when'd you learn to surf?

Crumble Froo

right, i've just moved to nz, and though i spent much of my youth bodyboarding up in donegal, i've never known anyone who surfed, and living in a landlocked county most of the year, never gotten into it, though have always said i'd like to.

living in nz now, im by the beach, the weather is good and the waves are sweet, im really really hoping to start surfing...but... im nearly 20... i dont wana sign up for a lesson to be put in with a load of 8 year olds...

how likely is it that most people who are gonna learn to surf have learnt to surf by now? i honestly dont know the first thing, and dont have any friends here that we could sign up together or something...

any thoughts/tips/advice/reassurance?
(mostly the last one, please )

c - 13

Bull****.

I started surfing properly somewhere between 6 - 9 months ago. I was 23.

I had surfed before though, take a private class or two to get you started. Its more expensive but you wont get lumped with bunch of teens.

cue

I got my first lesson when I was 36 and since then I have surfed with 8 year olds and pensioners. You find your level and age has no real bearing on ability unless you are into competitions

Crumble Froo

now that's what i wanted to hear

was talking to one of my b/f's mates last night, and she said she might sign up with me. i am still a bit nervous, cos there is a lot more of a surf culture here (my b/f used to literally live to surf, just slept on the beach and everything), but im sure ill manage.

BraziliaNZ

welcome to NZ. Whereabouts are you living? I'm in Mount Maunganui some good surf here sometimes but having a pretty flat January actually...

Crumble Froo

im down in christchurch, at southshore at the mo, but moving a little more inland this week.

j0e

got my first lesson as a 21st birthday present 2 years ago, and im still ****

BraziliaNZ

the lessons are pretty useless I think, they basically just give you instructions on how to stand up, but you always fall tit over arse for the first few sessions, you just have to go out over and over and over and over... and after a couple of years you MIGHT be half decent! It's not for everyone and it's pretty damn hard to get up to a half-decent standard.

tman

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

the lessons are pretty useless I think, they basically just give you instructions on how to stand up, but you always fall tit over arse for the first few sessions, you just have to go out over and over and over and over... and after a couple of years you MIGHT be half decent! It's not for everyone and it's pretty damn hard to get up to a half-decent standard.

Doesn't mean that you can't get out there and start having fun straight away. That's a fairly negative post in fairness, I'm sure she's not expecting to go out there and start catching some monster waves on her first go.

For the record, I started a couple of years ago (lessons), then bought my own board a couple of months ago. I'm absolutely ****e at it, but I love every second... (25 years old now)

Jrad

Dont mind that, if you get lessons they will give you a massive longboard that is so solid in the water that you cant not stand up on them. Good fun is surfing, not much good mind but enjoy it anyway.

Crumble Froo

thanks guys... yeah, i've absolutely no expectatoins to be any good at all, though i used to body board loads when i was a bit younger, and just love being out there in the sea, working towards something. my biggest issue would be that i dont wana invest in a board just to not really feel it, and have wasted money.

i have to get a job first, and then, once i have that... ill be looking definitely into learning to surf. even a few lessons to give me the basics and i can work for myself from there, hopefully

cue

Lessons are great!!! If you get an instructor who jumps up and down on the beach in delight when some newbie stands up for a nanosecond before going arse over tit, it can be one of the best days of your life. You get to mix with people that you normally would not mix with, and enjoy doing it. Its hard to not enjoy yourself when everyone seems to be just either grinning insanely or paddling like crazy with that weird determined look on their face of "this time, this time...oh ****" A good lesson will also touch on safety, ocean conditions and etiquette (even in brief) aswell as technique, things that cannot be learned and are not common sense, and which will stand to everyone.

ksir

i agree with cue there. I'm just after have a few lessons and am just about to get my own gear and without the lessons i i think i would just have been flapping around in the water. i learned a good deal about water etiquette and safety as well as how to surf properly.

Torq

Hi Guys,
I started on Saturday at Streedagh in Sligo, never worn a wetsuit or touched a surfboard before in my life. After 5 mins and on my 3rd attempt I stood up for about 10 seconds before falling off and getting the coldest shock to my head imaginable in the icy Atlantic. Didn't manage to stand up again all weekend and muscles ache to bits but I'm a convert!! Will be back again soon.
Keep well,
Torq

P.S. It's never too late to start, it's my birthday in 5 weeks time...... I'll be 40.

magooly

Torq wrote: »

Hi Guys,
After 5 mins and on my 3rd attempt I stood up for about 10 seconds before falling off and getting the coldest shock to my head imaginable in the icy Atlantic.

Get yourself a hood, gloves and booties, great investment this weather

Crumble Froo

oh ****ing wow! had my first lesson yesterday, and im hooked! absolutely amazing fun, and hehe, this post i've quoted is so accurate. instructor took us through basic standing up technique, had us practising on the grass before we went out (*cringe*), and was waist deep in the water, giving us a small boost into the wave, yelling 'paddle paddle paddle' like his life depended on it, and whooping every now and then when someone managed to get a little bit closer to standing up. absolutely the most relaxed exhilaration i've ever experienced

managed to get into a standing position 3 times... though often ended up stuck on my knees just enjoying the ride in, and OH GOD! the effort! i never dreamed it would be so strenous! there were several point wehn i just couldnt summon the energy in my arms to help my legs get up where they needed to be to stand up! i was knackered when i got out, absolutely bombed. slept in til 2pm this morning and woke up with all my joints and muscles and body aching... not to mention my ribs from jumping on the board (still need to refine that art), and my hip and general torso from falling.

still, renting out board and wetsuit with a friend for a couple of hours on saturday, and going for a women's surf group on sunday, which i've paid for for the next five weeks in advance. :cool:

cue wrote: »

Lessons are great!!! If you get an instructor who jumps up and down on the beach in delight when some newbie stands up for a nanosecond before going arse over tit, it can be one of the best days of your life. You get to mix with people that you normally would not mix with, and enjoy doing it. Its hard to not enjoy yourself when everyone seems to be just either grinning insanely or paddling like crazy with that weird determined look on their face of "this time, this time...oh ****" A good lesson will also touch on safety, ocean conditions and etiquette (even in brief) aswell as technique, things that cannot be learned and are not common sense, and which will stand to everyone.

haha, that is so accurate!

ThOnda

I had tried it on my own and I payed for a lesson next time. It helped a lot. I think that the first lesson is important - it could save a lot of time.
By the way, friend of mine refused to pay for the lesson and he is having real problems every time we go into water.

gerk86

always wanted to surf so last december "invested" in the whole shebang. Best money ive spent. Didn't bother with a lesson, just went out with my brother who surfs. Little scary but loved it. Almost 4 months on im standing consistently, riding the odd face. Still not very confident paddling out to the lineup. Whenever im out there the beach looks like its miles away!

RedStarHardkore

Got a lesson in Feb 2007. Was renting a board for sporadically for a few months until I bought my own about last Oct. Been going more and more since then. The problem is working 9-5.30 Mon-Fri. That means I could only go weekends and not evenings (until the clocks go forward tomorrow night woo-hoo!!). Then on weekends, it's tough to get the time because I always have some freelance work on the go, as well as spending time with my g/f and son. So... basically I started just over a year ago but to answer the title question, --I'm still learning.