Surfing
From 1 to 101
Surfing : How To Surf
Surfing is a popular sport in which you paddle out into the ocean on a surfboard (typically a piece polyurethane foam coated with fiberglass) and try to ride waves as they come into shore.
Any shoreline where waves above a metre high form is a suitable location and, weather permitting, you can surf all year round. It's a relatively low cost sport as you only need a surfboard, though many surfers find that surfboard wax and a wetsuit are also useful to have.
You should be able to learn to stand up on a surfboard and ride small waves within a day or two of starting to surf. The first part of learning how to surf is knowing what waves are right for you. If too small it'll be harder to stay upright and there won't be enough power to carry you into the shore. If it's too large for your skill level you'll be pushed off the board. Waves roughly 3-4 feet high (1-1.5 m) are about right for most beginners.
A good wave builds up from a rounded swell into a gradual 'C'-shaped body of water. As the 'C' is forming, you want to get positioned and start paddling. To do so, lie on your board facing the shore and use a crawl stroke, left arm, right arm, left arm again (not both at once). Build up as much momentum as possible, looking over your shoulder from time to time to judge the speed and direction of the wave.
Your feet should be at right angles to the line of your legs as you lie down. Your elbows should be near your body, as if you were about to do a standard push-up. At the moment you feel the wave begin to lift you need to change from your lying down position on your board to a a crouching one (this movement is called the pop-up).
Whip your feet underneath your body, still gripping the sides of your board (referred to as the rails), so that they land roughly the same distance ahead of and behind the board's midpoint. They should be angled and crossing the stringer, the centerline down the middle of the board.
As you tuck your knees toward your chest, steady and increase the tension in your feet, start to rise and let go of the board with your hands. When you stand, don't stand completely erect as you'll fall off the board at once, instead adopt a knees bent stance and extend your arms, one forward and one to the rear. Lean your weight slightly in the direction you want to travel and focus your eyes in the direction you want to go, not down, as if you watch your feet, you'll fall.
As well as learning how to use a surfboard though, you'll also need to learn about waves, currents and the ocean. Judging when it is or isn't safe to surf, whether a particular wave is the right one to catch, and how a wave will break are all part of the learning curve.
Keeping in good physical condition and regularly going swimming will help you in getting out of any troublesome situations that arise. Go with a more experienced surfer for the first few times so they can ensure that your not doing anything that risks your, or other surfers', safety. Keep in mind that you have to share the space with others and that communication is necessary to avoid crossing paths and collisions.