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If you want to learn howto surf, read this book.Steve HawkSurfer Magazine

SurfersStart-Up:A Beginners Guide to

Surfing Second EditionStart-Up Sports/Doug Werner

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Surfers Start-Up:A Beginners Guide to Surfing

Second Edition

By

Doug Werner

Start-UpSports #1

___________

Tracks Publishing

San Diego, California

Cover photo credit (clockwise from upper right): Weber, McClain, Werner, Werner

Masterson

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Surfers Start-Up:A Beginners Guide to Surfing

Second EditionBy Doug Werner

Start-Up Sports / Tracks Publishing

140 Brightwood Avenue

Chula Vista,CA 91910

619-476-7125 Fax 619-476-8173

http://www.startupsports.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording or by any information storageand retrieval system without permission from the author, except forthe inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Copyright 1993, 1999 by Doug Werner20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12

Publishers Cataloging in Publication

Werner, Doug, 1950-Surfers start-up : a beginners guide to

surfing / by Doug Werner. -- 2nd ed.p. cm. -- (Start-up sports ; #1)

Includes bibliographical references and index.LCCN:99-70979.ISBN:1-884654-12-6

1. Surfing. I.Title. II. Series.

GV840.S8W47 1999 797.32QBI99-383

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To Kathleen

Werner

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Acknowledgements

Stu KensonRobin NiehausDavid MontalbanoJim MontalbanoDiane GalloCraig McClainChristine GillardMike GillardGene Wheeler

Genie WheelerLeRoy GrannisVance MastersonTodd WestfallSouth Juanita Surf ClubJeff PhillipsKathy PhillipsCraig Colburn

Steve HawkDori PayneMary Lou DrummyCliff SchlabachRoxanne SchlabachBlack SheepDan PoynterCourt Overin

Jay NovakPat WeberLynne WeberColorTypeJim ClinkscalesPhyllis CarterRed WernerAnn Werner

Tim SutherlandBob Sutherland

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I began writing this book because I knew it would befun.As I got rolling, I realized I had something to say.Perhaps there is a real need for this guide. Most of uslearn on our own. I didnt see any How-to-Surf booksaround.

Since somebody was bound to read it, I also figured I

could attempt to instill some attitude in this thing.Mostly respect. For surfers already in the water, for thesituation that exists, for the sport I love so much.This book is easy to read, big on pictures and light inspirit. Its put together in broad strokes designed to getyou out in the water and give it a go. Its loose in itstreatment of anything historical, oceanographic or tech-

nical. But youll get the picture.

I hope my surfing buddies dont turn on me or ridiculemy efforts too much. But I expect it. From now on,every time I fall off someone is going to hand me thisbook.Anyway, have fun with it. If you take it up, begood to the sport, to the surfers who came before and

to yourself.

Doug Werner

Preface

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6

As in other sports, determination and desire can help poweryour trip through the learning curve. Think about Tim Sutherlandwhen youre trying to ride your first waves. He surfs everyday inImperial Beach, California with an artificial foot.

S

utherland

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7

Preface 5Introduction:The Meat of the Matter 9

1. Gear 152. The Right Waves 233. Safety 29

4. Rules of the Road 355. Pre-Paddle 416. Paddling 477. Catching a Wave 558. Angling 659. Waves 71

10. Crowds, Localism & You 79

11. What Now? 8512. A Little History 9113. Interview:

Pat Weber: San Diegos Surfing Coach 103

Glossary 109Resources 113Bibliography 122Index 123

Contents

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Weber

Sexy stuff.

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9

This is a book for beginners People who would liketo learn how to surf but have little or no experiencewith surfing or even the ocean.When I was collectingtestimonials for the first edition back in 1993, I wastold by a former world champion and the current headhoncho of one of the major surfing tours that it was abeginnahs beginning book (hes Australian).He got it right.

Its a straightforward guide without the insider surfersslang.As theLibrary Journalsaid,Werner generallyeschews the cutesy surfin safari lingo that oftenplagues books such as this. They got it right.We aretrying to reach people here. Not to impress or confuse.(Eschew, by the way, means to shun or avoid. I had to

look it up since it was such a gnarly term.)

Surfers Start-Up is a simple, almost Dick and Janeapproach to surfing instruction that works. Our book isnot very sexy, although, as one esteemed reviewer putit, we get to the meat of the matter. That is, we willteach you how to stand up on a surfboard.And thatis

very exciting (even sexy!) indeed.

Special care was taken to photograph our surfers insmall beach break surf, suitable for learning.This kind

of theMatter

TheMeat

Introduction

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10

of surf can be found on any coast around the worldgiven the right tide, wind and swell conditions.We

could have illustrated the book with David Montalbanoand Christine Gillard (the models in this book) ridingperfect, eight-foot waves like in the magazines, buteveryday beginners arent likely to encounter suchsurf, let alone negotiate it.

Global

A zillion people surf today.All over the world.Wherevertheres a coastline the USA (evenAlaska ... even theGreat Lakes), Canada, Mexico,Central America, SouthAmerica, Japan,Vietnam,Australia, New Zealand,Africa, Europe ... Did I say you needed a coastline? Imsorry.Theyre building wave pools in Arizona, Nevada,and in all sorts of hot,high and/or dry places.This is

especially wondrous to those of us who first came tosurfing when it was really a Hawaiian and SouthernCalifornian thing.

The modern age of surfing is around 50 years old.Maybe 60. LeRoy Grannis, famed surfing photographerand ageless wonder remembers not paddling out at

Malibu once because his friends couldnt make it.He showed me a photo of the surf that day. It wassix feet and flawless. No surfers at Malibu is like noone showing up for the Super Bowl. It doesnthappen. Its hard to imagine that not so long agosurfing was asecret.

LifersSince surfing has been with us for a few years, surfersare of all ages ... from 6 to 70. Like rock music, it isntan adolescent pastime anymore. Im 48.Twenty years

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11

Legendary surfing photog LeRoy Grannis surfs every day at 80-something. Thats inspiration.

GrannisCollection

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12

ago, that was pretty old in any lineup. However, Ivepaddled out at some places in recent years and felt out

of place because I didnt look like Santa Claus. Just likeendeavors in any walk of life, age means less and less asfolks take better care of themselves and listen to theirhearts.Who says you cant surf at seventy?

RespectableSurfers are also, ahh...whats the word ... respectable.

Off the top of my head, I know of two city mayors, oneShakespearean actor, three millionaires, six publishedauthors, one legendary tycoon and a Hollywooddirector all who surf. Ive met lawyers, doctors,dentists, nurses, teachers, artists, NFL players, majorleague baseball players and a couple United StatesRepresentatives all who surf.

Its not exactly like meeting someone who golfs, butthen its not like striking up a conversation with a madbomber, either.And believe me, surfers were held in theworst light for many years (not that they didnt enjoythe notoriety or encourage the wrath of mid-century,white-bread America we did!)

To think that surfers were once equated with juveniledelinquency or the counter culture is truly laughable.But then todays popular image of a surfer is BartSimpson-esque (Hey Dude!). Go figure.

The point is (I think): Everybody surfs or has surfed or

will surf or wants to surf. Everybody, everywhere.And Ican prove it.

But thats another book.

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13

SexYou dont have to be a male to surf. Half the photos in

this book show former National Champion ChristineGillard* demonstrating technique. She is not alone.Although the waves are disproportionately crowded

with guys, women aremaking a stronger andstronger showing in thewater. (Go for it ladies.

Christine is better than95% of the guys in thewater and she doesnteven surf every day.)

Yikes!This book is about how

to surf both physicallyand morally (yikes!) Its

simple, short and straight to the point. Since there areso many of us now, maybe this book is timely and willstrike a nail on the head.

Lets hit it!

*Christine was National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA)National Champion in 1985, 1986 and 1991.She was also U.S.Amateur Champion in 1986.

David Montalbano, our other featured surfer, has equally impres-sive credentials having placed high in numerous professional andamateur contests. He is currently working in Los Angeles as an

actor and screen writer.

Move over fellas.

McClain

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Gear

14

Dave is holding up two surfboards, topside to camera. This is

the side surfers stand on and need to wax in order not to slip.The larger board on the right is the beginners best bet. Noticeits length and width. For a novice Daves size, the small boardwont float or paddle adequately. The cord at the base of theboard is the leash.

