Surfing

[kylertz]

hey i was just wondering how difficult it is to learn how to surf? I've never even been to the ocean so it would be all new to me.

[helen]

I have no idea on how hard it is to surf, but I suppose you do know how to swim? You have no trouble maintaining balance?

[Miulang]

Yes, being a strong ocean swimmer would definitely help. :) Ocean waves are way different than splashing in some pool.

Miulang

[kylertz]

Well im no olympic swimmer but I do know how to swim. But I have never swam in big waves though. As far as balance I think im ok. I snowboard and wakeboard so I have experience with boards.

[cezanne]

Well im no olympic swimmer but I do know how to swim. But I have never swam in big waves though. As far as balance I think im ok. I snowboard and wakeboard so I have experience with boards.

I think you'll be alright. Start off with the small stuff first like Waikiki... the rides are long and the waves aren't aggro..

[BZB]

surfing is fun. try to learn control first. you need to sit on your board and swing 180 when a wave comes. then try not to drop in on anyone, especially hawaiian natives, dark skinned. i heard they kinda frisky. stay on your board and keep it in your grasp even when you bail. try not to shoot your board at anyones head. then you can surf the wave and do whatever you want. Good luck.

[jdub]

Learn to surf. It'll change your life. One good wave, you're hooked for life. Kind of like a good golf shot.

[lavagal]

As a 20-something malahini wahine learning surf 23 years ago, I figured something out really quick: be sweet, let the big bodies catch the sets, smile if you've got the nerve to drop in and ride that wave as long as you can. By the time you get back out, if you ticked anyone off, they forgot it already. I'm from New Jersey, so I naturally have a big mouth and don't take sh*t from anyone, but I think my wide-open friendliness, curiousity and drive has won me over. Eventually, I got pretty darn good and used to surf in all the long board contests. The best I had ever done was finished 2nd in the China Uemura event, only losing to the late and gracious Rella Sunn, Queen of Makaha. My being haole never really seemed to get in the way of my joy of surfing. Locals who got the idea that my enthusiasm was genuine took to me. I think surfing was my ticket to many an ohana.

[cezanne]

Learn to surf. It'll change your life. One good wave, you're hooked for life. Kind of like a good golf shot.
Amen :):):)

[Glen Miyashiro]

I love watching the surfers and seeing the old grayhaired guys still catching those waves. I think I need to learn how to surf, just so one day I can be one of those guys.

[Peshkwe]

You might get a kick out of this ;)

http://www.lakesurf.com/Tanker.htm

[ulrike]

hey i was just wondering how difficult it is to learn how to surf? I've never even been to the ocean so it would be all new to me.

Hi, when are you coming to Hawaii? Maybe I could help you...
Do you know how to swim?How old are you?

Ulrike

[ItsGoTime!]

Figure I will revive this thread. I am very interested in learning to surf when I arrive on O'ahu. What's a good beach to learn on? I will probably get a surf lesson on Waikiki, to get my feet wet, but after that I want to learn on my own pace. I read about Cockroach Bay, and that sounds great. But I'll be living on the Leeward side, so I'd like to find a beach that's a bit closer. I saw pics of Ewa beach, and it looked okay. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

[DKP]

http://www.surfline.com/surfology/surfology_borl_index.cfm

Take EVERY PAGE OF THIS as if it were the Bible! I swear, I just surfed Walls yesterday, and it was a circus! If you don't, you put yourself and others in severe danger. You will most likely piss ALOT of people off as well (who may already be stressing b/c of life issues and not getting waves to begin with).

I cannot overstress the importance of 'The Bill of Rights and Lefts'. This applies to EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST HAWAI'I.

Good luck...and make sure you have med insurance (I've a total of 215 stitches in my body at some time or another...not to mention broken bones, other lacerations, near drownings and near neck breakings), and if I didn't have good insurance, I'd be living on da beach. Snowboarding and wakeboarding should give you a nice advance on the balance part.

Also, do OCEAN swimming (like Miulang suggested)...which I know is obvious but some tend to forget that it is radically different than in pools. Spear diving is, to me, the best training (aside from running underwater on the ocean floor with big rocks...the big lagoon at Ko'olina has a few sitting underwater that people use if you are interested).

Kumu is good (cockaroach) to learn, but can get crowded on the weekends. Be cool with everyone and you'll get the same treatment.

