This past year has seen surfing explode in popularity. Restrictions on organized gatherings and the newfound trend of ‘working from home’ formed a perfect storm for surf shops around Australia. Sales spiked harder than daily case numbers. All of a sudden, every man, woman and child had a brand new surfboard under their arm. The surf stoke seemed to be spreading much faster than any microscopic virus. Hordes of new surfers flocked to their nearest beaches with gigantic smiles and pure intentions.
With all of the new surfers in the water, we thought it was a perfect time to share a few surf etiquette tips for new surfers.
1. KNOW YOUR LIMITS
As Kenny Rogers put it, ‘know when to hold them, know when to fold them.’ Removing yourself from your comfort zone and pushing the limits is a major part of surfing. But as a beginner surfer you have to know when it’s best to just watch from the beach. Huge 6-8ft barrels can be an incredible site, but probably best viewed from the safety of dry land.
2. DON’T DROP IN
‘Dropping in’ is the cardinal sin in the surfing world. As a beginner surfer you need to be extremely aware of anyone around you. If you see someone else already on the wave that you want, then too bad…it’s theirs. You can get the next one. That’s the beauty of surfing, there’s always another wave on the way.
3. KNOW WHERE TO PADDLE BACK OUT
Knowing where to enter the water and paddle to the break can be the difference between catching a tone of waves, or being used repeatedly as a human speed bump. Learn how to read a spot. Identify rips and use them to access the waves (key skills we teach in our surf lessons). This should keep you out of the way of other surfers already on waves.
Also remember to respect the local rippers, watch and learn and with a bit of hard work, time and patience you’ll have beginner surfers looking up to you in no time!
These are just a few tips to remember… there are lots of things to learn when you are just starting out… lucky we are surfing experts and can help you along your journey. Book a lesson today!