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15

The Right SurfboardThe right surfboard to learn on is big enough for youto paddle easily and to sit on comfortably without

sinking. This is crucial!Get a board at least as tall asyour hand raised above your head, about three inchesthick and 22 inches wide in the middle.Think big, fatand ugly.Avoid the small, thin models (which are preva-lent) because youll spend all your time fighting them.A board taller than your reach is fine. Just remember amuch bigger board is more difficult to transport and

manage in the surf. Make sure it fits under your armand that you can carry it.

Sponge is Good!In the first edition I said this about soft, beginnerboards:

Avoid those spongy, beginner boards.Although softerand safer, the feel of a sponge boat is just too weird.

Get a real surfboard made of foam and fiberglass.

Youll be safe enough if you use your head.

Gear

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Gear

16

Now I say:

There are soft novice boards available that surfinginstructors and their students swear by.These spongeboards hurt less when they hit and have rounded finsthat will not cut. Because they dont bash or slice, the

beginner may venture into his or her lesson with moreconfidence.Theyre designed to surf pretty good fornewcomers and the more modern shapes are recom-mended. Early sponge board models really sucked.

However, its still true that all beginners graduate tofoam and fiberglass, just like you went from a bike with

training wheels to without. Soft boards are trainingdevices and its not necessary that you learn on one.You can learn successfully on a real foam and fiberglasssurfboard if its the right size and shape for you.

Weber

Modern soft beginner boards provide safety and flotation to firsttime riders. They dont look like the potato chips that pros ride,

but hey, youll get up on your feet!

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Chapter One

17

Here are the same twoboards, held sideways. Notethe thicknesses. Your boardshould be fat, like the oneon the right. Fins are locatedon the tail of the surfboardand enable surfers to turn.No, they arent handles.

And these are the bottoms of thesurfboards. We dont wax here.The small board has three finsfor greater turning capabilities.

This is very common. The singlefin is a somewhat outdated con-

cept. Fin arrangements meannothing to the beginner. Just

make sure you have at least one.McClain

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Gear

18

Finding This BoardFind a surf shop in your area that rents. For a few bucks

you can try a board before buying one and get a feelfor the size and shape youll ultimately need. Check out

the selection. Notice how beat up they look.This istheir last stop before the dumpster. Bow your head insilence and appreciation for the lives theyve led andfind one thats big, fat and ugly enough for you. Don'tbe swayed by looks.

If you cant find anything on the racks thats the right

size and shape, try another shop. It will do no good tosettle for anything less.Try asking around.The surfers atthe shop or perhaps the surfers at the beach may knowof something.You should be able to locate one thats

Make sure your board floats well. Christines surfboard is sosmall it sinks when she sits on it. Its OK for someone at her

level of expertise, but for the beginner it will be difficult to surfon or even to sit on comfortably.

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Chapter One

19

right for you. Surfboards are plentiful and finding onethat will work at this stage in your budding surfing

career should be easy.

WetsuitEverybody wears wetsuits most of the time these days.Theyre colorful, fashionable and cover wayward flesh.Unless youve swallowed a beach ball, they make mostof us look like wave argonauts.

They also keep you toasty.With them you can stay inthe water longer.Wetsuits work by allowing somewater in the suit.Thats why theyre called wet suits.Once inside a snug suit, water is warmed by your bodyand acts as a hot water bottle.

In case youre wondering, wearing one is not aproblem.There was a time when wearing rubberwas cumbersome, but todays wetsuits are miraclesof modern science theyre light, flexible andcomfortable.

Obviously, if the air temperature is 75, the water tem-

perature 75 and the wind calm, you wont need orwant a wetsuit.You may want to wear a T-shirt or anylon slipover if your skin is sensitive to the waxedsurface of your board.

If a suit is desirable, look to rent. If you cannot rentone, buy a used one.Again, dont go for looks. Just

make sure there arent holes in it and that it fits snugly.Not so tight you turn red, but that it j-u-s-t stretchesacross limbs and torso. Baggy suits wont work.

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20

WaxWax is rubbed on the deck or topside of the board to

prevent slipping.Your board may have traction patchesslapped on the deck. Don't wax those. Buy surf wax atthe surf shop or at convenience stores near the beach.There are numerous brands. For now, anything will do.

LeashGet a leash. Its an elastic cord that attaches to your

ankle and connects you to the surfboard. It keeps theboard around when you wipe out (fall off) and pre-vents killer board.This is a leash-less board thunderingtoward a hapless surfer or swimmer in a wall of whitewater.The adjective killer here isnt to be confusedwith the adjective killer in, say,killer chickor killerflick. Rental boards will probably come with one. Buy

an inexpensive one if you have to.

Racks (Maybe)If you have to drive with your surfboard, and it wontfit in your car without sticking too far out, youll needracks. Hopefully you can rent some, but if not, buy acheap set that can go on and off easily. Dont leave

them on the car when you go surfing.

The Generous HawaiianBelieve me, I know surf shops can be intimidating.When I was 12 everyone in the shop was older, hadcool hair and wore the perfect T-shirt. I couldntunderstand much of anything they said and, in

general, felt like a real suburbanite in the land ofadolescent nirvana.

When I was 22, I had the look and the hair. Even the

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Chapter One

21

talk. But no money.

Now Ive got the money and a lot less hair.Yet, onceagain, I cant understand what the guys behind thecounter are saying.And worse I know theyre bettersurfers than I am.

But no matter.You see, at my advanced age, Ive discov-ered that even those who work in surf shops are

people.And capable of remarkable things. Case inpoint. I was in Maui, December of 1987, without myboard. Dont ask why. Somehow I thought Id do otherthings or something.Until I saw the surf.

I remember looking at these huge peaks and feelingthe hairs at the nape of my neck stand up like my dogs

when he sees a cat or a vacuum cleaner. It was time tovisit the local shop.

I headed straight for the rental racks but there wasnothing there except an old ironing board. So I decidedto buy. Now youve got to understand that Im cheapby nature, and for me to spend anything over $25 is

serious stuff. However,there are timesand this defi-nitely was one.

By and by, the fellow watching the store came aroundto help. He was a local boy and probably ate 30-footwaves and California white boys like me for breakfast.But I didnt care. I had my gold card and was deep in a

modest frenzy.

He listened to my babble with a smile and said (this isabsolutely true),You look like a nice guy and know

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22

whats what.Take this board here for five dollars a day.Try not to ding it and bring it back in a week.The surf-

board was a perfect 6'8" Linden, immaculate,with aprice tag of $375.This is the kind of surfboard thatpeople openly admire when you paddle out.And thisguy, this local who was supposed to hate me forinfesting his surfing area, is renting it to me forfive dol-lars a day.All I could figure was the fellow saw myburning desire and responded like a very friendly

fellow surfer.And an extraordinarily generous one.

You probably shouldnt expect such miracles from yourlocal shop. But understand that underneath the thinshells of arrogance lurk real folks who may help you ifyou show off your desire and courtly manners.

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23

The RIGHT Waves

Whatcha Gotta HaveThere are two things youll absolutelyneed in order

to learn how to surf. One, the right surfboard.Two,

the right waves. Chapter One described what youneed to surf on a big, fat, ugly surfboard. In this sec-tion, Ill describe what conditions you need to surf in.

Finding a SpotLets make it as easy as possible.Visit the surf spots in

your area. Go where the surfers go and take a good

look.Avoid spots that are difficult to get to.You dontneed to deal with cliffs, rocks or long hikes to the

beach. Look for a sandy beach next to a parking lot.

Check out the size of the surf.Try to learn on small

days hip high or less.All you really need at this stage

is something that breaks and has a little push. Look at

the waves.What you want are waves that spill orcrumble down their faces. Not waves that break top to

bottom, all at once. Obviously, the waves should break

some distance from shore at a decent depth.

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Right Waves

24

Now look at the surfers in the water. Find the best ones

and note where they sit. You will not paddle out

there. Look up or down the beach from the expertsand try to find a less crowded spot, hopefully with

beginners like you.Watch them. Is the paddle out easy?

When they try to stand, do they make it or does thewave demolish them? Remember that easy does it for

now. Easy paddle out into easy, gentle surf. If the waves

are too big and powerful wait!The swell will diedown eventually.Try again another day. Its no bueno to

paddle out in strong surf the first day.Youll only get

discouraged and battered.

First EncountersTalk to surfers in the surf shops and on the beach.

