Surfing around the world

Surfing can be a salvation in many ways, it allows us to forget the world around us, it offers community, connection to nature and a new perspective on life. All these things together make it a very addictive passion. We can consider ourselves lucky that surfing also has become a lot more accessible over the past few years. You don’t have to grow up by the sea anymore to get a good dosage of wave riding on a regular basis. It also is a lot more affordable than other sports like skiing for example. In Europe you can get good deals on accommodations, equipment hires and surf lessons for as little as €30 per day. This means that you will stay in a shared room in a surf hostel which usually also comes with a great community of surfers and lets you dive deep into the surf lifestyle. (Places that Charlie highly recommends for this experience are the Billabong Surfcamp in Fuerteventura and Carwyn’s Surfhouse in Hossegor.)

“Surfing, alone among others, generates laughter at its very suggestion, and this is because it turns not a skill into an art, but an inexplicable and useless urge into a vital way of life.” (Matt Warshaw)

The Zen of Surfing

Apart from the lifestyle, the sport itself provides pleasure and has the same effects as meditation. The moment you get in the water, nothing else matters. All worries remain at the shore and you experience what it really means to live in the moment because the ocean ensures that the only thing you focus on are the waves. And the moment the wave starts to carry you, you will notice that there is no better feeling in life. That feeling will last for a few hours and it multiplies as soon as you sit down around a bonfire with your surfmates and share each other’s stories.

A sport in nature after all

Amongst all these positive vibes, we almost forget that surfing after all is still a sport and as such it is physically demanding and exhausting, and it also is dangerous. If you have some experience you might have been in that situation where a wave that is building up behind you suddenly seems a lot bigger and scarier then it looked like from the shore. You hesitate and the next thing you experience is the so-called washing machine when you get whirled around in the water hoping that you can hold your breath for a little longer until you reach the surface. It’s not as bad as it sounds but it certainly makes you humbler and it makes you appreciate nature more.

“Big waves aren’t measured in feet, but in increments of fear.” (Buzzy Trent)

These situations change the way you see the world and despite all the frustrations, fear and bruises you will notice after your first surf lesson, you will have that feeling of inner peace and something that just fills you with joy and happiness. Waiting and riding the waves outweighs everything else.

It turns your life upside down

If you grew up by the sea, it probably always was your life; if you learned surfing as an adult you probably noticed how it changed your life. What was once a luxury weekend trip to Paris or Rome is now a trip to the beach, you’ll swap a 5-star-bed for a bunk bed in a surf camp and getting up at sunrise suddenly seems a lot easier than it used to.

Charlie got introduced to surfing by coincidence when she was on a holiday to learn Spanish in Tenerife. After just one taster session she was hooked and couldn’t wait to go on another trip. The first proper surf trip brought her to the town of Corralejo in Fuerteventura, and she has since then returned many times to become better at riding the waves.

She also went to Lanzarote, Hossegor, Los Angeles and Cornwall amongst others and every trip was completely different. The conditions in the water are never the same which is all part of the learning experience. There are good days and bad days, but no matter what, you’ll learn, and you will be better the next time you get in the water. And you will go back for sure!

“There are experiences I’ve had in life, that I wouldn’t have, if it wasn’t for surfing; people I wouldn’t have met and things I wouldn’t have known about myself.”

By TribdApp

“The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.” (Phil Edwards)

Learning how to surf

Before you sign up for your first surf lesson, there are a few boxes you should tick:

• It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, as long as you’re physically fit! (And yet, your whole body will most likely be sore the next day.)
• You should be able to swim at least 200m in open water.
• You should feel comfortable in the water (and in waves).

If those things apply to you, there’s nothing holding you back.

