For those who do, whats surfing like?

Question

When did you start?

It looks dangerous, but like lots of fun.

I wanna try it..but I dont even know how to swim. x]

What got you into it?

What are some bad experiences?

And what are the things to look for in a good surfboard?

Answer 1

I started surfing about the same time I learned to talk... so 2 years old...

Yup... it's dangerous, and you should probably know how to swim first xD

I surf because I live in southern california, my mom was a pro skater and my dad worked in the surf industry and surfed big waves, like pipeline... so basically I wasn't handed a bottle when I was little, I was handed a surfboard. After that, I just surfed all that I could, and still do. it's my life.

I've gotten stung by jellyfish more times than I can count, hit my head on my board and gotten a concussion, umm... my mom was surfing and her fin went through her wetsuit. She broke 4 ribs, couldn't walk for months, and had to be life-flighted in a helicopter out of the beach to the nearest hostpital miles away... I have these huge, painful bumps on my feet from the grippad on my board, a really gnarly wetsuit tan and neck rash where it looks like my head was cut off and sewn back on...ummm... what else? I've been verbally abused in the water for being a girl surfer, called nasty names... cut up my legs jumping off of jettis into huge set waves, have bruises on every part of my body, really bad sunburns all the time, my brothers have been taken to the emergency room after being cut up by their surfboard tails, I've scraped up my side and my leg and now have scars there from rocks, pulled muscles in my legs doing hits to the point where I can't walk right for days. I've been held under so long I've nearly drowned, and stung by bees out in the water (which wouldn't really suck if I wasn't severely allergic)

...but honestly, it was all worth it for those extra waves, and my scars, bumps, cuts, and rashes make for some awesome conversation out in the lineup.

in a surfboard, look for something durable, and right for what you want to use it for. Ask yourself what types of waves you'll ride, if you'll longboard or shortboard, how much float you need. Your local surf shop can help you there.

Answer 2

you'll need to know how to swim better. don't even think of going surfing when you can't swim. surfing is super fun. all i did was see some guy in the lineup surfing, and i wanted to do it. lol. my bad experiences, i've had  lot, probably breaking my board on the first day i got it in salt creek. i almost drowned in some beach cuz i hit a rock and my leash got stuck under and i couldn't get up.  once some old guy fell on me at another beach, but at huntington i had the best waves of my life so it's still super fun.

Answer 3

its amazing, just the connection u get while ur out there on a surfboard is like nothing else. i started almost a year ago, but people say it looks like ive been surfing for 3 or 4 years. mostly because i go out everytime ther is a wave past knee high. it is kind of dangerous, but not as bad as sum other sports. its pretty hard to get a broken arm on water. but there is also marine life, sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, man of war etc.... but they usually stay away from you. the other day i went out surfing with a cut on my ankle(stupid idea) but a 6 foot black tip cruised by me. if you would like to get into to it i would suggest u learn how to swim first and bring ur swimming stamina up. you want to also swim in the ocean... not too far out but just so u get a feel for it... my worst experience would prolly b when i snapped a fin box outta my board.. a $50 mistake.... things too look for a surfoard, make sure its at least 6" longer than you are tall, if u start out on a 9' it would b alot easier to learn. make sure there is no holes in it. and not to many pressure dings(dents)

Answer 4

i started surfing last year. it's already one of my passions. i love being in the ocean, even if the waves aren't great. if it's something you want to try, definitely go for it - it is on of the best ways to keep fit and the feeling of catching a wave is indescribable.

BUT you would need to learn how to swim front crawl, for at least  400m i reckon. you need to be safe in the water and so i would take swimming as a first step.

when you do start learning to surf, make sure you take lessons. they'll teach you the correct way to surf, make sure you're safe, give you equipment to your standard etc

if it's something you want to do GO FOR IT!

Answer 5

Surfing is an ocean sport. before you decide to surf, decide to know and understand the ocean. Learn to be at home with its currents, rips, undertows and sometimes BIG waves. The original surfers were watermen (and women, both men and women surfed, but certain waves were reserved for royalty).

I'm a city boy, who was lucky enough to spend his summers at the beach, since infancy. I played in the ocean and back bays my whole life, and by around first or second grade, I was swimming in the ocean and back bays. We jumped off bridges and docks, body surfed and body boarded and eventually, as surfing caught on more on the east coast, we surfed. I started in 1966 riding a 9'6" "Whitehead" a surfboard made in Texas by a boatwright. It was glass blown from a chopper gun, the way a boat hull is made.