Dont be afraid to ask where the best novice break is.

These are ideal conditions in which to learn: The waves are

small and easy breaking. There are very few surfers out.

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Chapter Two

25

Theyll be happy youre not going to thrash about near

them.This, by the way, may be your first contact with

surfers whom youll eventually share the better wavesafter youre a bit more experienced. So put on a good

face! Exude desire, enthusiasm and courtesy.Youre

paying your dues starting now. Show respect and

This is a spilling wave a good wave to learn on. The waveis breaking easily down the face. Sort of crumbly-like.

This is a top-to-bottom wave a bad wave to learn on. Thewave is breaking hard because its pitching its peak andplunging top to bottom all at once. Note its cylindrical ortube-like form always a telltale sign of a top-to-bottom wave.

Note: These photos were taken at the same location thespilling wave at high tide and the top-to-bottom wave at lowtide. This is the difference a tide can make.

McClain

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Right Waves

26

humility. As you improve, your chances of breaking

into the lineup will be greater if they remember you as

the beginner who once asked humbly where you couldbest learn.You may be a kook (beginner), but you are

one who shows respect.

Anything for the LadiesLearning to surf in small waves is also a good idea for

the instructor.Twice Ive taught people in surf condi-

tions a tad too powerful for a comfortable learningexperience. Paddling out was just too much for the stu-

dents who had all they could handle just pointing the

board in the right direction.

Being the he-man that I think I am, I towed the stu-

dents outside the breaking waves. It should be noted

that the instructees were nubile young ladies and thesame service would not be accorded to the guys. Sex

discrimination? You bet.

When I say tow, thats not with a rope and a boat. But a

rope and a dope:me. By the time I had dragged the

ladies out twice, I was ready for the paramedics. Its all

a little hazy, but I do believe they both stood up andwent away totally jazzed.

Life of a Wave.This sequence of shots shows a wave as a line

of swell, peaking, breaking and peeling down itslength. This is a spilling wave with good form.These are terrific conditions in which to learn.

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Chapter Two

27

1

2

3

4

5

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Safety

28

Not a good day to paddle.

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Learn How to SwimMost waves break in large bodies of water.You should

feel confident and comfortable in your ability to go

from point A to point B in the surf and open ocean.

Watch Out!Youre just learning. Keep things safe and simple.

Surfboards can bash and slice. Stay away from other

surfers in the beginning. If you cant avoid them

entirely, put as much distance as possible between

yourself and others. Dont paddle behind anybody.Dont take off (catch a wave) with anybody. Dont

take off on top of anybody. Be awareof where youare, where they are and where the waves are

all the time!

Board Control

Wear a leash.Your board should have one, but if itdoesnt, get one. Besides keeping your board if you

wipe out, a leash prevents it from making a death

swoop into the beach.This does not mean you can let

Safety

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Safety

30

the board go at will. Hold onto your board!The leashallows destruction in a ten-foot radius and may snap

back with ugly results.

When you wipe out, always feel for the tug on your

leash or lack thereof. If it tugs, cover yourself in that

direction and wait for the strain to subside.That means

the board won't snap back. But also be aware of the

tug-less leash.Your board may be just above you on the

surface. Resurface with hands over your head to pre-

vent a collision.

Wiping OutWhen you wipe out, the board will usually go its own

way and you another.The leash will hold on to your

wayward surfboard, tug at your ankle and nestle a few

feet away.Youll plop yourself back onto the board and

resume your graceless performance. However, until youreally get into the know, whenever you fall off, cover

your head. Dont drop your hands until youve resur-

faced and see your surfboard. Dont dive straight down,

A leash-less board can be a killer board if lost.

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Chapter Three

31

Wiping Out Daves board has pearled, or nose-dived,because he had too much weight forward. He covers his headin order to protect himself from his board. This is a wipe-out.

Youll get good at this.

Dave has resurfaced from the same wipe-out with his head stillprotected. These precautions are a bit exaggerated, but its agood idea to be cautious until you get a good feel for things.

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Safety

32

especially headfirst.The water may be shallow. Sand bar

diving is unintelligent and quite painful. Sort of lean

into your wipe out.Youll get good at wiping out a lotfaster than riding.

Caught InsideIf youre caught inside (inside the breaking waves) and

someones board is going to hit you ... dive.The boardmay be bashed, but better it than you.Again, as you

resurface keep your hands over your head. Remember,this time you have two boards and a thrashing body to

contend with.

Lobster TrapsWatch out for lobster traps and their lines. Every year,

surfers get their leashes caught in them and drown.

Surfing AloneNot that it will happen a lot, but its one of the best

things in the world to do by yourself. However, its not

a particularly safe practice, since no one will be around

to help you uncork your head from the reef. Dont surf

alone for now.

SunblockIt doesnt prevent cancer put it does prevent burn.

Monitor your time in the sun.

Currents, RiptidesBig surf brings in this kind of moving water. If its

small, it shouldn't be a concern. Strong swells may

sweep you up or down the beach, depending on their

direction.This isnt dangerous unless you fall asleep

and crash into a jetty or pier piling. Usually it just

makes for a lot of paddling.

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Chapter Three

33

When lots of water is thrust upon the shore by

breaking waves, it often finds its way back by formingrivers headed out to sea.These are rips. If you get

caught in one, paddle parallel to the beach until you

pop out. Dont paddle straight in against it.

Be SmartRemember safety is more a common sense thing than a

collection of valuable tips. Since youre beginning youll

want to avoid:

Big surf Ideal surf for you is hip high or smaller,with all the force of a large puppys swipe.

Rocky shorelines, reefs, or anything jagged or

hard in or under the water Nice sandy beaches,please.

Crowded lineups Stay off to the side.

Rip!

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34

Oh God Im gonna die!It makes sense not to paddle against a rip alone at

night in the fog. Heres a story about a fellow who didand lived to tell about it.

It was just past sunset one foggy winters evening.The

swell was running about three to five feet and I

thought I was the last one out.As usual, I was waiting

for one last wave, but it was getting difficult to see.

Then I heard ...Oh God! Im gonna die! I couldnt seehim at first, so I paddled in the direction of the voice.

Through the advancing fog, I saw a surfer paddling

hard in the direction of shore but going ... out to sea.

This was a classic case of someone getting caught in a

rip and attempting to paddle against it. Because he was

trying so hard, yet finding himself being swept to sea,panic had set in. Panic means being frightened, of

course, but more importantly it means mindlessness.

People forget to think just when they really should.

Anyway, I got his attention and told him to paddle

toward me.That is, sideways or parallel to shore.The

rip was no more than 20 feet wide. He popped right

out!

I told him to catch the next wave and just ride in on

his belly. He lost his board (what, no leash?) on the first

wave he tried to ride, so I gave him mine. He finally

shot in, I swam in and all was well.Yes, he was very

lucky.

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At least remember these two things:

1) Treat others as you would have them treat you.

2) BE AWARE.

Paddling OutMake sure you

paddle out to

either side of the

lineup (where

surfers sit, waiting

for waves). Donot paddlestraight out intothe crowd.Whensurfers take off,

they want to see

peaking walls, not

some kook in theimpact zone (where waves break). If you have no

choice, or get caught inside, be aware of surfers taking

off. Notice his or her direction and get out of the

Rules of the Road

Paddle behindthe rider

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Rules of the Road

36

way. If you must, paddle behind the surfer and take thebrunt of the broken wave. Its dead wrong to paddle

over the swell in front of a surfers path just to avoidthe soup.This is a courtesy that will be well remem-

bered.

In the LineupThe lineup is often a moving thing. Especially at beach

breaks.Waves dont approach the shore at exactly the

same place every time.At reefs or point breaks, thelineup shifts according to the size of the waves,

although take-off points are considerably more pre-

dictable than at beach breaks.At any rate, once youre

in the lineup, a certain amount of moving around is

going to happen.At beach breaks, youll paddle hun-

dreds of yards along the shore on some days.

Some moving around doesnt cut it, however. Say

youve been waiting for a left (wave that breaks to the

left as you face the beach).Youve seen it come in at

this spot for a few sets, youre in position ... and here it

comes! As you begin to paddle into the wave, the guy

next to you (but initially farther out of position) furi-

ously paddles around you to get at the peak.This sortof maneuvering is not cool.This is hardly much better

than the ultimate rip ...

