Summer - who surfs and what level?

Good work DRC, I’m looking at the surf from my balcony, it doesn’t look much chop but damn it’s a nice day!

nthnbeachesguy - 26 September 2012 01:37 AM

I kinda know what Spaz means, a simpler way to put it is that a vast majority of your life is spent revolving around the ocean.  Carrying on like Bodhi from Point Break or Shane Dorians character in “in Gods Hands” is over the top rubbish.  I experience the whole gamut of emotions at various times surfing, being more stoked than I could possibly imagine to abject terror to aggression to sublime peace and calmness that borders on the spiritual or as close to that kinda thing as I can get.  For me the stoke and the terror parts are what get me off the most. 

I have never been as scared anywhere else in my life than I have in the ocean, jumping out of a plane is a distant second, being threatened with a gun didn’t even get there albeit not being pointed at me.  Having said that you put yourself in those situations, it’s a matter of choice and the feeling that comes after surviving things like that is farken awesome.  Adding to that I have never been as stoked anywhere else or as peaceful and calm.

I agree with this, as when I was younger that’s exactly how I felt too!!!!!

I also used to like lighting fires, and poking snakes with a stick as well!!!!!

These days I’d rather surf on my own somewhere that’s around 4-6ft, cause I enjoy the calming peace much better!!!!!

I am gettin old!!!!!

And great stuff DRC!!!!!

I’ll bust out a board when the schoolies go back next week!!!!!

trentradpants - 25 September 2012 11:54 PM

snowbum_spaz - 25 September 2012 01:38 PM

Surfing was the absolute hardest thing I’ve ever learned.
I’ve been in the ocean since before I can remember.
Body surfing and free diving helped - having no one to teach me didn’t.

All up it took about 12 months of getting in the ocean 3-4 times a week and freezing through winter in just a spring suit before I could stand and control the board. I didn’t start until I was 20. The weather and conditions couldn’t stop me, shark sightings didn’t keep me out of the water, the size of the waves were no concern.

IT CHANGED EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE.

You only become a surfer because you need it, you can’t choose to be a surfer, it is something you can’t live without. More important than sex, girls, money. It’s your souls food.

They say only a surfer knows the feeling, that it’s a religion.

I will always be a surfer no matter how long between waves, no matter how far from the ocean I live.
Salt flows in my veins not blood.

Im married to the ocean and girls are but a mistress that must respect that union.
Either you play in waves or you at one with them.

I guess basically what I’m saying is you can teach a person to surf but that doesn’t make them a surfer.
A surfer is a different species of our race who’s human needs cannot drown their need to have water filling their lungs.

Surfers travel through time at a different rate, surfers know god on a one to one basis and surfers cannot be pigeonholed in societies understanding. They live in a mental place far from what our brain has the ability to comprehend.

No offence spaz but what the hell is this pseudo guru diatribe???????
Its this kind of thinking that makes surfing down my way a chore and un-enjoyable at times, when guys thinking theyre on some other level of ‘consciousness’ believe they own the waves and can drop in and intimidate people just because theyre on their turf, or just learning, it turns what is a fun activity into the opposite.
Its condracticory for me to say so given what i just wrote but im never normally one to tell people what and what not to believe but your last line is possibly one of the biggest loads of rot ive ever heard.
I think surfing is rad, embrace it for what it is, you dont have to look for deeper meaning and justification in it.
Rant over.
and again, no offence meant spaz

All good Trent, and yeah I agree with your statements. I didn’t realise what I was writing came across that way until I finished.
I was distracting myself from other pressing (real world matters).

I live/love surfing. I’m glad my point wasn’t completely lost.
What happens in the ocean effects my life in a more positive way than what land based activities do (snowboarding included).

Sliding at 100km is tempting death but in no way does it compare to a 2 wave hold down in 15-20foot. After that sort of experience pseudo diatribe is the only way to convey the feeling.

Never had a two wave hold down, have come close a couple of times, not high on my list of priorities ha ha ha!  I had my arse handed to me a few times in Hawaii in a big way though.

Yeah, copped my fair share of floggings in the surf over the years!!!!!

Never saw my life flash by me though!!!!! Too busy searchin for the surface!!!!!

A mate had a good hold down out Cowries one day, gave him a full on nose bleed and an instant migraine!!!!! Left him lookin like he had just been hit by a freight train!!!!!

i copped a 6ft wave on the head at Redsands once. snapped my leash and left me with a massive headache and a solid swim in to find my board.

THAT was prob the worst, or the 8fter i got cleaned up by down Nuggen.

Good times!

Was at Sandon Point, I was dragged 400m underwater and I passed in and out of consciensness.
It never felt so good to feel sand under my feet.

Drowning would be the best way to go, it’s very peaceful down there once you give up fighting for the surface. The hard part is telling your body to breath again.

Went for a paddle on Friday, back feels a bit weird and definitely not very nice whilst paddling.  Is always a bit weird paddling after you haven’t done it for a while but hopefully the more I do it the better my back will feel, might help strengthen it some.  Only caught about 4 waves and it was small and shit so I wasn’t expecting much, might try head out again this arvo, it looks like there’s a little bit of size around today.

I’ve gotta leave for Japan on the 12th of Dec. But if there are any surf/skate trips going before then, I AM IN!

I only started surfing last summer when I demoed a board for 5 days, so I’m still a real rookie, but I’m really keen to get some surfing in before I head back to the snow.
I like TJ’s idea of it being a surf/skate trip too

Lets make this happen people!!!

id be down for a surf skate trip if i can get the time off work

Well I went for my second surf in 6 months today, 3ft NE wind swell with the odd bigger one popping up.  I was so pleasantly surprised to find that the 130km or so I have cranked out on the SUP in the last month has given me a level of fitness paddling a normal board I wasn’t totally expecting.  The SUP has also helped out amazingly with my core strength and my back now feels almost normal paddling. 

My first surf a few weeks ago was a different story, my back was really a bit of a concern, it was uncomfortable paddling and taking off didn’t feel very nice.  Jumped off the back of the point today and paddled into the line up, first wave was fairly late take off and I just handled it really easy, stoked.  The rest of the surf went fairly well, my timing was off a bit but still open face turns were ok and I even spun a couple of backside three’s, one of em I rode backwards for a few metres before completing the spin which is always fun.

That was really all I needed one fun surf and now I’ll be out there almost everyday ha ha!

Daughter has started doing nippers so every second Sunday I have a few hours to kill at the beach.
A godsend since lately I haven’t been making the time to go for a paddle.

Last weekend I forgot my surfboard while rushing to leave to grab supplies for camping. Ended up grabbing a superfish from a mates house up the road.
Surf was around 2’ and the superfish was ok. I normally ride a short board but my style is more suited to mini-mals so the superfish kinda suited me.

Like you nthnbg - this was my 2nd surf in 6months (but for different reasons). Stoked for you and your 3’s! are you talking air3’s or on the face?

Just face spins, like starting to do a backhand bottom turn but starting at the top of the wave, then kicking the tail and sliding around to backwards and then when you want to spin round the right way, let your fins get back in and it whips you around.  Never landed a backside air reverse properly, I want to though!

i just bought a 2nd hand surfboard of my mate for $200 gonna try and pick it up becuase i dont think ill be heading overseas this summer. however ill be down for some surf trips if i have the time but im am pretty clueless on how to surf at the moment haha.

Is there like a how to surf guide anywhere on here that i should read??

Rick the internet is full of how to surf guides and video’s, what sort of board did you buy from your mate, I will let you know just how much of a mate he is when you let me know the dimensions of the board he sold you ha ha ha!