

[RinkyDink]

Just a little FYI, Costco in the U.S. sells ( or used to ) the CBC 5'8" sushi fish for $59.99
210 euros converted to usd is $252.99 !!

california-board-company-cbc-5-8-sushi-surfboard-costco-606303.jpg

I think they only sell the Wavestorms and surfing products in the summer. It might depend on the Costco location, however. I doubt you'll see any Wavestorms in a Wichita Costco, but I don't know for sure.

[reketepete]

I have a funny annecdote regarding ettiquete/surf instructors in that beach.
I was in that place near the rocks.
It was a very crowded day, tons of kids with their "surfer" t-shirt, instructors, other surfers....

So I take a wave, kinda big, I was going fast (with a bodyboard, not surfboard).
A "surfer" tshirt kid shows in the way.
He was just standing there, a bit after where the waves break.
He sees me, I see him, we both do maneuvres to try to avoid the crash, and we do.
I continue riding the wave.
Then his instructor shows up in the way.
Another kid, just instead of 14 he was maybe 20.
Does he try to avoid me?
Nope.
He stands wide, "atomic ant" pose, trying to get as wide as possible to sustain the crash.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iSdhEflcPvU/hqdefault.jpg
I maneuvre and I miss him by little.

I was speechless at the attitude of the instructor, someone who supposedly the students should take as a role model.

[jaffa1949]

I don’t know the full situation here, but most knowledgeable surfers (no matter what they ride) just avoid riding through surf school masses of learners. Usually because learners have little or no awareness of rules . There are unwritten rules and then using plain common sense. ( which sadly isn’t so common anymore).
The Atom Ant stance may have been a way of letting you know he disapproved, surf schools in some areas also have a priority area. (definitely don’t know about this)!
If in doubt, asking the instructor would have clarified the situation.

Rightly or wrongly your actions in many other line ups would get you in a physical confrontation, which doesn’t solve anything but is a reality!

[reketepete]

I don’t know the full situation here, but most knowledgeable surfers (no matter what they ride) just avoid riding through surf school masses of learners. Usually because learners have little or no awareness of rules . There are unwritten rules and then using plain common sense. ( which sadly isn’t so common anymore).
The Atom Ant stance may have been a way of letting you know he disapproved, surf schools in some areas also have a priority area. (definitely don’t know about this)!
If in doubt, asking the instructor would have clarified the situation.

Rightly or wrongly your actions in many other line ups would get you in a physical confrontation, which doesn’t solve anything but is a reality!

my actions?
you mean riding a wave?
I get surfers passing by my side all the time, and I simply move away.
This "instructor" kid was just trying to pick up a fight.
Kind of like you, just trying to get on my nerves since I started the thread.

[Oldie]

Your approach with the surf school would get you beaten in many other spots. The way you describe it, it is not the instructor who was agressive here. You simply avoid surf schools, especially a group of beginners in the whitewater. The beach is big enough.

Try to get into listening mode as you have been given gentle and constructive advice.

[reketepete]

Scheveningen is not a private beach for surfing schools.
There is a small space and everybody has the same right to use it.
Basic human/surfing etiquette, if somebody's coming at you riding a wave you try to dodge him.
You don't try to make as wide as possible so that he will crash you, unless you are trying to get punched in the face.

[jaffa1949]

I don’t know the full situation here, but most knowledgeable surfers (no matter what they ride) just avoid riding through surf school masses of learners. Usually because learners have little or no awareness of rules . There are unwritten rules and then using plain common sense. ( which sadly isn’t so common anymore).
The Atom Ant stance may have been a way of letting you know he disapproved, surf schools in some areas also have a priority area. (definitely don’t know about this)!
If in doubt, asking the instructor would have clarified the situation.

Rightly or wrongly your actions in many other line ups would get you in a physical confrontation, which doesn’t solve anything but is a reality!

my actions?
you mean riding a wave?
I get surfers passing by my side all the time, and I simply move away.
This "instructor" kid was just trying to pick up a fight.
Kind of like you, just trying to get on my nerves since I started the thread.

Fixed , you can ignore all my advice I have nothing further to offer you!

[Big H]

“Rights” and common sense are two different things.....one of the skills in becoming competent is to be able to control your board and pick your spot thru a crowd no matter what you ride. Anything less is reckless and will earn you a deserved beat down at a lot of spots. Tread lightly and lose the attitude is the offered advice.

[reketepete]

“Rights” and common sense are two different things.....one of the skills in becoming competent is to be able to control your board and pick your spot thru a crowd no matter what you ride. Anything less is reckless and will earn you a deserved beat down at a lot of spots. Tread lightly and lose the attitude is the offered advice.

So every person in scheveningen who cannot
"control your board and pick your spot thru a crowd no matter what you ride"
deserves being beaten severely.
Basically you are saying that 95% of the people who go to scheveningen deserve to be beaten mercilessly.

What is this forum?
That beach from "point break" where johnny fights warchild and the singer from rhcp?
Really, I sense a repressed violence in some members.... the same I sensed in the raged instructor as I was passing by his side.

[waikikikichan]

What is this forum?
That beach from "point break" where johnny fights warchild and the singer from rhcp?
Really, I sense a repressed violence in some members.... the same I sensed in the raged instructor as I was passing by his side.

THIS forum has many great contributors that CARE. They care about newbies/beginners. They give good advice on how to become a better and SAFE surfer. If you don't approve of how this forum is, there are many other surf forums that you can post on, however, I have not found one that is caring ( and mature ) as this one.

Warchild and friends aren't the type to contribute their thoughts on a forum. Most of us here have a developed frontal lobe. We are just trying to keep you out of situations and away from people like Warchild.

By the way, since you may like Hollywood surf movies............. check out "Northshore". So in the words of Chandler, "You got a whole lot to learn, so why don't you just shut up and watch".

reketepete, you asked for help. We gave you good advice. Here's another one: "don't bite the hand that feeds you". I can't believe how you responded to Jaffa ( and BigH) when he is trying to help you. You're new and everyone makes mistakes in life and in surfing ( even seasoned instructors ). But until that time when you can admit your mistake and apologize to Jaffa, I won't try anymore to help you either. Aloha.