Cutting Someone Off... or snaking is when one surfer drops in front of

another surfer who has already caught the wave. Riding

twosies was cute in 1958, but not anymore.This is a

concrete rule: The surfer closest to the peak

should have the wave. Unless hes too far back.Dropping in on someone whos too far back is a

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Christine is cutting off or snaking Dave. He intends to turn tohis right but shes taking off in front of him. More pix next page.

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Dave clearly has the right-of-way because hes closer to thepeak and stood sooner. Christine has executed the cardinal sinin surfing.

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judgment call. But if you see him or her get axed or fall

off, go for it. If you do take off, and he or she makes it,

pull out.

Taking OffYoure taking off on a wave and you see a surfer strug-

gling in the impact zone.They cant or wont get out of

the way. Dont take off.

Watch Where Youre Going!Always be aware of the surfers around you side to

side, front and back. Nothing is more irritating than

some frenzied chipmunk who spins around and takes

off without looking.As you paddle around in the lineup

and catch waves, watch out!

Hold On to Your BoardYoure going to get caught inside. Its a part of surfing.

Waves are going to break in front of you and on you.

You have a responsibility to maintain control of your

board. Surfers will be paddling around you.A loose

board can hurt big time. Fins slice like a knife.

Just because you have a leash doesnt give you licenseto let the board go. Sure, its tied to your ankle, but the

cord does stretch and eliminates any and all competi-

tion within ten feet. So hold on to your board.As the

white water approaches, head straight into the wave

and get a grip.

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Learn to snapfrom belly to feetin an athleticcrouch. This is acritical skill.Without it youllforever be out of

sync with thewaves you try tocatch.

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Pop-upsThe act of standing up on your board is quick as ablink. Look at some surfers.They paddle into a wave

and ... pop up! Thats what youre going to do and prac-tice before you paddle out.

Lie face down on the floor or beach. Push yourself upwith your hands and swing your feet underneath you.Stand quickly into a crouch with one foot in front andknees slightly bent.There arent any stages to thismovement. Feet should be a bit wider than shoulderwidth.Your back foot should be at right angles to whatwill be the length of the board.Your front foot shouldpoint a little forward. Practice until you master a quickand smooth motion into the proper standing position.

After youve done a few of these, youll discover whatyou are. Not in a metaphysical way, but if you are a reg-ular or goofy foot. Left foot forward is regular foot, rightfoot forward is goofy foot. Its a natural preference, likebeing right- or left-handed, so disregard the names ashaving any meaning.

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Pop-ups Practice popping up to your feet at home and onthe beach. Going from belly to an athletic stance is one quickand smooth motion. On the opposite page Christine demon-strates a pop-up on a wave.

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WaxingYour rental will probably have gobs of old wax caked

on it.Thats OK as long as you can comfortably lie onthe board. If the wax has become slick or there arebare spots where youre going to lie or stand, rub onsome wax. Rub until you begin to see it form intobeads. Dont worry about the front quarter of theboard.

Wax melts. Keep the board out of the sun and the deckdown when not in use.

LeashMake sure all theknotted connectionsarent too mangled.

Strap the thing ontoyour back ankle (theback one after youpop up). Make it snug,not tight.The cordshould extend fromthe outside of your

ankle.

OK. Now practicewalking into the waterwithout tripping onyour leash. Pretendlots of people are

watching.McClain

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We Be StylinThere are a couple of things you should do in order tolook sharp. Carry your board under your arm with thedeck facing out and the nose pointed straight ahead.

Use one arm and one hand. Hold it in the middle.Never drag your board. Make sure the leash is wrappedneatly around the tail of the board and fastened down.Dont let it trail behind you.

As you travel from your car to the beach and into thewater, walk with a strut. Back straight and chest puffed.

Speed can vary.A no-nonsense strutting jog is verycool.

Once youve waded waist-deep into the ocean, youre

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ready to plop yourself down and paddle out.Make sureyoure in deep enough water. Scraping along in the

shallows looks dorky. Its very important when youpaddle that you keep your buns still.Actually, keepeverything still except your arms. Keep your head upand look straight ahead.

When you make it outside, sit in the middle of yourboard, maybe a bit toward the back, so the nose points

up. Face out to sea and sit up straight. Practice this byyourself and get it down.You wont be stylin if youstruggle just to sit on your surfboard without tippingover.

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Paddling is central to surfing.Youll spend most of yourtime paddling. Its how you get around and catch

waves. Its where the

communication beginsbetween you, the board,the water and ultimately,the wave.

Shoving OffWait for a lull (when the

waves dont break). Pointthe board straight out inwaist-deep water, plopyourself on your boardand paddle like youreswimming the crawlstroke.That is, while one

arm is digging andthrusting, the other is reaching.Youll find out realquick if youre in trim (balanced on the board).Too farforward ... youll pearl or nose dive.Too far back ...

Paddling

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Wading out Simple enough if you point the board directlyinto the surf and begin paddling when the water is waist-deep.

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This is perfect form. The nose of the board is just clearing thesurface. Christine is centered, her head is up and shes lookingstraight ahead. She paddles with an even, hand-over-handstroke.

This is bad paddling form. Dave is too farforward. Christine is too far back.

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The wave is breaking in front of Christine. Her board is pointedstraight into the white water. She pushes herself up slightly sothat the white water can pass around her more easily.

Paddling out in good trim.

Still inside the impact zone, she prepares to deal with a wave.

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She gets pushed back, but because shes headed straight intothe wave, she doesnt get rolled. Shes got a good grip on hersurfboard.

Christine immediately positions herself back into trim ...

... and paddles hard to regain her forward momentum.

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youll stall.Wiggle front or back to gain trim, alwaysmaking sure the board is pointed straight out toward

the waves.

Meet any white water straight on.This allows the leastresistance to the wave.Youll be pushed back, but notrolled.When in doubt, paddle, paddle, paddle straightout! Do not wipe your eyes, fiddle with your hair orpull up your swim suit until youve made it outside

(beyond the breaking waves).And dont be a crybaby. Ifyou get washed inside, wait for another lull and try, try,try again! But seriously, if the surf is too consistent andstrong, hang it up. Dont struggle.Wait for smallerwaves.

I Made It!

Once outside, just practice paddling. Get used to yoursurfboard. Find the trim and work on your stroke. If theboard doesnt float you or paddle easily, now is thetime to take it back and try another. Dont strugglewith a board that doesnt work for you.

If all is well, cruise around for a while.This is how the

world looks and feels out here. Check it all out.Takeyour time. Remember, paddling is what gets you out,into a wave and out of trouble. Become confident withyour paddling before you do anything else.

Being Afraid of WavesI know people who show no fear of surf no matter

how big. Im not exactly one of those.What I do is dealwith it and paddle out anyway.Actually, Im more afraidof doing headers and embarrassing myself than I am ofthe physical danger of wiping out.Thats vanity for you.

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Fear is hard to distinguish from excitement sometimes.And sometimes they blend.You want to be excited

about surfing, and its OK to be a little frightened aslong as you dont flip out or freeze.Waves wont hurtyou (at least the kind you should be in) if you keep athing or two in mind.

The most powerful act of the wave is its tumblingdown when it breaks.Avoid having the wave break

right on top of you.You wont get hurt (in small surf)but you will plunge down, spin around and getknocked off your board.Actually, all this is not neces-sarily un-fun, it just impedes your surfing.

Remember, waves are meant to be fun and exciting.Theres a natural course of events on a given day of

surfing. Be less afraid and more aware of what the con-ditions are and dealing with them wont be such afrightful struggle.

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Youll never forget the first time.

Weber

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Full throttle moments in my life include turning a tripleplay in Little League, being accepted into an illustrationprogram in college, receiving my first check as an inde-

pendent businessman, getting married and holding ourdaughter for the first time. My first wave fits in there,too. In fact, after 25 years of surfing and countlesswaves, I remember that wave as much as any.

And it was hardly a wave at all. Indian River Inlet,Delaware. Summer of 1963.The surf was hardly surging

onto the beach.The swells rolled up and sort of lappedthe sand. I dont remember them even breaking. Mybest friend and I rented surfboards, courtesy of myuncle, and plunged in. I remember paddling into theswell ... and then it happened.

