1 week Diary of a newbie

[Bub]

I thought you guys would get some laughs out of this so here it goes:


Day 1 (Sat Jul 22nd) - Rented 8'4'' mini mal. from local shop. Went with wife to beach to give it a go in the water. the Water temp dropped from 80 degrees on Friday to only 63 degrees on Saturday due to shifting winds. It was freezing without a wetsuit. Winds were blowing approx 20-25 mph diagnal offshore and the surf was actually in decent shape for the time of year just talking to some locals (3-4 ft waves). I sat on the beach and watched the lineup for a while. There were 10 to 15 sufers in the water near the pier. I wanted to get a comfortable feel for how they lined up, where I should paddle out, how not to get in their way etc. After about 20 anxious minutes of watching, I finally got the cahones up to give it a try. So I paddled out...and kept paddling...and kept paddling. After about 3 minutes of paddling as hard as I could I finally got out beyond the breakers to the lineup and sat up on my board, gasping for air and feeling the extreme burn in my shoulders and arms. After about 20 seconds of "recovery" I realized the strong diagnal wind and water currents had taken me and my board down the coast My break was short lived as I had to paddle back about 100-200 ft. to my lineup position where I was at. Now completely exhausted and half frozen, I decided to just paddle in and cut my losses before I would be unable to paddle in at all. Trying to catch a wave with my weakened state was now completly out of the question. I made it in safely, went back to the beach house with my tail between my legs and drank a beer.
Total time in water: 5 minutes


Day 2 (Sunday July 23- Determined to stick with it, I made a decision to not try and surf at the pier with the experienced crowds but wanted to find a more secluded spot with avg. break and a few surfers around just for protection in case I got in trouble. The water temp was back up to mid
70's and winds were much calmer. I paddled out with no trouble. I caught the first wave while lying down. but had my body too far forward on the board. Before there was any opportunity to stand up, I nose dive right away. So I paddled back out, again with little trouble. Caught a
2nd wave, this time shifted my body weight back about 6 inches. I body surfed it a little longer that the 1st time, but once again...nose dive. This time when I fell forward the crash landing into the white wash flushed out one of my contact lenses. I had to paddle in being that I'm legally blind without contact lenses.

Time in water: 20 minutes

Day 3 (Monday July 24th) - Sunday night I went out and bought some speedo swimming goggles to keep from losing my last pair of contact lenses. Since I'm in my 30's with wife and kids, I didn't care how un-cool I looked, I just wanted to have fun surfing. The wave break was in close to shore and this actually helped me learn really well. It was low tide and I could stand in waist deep water and anchor mysef (as opposed to paddling all around and getting tired). I experienced my 1st stand up surfing today (tried to stand up 4-5 separate occurances and actually got up and balanced 2 times) Since I was catching waves close to shore though I could only ride for a second or 2 before I had to bail off. Still being my first time, it felt like quite an accomplishment. I did get a strange mysterious injury in my left arm between my elbow and shoulder. It went away later than night.

Time in water: 1 hour

Final day: Water was warm, winds were relatively calm and the waves were breaking really nice for a beginner. I discovered it much easier to surf at low tide when I could stand on a sand bar in waist deep water right at the place where the waves were breaking. Its probably cheating to real surfers to stand in the water, but I guess I needed to take baby steps. I was able to stand up on the board several times on my final day. I never did make good decisions on my wave selections that would have given me optimal rides all to way in to shore but I improved. All in all I made some progress each day I got in the water. Looking back to day 1. I did suffer a brused rib or pulled ab muscle that has been very sore now for over 3 days. I have no idea how that happened but I can't roll over in bed very well. Its getting better each day and the injury is well worth it.
Time in water 2 hours.

..I'm now officially hooked on surfuing and can't wait to make another road trip to the shore. It probably will be best for me to rent a board a few more times, but I'm thinking that a purchase is definitely in my near future. Thanks to all for advice on the board. It was good reading before venturing out. Ultimately though, no video, input from others really matters though. Surfing is almost all "feel". You just need to put in time in the water and you'll get there. Enjoy.