Ewa is also good...but remember...everywhere there but White Plains (but sometimes even there) is a regular spot for shark watching (I saw a total of 8 in my last two sessions at Hau bush) :) Again, be calm and cool and you should get the same treatment from the real kama'aina (hammerheads, grays, some tigers). There hasn't been an attack there for a long time...so don't sweat it. Make the decision to take the risk before you go in the water, because if you do sweat it, they may come close to you.

Finally...don't expect a warm welcome from everybody...especially the better surfers...regardless of your ethnicity. We have seen exponential increases in crowds since Blue Crush came out, and many longtime waveriders are taking massive 'pay cuts' in the amounts of waves they are getting now, at spots that were just until recently, empty and secret (thanks alot wannasurf.com) It's changed from outer island style to Los Angeles style in my lifetime (and I'm only 25), needless to say, not everyone has adjusted to the congestion.

Call it greed or call it the natural effect of people not getting enough space/waves, but it is there. Be respectful, and there shouldn't be many problems...but remember, the spots (especially around O'ahu) aren't like church. It gets REALLY ugly sometimes (I've seen women get punched out for giving attitude to guys who they cut off). In those cases, it was the womens' fault...but I would never go that far.

Again, and again...

Never drop in. If you do...and get yelled at...good for you. If you get in someones way while they are shredding a wave and they yell at you...good for you (paddle in the channels and on the side of waves, NEVER straight out from where your last wave ended...even if that means making a big U turn parallel to the lineup and creating a longer paddle for you. Even pros do this). It would all be YOUR fault for being in the wrong place in the lineup...and you'd be contributing to chaos.

And again, good luck.

[DKP]

P.S. If anything serious does happen out there (I hope not), please don't sue the City and County (or lifeguards). Personal responsibility applies here ten-fold. Remember, lifeguards can't rush into EVERY situation as humans vs. the ocean is an unfair matchup, and many lifeguard stations don't have jetskis or other advanced gear. Plus, they aren't suicidal, just very brave. Money is stretched tighter than a yoga guru for the dept. and paychecks (they only start at around $15/hour...way underpaid in my opinion as they guard the lives...and the ocean is one of Hawai'i main selling point. I think they should get more of the tourism dollars that come through here.) They put themselves at risk during rescues...not to mention of skin cancer in the long run.

Tell your family not to sue either...please. I'm not saying this as a judgement of your character, I tell everyone this, so please don't take it personally. Also, I'm not a lifeguard...I just respect um. We have the best women and men in the world, and they should never be cut short.

[Miulang]

P.S. If anything serious does happen out there (I hope not), please don't sue the City and County (or lifeguards). Personal responsibility applies here ten-fold. Remember, lifeguards can't rush into EVERY situation as humans vs. the ocean is an unfair matchup, and many lifeguard stations don't have jetskis or other advanced gear. Plus, they aren't suicidal, just very brave. Money is stretched tighter than a yoga guru for the dept. and paychecks (they only start at around $15/hour...way underpaid in my opinion as they guard the lives...and the ocean is one of Hawai'i main selling point. I think they should get more of the tourism dollars that come through here.) They put themselves at risk during rescues...not to mention of skin cancer in the long run.

Tell your family not to sue either...please. I'm not saying this as a judgement of your character, I tell everyone this, so please don't take it personally. Also, I'm not a lifeguard...I just respect um. We have the best women and men in the world, and they should never be cut short.
Speaking of Honolulu lifeguards, there's a new reality TV series on Court TV about them called "Beach Patrol: Honolulu (http://www.midweek.com/content/story/theweekend_coverstory/the_anti_baywatch/)". Those guys really know what they're doing and you're right, DKP, they aren't appreciated as much as they should be. I just hope people on CONUS who see the series come to understand that the waves around Hawai'i can sometimes be unpredictable, and when the signs are posted about rip currents and sharks, those signs are put up for a reason.

Miulang

[DKP]

I just hope people on CONUS who see the series come to understand that the waves around Hawai'i can sometimes be unpredictable, and when the signs are posted about rip currents and sharks, those signs are put up for a reason.

Miulang

Exactly. Even on 'flat' days, there are strong currents in some form or another. I almost lost my girlfriend on a '1 occ. 2' day at a part of Sandy's because of the 'Moloka'i Express' (always running current) and surface currents from the wind. I was not there that day, just heard from her friend. If I were, I wouldn't have let her go out there without (or at least tried to explain it if she had here mind set on it). Unfortunately, with the sheer number of people at the beaches, lifeguards can't do this (they already have to focus on the water anyway).

I'm glad you mentioned the show. I hope it has the intended effect on visitors, for their and our sake.