For me (and countless surfers), catching that first wave

was a miracle. Feeling the wave take you is one ofthose this is it moments we all have a handful of in alifetime. I stood up and immediately rammed into thesand my buddy screaming,Hang Ten! as my head

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swam in adrenaline.Although the ride lasted less than ahiccup, the memory remains.And continues to be a

strong reminder of what its all about: Pure, unadulter-ated stoke(joy!).

Not having caught the wave, Dave stands up too soon andstalls out. He should have paddled a stroke or two more.

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Paddling Into Your First WaveThe best way to learn is to catch the swell before the

wave breaks. Dont mess around with the white water.Catching the swell is where it all begins in surfing, notbashing around in the soup (white water).

Youll learn in time where to position yourself in orderto catch waves, but for now check out where everyoneelse is sitting and waiting.This is called the lineup.

Paddle into the wave the same way you have been pad-dling hand over hand until you feel yourself being

taken. Itsunmistakable.Make sureyoure in trim.

If you catchthe wave cor-rectly, youllslide down theface nicely. Ifyoure too farforward, youll

pearl.Too far back, youll stall either out of the waveor youll hang up on top and do a header (free fallover).

Get this part down catching a wave withoutpearling or stalling. If you do it right, youll shoot outfast, a bit in front of the breaking wave, then get caught

by the soup and zip toward shore.You may just want todo this for a while without attempting to stand. Stay onyour belly and get a feel for the interaction betweenyou, the board and the wave.

Pearling, or nose-divingbecause weight is toofar forward.

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Christine paddles into a swell, maintaining proper trim.

She has caught the swell. The board is sliding down the face ofthe wave. This is called dropping in.

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In order not to pearl, or nose-dive, Christine pushes herself upand shifts her weight back.

Shooting In.

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Stop!Are you having fun? If not, check it out:

1. Is the board manageable? If not, get one that is,NOW.

2. Is the surf too big or powerful? If so, come backanother day or find a gentler spot.

3.Are your paddling skills awkward? If so, practicesome more.

4.Are you pointing the board straight into the whitewater when youre inside? If not, youre getting killed.

5.Are you paddling hard to get back outside? You

cannot take coffee breaks inside. Move quickly out ofthe impact zone.Yes, I know. Its a lot of work!

Surfing should be fun all the time.Thats what its therefor. Make sure you take the proper steps to ensure justthat.

Im Standing Up!Standing up is like riding a bike without trainingwheels for the first time when Dad let go and youpeddled on your own down the street.You did whatyou may have thought impossible. Learning to drive astick is sort of like that, too. Going from your belly toyour feet on a speeding wave will probably seem even

more daunting But you can do it!

When you get good at catching the swell, try poppingup as soon as the wave takes you. Dont hesitate. Dont

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Paddling into the swell.

Having caught the swell, Christine begins her pop-up.

Note how trim is maintained. More pix next page.

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Riding the wave straight into the beach is called straight-offAdolph!

Standing up in an athletic crouch. Feet are shoulder-width andher center of gravity is low.

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hop on your knees. Dont wait to slide down to the

bottom. Do it when you feelit. Disregard thoughts of

grace, style, timing or what ifs. Pop up like you did onthe beach. Dont think, just do.

And Bingo! Youll be standing! Oh my Lordy! Youllactually be standing! And then youll fall off.

Cover your head and make sure you fall away from the

board. Lean into your fall and youll just get wet. If theleash tugs, youll know the board is away from you. Notug, watch it. Dont resurface without your hands overyour head in case the board is above you.

Wiggle your fanny back onto your board, head back outand do it again and again and again. But of course, you

shouldnt need to coach yourself at this point. Becauseyou stood up and youre so pumped, youll hope thewhole beach was watching!

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AnglingGoing SidewaysLook at the waves at your break or in the surfing maga-zines. Look at the surfers. Notice how theyre goingsideways, either right or left, away from the breakingpart of the wave.This, in its broadest sense, is called

angling.As opposed to going straight into shore, likeyou have been doing (straight-off Adolph).

Are You Popping Up?Angling is your next challenge after youve masteredpaddling, taking off on a swell, and standing up beforethe swell breaks. If youve been standing up only after

sliding down the wave, you must learn how to drop inand pop up right away.

Lets Do It!As you paddle for a wave, begin by angling in the samedirection the wave is breaking. If the wave is breakingleft, angle left. If the wave is breaking right, angle right.As the wave picks you up, pop up as before and aimthe board ahead of the curl, or the breaking part of thewave. Keep your board in trim and steer by leaning.Taking off at an angle should eliminate the need toturn the board for now.

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Putting it all together Paddling into the swell at an angle.

Popping up, maintaining the angle.

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Up and Away. Dave is racing away from curl, or thebreaking part of the wave.

Dave is demonstrating perfect trim. The nose of the board isjust inches above the surface. Note his stance, position of feetand slight crouch.

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When you start angling seeing and feeling how theboard speeds along the swell, youll discover a thrill as

great as standing up for the first time.Tearing along infront of the break, with the wall of the wave forming infront of you, is the real thing.This is where youll betruly stoked or not at all. If this doesnt curl your hairs,youre destined to be a bean counter.You wont ordont like sex, chocolate or puppies, either.

Angling is at the heart of all those maneuvers you seedone so effortlessly by expert surfers. Its the essenceof the wave-riding experience. Its my hope, and thegoal of this book, to get you out there first of all,standing up and finally angling along the peaking swell.You may never need to go beyond that to experiencethe magic of surfing.Youll only need more and more

waves.

Early StokeFor my fifteenth birthday, I wanted to go surfing.This

was significant because: a) I lived in Dover, Delaware fifty miles from the Indian River Inlet, the closest surfspot to my home. b) My birthday is December 11 and

on that day, it was snowing. c) The only wet suit I hadwas a short john.This suit had no coverage on arms orlegs and very little over the chest. d) I was too youngto drive.

My parents drove me to the beach and huddled in thestation wagon as I plunged into the 45-degree Atlantic

ocean. I think the surf was one foot and choppy. I dontremember much. I think my brain cells froze on impactwith the first wave I paddled through. I didnt stay outlong.

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I do remember staggering back across the icy beachand hurling myself into the back of the station wagon

with my board.And damn near in agony from the cold.Mom threw a blanket over me and we drove home. Icouldnt get out of the wetsuit. I couldnt move my fin-gers to try. I just chattered back there with the carheater on full blast.

Crazy? Absolutely. But determined to try. Give it all you

got as you learn.The returns are enormous.

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Waves are extraordinary things. Beautiful, fascinating,ever-changing. Powered by an undeniable, un-seenforce. Natures masterpieces. Once beyond the physical

act of paddling and standing, the rest is riding yourimagination as well as the wave.The mind tends to blurthe distinction.

A Simple ExplanationWaves are the end result of a very long, sweepingjourney. Hundreds, even thousands of miles away,

strong, steady winds blow across the oceans surface,raising ripples and chop.These winds are so consistentand cover such a large area, that the chop turns intowhat is called a sea.With a life of its own, the searaces downwind from its origin, and organizes itselfinto vast lines of swell that march across the oceansexpanse.As swells near the shore and shallow water,

they peak into waves and spill over or break.

Wave ShapesThe swell is very much affected by the bottom of the

Waves

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A top-to-bottom and tubing, beach break wave.

A spilling, beach break wave.

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shallows along a given coastline, as well as by theshape and curve of the shore.

A beach with a long and gradual rise from deep waterto shore will encourage the swells to form spillingwaves.As discussed in Chapter Two, these wavescrumble down their faces. Perfect for kooks like you.

An abrupt change from deep to shallow water causes

the swells to peak quicker and pitch their crests asopposed to just toppling over.An extreme form of thistype of wave is the tube always glorified by maga-zines, television, videos and movies.

Of course, a lot of other things influence waves besidesthe bottom. Local winds blowing side to side

(sideshore) or from the ocean (onshore), tend to blowout surf (make it bumpy).Winds blowing into the surf(offshore) can enhance the shape of the wave. Kelpcan counter the effects of the wind, although it slowsthe waves down.Various currents, especially riptides,can tear up the surf.Tides make dramatic changes inthe surf because they alter the depth along the shore.

Every spot has its own set of variables.You will be wiseto know what they are at your surfing area.

Types of Breaks

Beach breakshave sandbars that cause waves tobreak. Sandbars change a lot from season to season,month to month and even day to day.

Reef breakshave a rock or coral bottom that tends tostandardize the condition of the breaking waves. It usu-ally breaks in the same spot.

