Greetings from the Seychelles everyone!

[Sam92]

Hi all,

I'm Samir, German/Algerian, 26 yrs old and living in the beautiful Seychelles since 5 years now having moved from Ireland.
I've been lurking on this forum for the past year and would like to say thanks for all the laughs and awesome tips/advice!

I've been surfing for 1 year now. It's funny you know, i've never ever been exposed to surfing AT ALL and in any form, did not know what it was except for seeing clips in a hollywood movie when i was a kid i think, until christmas day 2016 when i saw a surfer shredding for the first timein my life at a beach and I Immediately got a wave of excitement and curiosity wash over me (pun intended) and i instantly KNEW this is what i'm doing now.
And so I spent the next year reading and watching everything i could about surfing, waves, the ocean etc and taught myself how to swim because i never learnt and knew i had to and then just played in the waves with a kids bodyboard i found to get used to waves, this is how dedicated and hooked i was before even touching a board!

Then i got my 7'6" soft top online(theres only one surf shop in the country with 4 mega pricey boards and no fins, leashes, wax etc) and started learning myself with the help of you tube and this forum as there is only one surf school here part of four seasons hotel (also super pricey).

BEcause of work, i can only surf dawn patrol, which i do 2- 7 days a week in warm turquoise waters with no one in the water or on the beach. (i'm a safety first guy so i still play it safe)
There arent many surfers here so i've actually never ever surfed with other people in the water before, like never! there are many breaks all within like 20 minute drive so every crew has there own break pretty much and i have my two local breaks all to myself, everytime ( a beachy and a gentle reef). Can be a bit lonely sometimes but the other surfers surf bigger, gnarly reefs that im not ready for.
I now got two 2nd hand boards( 7'8" and 6'3") from a client of mine who left the country and a proper bodyboard for the bigger/hollow days and low tide reef break , but i still mainly use my soft top and am mainly working on paddling, pop up and bottom turn.

I'm sorry for the long ramble, thats my surfing life so far anyway, i decided to be member to share the stoke with fellow wave riders and to learn!

Thanks everyone and peace out!

[jaffa1949]

Welcome, nice beginning for a stoked life style, stay on the form , ask question. More power to you, you are learning the original natural way!

[Sam92]

Thanks Jaffa , haha yeah man and loving every second of it,
Peace

[dtc]

Wow, that sounds so cool. I once played cricket with a guy from the Seychelles (Mahe)(he had moved to Australia as a teen) and so I know it’s not necessarily a paradise for residents, but nonetheless it still sounds very enjoyable.

Only surfing most days of the week in uncrowded warm waves... (it’s weird how, as a total beginner you don’t want anyone around, but after that having 1 or 2 other people is much nicer and seems safer. Although, Jaffa, someone counted 62 off DY point yesterday, so there is a limit ...)

Seems like there are quite a few breaks around and on other islands, could be fun to check them out once you are a bit more confident (funds and work allowing, of course)

[Sam92]

oh cool, yeah a lot of seychellois live in australia (relative to the population that is). It has its ups and downs for sure, but the stunning nature and warm uncrowded waves make it hard to complain haha.

Yeah so true, it'd be nice to have a fellow beginner to share the kooky journey with though. 62 people?! holy cow....

i paddle out to some of the offshore reef breaks (200-500m makes for good paddle practice through the channels on smaller days to get familiar with the bottom, line up etc just to make it less daunting for when i get more confident with my skills, breath hold and wipeout technique etc.
Thing is, there aren't many good beginner breaks (in my mind that is gentle, fat rollers over sand or deep reef), but a lot of gnarly shallow coral reef breaks that are hollow, steep and fast! Although its a pleasure to watch Australian and south africans fly out of long, racey, glassy overhead tubes....i'll join them one day

Where is the best place on the forum to post pics of some of the breaks? cheers

[jaffa1949]

That's great how you are going about your surf education.
You can post photos and small video in upload attachment if they are on a tablet, in the photo collection on the tablet.
Goes upload attachment, then add file, then place in line.
There are other ways too.
If you have videos then the YouTube or Vimeo link can be given and those interested can follow it.
Often Surf Patrol while use options to actually show the video.
See what you can do, the Seychelles have been on my bucket list

[Ratfinksurfer]

Can be a bit lonely sometimes !

After surfing Malibu with five guys often taking off together on the same wave, the idea of being lonely just sounds magical to me! I'd worry the sun would cook my skin however. Looking forward to seeing some images of the Seychelles, Wow... he says he's lonely!...