[surferdude_scarborough]

sounds like a half decent week! good to hear you're making progress dude!

sounds like youve had quite a few newb experiences in one week! so thats less to have later. it sucks when its too hard to get out back and stay in position but you'll get better at it with experience

good post man, interesting to read when really bored

[Laguna]

Thats great. Glad to hear your determination, stick with it and you will get good in no time. There a pro surfer who surfs with goggles on a lot - Gerry Lopez I think. Nothing wrong with it at all.

When I started out I bought these 2 books - they really helped me a lot because they cover everything!
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/4378 ... oduct.html

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/4378 ... r+start+up

Keep us updated with your surfing. Happy surfing

[dougirwin13]

LMFAO at day 1!!! hehehe!

Aaahh... Memories. Been a long time since I went throught that :D

Believe it or not, I reckon you are actually doing very well.

Stick with it - the big key is to spend as much time as life allows in the water. The rest comes down to the three Ts - Technique, Timing and Training. Some stuff you CAN practice out of the water.

And don't be a stranger... Update this thread when you can. We all appreciate it.

-doug

[RJD]

Day 1, funny!!

My first experience was paddling a longboard out at gore bay(NZ) in choppy narly unrelenting whitewater, no way was I making it out back, didnt catch a wave, survived!:D

As for the rest, standing up, catching whitewater waves learning to stand up on the board is WAY easier than paddling out back, catching a 'proper' wave, getting slammed and not learning a thing. Small steps babey.

[Bub]

I was most disappointed on my 2nd day when I lost the contact lens after only 20 minutes in the water. If I didn't have had to quit after only 2 attempts to catch waves, I'm sure I would have been able to eventually pop up and ride a few on that particular day after an hour or so in the water. Also I turned my board back in a day early because of the rib/ab injury. I couldn't even roll over in bed the night before so I figured there was no way I was going to be able to surf the last day of my vacation. It actually worked out ok, because the last day the winds whipped up strong again and the water temp dropped 15 degrees (like my day 1 experience).

[iomarti]

bub, that annoys me sometimes too (the contact lens thing...)

I carry a spare pair in the water with me now, after the best surf of my life was cut short by my lenses falling out.

This thread was a crackin read, by the way, thanks!

[Patrick__69]

Awesome post to read

I have no idea how that happened but I can't roll over in bed very well. Its getting better each day and the injury is well worth it.
Time in water 2 hours.

It happned to me too, took me about a month to heal and I thought I had broken a rib. I could only sleep on one side too but I went out the next day anyway and it seemed to losen up even though sleeping was even more uncomfortable the next day

[GowerCharger]

the injuries are probably just muscles complaining cos their not used to being used in that way. You should stick to catching some broken waves and standing to get used to the balance before paddling out where people are surfing unbroken waves.
And if you can get down the pool and practice swimming as often as you can (3 times a week is a good amount when your not surfing), a 3 minute paddle out will be no problem once you get fitter at swimming, imagine how the learners here feel, paddle outs at llangennith can be 15 minutes or more on a big messy day!

[Brian]

ive never lost a contact lense! and ive been surfing now for nearly 4 years! with the rib thing, its bound to happen.. happens to everyone! my ribs get very sore after a hard week of surfing without a wetsuit or rashvest!

good read though, keep us posted

[Driftingalong]

I lost one contact once.

I was sitting out back and it was starting to irritate me. I could tell it was about to come out. I actually caught it when it did pop out. I had the lens on the tip of my finger ready to put it back it when WHOOSH this gust of wind just took that little sucker right off my finger never to be seen again...



Hey Bub where are you at?

[Laguna]

imagine how the learners here feel, paddle outs at llangennith can be 15 minutes or more on a big messy day!