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Down the line This very ridable wave is peeling along its

length in a uniform fashion.

This rider is facing a section a part of a wave thatbreaks ahead of the initial peak.

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Point breaksare points of land on the shoreline thatapproaching swells wrap around and break over as por-tions of the waves length near the shallower water.This is also a more predictable break than a beachbreak.

So What Makes for a Good Surf Spot?Waves break up and down a coastline.Yet not every

portion of the coast has good surfing waves. Surfersneed waves that break from an initial peak and peel offin one or two directions.That is, the wave begins tobreak sooner at one section of its length and continuesto peel and break in a gradual fashion from that peak.

Closed-out surf are waves that break along their length

at the same time or in such large, irregular sections thatangling along the swell is impossible you can onlygo straight.And thats not where were headed withthis surfing business.At first, going straight is fine, but

Closed-out This wave is breaking along its entire length atthe same time. Angling along the swell is impossible.

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the real thrill of surfing is riding that unbroken swelldown the line.

Surfing Hot SpotsThe January 1985 issue of Surfer Magazine furnished apartial list of the worlds best surf spots:

Jeffreys Bay, South AfricaNias, Indonesia

Rincon, CaliforniaMalibu, CaliforniaPipeline,HawaiiOxnard, CaliforniaShark Island,AustraliaNorth Narrabeen,AustraliaBlacks, California

Moorea,TahitiRocky Point, HawaiiOff the Wall, HawaiiBlack Rock,AustraliaPadang Padang, IndonesiaPuerto Escondido, MexicoSunset Beach, Hawaii

Pupukea, HawaiiMaalaea, HawaiiNewport Wedge,CaliforniaBurleigh Heads,AustraliaCave Rock, South AfricaHonolua Bay, HawaiiThe Bluff,West Australia

Lower Trestles, CaliforniaBackdoor, Hawaii

In fairness, Id like to add these spots from the east

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These are tubes or barrels. Every surfers dream is fitting insideone. Christine on top and Dave below.

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coast, USA:

Montauk Point,New YorkCape Hatteras, North CarolinaSebastian Inlet, Florida

Twenty-eight spots dont make a complete list. Greatwaves are breaking right now in 1,001 places aroundthe globe not mentioned here.

Think about that.

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A part of me thinks this is nuts.Writing a how-to-surfguide may encourage more people to surf and none ofus want that.The waves are crowded enough. But its

doubtful that this guide will seriously affect the size ofthe surfing world. I do hope it helps new surfers whoread it to learn correctly and safely.

And I say this to those who do: Have respect.

Good Old DaysIn the 50s, when surfing was practiced by the hardyfew, there were plenty of waves for everyone.Everybody knew each other on a given stretch of coast-line. Surfers were truly a brotherhood as only afanatical few can be who practice any activity outsidethe mainstream.

The 60s popularized surfing.You saw it in magazines,at the movies and heard it on the radio.With all thatcame the inevitable crowds.You may have heard aboutthe surfing brotherhood of that era. OK, maybe a bit of

& YouCrowds, Localism

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that feeling was around, but really how could youfeel like a brother to 400,000 surfers?

Localism: A Surfers GovernmentSurfers began to band together locally and made ittough for outsiders to surf at their spot.This is localism.Its still here and here to stay. Usually, its just a vibe inthe water you are definitely not welcome. Localstake off on you and somebody will yell at you at least

once. Fights happen, but not nearly as often as legendor rumor has it.

Now this sounds grim, I know. However, all thelocalism Ive ever dealt with is really quite manageableif you follow a few golden rules.And despite the badpress, localism isnt a bad thing nowadays. On a

crowded coastline, its the only way to get waves.Theonly thing better is no crowds, and for most of us,those days are gone unless you travel.

Localism at its best is a form of government.Thepeople who have consistently surfed at a given spot forsome time and have been accepted by the local crew

for displaying a good attitude and a certain level ofcompetence will get waves. Its that simple.This youhave to accept.You have some dues to pay to get

waves.

Have RespectAs you begin surfing and desire more and more waves

of quality, you're going to have to develop an attitude.You see, in the surfing world no one cares about yourstatus. Everything you get will have to be earned in thewater.You have no right to waves.You will have to

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make other surfers respect you, and to do that, youmust show respect first.

Know YourselfYoure a beginner, so stay away from the experts.Yourelousy, so you must surf lousy areas on the fringe of asurf spot.As you become better, you can think aboutcompeting for the better waves. But first ...

Know the LocalsTake note of who surfs every day at your spot (orspots).Who gets the waves? These are the people whoyou want to know.These are the people you want tohave know you.

Stay Focused. Keep Cool.

Let your face become known. Surf as much as you can,and stay out of the locals way. If you get snaked, let itgo. If you get yelled at, let it go. Become a fixture outthere. Show that you can take it.That will be your ulti-mate strength. If you get into a fight with an estab-lished local at this point, it will be like a politiciangetting caught taking a bribe or poking some bimbo.

You may never live it down.

This is the hardest part. Being ignored, getting snaked,having some bullet-brain call you names and gettingvery few waves. Its a real bummer, but you can take it.Over time it will improve.

Eventually youll share friendly words with one of thelocals. Maybe he or she has the same job, interests, ormajor in school as you.This is called making friends.This is also being smart. If one of them thinks youre

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OK, youre on your way.Take it slow and easy.Try to befriendly without displaying too much of the despera-

tion you feel. Its all part of the game.

If all this seems beneath you, try going out therewithout diplomacy.Try going out there with the atti-tude Hey, these waves don't belong to anybody. Here Iam, take it or leave it!

Perhaps youve become quite skilled and you'venoticed that you surf better than some of the locals.Hey, Im good and youre not! Out of my way!Goahead.Write me your success story. Please. Ill include itin the next reprint. Fat chance.

Instead, have patience, wear a smile and use

your brains. One morning youll find yourself in thelineup as a local.Youll have friends.Youll get waves.And youll pity all the newcomers who come and gowith tire marks on their backs because they didn'tshow respect.

Anarchy: Surfings Future?

If you still think localism is a bad thing, check outthose spots that have evolved beyond mere localism.These are the legendary spots of the surfing world. InCalifornia, theres Rincon, Malibu and Trestles. InHawaii, its any of a dozen spots on the north shore ofOahu. Every coastline in the world has its premierebreak.Welcome to the international free zones!

Everybody takes off, all the time.The lineups are bob-bing carpets of surfers. Getting waves is like playingLotto.

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Localism really doesnt work at these places anymorebecause of the sheer numbers. No, Ill take my chances

at those spots that suffer only a hostile home team.Youcan work yourself into any lineup, if its still a lineup. Ingridlock, youre just another stalled vehicle.

The next wave is mine!

Masterson

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BrotherhoodThere was a time when all surfboards were so big they

were usually strapped on top of the vehicle.As youtraveled up or down the coast anybody could see youwere a surfer.When surfers approached each otherfrom opposite directions, it was customary to signal tothe other with an up or down turn of the thumb toindicate what the surf was like from whence eachcame.This courtesy was always given enthusiastically

and truthfully. If the thumbs down signal was given, thereceiver of this message would stop and turn around.Why waste the gas?

Thiswas universal trust. I can imagine signaling tosurfers these days.Theyd think you were flashing somesort of gang sign and run you into a ditch.

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What Now?

Buying a BoardThe rentals youve been floundering on have given youa vague idea of what you need. Buy a board that comes

as close to that as possible.You dont have to buy new.Again, dont look for beauty. Get a board that works foras cheap as possible.

Big Boards / Small BoardsIn general, there are three sizes of boards.A board isusually considered a short board if its seven feet inlength or shorter.A board is considered a longboard ifits nine feet long or longer. In between are what somecall fun boards, which for the most part, ride like ashort board with a greater planing surface.

When you go into a surf shop, youll probably see a lotof boards under seven feet and a few boards quite a bitlonger.These longboards were the norm before 1965.A typical length back then was 9'6".When it was dis-covered that you could successfully ride smallerboards, short boards swept the sport like nothing elseever did.

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Longboard and short board Vehicles that providetwo different ways to ride the waves.

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Longboard stylings ...

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Shorter boards allow you to stand in one spot andmaneuver by shifting weight.Theyre more maneuver-

able than longboards because theyre lighter, thinnerand have a tighter turn radius. Short boards are theoverwhelming choice of surfers everywhere, althoughlongboard surfing has made a dramatic comeback inrecent years.