The first thing to learn is the technique which involves the paddling and standing up on the board. As you go along, improving those techniques, you will also learn about the theoretical parts: winds, tides, swells and currents. And if that isn’t enough yet, you will soon need to understand the differences between the various sizes and shapes of surf boards, not to mention wetsuits. In the beginning you won’t have to worry about any of those things as the surf school usually takes care of that and you will learn on the go. The moment you go surfing without an instructor though, you should be able to recognize dangers in a surf spot such as rocks and rip currents and know how to read swell charts to identify the best time for your level of surfing. Apart from that, there are a few rules to know of when it comes to surfing, the so-called surf etiquette to ensure safety and fun for everybody:

• Choose the right spot for your abilities, otherwise you will just be in other people’s way and put yourself in danger!
• The surfer closest to the peak of the wave has priority. Don’t drop in!
• Don’t paddle further in to make it appear as if you had priority. Don’t snake!
• When you’re paddling back out, get out of the way!
• When you’re paddling back out, hold on to your board!
• Wait next to the others in the line up and take turns (especially if there is only one take-off zone)!
• Respect the locals!
• Communicate with other surfers! Tell them your intentions and more importantly: Apologize if you did anything wrong!

Surfers are generally pretty chilled people and if you behave like a human being, you will be treated like one. You might even get invited to a beer! There are usually good vibes going around.

“There are a million ways to surf, and as long as you’re smiling, you’re doing it right.” (unknown)

Surfergirls and Surferboys

We’ve mentioned that age doesn’t matter in surfing, what about gender? Do you wonder if Charlie ever experienced anything negative in surfing because she’s a girl? The answer is a clear no! Surfing is a very inclusive sport and the ocean won’t turn you away! If you follow the rules, show respect and be aware of your own capabilities, there’s nothing to worry about. You might even get a few tips by a cute surfer boy.

“Injustice would be a lack of opportunity to participate, and I am yet to encounter anyone who has been turned away by the ocean or a surf school because they are female. The competitive nature of a busy, male-dominated line up has at times been cited as being anti-female. Busy line ups are intimidating in their essence, do not assume this is any worse because you are female. There are men who will hassle you for waves, they will undoubtedly hassle men too. Whether man or woman, if a lack of confidence is sensed or you have been seen missing waves then you are going to face competition. […] If I’m not getting as many waves as I would like, it’s usually because I am not surfing well enough or it’s just too busy, not because I am female. In this situation, I might consider heading to another spot. C’est La Vie.”

Emily Grimes, WavelengthMag, Volume 256, page 39.

Now that you know what you’re in for, what are you waiting for? Pick a spot, book a flight and sign up for your first surf lesson! Soon enough you will adopt this new lifestyle, you might even pick up some surf slang (which is like learning a new language) and when you come back home, you’ll make the time go by quicker by watching the best surf movies of all time.

“The best wave of your life is still out there.” (Steve Hawk)

The environmental impact

We said traveling, but wait, what about the environment? It is true that surfing involves a lot of travel and it would be dishonest to neglect the fact that also the surfboards leave particles of plastic behind in the ocean. But we can all do our bit to reduce the distances we travel, and we can at least avoid all that unnecessary plastic on the beach.

“I think when a surfer becomes a surfer, it’s almost like an obligation to be an environmentalist at the same time.” (Kelly Slater)

As surfers, we care about the ocean and there are plenty of initiatives that organise regular beach clean-ups, for example, Surfers Against Sewage. By supporting these organisations, we are supporting the oceans, and preserving marine life. There are already companies producing surf boards made of ocean trash or applying additional coating to prevent particles from entering the ocean. In the same way, a lot of surf wear is by now made of plastic trash – everything to save the oceans!

Apart from that, we can also do the things everybody should do anyway: take your shopping bag with you instead of buying a plastic bag and use a reusable water bottle. If you are worried about the cleanliness of the water, try a water bottle with filter.

Under the hashtag #stoptrashingwaves started the WSL a campaign in 2019 for less plastic in the ocean and provided water fountains at the Billabong Pipemasters in Hawaii. We will certainly see more of these things in the years to come!