woodys-surf-shack

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 017

Date: Fri 22nd September 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Journal: Just a short entry this time. Checked Surfline after work to see there were some waves. Even though I'd hit the gym in the morning I couldn't resist and rushed down there with what remained of my energy.

Pretty chunky session. Once again only caught a couple of decent waves. I really need to get my head in the game and focus on riding these bigger waves well. One biiiiig set came that no one else was going for, so I gave it a shot and got absolutely wiped tf out lol.

Overall not a bad little session but nothing special. I'm noticing I definitely perform better after I've had a good rest.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 016

Date: Thu 21st Sep 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Journal: I'm tempted to just say that this session just flat out sucked, but I want to try and find the positives... For one, this is the earliest I've gotten up for a surf yet. I was down on the beach at like 7am, and it was refreshing to be out in the water that early, and watching the sun rise over the waves was beautiful. I caught a couple of decent waves too, but definitely not my best performance.

On the negative side - I pissed a couple of dudes off, and I feel awful about it. I accidentally almost cut in on an older guy, I wasn't that severe, but I heard him call out and I stopped and apologised, but he still didn't seem happy. Then not long after, I fucked up again and cut in on another dude. I felt so ashamed, as usually my etiquette is good. I just was not on it today. However, the second guy wasn't too mad and instead gave me feedback, which was great. He reminded me that if someone is on the inside then they get priority. I need to remember that. So overall, a very humbling session. But I'm taking it as a learning experience. I never want to cause anyone else to have a bad surf.

All that being said, I was able to keep my goal of turning in mind, and kept repeating my mantra "where you look is where you go" and also "read the subtitles".

Learnings: Try not to drop your back knee so often! It's fun now and a again, but I'm going to it as a default.

Keep etiquette in mind. Don't snake or take waves from anyone on the inside.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 015

Date: Fri 8th September 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Journal: What an idyllic start to the weekend this was. There's been no waves for weeks, then finally Surfline showed me the little green bars I have been dying to see! I headed down to Highcliffe after work, but then my heart sank - I could see a few paddleboarders, but the water looked flat as a pancake from the carpark... Surfline must have been wrong. I was devastated.

But just as I had admitted defeat and went to leave, I saw a bigger cluster of people emerge in the sea. Not just paddle boarders, but swimmers and some people sat on their boards. I was mystified; why are all these people out there if the water is SO flat? Was it some sort of community paddle out event? Were the surfers just enjoying the water after also being fooled like me? I had to investigate. So I rushed down.

It was a gorgeous evening. Today had been a scorcher but by now it had soothed into a cool summer night. There were still plenty of families and kids enjoying the beach, and a huge amount of people waiting for waves. So I waled onto the sand to find a spot, still not sure exactly what was going on. But then I saw it... a wave! And a bloody big beautiful one at that.

Though the waves were only around 3 foot, they were glassy and breaking perfectly. In a way you don't typically see here that often. My mood had suddently shifted. I was so happy! So I limbered up and ran into the water. I found a nice spot and settled in. To my delight, no one was hogging the waves and I got to go for almost every decent wave that came my way. I was in heaven.

As it had been a while I focussed on just nailing my pop-ups. After a while I realised I still had them down, so I needed to focus on something else. After just enjoying the waves for an hour or so, i tried to focus on my turns. I started repeating "where you look is where you go" after my pop-ups, and to my joy I was got a great turn in, maybe my best yet.

I also had an amazing wave where I was sat on top at first, before suddenly dropping in on it, as if I was on my board at the skatepark. It all came to naturally. I also noticed that I unintentionally was crouching down a little lower than usually and running my hand through the water behind me. I don't know why I do this, it just seems to be what happens sometimes.

Before long it was getting dark and someone had started a fire on the beach. I took this as a sign that I should go home to eat. What a great session this was though!

Learnings: Time to stop putting all my focus on pop-ups, instead I need to move onto "where you look is where you go".

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 014

Date: Sat 19th August 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Journal: At last! Some decent waves. After I was let down last weekend, I was so thrilled to be back in the water today. My board was already waxed and the leash wrapped, so I literally just had to throw the board on the car roof, put my wetsuit on and grab my bag. I got in water just before 6pm, and was on my way home sometime after 8.