Longboard surfing demands footwork. One has to walk

around on a longboard to maneuver and trim becauseof all the length. Its a different style of surfing. Since itrequires so much footwork and the maneuvers are sodrawn out, longboard surfing can be quite graceful.Longboards also have the advantage of being able topaddle faster and catch waves sooner, due to thegreater planing surface.

Both boards and styles, of course, are legitimate.Watchwho surfs what, and check out what you like. Maybeyoull learn how to surf both.You should!

Learning New StuffSurf with the best surfers you can find (just stay out of

their way).As in any pursuit, expertise rubs off. Studytheir feats and keep at it!

Surfer Magazine has run a series of how-to articles onadvanced techniques called: Surfer Tips and Expert

Advice. For more information write:

SurferEditorial StaffPO Box 1028Dana Point, CA 92629

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Short board maneuverability.

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Have Fun. Have Respect.Surfing is one of the things that life should be about.

We all have to worry about money, jobs or school, dogsor kids, etc. But there really should be something else.Something more. Something pure that can be taken asis without thought to yesterday or tomorrow.

When I go surfing, I know I havent wasted my time.Ive involved myself with something thats as good as

it gets. Living is very much worthwhile if I can gosurfing every day.

So enjoy the experience and try to get along withother surfers.After all, most of them feel like you.Carry yourself with respect and give it back.

Have fun.

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Children of the SeaThe first surfer was a Polynesian.

Going way back (before 1400), a migration ofCaucasians headed east across Asia (from India), inter-married with Oriental and Malaysian folks along theway and made little brown, almond-eyed babies.Thesepre-Polynesians sat on the beach someplace inSoutheast Asia, gazing at the open ocean and, unlikepractically any other people in history, decided home-

sweet-home was out there somewhere.

Loading up the kids, some animals and their favoriteplants, they set sail in canoes for parts unknown. Nomap. No compass. In little, eeny boats. From island toisland speck, they wandered eastward to Tahiti. Livingoff the ocean and obviously in some sort of special

harmony with the wind, the currents and the stars.These people did not lack optimism, assertion or self-confidence.

A Little History

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Tahiti was nice, of course, but a few of our Polynesianancestors thought it might be cool to make a trip

north. Like 2,000 miles worth. No compass. No map. Inthose eeny boats.They did and ran into Hawaii.

Now its time to look at a map. Find Hawaii. Now findTahiti.Your best friend wants you and he to sail fromthere to there in his new Hobie Cat.Youll bring somewater and some food, but hey, you can just fish on the

way and catch rain water. No map. No compass. Noradio. Just the stars. Sounds like a real treat, right? Well,these folks did something like that at least 500 yearsago and didnt even know where they were going!

These Polynesians were at home in the water. It fedthem, amused them and gave them faith. It was in their

blood.They got to know the ocean like their Europeancounterparts got to know the land. Its only natural toassume that this race of people were the first to surf.

And surf they did. In rituals, contests and just for fun.Songs, chants, and dances reveal the importance ofwave riding in the Polynesian culture.There were spe-

cial months to surf, special prayers for surf and specialrules to surf by.And everybody surfed. Royalty as wellas the rest (even though the king had his own spot, for-bidden to everyone else on penalty of death). It reallywas a surfers paradise until ...

The Dark Age

Capn Cook and crew were the first white men to layeyes on surfers. In 1777, the English explorer saw acanoeist in Tahiti ride a huge swell into the beach. Hewas stoked:I could not help concluding that this man

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felt the most supreme pleasure while he was driven onso fast and smoothly by the sea. Later, during the same

voyage, he discovered the Hawaiian Islands.

Returning to the big island of Hawaii in 1779, amember of the crew recorded the first account ofsurfers riding the waves on boards:The boldness andaddress with which they performed was altogetherastonishing.

But the white guys didnt paddle out.Actually, mostEuroweenies didnt swim at the time. Not even sailors.Swimming for fun was not only considered uncool, butvery unhealthy.This pitiful, misguided concept almostproved fatal for the sport.

Westerners soon came to stay and, of course, to changeand control things theirway.Their most significantimport was disease, which nearly wiped out the nativepopulation.Attitudes about religion and making moneyforever bent the culture that loved the sea. Somehowthe missionaries convinced the Hawaiian queen thatmany aspects of the island lifestyle were bad, including

surfing, and had them banned.

So began the dark age of surfing.A period of almost100 years when surfing practically disappeared.

From the AshesBy the turn of the century, surfings ungodly, immoral

and frivolous branding began to fade.The exploits of asmall number of pioneers helped turn the tide.The fol-lowing individuals all began their surfing careers atWaikiki Beach, Honolulu.There the sport had been

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kept alive throughout the bleak 19th century, and hadbecome something of an attraction, due to the surfing

exploits of the original Beach Boys who surfed there.

George FreethOf Irish and Hawaiian descent, Freeth is probably bestremembered as the surfer who first brought the sportto the mainland. In 1907, he was hired by a railroadcompany to perform his surfing skills in Redondo

Beach, California, in order to attract customers. Hisexhibitions thrilled thousands. But more importantly, hetaught the first Californians how to ride waves.

Alexander Hume FordFord taught Jack London how to surf in 1907. Londonwas one of the most popular writers of his time and

was so taken by surfing that he wrote magazine articlesabout it and included the sport in his books.This is likegetting exposure on the Oprah Show today.

In 1910, he founded the Outrigger Canoe Club atWaikiki. Its stated purpose was to advance the almostforgotten art of surfriding ...

Duke KahanamokuDuke is considered the father of the modern era ofsurfing.A full-blooded Polynesian and a surfer sincechildhood, he became an international celebrity by set-ting world records in the 100-yard and 100-meterfreestyle swimming events.He won gold medals in

those events in the 1912 and 1920 Olympics.

Duke barnstormed the mainland, captivating thecrowds with his surfing prowess in California, New

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Its 1946 in Palos Verdes, California. LeRoy Grannis poses withhis handcrafted redwood and balsa surfboard. The board isover 11 feet long and weighs 65 pounds.

GrannisCollection

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Doc Ball rides one of Tom Blakes hollow cigar boxes circa1940. Wetsuits werent around yet. Its called grinning andbearing it.

Blake

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York and New Jersey. He was the first to surf the eastcoast and introduced the sport to Australia as well.

Kahanamoku went on to make Hollywood movies andbecame ambassador-at-large for Hawaii and the sport ofsurfing. Duke was elected Sheriff of Honolulu and heldthe post for 26 years.At the time of his death in 1968,he was legend.

California Innovations

The first half of the 20th century saw a steady growthin surfings popularity. California became the epicenterfor surfboard innovation and design. It was here thatthe seed of its future popularity was planted.

Tom BlakeIt can be said that Blake was the first serious surfboard

designer to come around in 500 years. Until 1926, surf-boards had been made out of wood preferably red-wood.The boards were big and heavy up to 150pounds! They had no fin and maneuvering them waspractically impossible.

Blake built the first hollow board in 1926 and the so-

called cigar boxes were the norm for another 20years. He got the weight down to 4050 pounds, and in1935, attached the first fin to a board. His other impor-tant firsts include writing the first book about surfing,Hawaiian Surfboard(1935), and first to surf Malibuin 1926.

Bob SimmonsIn 1949 another Californian, Bob Simmons, built aboard from styrofoam sandwiched between plywoodand sealed with resin and fiberglass. Later, he added

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balsa rails.These were the first boards to be commer-cially successful.They were relatively light, easily trans-

portable and maneuverable.They were the prototypesfor the modern era, and along with balsa boards, werethe rage for almost 10 years.

The Blank = Modern SurfingIn 1958 Hobie Alter and Gordon Clark came up withthe first urethane blank, or foam core, for a surfboard.

This type of foam could be shaped easily in endlessvariations. Once coated with resin and fiberglass, theboard became the lightest, most maneuverable wavetool ever created.This opened the door to better andhigher performance surfing.The materials and methodsof construction are basically the same to this day.

By 1960, history and technology slam-banged togetherto make surfing a huge fad.The boards were smaller,lighter, easier to manage and more affordable than everbefore.The population in Southern California wasexploding. Music, movies and clothing celebrated thecoastline craze. Surfing became mainstream in a verybig way. California was the capital, but surfing also blos-

somed in Australia and the eastern United States.Thebeach had gradually become a popular point of interestthroughout the century, but in 1960 it was the place tobe and surfing was its ultimate expression.