I spent almost all of my teen years, swimming, sailing, surfing, scuba diving and fishing. I even surfed in different places the Navy sent me, when it was possible.

There are good things about both long and short boards. I ride both (one at a time , of course). In the mid sixties, like almost everybody else, I started on a longboard. I went shorter and shorter every summer, during the 'short board revolution.' After getting out of the service, I had afew years of sporadic surfing, before I got back to surfing as much as possibly could. (I've driven 650 miles to go surfing!). I found some days that were just too small anything but a longboard. Just riding one size board is very limiting, conditions change daily in most places.

I am old, and fat and slow, so even my shortboard is 7'6". My 6'4" is a collectors' item now. Not every break has ripper, head high waves every day. A longboard is great for plenty of glide in that knee high stuff. One more reason to surf every chance I can.

Surfing is an ocean sport, to do it right, you have to be at home in the ocean, with its currents, rips, undertows and sometimes big waves. I don't just mean being good at swimming in a pool, the ocean can be very unforgiving. I have seen lots of really good pool swimmers have to get rescued. You have to learn surf etiquette (so the experienced surfers in the line up don't want to drown you), how to paddle and take off on a wave, and how to ride a wave. You can't do that without an ocean.

Lessons are usually the best way to start, unless you are an adolescent or young adult with lots of pals who surf who can teach you. Go to a real surf shop. The folks there can hook you up with lessons, and even rent you a board to learn on. Just work on your basics, and after you feel good, think about buying a board, but don't rush into anything.

I have had a lifetime of joy from surfing. It can be dangerous, because the sea is very unforgiving. I have more than my share of breaks, sprains and strains. I've dragged myself up onto the beach a few times slashed up like I had been in a sword fight, but I still love it. The body eventually heals, and the sea is still making waves when I get better.

Some folks have said that skateboarding may help. Well, any balance improving activity can be helpful to improve your surfing. That could be skate, snow, wake or skim boarding, working out on a Indo board, or doing the balance beam. HOWEVER, surfing is nothing like skateboarding. You have to paddle and catch a wave. First, and most important, you have to be at home in the ocean. You need to learn the mechanics of surfing, paddling out, catching a wave and standing up on the surfboard. It is after you have gotten all that down, that your balance becomes important, and if you have good balance (because, perhaps, you skateboard), that will only help you ride better.

Be careful of what you read here on line. There are lots of really well meaning young folks who have neat answers about surfing, but at 55, I tend to classify anyone under 25 as a kid. After I found this site, I figured that I could answer a few questions, and spread the 'good news' of surfing.  After you learn to swim and master the ocaen, get your REAL advice from a surf shop, where industry professionals earn their rent money selling surfboards.

My son and daughter-in-law surf (she's from Redondo beach, of course she surfs), my son-in-law surfs (my daughter won't go in the water?) and all of my grandchildren (five, ages 5-8) are all at different stages of learning ocean skills and surfing.

I spent my summers at the shore, or lived in a seashore resort, I live two hours from the closest beach now. That doesn't stop me from surfing. I am going to make the ride on Sunday, to get a couple of hours in the water, have lunch & drive home. For this summer, I have already planned week long trips with my wife and grandkids, when I will surf once or twice every day. I know I'll make lots of day trips (But with the price of gas, I have to cut down on something else). I routinely drive 650 miles to spend a week or so surfing in S. Carolina when it's really cold up here in the northeast. Good luck. Once you try surfing (and learn the 'right way') you'll have fun for life.

Take the time to check out the links, especially surfingforlife.

Answer 6

i starting surfing at about seven, and it is a lo of fun, its peaceful just sitting out in the water waiting for waves, and when you catch a wave it gives you a nice little feeling. you should learn how to swim though. my dad and all my uncles and brothers surf so we just go surfing all the time and my uncle taught me when i was young and got me own board. you shoul probably start out on a foam board or something, that's what i learned on, it depends on you though. some bad experiences when surfing where probably when we were out on a gloomy ish day (in the winter), there were plenty of other surfers around so it wasn't necessarily a bad day but i got this huge wave that took me all the way back to shore, all the waves were pretty strong and it took me a long time to get back out again and the whole time i kept seeing shadows under the water, which made me kinda nervous and stuff, and soon a huge wave knocked me off my board and i felt something brush against my leg and foot, it was pretty scary.