[1stwahine]

Speaking of Honolulu lifeguards, there's a new reality TV series on Court TV about them called "Beach Patrol: Honolulu (http://www.midweek.com/content/story/theweekend_coverstory/the_anti_baywatch/)". Those guys really know what they're doing....

Miulang

I enjoyed watching Beach Patrol. Especially, watching the part about Waikiki Walls! I am guilty of spending summers jumping from the wall and getting scrapes, bruises and cuts!:o As a teenager, you don't think of the dangers but as reported on the show ~ many have suffered serious injuries.

Walls will always be there. Young and Old alike will continue to jump even if it's illegal....just like on the show while the Life Guards were watching.:confused:

Auntie Lynn

[DKP]

As a teenager, you don't think of the dangers but as reported on the show ~ many have suffered serious injuries.
Auntie Lynn

Did you see the 'new' structure at the end of da Wall. A friend of mine does double backflips off the top of that...even at low tide sometimes! :eek: Not as bad as Spitting Caves but still gnarly!

I wish people wouldn't fish there during the years they aren't supposed to. Fish stocks gotta recover somehow. So manini, da 'U'U (Menpachi).

[LikaNui]

Read what Lee Cataluna wrote at this link (http://honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070726/COLUMNISTS02/707260334/1120/COLUMNISTS02) in today's Advertiser, including:

"A new "reality" series shot in Hawai'i mixes real footage of lifeguards doing their usual duties with jazzed-up voice-over descriptions. "Beach Patrol: Honolulu" portrays every case of swallowed water, every reef scrape and every kid who floats too close to the breakwater as a terrifying brush with death."
(...)
"The creators of "Beach Patrol: Honolulu," which is airing at various times this month on Court TV, may have realized at some point that, thankfully, nothing too extreme happens on an average day at the beach, but they were bound and determined not to let that get in the way of telling an exciting tale of near-disaster for beachgoers. It's not exactly fiction, but it's exaggerated, hyped, over-the-top to the point of being laughable. It makes the real work of the Ocean Safety personnel seem trivial and small."

[DKP]

I haven't seen the show yet...but why do producers feel the need to 'Holly-fy' everything 'reality' on tv? Sometimes the un-plasticated versions of stories are the best told :confused:

[Palolo Joe]

Sometimes the un-plasticated versions of stories are the best told.

Not in this case.

I've actually seen the show. There's nothing very exciting about box jellyfish stings and obese haole tourists getting caught in the shorebreak at Sandys.

The fact that you can't drink alcohol at Hawaii beaches also cuts down on the entertainment possibilities.

Oh, and Chicken Little? "Beach Patrol" isn't a new show. It's the new season that brings the program to Honolulu.

[Vanguard]

hey i was just wondering how difficult it is to learn how to surf? I've never even been to the ocean so it would be all new to me.

I took my first lesson many years ago on the "Gold Coast" of Waikiki; I rode a small beginner wave my first lesson; not a big deal, but I remember how great it was. Just be patient, and you'll surf too :)

[TATTRAT]

http://www.surfline.com/surfology/surfology_borl_index.cfm

Take EVERY PAGE OF THIS as if it were the Bible! I swear, I just surfed Walls yesterday, and it was a circus! If you don't, you put yourself and others in severe danger. You will most likely piss ALOT of people off as well (who may already be stressing b/c of life issues and not getting waves to begin with).

I cannot overstress the importance of 'The Bill of Rights and Lefts'. This applies to EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST HAWAI'I.

Good luck...and make sure you have med insurance (I've a total of 215 stitches in my body at some time or another...not to mention broken bones, other lacerations, near drownings and near neck breakings), and if I didn't have good insurance, I'd be living on da beach. Snowboarding and wakeboarding should give you a nice advance on the balance part.

Also, do OCEAN swimming (like Miulang suggested)...which I know is obvious but some tend to forget that it is radically different than in pools. Spear diving is, to me, the best training (aside from running underwater on the ocean floor with big rocks...the big lagoon at Ko'olina has a few sitting underwater that people use if you are interested).

Kumu is good (cockaroach) to learn, but can get crowded on the weekends. Be cool with everyone and you'll get the same treatment.

Ewa is also good...but remember...everywhere there but White Plains (but sometimes even there) is a regular spot for shark watching (I saw a total of 8 in my last two sessions at Hau bush) :) Again, be calm and cool and you should get the same treatment from the real kama'aina (hammerheads, grays, some tigers). There hasn't been an attack there for a long time...so don't sweat it. Make the decision to take the risk before you go in the water, because if you do sweat it, they may come close to you.