The waves on my usual spot were too weak, so I looked to the other coves, and the right side beach looked good. It was my first time venturing into that side, so I felt excited, but hoped I wasn't crashing any of the more experienced dudes that tend to hog that spot. I was one of the only surfers there when I arrived, but it didn't take long for more to arrive after I got in, eventually there was about 10 of us.

There was one young guy on a small foamie killing it, catching more waves that anyone, a couple of people just learning, and a few lifers that were having fun. It was a nice vibe. I just wish I was more confident chatting to people, I'd love to have some mates in the water with me. I guess over time I'll get more familiar with people and hopefully get on a first name basis.

Anyway, the waves weren't perfect but it was a gorgeous evening to be in the water. It's the warmest I can remember the water feeling here. It felt a bit strange to be in the sea after the last time I surfed being at The Wave. I found at The Wave, you become calculated and used to the rhythm. Here, I was reminded that the ocean doesn't follow such rules, and I found myself getting impatient. I need to work on staying relaxed and catching waves rather than trying to chase waves to what I think are the best spots.

With strangers around I also felt a weird pressure, and I found myself trying to look good when riding a wave, rather than focussing on it solely for myself. I need to work on a mantra and get it cemented in my head so that I can avoid this sort of thing in the future. I just need to focus on sticking to one spot, consistently attempting to catch waves, working on my form, etc.

However, I did catch several nice waves, and got some great exercise in. As I struggled with m focus, I don't feel like I advanced my skill much, but I did nail every pop up, and also had lots of fun jumping into the water like a lunatic haha.

Learnings: Don't get flustered or frustrated. Find a mantra to repeat in your head. Focus on catching waves and nailing that right turn.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 013

Date: Mon 7th August 2023

Location: The Wave, Bristol

Waves: 3+ ft (Waikiki)

Journal: I finally made it to The Wave! I've wanted to visit for months now, but couldn't decide on a date or which wave level would be best for me. In the end I went for a Waikiki lesson and session, which is the next stage up after Beginner and the stage before Intermediate. I was tempted to try Intm. but I'm glad I didn't as this was the perfect level to ease into things.

After a 2+ hour drive, I had my lesson at 13:30, and the instructors (Ryan and Hannah, I think their names were) were as friendly and knowledgable as you'd hope. Especially Ryan, who gave off big bro vibes haha. I started out on an 8ft softtop board. I was in an average size group with about 6/7 others, and I got some very helpful feedback on my pop up technique and some tips on how to turn better before heading into the water.

The fresh water was beautiful and a nice temperature, a big difference from the cold salty sea that I'm used to. I ended up going first, and to my surprise I did pretty well. I think I caught every wave I went for, except maybe one or two. I focussed on details such as positioning and paddling before the wave gets you, getting my hands lower down before my pop up, placing my back foot properly, bending my knees and not my back, and most importantly: keeping my eyeline straight forward.

After this I dried off and had some lunch, before exploring the facility a bit more. It's really impressive and has a relaxed atmosphere, even though it's busy. The food options were great, their surf shop has some cool stuff, and the surrounding area is lovely (the 1 mile walk from the car park is surrounded by lush green fields full of cows, sheep and solar panels).

19:00 rolled around and it was time for my unguided session. This time i went for a slightly smaller 7.6ft softtop board. I got chatting with a lot more of my fellow surfers on this occasion, and it felt good to have nice little talks with everyone while we were waiting our turn. Once again I focussed on perfecting my pop up and riding the wave for as long as I could. But most of all I tried to just enjoy myself and have fun. There was a couple of waves that went really nicely, and left me wishing for a bigger wave and/or a faster board. But I need to nail my turning before I can do that.

I'm realising I'm a bit obsessed with the adrenaline rush of surfing, and perhaps need to work on my patience and technique if I want to make meaningful progress.

Learnings: Hold my hands more centred and lower down towards my stomach when popping up.

Keep your chin up and eyeline forward from the moment you start paddling through to standing up. Where you look is where you go! Try reading subtitles on the TV when practising pop ups at home in your living room to perfect this.

After raising your shoulders/torso, the second step is to have your back foot go onto the ball of your foot. Then as you place the whole foot down, that's when your front foot should come up.

