20 year old beginner looking to start in Plymouth..

[alexjholland]

Hey
Ive got university in september which was going to be in london, and i have never been too happy about it.. But last night I saw riding giants and have been completely taken in, i am dead set on becoming a surfer now..

I'm 20 years old, is this too late?

In my favour, I am already a keen martial artist, and have abnormally developed calf muscles..

I'm also a guitarist and artist above anything else, so I think I have a good sense of flow and the visulisation..

I tried windsurfing as a kid and got on very well with it, and more recently I've been getting into waterskiiing, which I picked up very fast, I was monoskiing within a day or so..

So yeah going to call up Plymouth University to talk about late entrys..

Have any of you got any advice, or do know how good Plymouth is for surfing?

Thanks very much

Alex Holland

[iomarti]

Hi Alex,

Yeah, 20 is not too late to start, so no worries there...

And a lot of the guys I surf with in Newquay went to Uni in PLymouth, and learnt to surf whilst they were at Uni, so I think it must be a popular thing to do (and learn) at Plymouth.

Not much help, but something..

[alexjholland]

No, those were pretty much 2 of the most important things i needed to hear man.. thanks!

Do any of the real good guys start this late? I know say in martial arts one of the top UFC fighters didn't start training until he was 20.. Obviously most start young.. But I don't like doing something if I don't know I can't get damn good!

[drowningbitbybit]

Dont get too excited about being 'damn good', as long as you're enjoying yourself it doesnt matter. And you will, so thats all okay...

Surfing takes a long time to get good at, and frankly you probably will never be 'riding giants'. Thats for an elite few. But theres plenty of swell about in the UK, and it'll be plenty big enough.

As long as your fit, thats all you need. Surfing is such a unique experience and set of skills (a bigger set than most people realise. Balance etc is just one of 'em) that assuming you'll have an advantage through martial arts or whatever isnt really all that true. Other than fitness, thats the key.

But anyway, get in there and start surfing.

There's plenty of places around plymouth. Many of them are a bit sketchy in summer (being on the south coast, and all) but a bit further west and there's plenty of waves to be found. There's some nice spots, so get yourself a Stormriders Guide to start with.

The north coast is a better bet in summer, and there are some better 'learner friendly' beaches (although theres learner friendly places a bit further west of plymouth) so get yourself down there one weekend and start learning now.

[alexjholland]

Thanks for the advice

Is there such a way for me to do a beginners school in Plymouth this summer perhaps? Spend a weekend or so with tuition and a rented board?

Or is there a way I could work there do you think?

Also, how is the south coast sketchy, and not beginner friendly? Are the waves too big?

Ill google later after college..

Thanks Alex Holland

[drowningbitbybit]

Also, how is the south coast sketchy, and not beginner friendly? Are the waves too big?

The whole of the south coast UK is sketchy (more so the further east you get) because the low pressures that generate swell tend to be too far north or too weak to wrap around the lands end peninsula so its rare that a good, clean powerful swell will hit the south coast in summer. The north coast (which faces the atlantic more directly) collects small summer swell better.

As for 'beginner friendly' - you need a largeish, rock-free, mellow break which are more common on the north coast. Round the south coast plymouth area, the breaks tend to be in smaller coves (so more rocks, rips and shorter rides as well as less mellow waves) and the shape of the beach is such that it turns into a shore dump at high tide, which is well nigh unsurfable, or at least means very short rides, which is no good when you're a beginner and it takes an age to get to your feet.

If you want to do a weeks course, head to a north devon spot.


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