w o H know reader’s story
etiquette
Ellie-Jean demonstrates the perfect paddling position. photo: Steve Dickinson
booters to barrels
* It turns out that barrels and booters have less in common than Erica Taylor initially suspected.
My first few surf attempts had the usual to chest-high waves. Delusions of grandeur must have accoutrements of a 7’8 water-logged, flower sprayed, overtaken the reality of my skill level as my surfing mates 6th hand mini-mal, and an ever-patient boyfriend. After asked me one day why I was riding like a bowlegged a couple of pointers and BF wave push-ins, I decided to cowgirl. I feebly argued that a wide stance aided my go stake my spot at a local Sydney beginner line-up for balance and search for the centre of the wave. It was my first solo session. My first wave had all the makings clear that surfing and snowboarding are two different of a successful ride; a quick, nimble turn around, a deft beasts; a tighter stance invariably allows more freedom to paddle for the incoming mini wave and even a 10-point improvise on the wave. It took a while to nullify a few carry stand up. However, it turned out another woman had over snowboarding habits; however, once I managed to the same idea. As she trimmed down the line left of me, train myself to tuck in that back leg, I began to discover I blankly watched my 7’8 board get sucked out from the exhilaration and true pull of a turn. under me and come down on her back. Naturally, she I also discovered the humbling nature of surfing. Just proceeded to hassle me for dropping in on her and told when you think you are catching on, the ocean dumps me I shouldn’t be out there if I didn’t know how to surf. your confidence into remission. I have learned why true Avoiding the verbal wrath and the spittle was fine, but surfers never claim expertise, but instead display an the clenched fists and stream of profanities worried me unchallenged ease and subtle inner peace in the crow’s somewhat. Welcome to surfing. I apologised profusely feet of their eyes. Feeling good enough to venture out and scampered away with my tail between my legs to into different, uncharted breaks independently, I planned retrieve my board. While I was entirely aware of my rookie a surf trip to Byron Bay with the girls. We hit Tallows the mistake (as we were standing in 1 foot of water) I couldn’t second day where the waves were a little larger than help but question that if I wasn’t supposed to learn here on the small Last year I made my transition from the slopes waves, where was I supposed to to the sea thinking that learning to surf would learn? Where were the trail arrows and green circle indicators offering be a good challenge. I was determined to beginners some direction? I forced take up surfing within a year. After teaching myself to paddle back out, where I snowboarding internationally for five years, remained out the back for the rest of the session. From there I could how hard could standing on the water be? hear echoes of the woman’s seagull cries ‘mine!’ ‘mine!’ every time a set rolled through. Whenever I go out, I still scan the horizon normal, but seeing swathes of grommets handling the for any short blond haired, middle-aged women, tagging conditions quite comfortably I assumed I too would be their waves. fine. I waited for the right set to roll through, paddled… Things improved as I upgraded to a 6’4 CD style and got thumped, again and again. An hour of a lathering Walden, which I promptly fell in love with, and so named saw me rag-dolled to shore where the girls sat watching - the Badger. It was shorter, but wide and blunt, sort of with scepticism, likely questioning the excess luggage like my beginner style. The board took my surfing to a fee I had paid to bring my board. I slumped in defeat new level as I was no longer surfing a dock. With the as surfing had promptly reminded me again who was realization that I would now do less damage to those in control, because clearly, it wasn’t me. To add to the around me my confidence surged. I acquired more agility, bruising, later on in town, a surfer whom I believed to better timing, and was standing up regularly on waist be admiring the Badger, turned to me and enquired
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//curl spring #22
rather delicately on my fin placement, and the peculiar positioning of the foil pointing towards the nose of the surfboard. I had surfed for two hours with the fins on the wrong way. Becoming practiced at swallowing my pride by now, I resolved the only way to hold my head up, was to attribute my poor performance on the directionless fins. There was hope. Today surfing has taught me a multitude of lessons; from the basic water etiquette to reading the ocean, understanding rips, and even how to screw my fins in properly. And though in the two years that I have been surfing, I have not graduated to near the level I anticipated, my appreciation and lust for the sport has only increased exponentially with every wave I’ve caught. Surfing is for all ages and demographics and globally, women seem to be taking up the sport in greater numbers these days. According to local surf school instructor James Phillips, at Manly Surf School, the number of females taking lessons is pushing the 50 percent mark, whereas 15 years ago their presence would have been minimal on the Northern Beaches. This move to surf could be attributed to various theories, but perhaps it is the familiarity of a pulsing feminine force, or the cyclical nature of the sea that women are drawn to. There is an amniotic connection between surfing and the surrounding marine environment that has shed light on so many other areas of my life; in the grand scheme of things we are all interlaced and just paddling along hoping to catch the perfect ride. Surfing and the sea have taught me the relevance of true perseverance, sea skills and diligence, but it has also taught me that the journey to get there is sometimes the best part of the ride. n
learning to surf I used to find it so strange that there were rules surrounding surfing. With surfing being all about “freedom” it seemed incongruous to have rules. However, the more I became involved in surfing the more I realised the need for some basic codes of conduct to keep everyone safe in the water. Each issue we’ll provide you with a few basic rules to help keep you and your fellow surfer’s safe in the water this summer….
*win surf lessons
Want to learn to surf? NZ SURF TOURS is giving two of our lucky readers a free day’s surf school voucher, valued at $120 each. To be in to win, simply send your name, age and address and reason why you should win to lynne@curl.co.nz. (Details will be forwarded to NZ Surf Tours and lucky winners notified by email)
Body positioning for paddling You can often tell a beginner surfer before they even begin to paddle simply by the way they lay on their board. A real beginner will be unsteady and unbalanced on their board. Here’s a quick tip to help you find your sweet spot for paddling: Make sure you are not too far forward or too far back. The nose of your board should be just above the surface of the water, (no more than 5cm) and your legs in line with the centre line. When starting out, take the time to learn your correct paddle position as it will make paddling that much easier.
wave etiquette Who has right of way when paddling out? The person paddling out or the surfer? Paddling out can be a bit of a challenge at a busy break and with a surfer flying down the line towards you you need to know what to do. The basic rule of thumb is to paddle wide of the break if you can. By that we mean paddle out away from where everyone is surfing and then once out the back paddle into the lineup. If that’s not possible (often when there is a beach break) then make sure you paddle around behind the surfer heading your way. For example, if you are paddling out and you see a surfer coming towards you, start paddling towards the tail of their board. This may mean you get pummelled by the white water yourself but it is your responsibility to get out of the way. If you are at a break where there are a large number of beginner surfers then you will find that most of them surf straight into the beach, rather than along the wave. In this case simply make sure you do your best to get out of their way, whether that means holding your ground or simply paddling straight out. The most important thing to remember is that it is your responsibility to get out of the way. You can not assume the person riding the wave will manoeuvre (or even be capable of manoeuvring) away from you, so make sure you stay clear. If you do find yourself in the impact zone or about to be pummelled or collide with another surfer, whatever you do hold onto your board; flying board will do even more damage. www.curl.co.nz//79