Keep your spine straight so you don't bend over and fall off. Instead, bend your knees down to the board.

Hold your hands up and gently glide them right to turn.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 012

Date: Sat 5th August 2023

Location: Boscombe

Waves: 3-4+ ft

Journal: What a bloody perfect session this was! I had a smile on my face so often...

The waves were looking great in Bournemouth and Boscombe, but B'mouth was looking so crowded, it had to be Bosc' for me. And I certainly made the right choice! This was my first time properly surfing Bosc' and I had so much fun getting to know the area. You can park super close to the pier, there's some good little corners you can stash your belongings in, and surfing next to the pier lets you measure exactly where you want to sit for certain breaks.

The right side of the pier was looking more spacious, so I paddled out, trying to duck dive when I could. It still needs some work, but the fact that I'm confident enough to do it feels so good. Once I was out, I studied the waves and watched some of the other surfers for a bit, then I started to go for it.

For what felt like ages I kept missing waves, wiping out, or getting swept back into the beach. As soon as I noticed this I decided it was time to snap out of it - I wasn't going to let the whole session be like this! I started to be more tactical and smart with my waves, and quickly I was catching more.

I fell off on a few, and wiped out badly on one, but I'd say I caught about 4 decent rides, which I'm happy with! There was two in particular that were excellent. I felt so proud of myself after catching them that I let a huge grin spread across my face afterwards. My god this shit makes me so happy!

Some other notes - got chatting to another dude at the end of my sesh. My social anxiety still stops me from being the best conversationalist, but it was nice to share a couple of laughs with this dude. Hopefully I see him out there again sometime.

Also, the waves looked stunning out there on the water. Looking down the water towards B'mouth, the sun peeking through the clouds, these mini barrels... beautiful!

Learnings: Waxing up at home before heading out is definitely the move.

I need to get a new wetsuit, this one is giving me so much friction on the back of my neck.

Try not to get too close to the pier in case you get swept into it, and make sure not to invade any other surfers space, especially the veteran dudes.

Try to focus earlier in the session. Repeat a mantra in my head (this time it was "easy slide up, go straight"). Keep cool and just focus on riding the waves well.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 011

Date: Tue 1st August 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Waves: 3-4 ft

Journal: This marked my first time back in the water since my injury, which was about 3+ weeks ago now. I went into the session expecting to be rusty and aiming to just get a read on where I was physically. To my surprise, I felt almost no physical discomfort! I didn't get any of the aching pain in my elbows, which I believe is a sign that longer breaks between surfing and more stretching is beneficial. And most importantly I had no severe discomfort in my ribs. Sure, there was some minor sensitivity, but nothing that indicated anything serious to me. So I think I'm safe to ease back into things now!

The session started off pretty poor. The waves were great but they were defeating me for at least 30 mins. I struggled to get out to the back and find a spot, and when I did, I screwed up catching the waves. What made it worse is the grom surfing next to me seemed to be catching every wave he went for, prompting me to get negative and think "what's even the point?" But soon I broke out of that mindset and the latter half of the session was great. I decided to give it my all when paddling out, and I soon found that I was getting out back much quicker and catching waves frequently.

I also gave my first attempts at duck diving! This was super scary at first; a similar feeling to when you're going for your first wave. When a choppy, angry wave is rearing up in front of you, it's hard not to be intimidated. But I wiggled towards the front of my board, popped my right knee up, and plunged the nose down with my arms. After a few attemps, I got over the fear of this action and soon found it sooo fun! I was duck diving every wave I could, and I felt the benefits almost every time. It's definitely preferable to just charging into a wave face first.

I'd say of the many waves I went for, only about 3 saw me nail some decent rides - however the point of this session was to have fun and get my bearings, NOT to nail perfect waves and look cool. I caught one beautifully and rode it for what felt like ages. I felt super proud. Another started well but I lost my balance, but that somehow morphed into me doing what felt like a stylish right-hander, and I got to run my fingers through the wave as I lost my balance. Falling in style! Haha.

I called it a day after about an hour and a half as i didn't want to overdo it. No pictures from this session.