Finally...don't expect a warm welcome from everybody...especially the better surfers...regardless of your ethnicity. We have seen exponential increases in crowds since Blue Crush came out, and many longtime waveriders are taking massive 'pay cuts' in the amounts of waves they are getting now, at spots that were just until recently, empty and secret (thanks alot wannasurf.com) It's changed from outer island style to Los Angeles style in my lifetime (and I'm only 25), needless to say, not everyone has adjusted to the congestion.

Call it greed or call it the natural effect of people not getting enough space/waves, but it is there. Be respectful, and there shouldn't be many problems...but remember, the spots (especially around O'ahu) aren't like church. It gets REALLY ugly sometimes (I've seen women get punched out for giving attitude to guys who they cut off). In those cases, it was the womens' fault...but I would never go that far.

Again, and again...

Never drop in. If you do...and get yelled at...good for you. If you get in someones way while they are shredding a wave and they yell at you...good for you (paddle in the channels and on the side of waves, NEVER straight out from where your last wave ended...even if that means making a big U turn parallel to the lineup and creating a longer paddle for you. Even pros do this). It would all be YOUR fault for being in the wrong place in the lineup...and you'd be contributing to chaos.

And again, good luck.

Best advice yet. E-Karma to you, D.

As for the link to SURFOLOGY (http://www.surfline.com/surfology/surfology_borl_index.cfm), all those rules should be written/printed, and glassed in on the nose of all "First" boards for people. It would solve so many common issues in the lineup.

I am glad this thread was bumped. I am very much looking forward to getting in the water of HI. I have been wave riding for 22 years. It is my therapy, and cheaper then a shrink. It is a lifestyle that I can live with. I have however been a little concerned about the line up. I know that the local scene there is FAR different than any of that I have experienced, be it on the East Coast, Europe, or Central America. I am for sure going to be more of a spectator for a while 'till I learn the vibe and the way things are done in the HI Lineups.

If you learn to surf, you will more then likely be hooked for life, so be prepared.

[Keanu]

It gets REALLY ugly sometimes (I've seen women get punched out for giving attitude to guys who they cut off). In those cases, it was the womens' fault...but I would never go that far.



Reminds me of Johnny Boy Gomes punching Jodie Cooper in the face some years back on the North Shore..."If you act like a man, I'll treat you like a man."

[TATTRAT]

wow intense!


I always thought, "you can't beat women.........it's a crime"


I guess, all is fair in love and surf?:rolleyes::D

[Keanu]

wow intense!


I always thought, "you can't beat women.........it's a crime"


I guess, all is fair in love and surf?:rolleyes::D

There is no chivalry in a dog eat dog lineup. :cool:

[tutusue]

There is no chivalry in a dog eat dog lineup. :cool:
There used to be...in the good ol' days! :rolleyes:

[Keanu]

There used to be...in the good ol' days! :rolleyes:

The good ol' days are long past...Blame the producers of bogus surf movies like Blue Crush, and surf shows on networks such as MTV. Blame surf companies like Quiksilver that bank from all the interest that surf movies and surf shows have generated. When someone from Nebraska all of a sudden has an urged to "surf", something is wrong.

[Peshkwe]

Read what Lee Cataluna wrote at this link (http://honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070726/COLUMNISTS02/707260334/1120/COLUMNISTS02) in today's Advertiser, including:

"A new "reality" series shot in Hawai'i mixes real footage of lifeguards doing their usual duties with jazzed-up voice-over descriptions. "Beach Patrol: Honolulu" portrays every case of swallowed water, every reef scrape and every kid who floats too close to the breakwater as a terrifying brush with death."
(...)
"The creators of "Beach Patrol: Honolulu," which is airing at various times this month on Court TV, may have realized at some point that, thankfully, nothing too extreme happens on an average day at the beach, but they were bound and determined not to let that get in the way of telling an exciting tale of near-disaster for beachgoers. It's not exactly fiction, but it's exaggerated, hyped, over-the-top to the point of being laughable. It makes the real work of the Ocean Safety personnel seem trivial and small."

I've watched the show, and yeah the voice over style and hyper editing is a bit over the top. I like watching for the little stuff they put in, like the UH students snipping off the jellyfish tentacles for research....but then I'm a science and medical type geek.