Small Boards and Big MovesBoards got short, then shorter by the end of the sixties.

It was discovered you could still surf and stand on aboard one foot, two feet, even three or four feet less inlength than previously thought.The small, light boardsenabled surfers to achieve ever more radical ways to

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Duke Kahanamoku What can you say about a man thatalmost single-handedly put surfing on the world map? Beforehim, no one surfed California, the eastern United States orAustralia. Duke went to these places on his surfing tours andforever changed the way the world looked at waves.

Maki

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Iron Man LeRoy Grannis at Sunset Beach, Hawaii in 1962.He was pushing 50 when this photo was taken. Thirty yearslater, hes still at it.

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ride the waves. New board and fin designs continue totake them even further.

Surfing in the last 20 years has grown worldwide andworld-class.Top surfers are among the worlds elite ath-letes. Surfboard design makes the space programenvious.And people just can't get enough of it. If theydon't have a coastline, theyll build a wave pool andstand in line.

What began as an ancient sport of island kings hasevolved into a sport for all nations and all people.Thefad became a pastime, became a sport and has becomea fixture of coastlines everywhere. Surviving persecu-tion, commercialism, silly trends and the fears ofpeople who never tried, surfing will always be around.

And always cherished. By the bold, the young at heartand the lovers of life.

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Champion tandem surfers Pat and Lynne Weber are the ownersof San Diego Surfing Academy.

Pigeon

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Pat and Lynne Webers San Diego Surfing Academy hastaught more than 2,000 people how to surf since 1995.The youngest student has been 6 and the oldest 61. Patrode his first wave in 1966, and has been competingsince he was 12. He and wife Lynne have won ninetandem surfing titles.

Pats interview provides a glimpse of what youre in for

and answers a lot of commonly asked questions.

How hard is it to learn to surf?Surfing is the hardest sport to learn. Especially if yourean adult.Thats because the medium, the ocean, isdynamic.The ocean is constantly changing. Strap on apair of ice skates, the rink stays still. Strap on a pair of

skis, the mountain remains static.

To become expert, surfing requires judgment and waveknowledge and that takes hundreds of hours in thewater to acquire. Of course, a mentor or coach cansupply a great deal of that knowledge and help you getstarted.

How long does it take to stand up?You can stand in five minutes if youve been coachedproperly.

Surfing Coach

San Diegos

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What are the stages leading to standing up?It starts with a 15-minute beach lesson learning how to

pop-up. How to stand in one smooth, crisp motion,using your hands as a fulcrum and your body as thelever.A surfer needs tofire up, explode into a pop-up.

Theyre so critical.Pop-ups are themost importantthing about

surfing. Its thethreshold. Its theportal of the waveriding experience.

After the pop-ups on the

beach, thenwhat?Say youve done it20 times, even 50times on thebeach. Its notenough! When I

was a kid learningto surf, I would spend the night popping up so I couldget an edge on my friends. Because if you crawl to yourfeet, one knee at a time, youre not going to get the jobdone. Especially in critical waves.

Theres a small window in which to stand. First youll

feel the lift of the wave, then you must paddle two ormore strong strokes until you feel yourself descendthat watery slope.Thats when you fire up to your feet.If you miss it and ride on your belly all the way to the

Weber

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bottom of the swell, youll have a G working againstyou. Instead of drawing 150 pounds to your feet, it will

be 300!

After pop-ups what else is important?I taught a young girl who had cerebral palsy. Shecharged 6-foot surf in order to learn. She was deter-mined. Not technically perfect, but she made ithappen.

Having said that, it helps to have natural balance.Thissport is all about balance.

How do the learning curves compare betweenchildren and adults, boys and girls, men andwomen?

Its hard to generalize. Ive had 9-year-old girls out-perform their 14-year-old, all-star brothers because thegirls had more control over their bodies. It doesnt hurtto have a sense of balance and a degree of athleticism,but thats not age- or gender-specific.

You dont care if theyre 8 years old or 70?

No.At the Surfing Academy we try to match studentswith a board that f loats them properly so that differ-ences in size and strength play less of a part in thelearning experience. Its important to have flotation insurfing equipment in order to paddle and catch waveseasily.

As the surf grows in size, so does the importance ofupper body strength. But since we teach our studentsat learning beaches, where the waves are suitable forbeginners, theres less of a need for muscle.

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What kind of physical requirements are there?Bottom line: Be able to swim 500 yards without stop-

ping. If you can do that youre in basic surfing condi-tion.You can last a couple of hours without wilting. Its25 yards across the pool. A lap is 50 yards. So thats 10laps without stopping.

Its important to know that the board is not your flota-tion device! If the leash breaks you must know how to

swim to save yourself.

What kind of surfboard should one learn on?

Sometimes pride gets in the way.You see the videosshowing the top pros doing the tight turns and tailslides. Its like in any other sport when you see the topathletes taking it to the limit.The best make it lookeasy.You want enough flotation so that you can paddleand catch a wave, pop up to your feet, ride that waveand have fun.

Surfing is about the individual. Its about you. Its aboutwhat you get from it your personal satisfaction. Ifyoure not catching waves, if youre riding a board

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thats too short, too narrow or too thin, youre notcatching waves and youre not having fun. Its all about

having fun.

Surfing has grown up. If you showed up with a long-board in the 70s, you were ridiculed. Surfing was theexclusive domain of teenage boys. Girls were excluded.Older guys were excluded. Surfing has evolved.Today,anything goes.Young guys are riding 60s boards.

Women are an important part of the sport.Theres asupportive atmosphere. Surfing is a family thing.

If grandpa paddles out on a six-foot thruster, hes notgoing to get the job done. But if he uses a 10-foot-long,wide, thick, easy-to-paddle longboard, hes going tocatch waves. Hes going to be standing and hes going

to be having a good time.

Dont let pride get in the way. It doesnt matter whatyou ride. Its not the arrow, its the archer.

Is surfing dangerous?

Hell, yeah. I have the scars to prove it!

How do you minimize the dangers?With a soft board.A soft board keeps it safe for thosewho dont have the ocean experience. Doyle softboards will familiarize you with the sensations ofsurfing, paddling,catching the wave, getting to yourfeet and the thrill of riding natures energy.Theyre

made out of the same materials as a boogy board.

How important are lessons?Surfing has never had teaching professionals like in

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golf, tennis or skiing. Maybe thats because the numbershavent been there to sustain the profession. But thats

changing. More people are coming into the sport,including older people, who used coaching profes-sionals when they learned how to sky dive, ocean dive,ski, whatever.

Learning how to surf used to bejust do it! It was a riteof passage. But a teacher in any endeavor, on any level,

shortens the learning curve.You can learn how to playpiano by yourself, but you can learn more in an hour-lesson than in a month of plunking by yourself.

Instruction points you in the right direction.You mightneed one lesson, you might need a battery of lessons.Each student is different.

San Diego Surfing Academy provides surfing lessons,Baja surf trips and adult surf camps year round.

San Diego Surfing Academy820 Cathy LaneCardiff, CA 92007

www.surfSDSA.com1-800-447-SURF (7873)

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Glossary

This is all you need to know plus a couple throw-aways. English is still spoken and understood by mostsurfers in the USA so dont worry about the latest slangyou may hear.

Angling: Going sideways or riding the wave along theunbroken portion of its length, ahead of the broken

portion.

Beach Break: Where waves break over a sandbar.Blown Out: Condition of waves torn up by wind.

Closed-out: Condition of waves that break all at once,making angling impossible.

Curl: Breaking part of a wave.

Dude: This word for guyhas been around since1972. It wasnt hip then, isnt hip now. Dudes arecowboy wannabees. Unfortunately, it has become a partof American culture. Or to be specific, a part ofAmerican mall culture.

Goofy Foot: As you stand on your surfboard, the nat-ural preference for having your right foot forward.

Hang Ten: Placing all ten toes over the nose of amoving surfboard. Usually associated with longboardsurfing.

Header: When you plunge down the face of a wavewith the toppling crest.

Impact Zone: Where waves break.

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Inside: The area inside the breaking waves.Also mayrefer to smaller waves breaking closer to shore or fur-

ther in from an o