Learnings: I should start to take less and less items to the beach with me. All I really need is a water bottle and towel, mayve a snack, and my flip-flops. My phone can be left behind as all it serves to do is take photos and distract me. I can even leave my wax behind if I apply it before leaving the house instead of on the beach.

Also, I should try popping up in a more relaxed fashion. A lot of dudes I see just pop their left leg up and sort of crouch for a second, then as they start to move, slowly slide the rest of their body up into a standing position.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 010

While I'm out of the water recovering from my rib injury, I wanted to collect some of my recent learnings/tips into one place for my own referral in the future...

STRETCH more before and after sessions.

When you're trying to turn, remember: where you LOOK is where you go.

Keep feet sideways, NOT facing forwards.

NOSE TO THE BEACH: practise riding straight, you don't always need to be turning.

Put hands FLAT on the board when popping up.

Slide smoothly into pop up, don't make it strenuous.

Remember to always plant your BACK FOOT in pop up.

When popping up, place your front foot just under your left hand placement.

DON'T pop up until you feel the wave start to carry you.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 009

Date: Mon 17th July 2023

Journal: Well this turned out to be a lame surf session lmao... They can't all be epic I suppose.

The waves looked promising upon approach but ended up being pretty weak. Nevertheless it's always nice to get in the water. I caught one or two decent rides, but mostly they were too small for me to do anything significant on my mini mal. Perhaps this was a day more suited for the foamie?

My mum came down in her camper van to get some photos of me, and looking back at them it gave me some perspective on the waves and my form - I need to focus on popping up faster and not crouching down so much when I'm riding. I need to find the confidence to ride up from the board a bit more. Ultimately I need some better waves if I want to progress.

Anyway, after only 45 minutes in the water, a wave swept my board into my ribs. The pain was so bad that even walking hurt, so I ended up having to go to Bournemouth A&E. The docs were worried I'd hurt my spleen, so I had to get a blood test and a CT scan. Luckily it all turned out to be fine but I'm now on morphine for the pain. I guess I'll be taking a week or more off from surfing, or any sort of exercise.

I need to be safer out there!

:')

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 008

Date: Sun 9th July 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Waves: 3-4+ ft

Journal: I woke up today feeling super tired after my surf yesterday, but I couldn't resist getting back in the water. My elbows were aching (wtf?), I felt kinda hazy, and I was struggling to paddleout past these big ass waves that kept breaking relentlessly. However after warming up for about 30+ mins I suddenly felt back to normal and started to go after the waves with focus and power. Once again I wiped out a bunch on the new board, but I definitely caught more than I did yesterday, and I could feel myself getting used to this beast.

The waves that I did manage to catch felt different... I think because more skill is required on this board, when you catch one it actually feels like you really earned it, y'know? There were about 2 or 3 waves I caught that I can confidently say were the best I'd ever ridden, I wish one of them had been filmed so I could relive the experience. They came together so well, and I found my bodily instincts taking over as I rode them for longer than I ever had before. One just kept going and going, and I felt my right arm naturally throw itself back above my shoulders as I maintained balance. My god it felt awesome!

I've been obsessed with turning lately, but for the second half of this session I decided to focus on going straight, just to get used to the new board and not get ahead of myself. As I sat in the line up awaiting a wave, I kept repeating to myself "Easy pop up. Back foot. Go straight." This mini mantra really helped, as it kept me focussed and instilled my mission for the day in my mind. Towards the end, I rode one beautiful wave in and finally made the conscious decision to dive into the wave like I'd seen other surfers do.

I felt super proud at the end of the session, and tbh I wanted to keep going, but I didn't want to burn myself out. Also, I bumped into the random European middle aged dude that I met here before! It was cool to see a familiar face and give each other a fist bump :)

Learnings: Dive into the wave when the ride is coming to an end. This is more controlled and safer for yourself and those around you, I believe.

Wrapping your leash around the tail of your board before going it to/from the beach makes it way easier to carry.

Don't make your pop ups to strenuous - hop up in a nice fluid motion, almost sliding up. Don't rush. This action doesn't need to be hard.

Enjoy it! Eve when you're sitting waiting for a wave, savour the peace out there on the water. Keep in mind the belief that the wave chooses you, and it's best to go with the flow.

