How to Surf

     Surfing is one of the greatest water sports ever invented. Surfing has always been a sport that requires instinct, skill, technique and a love for the ocean and waves. While a novice may feel that all these skills make surfing a complex sport, one can actually describe surfing in a few short words. There are many different parts of surfing. The board, the wind, the wave’s velocity, and the distance between waves, all contribute to the final product of a wave and how the surfer can catch it.

     The rule, “where there is a wave, there is a surfer,” applies to almost all around the world. Unfortunately, for some soul surfers (surfers who surf to be in nature and be happy), the crowds are a little intense. The obvious popularity of surfing shows how easily people come to love it and want to try it. The first step to catching your first wave is to head down to your local beach and check the waves. Look for a gentle wave and a break with a sandy bottom. Once you have found this spot, you want to contact your local surf shop and rent a soft-board for learning. Once that you have your board and your spot, head down to the beach, but don’t jump in yet!

     What you want to do if you are a first timer is practice going from lying flat on the board to jumping up into your “surf stance.” This stance is what you will use when standing up on a wave. You want to be fairly balanced, and not positioned too far back on the board, or the tail will sink. If you are too forward, you will do what surfers call a “nose dive,” in which you will embarrassingly sink your nose and thus plummet down the wave with a tremendous splash for everyone to laugh at. Position yourself in the middle of the surf board, leaning a little bit back. After you have practiced jumping from your stomach to your surf stance several times and feel comfortable with it, it is time it hit the waves.

      Usually there will be a part of the surf break called the channel. This is where you want to go out because the waves don’t break in this section. Once you are in the lineup (the place where you wait for the wave), sit on your board like you are straddling a horse. Now is the time to be patient and feel the ocean. You need to find sports on shore that are visible, and line yourself up with them. These are your reference points so you don’t drift into the breaking zone.

       A wave is coming! You look out in the distance and you see a little lump. As the wave comes towards you, it will get bigger than it was in the distance due to the shallower sea floor. To be able to catch this wave your, momentum must be equal to the wave’s momentum. To do this, you will need to paddle as hard as you can. Once you catch the wave you will no longer need to paddle and you will feel yourself gliding along the ocean at a fast, effortless pace. This feeling is absolutely amazing and words are unable to describe it. A surfer’s saying is, “Only a surfer knows the feeling.” Once you have caught the wave, it is time to stand up! Remember that balance is the key to surfing and your stance makes either a great ride or a hilarious wipeout. By shifting your weight and your feet, you can control the direction in which you travel.

      That is your first wave! Make sure you tell yourself that everyone has different learning curves and to never give up on the first wave. After you have mastered it, you can surf more advanced spots and ride shorter boards. If you don’t get hooked, then you will never know the true surfer’s feeling of gliding on a wave. Time for you to stop reading this essay and get out into the surf!