i need advice

[justloafing]

i moved here from england 6 months ago and im new to the whole surfing thing i have a short board and i can stand up on about 2 ft waves lol and im not that confident on bigger waves yet because im not used to the water and in away i am scared of being dunked or something

Just gotta ask one question. Are you a good swimmer (if not get some lessons)? A dunking is all part of surfing, it really is and 2 ft waves should not worry you. Things I may suggest.

! Get a longer board
2 Maybe a lesson
3 Practice practice and more practice

[Dec]

I find that if I dont know about the break, or the size on the break..Putting some swim fins on and swimming outback first is a good start. And having said that...You could just go out and take it..it's going to happen anyway!

[bluesnowcone]

when i first started surfing i was scared of getting big waves, but after about a year i just went out there and caught a 7ft wave and shot down the line, it was the best feeling id ever had, just go and do it, if you fall off tuck in and cover your head unitl you stop rolling around

[gdude335]

did it once, can do it again.
if you take a wave of a size you consider big and scary, take it and maybe fall but not badly, you will will be happy because you did it and you KNOW what to expect.
Imagine yourself surfing the wave and "meditate" a bit, tell yourself what you are going to do and run it over and over in your mind.

[taz999]

i can swim and i can stand up fine its just the fear of drowning i can surf just not on big waves

[Sar]

i can swim and i can stand up fine its just the fear of drowning i can surf just not on big waves

hey you're doing a lot better than a lot of us! That fear of drowing will keep you alive - stops you doing stupid stuff and getting yourself in trouble, just try and keep it to a rational fear, if its too late for that then continue to build up your confidence on smaller days and give the bigger days a miss.

If you can get someone to go and surf with that may help - someone to watch your back and enjoy it with instead of just worrying about stuff.

[endless summer]

Its very good to keep an element of fear in your head when you are in the water. If not, you can get to ahead of yourself and always remember mother ocean is in charge while you are out there