#beginner surfer #surfer #surf blog #surf #surfing

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 007

Date: Sat 8th July 2023

Location: Boscombe + Highcliffe

Waves: 3-4ft

Journal: I started today intending to take my first trip to Kimmeridge Bay, but as I was getting ready a new thought crossed my mind: what if I went to my local surf shop and got my first mini mal board? I'd been toying with the idea of upgrading from my foamie for a while now, and even though money is tight, I couldn't resist... I tore my wetsuit off and raced up to Sorted Surf Shop in Boscombe!

The shop has been there for over 20 years and it's not hard to see why: the stock is amazing and the staff are lovely. I got chatting to local legend Deano (who coaches Team GB when he's not in the shop!) and he was super patient and helped steer me in the right direction. Love that dude. Telling him I wanted more control and ability to turn on the waves, he advised I get either a 7.6ft NSP Element funboard or a 7.4ft Torq fish board. The fish was beautiful and definitely called to me, but I went with the NSP in the end as it seemed like the most sensible step for my progression and it was reduced in price due to a couple of minor dings. Perhaps I'll get a fish board next time...

I loaded up my gorgeous new board and headed home, I quickly noticed how much lighter and easier to carry an epoxy board is compared to an 8ft foamie. After chilling for a bit I headed down to Highcliffe as Surfline promised some 2-3ft waves. It was late afternoon and raining when I parked up, and foolishly I applied my first coat of wax to my new mini mal in the rain, which seemed to be a lot more effort and is something I'll avoid doing in the future.

I immediately noticed the difference on this board - it humbled me reallllll fast 😅 it's slightly less buoyant, much harder to balance on (even when you're just sitting in the line up), and ultimately felt like taming a wild horse. Though a little shaken, I was determined not to be deterred, and I went for several waves. I ended up wiping out even more than I did on my first ever session a few months ago. I even got a nasty little cut on my wrist from one of the fins, but that only filled me with a weird sense of pride lol.

After a while I started to get used to this wild horse of mine, and even caught a few nice waves, though my form was probably a bit sloppy. As the session went on, the line up started to get really busy, but everyone was nicely spread out and there was plenty of room. On top of this the rain was hammering down and it felt epic. I headed in after less than 2 hours, as I just felt knackered, but as I left I felt some hometown pride - seeing all these surfers, swimmers, kayakers, and paddleboarders enjoying the big waves at this humble little beach that I'ds grown up next to. Idk, it was just a cool thing to witness.

Learnings: Start waxing up at home before heading out. Waxing up on the beach is not the move.

Paddling on a mini mal requires slightly more effort than a foamie, be prepared for putting in a bit more elbow grease.

When popping up, keep your hands facedown on top of the board, not clutching the board at the sides, which is what I've been doing up until now 🙃

#beginner surfer #surf blog #surfer #surf #surfing #beach

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 006

Date: Sat 1st Jul 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Waves: 2-3+ ft

Journal: Damn, it's been a minute! Unfortunately I've been out of the water for about a month - after my last session I developed a minor ear infection that prevented me from surfing, then I was on holiday in the US for 2 weeks right after I recovered. I've really missed getting out on the waves and it felt so refreshing to finally ride again today.

I definitely felt a bit rusty but I soon got back up to speed. The start of the sesh was pretty quiet, I had a selection of nice little waves to myself for about an hour. As I've learnt previously, I need to take breaks and hydrate more frequently, which I actually did today. But by the time i headed back in the line up had become much busier. Probably the busiest I've ever seen it.

This wasn't too much of a problem though, as the waves were breaking along the entire stretch of the beach. I walked further down to where there were fewer people, and had some fun choppy waves to myself (pictured). I slowly made my way further up the beach, and it seemed the waves were only getting better. However I wrapped things up after about 3 hours, and thank god I did because I am now very sunburnt lol.

Overall it was a great session to clear away the cobwebs. I found myself feeling much calmer than in the past - most of the time I've got loads of adrenaline and I rush myself, rarely taking breaks and burning myself out a bit. But today I feel like I've grown up a bit and shaken off that mindset. It felt good to be patient and go with the flow of the water.

Learnings: Definitely remember to wear sunscreen during these summer months, even if it's not a super sunny day.