Took me about 15min last Saturday, was 5-6ft messy. Its horrible when its like that. When I started out surfing I struggled at Llangennith on big days, just couldn't get out the back on the bic. In winters its even worse, thats when you get the really heavy waves.

If you can get out in the water as much as you can and just practice paddling. You have to get fit enough to paddle for like 3 hours. Once you are fit enough at paddling the surfing will come easier. Try going to some spots where the surf is small like 2ft maybe 3ft.

[Bub]

I lost one contact once.

I was sitting out back and it was starting to irritate me. I could tell it was about to come out. I actually caught it when it did pop out. I had the lens on the tip of my finger ready to put it back it when WHOOSH this gust of wind just took that little sucker right off my finger never to be seen again...



Hey Bub where are you at?

I live in central Maryland. Nearest surf is OCMD (4 hr. drive). The chronicles of my first surfing experience from 2 weeks ago was while I was on vacation with the family down at Nags Head NC. The pier I was surfing at was the Nags Head Pier. The house we rented for the week was right across the street from the pier. It would have been ideal house rental if I were an intermediate or advanced surfer. My brother in law has been surfing for 3-4 years now and does day trips to OCMD or Assateague Island about once ever other week. I'm going to start going with him. He even has been making his own boards. He's made 4 so far and each one gets better than the last. He has an artist backround so the graphics/artwork on his boards are really great. He is still developing the designs and shaping for optimal riding but that will come with time, testing and experimentation.

[Driftingalong]

Cool man, I surf OCMD and Assateague. (I'm livin' in Willards, 15-20mins west of OC)

I wouldn't worry about coming down this weekend though. Lake Atlantic is in full effect.

[Bub]

Cool man, I surf OCMD and Assateague. (I'm livin' in Willards, 15-20mins west of OC)

I wouldn't worry about coming down this weekend though. Lake Atlantic is in full effect.

Next time I make a road trip down there I'll send out a post to let you know where I'll be at. You can get some laughs anyway since I'm just starting out. This weekend is a no-go for me. I still have this nagging abdominal pull that still isn't ready for the paddling actions yet. Maybe in 2-3 weeks. How's the water temp down there...mid 70s or greater? Will I need a wetsuit at all? I'm pretty much skin and bones so I get cold easily.

[dondiemand]

Hey Bub, great post bro! I like the way u said that surfing is all about "feel", that is totally true..everytime a newbie asks me for advice, i always tell them, "it's all about the "feel", you being one with your board and the wave" i mean, u can go technical and all, but to me, it's all about the "feel", unfortunately, often times, it's hard to explain that to a beginner..goodluck on your future trips! stay stoked!!

[Scott Sucks]

I'm really impressed with your paddling! Here on the Goldie it takes me up to 10 minutes to paddle out on a small day. By then I am so tired that if I had floated down stream like you had, I wouldn't be able to paddle back to the lineup.

By the time I paddle out the back I'm so tired that I can't paddle fast enough to catch any waves and I KNOW that if I got pulled out past the lineup I would find it very difficult to get back to the correct position. This sense of helplessness scares me and I usually (slowly) head back in to the beach.

I'm currently working on both my fitness and upper body strength to fix this problem.

[Driftingalong]

Hey that's cool Bub...

Water's pretty warm low-mid 70's. I just wear shorts and a rashie. It can be cold for the first min. or two, but after that it's fine. When there's been a lot of south wind swell that can pull in the colder water, but I still just trunk it! I've seen some dudes with a springsuit on...

[dougirwin13]

Hey Scott!

Just paddle!

Small day? No waves? Go for a paddle.

Paddle, paddle, paddle... And the fitness and appropriate muscle structure will come.

Just my 2c.

-doug

[Driftingalong]

I'm really impressed with your paddling! Here on the Goldie it takes me up to 10 minutes to paddle out on a small day.

You've got to remember that different places break in ...um... different places. It never breaks too far from shore here. A lot of the times to can walk out to were it's breaking.