Learning to surf is tricky. There’s the physical part, the mental part, and the ocean part. The physical part you can practice. The mental part you can overcome. The ocean part you can learn. But all of that takes time. It’s a process. Whether you’ve come to a retreat and learned the basics and are now testing your new skills in your home waters without the protective guidance of an Amigas instructor, or you are struggling on your own while you count down the days to your retreat, here are a few tips to get you in the water with more confidence.
• Watch the waves. The hardest part of surfing is reading waves. Even if you aren’t going surfing, actively watch the waves. Imagine where you’d paddle out, where you’d take off, and in which direction you’d ride. The more you pay attention, the more you’ll see the subtleties that will help you read waves better.
• Admit your skill level. As a beginner surfer, it’s intimidating to paddle out into a crowded lineup of surfers waiting to catch waves. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Pick out someone who looks like they know what they’re doing and has a smile on their face, and approach them. Compliment them on their last ride, explain that you’re a beginner and need a little help figuring out the best place to sit to catch a wave.
• Be determined. Don’t give up when something goes wrong. You will feel off balance and think you’re going to fall, but…try to regain your balance and adjust your footing. If mentally you are thinking, ‘Uh-oh, I’m falling,’ you will definitely fall. If you think, ‘Stay on, stay on,’ you just might.
• Ride the wave all the way in. When you are first learning to catch waves, you ride green waves, which are the unbroken part of the wave that comes before the white water. A lot of people stand up, ride for a few seconds and then jump off their board so they don’t have to deal with the hassle of paddling back out through the white water. Even if it’s just whitewash, the more time you spend actually riding a wave, the more you’ll improve, so ride it all the way to the sand.
• Focus on fun. Every wave is different, which makes it really hard to practice consistently. Focus on the joy of being out in the ocean, the thrill of getting pushed by a wave. If you remember it’s all about fun, you’ll be a happier surfer, which makes you a better surfer.