There was one episode that aired recently that really annoyed me...the one where the little girl got her ankle messed up and there was no adult around, just her 12 year old brother. The kids were dropped off by granny, and mommy couldn't get out of her own way to deal with it...WTF??

Anyone know if there's a real life time limit to when the cops/child services get called in when there's a situation like that? The editing made it seem like the kid was there quite awhile before an adult family member was willing to be located...but in all actuality it could have been only 5-15 minutes real time skewed to hours in TV time.

Still...The lifeguards aren't your personal babysitter. They ain't mindreaders either, they can't mind meld with you to let you know where your kid is at. What if the kid got snatched instead of hurt, the lifeguards might never have know they were there alone.

[ItsGoTime!]

Thanks, DKP, fpr the link to the surfing bible. I have read it, will re-read it, and read it once again before I do anything that closely resembles surfing. I am a big believer in good sportsmanship, and the unwritten (I guess in this case it's well written) code of conduct and etiquette. I need to get into better shape, and while I used to be a strong swimmer, it was some time ago, and the ocean is a bit intimidating. My initial plan was to get a board and learn how to paddle around for a while. After all, you gotta learn how to walk, before you can run. I am patient with learning and personal development, so I'm going to take it slow, at least until I can find a newbie surfing buddy or two.

As for gear, I did a little reading, and I was inclined to go with a (prefereably used) 8' mini-mal (I go about 5'10"). I don't want to go with an uber starter board cuz I don't want to keep upgrading my gear, and my understanding is that a mini-mal is suitable for both the beginner and experienced surfer. Is this true?

[Nords]

You should be fine at White Plains Beach (Kalealoa, Ewa). Plenty of surf, plenty of room, lots of beginners. The more experienced surfers stay farther outside and well clear of the newbs. The water is very sandy and the sharks don't spend much time there.

As for gear, I did a little reading, and I was inclined to go with a (prefereably used) 8' mini-mal (I go about 5'10"). I don't want to go with an uber starter board cuz I don't want to keep upgrading my gear, and my understanding is that a mini-mal is suitable for both the beginner and experienced surfer. Is this true?
Well, upgrading is part of the fun/challenge, but if you're under 200 pounds then you can probably get up on an eight-foot board. But a 9' will be easier, and a 10' easier still.

An hour's lesson from a buddy or a teacher is best, but another great reference is Doug Werner's "Longboarder's Start-up" (http://www.amazon.com/Longboarders-Start-Up-Longboard-Surfing-Sports/dp/1884654061/ref=sr_1_1/002-1928623-1420022?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185562270&sr=1-1) or his other book, "Surfer's Start-up".

I'm at White Plains a couple mornings a week-- especially when it's 4-6 feet. I'm the ponytailed retired guy with the beat up 9'0" blue & white Keola Rapoza (of course with a noseguard and safety fins). Introduce yourself and I'll give you a lesson.

[ItsGoTime!]

I'm at White Plains a couple mornings a week-- especially when it's 4-6 feet. I'm the ponytailed retired guy with the beat up 9'0" blue & white Keola Rapoza (of course with a noseguard and safety fins). Introduce yourself and I'll give you a lesson.
Hey Nords, thanks for the offer. I won't be on O'ahu until October at the earliest, but if I ever see you, I will definitely take you up on it.

In return, I can give teach you a little hockey, if you're interested.

[islandguy]

See:

http://www.surfnewsnetwork.com/

http://www.surfguidehawaii.com/


http://www.hasasurf.org/

http://gohawaii.about.com/od/surfing/Surfing_in_Hawaii.htm

That should get you started... as for wave size, when we were at Makaha , a wave came OVER THE BEACH up to the sidewalk, and I got SOAKED... this was during the winter.. keep a eye on the surf during the winter months when in Makaha!

[tutusue]

[...]as for wave size, when we were at Makaha , a wave came OVER THE BEACH up to the sidewalk, and I got SOAKED... this was during the winter.. keep a eye on the surf during the winter months when in Makaha!
Did that happen along the stretch of beach across from the Makaha Marketplace? I was at that stoplight in the lane closest to the sidewalk and saw a huge wave break on the beach and surge toward Farrington Hwy. There was a covered bus stop ahead of me and a small, older Filipino man standing on the curb, his back to the beach, ready to get on the bus that was stopped behind me. The surge hit a short rock wall and ricocheted up and over the bus stop and onto the highway, hitting my car. That poor man just stood there stunned...and completely drenched. I felt so bad for him. If one sees sand across the road when driving along Farrington during winter then one needs to be sure the car windows are up!!!