I wore my ear protection buds for the first time today, and I couldn't really tell if they were working. I guess I'll keep wearing them and see if I notice anything.

Now I've nailed the pop up, I find myself getting eager to turn. I think I'm in need of some longer lasting waves and a fibreglass board! Hopefully I can afford one within the next few months, then I can get down to Cornwall or The Wave in Bristol to catch those longer breaks.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 005

Date: Sat 27th May 2023

Location: Bournemouth

Waves: 2-3+ ft

Journal: After a little warm up at Bournemouth yesterday I felt confident to return the following day. This time the swell was on the right side of the pier, as opposed to the left, which I surfed yesterday. The waves also started much further out. Being the weekend the beach was very crowded, as was the line up in the water. I tried my best to stay humble and keep out of the way, I didn't get the feeling from any of the regulars/locals that I was pissing them off, so that's cool.

My nerves were getting to me a bit at first; being further out than usual, among a group of experienced surfers, but a soon got over it and I caught a fair few waves that felt absolutely electric. Not all of them were great, but I was catching some and couldn't help thinking to myself, 'my god that one was awesome, I want to remember this wave forever', which is definitely pretty corny, but the feeling is just so great.

I felt super confident in my pop-ups and enjoyed focussing on other aspects such as balance and crouching. Sadly the heat was getting to me a bit and I had a nasty headache coming on, so during my second hour in the water I had to call it a day.

Overall I loved surfing at Bournemouth, being further out feels exciting and the waves are much bigger. Only downside is the beach and water gets crowded by kids and families, which is fine, but it'll be nice in the colder months when no one else is around.

Learnings:

I need to invest in a good surf hat to reduce the heat pounding against my temples.

It's also time to buy some ear protectors - I took a few wipeouts this time and my ear drums definitely suffered from it.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 004

Date: Fri 26th May 2023

Location: Bournemouth

Duration: 2 hrs

Waves: 2-3 ft

Journal: This was it... The time had come for me to finally surf Bournemouth! I was feeling confident in my pop ups and I felt I could hold my own in a line up, even at this location, which has a reputation for being crowded and a bit fierce. Fortunately I didn't find this to be the case, as it wasn't too busy and all the surfers I chatted to were friendly, plenty of which were also beginners or intermediates.

I rushed down to the beach after work and was delighted to be met by some of the biggest waves I've encountered so far. It was thrilling surfing in such a busy location, with such a beautiful beach, and right next to the pier. A totally different experience from what I've been used to so far.

I was shaky on a few of the waves as they were bigger than my usual set, but after a few I was loving it. I managed to ride a couple for so long that I even had time to try out stance switches, which was fun.

Learnings:

I need to be careful on these types of sandy beaches when I'm waxing my board, as I've found I'm getting lots of clumpy sand on my foamie if I'm not careful.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 003

Date: Sat 12th May 2023

Location: Boscombe + Highcliffe

Duration: 3+ hrs

Waves: 1-3 ft

Journal:

I started today by attending the Surfers Against Sewage paddle out protest in Boscombe. It started at 10am and was an absolutely beautiful day (sadly the waves were flat though). There was easily over 100 people in attendance, and it felt awesome to be among this community, protesting against the disgusting things the government are doing to our oceans and lakes. I truly hope things like this can provoke change.

After paddling with everyone in the water and hanging out for a while I headed to Highcliffe as Surfline said there would be some decent waves. When I arrived I was the only surfer there and the beach was crowded with families and kids, which is fair enough, it is a Saturday after all. However I managed to find a spacious spot and spent a couple of hours paddling up and down the beach, catching the odd wave here and there.

There were periods of no waves and tiny waves, but every now and then a real big boi came rolling in. I was able to ride one or two big ones for what felt like it could have been my longest yet! During which my skateboarding instincts kicked in and I cruised left to right a couple of times. Riding a large foamie though, changing direction like that isn't really what it's built for. But still, feeling confident enough to start moving the board like that made me realise that after a few more sessions I'll probably be ready to upgrade my board and begin trying turns.

Another success is that I now feel totally confident popping up, and caught the majority of waves I went for. ALSO, I overcame my social anxiety and had a chat with another surfer I met out on the waves towards the end of my session. His name was Tom and he'd travelled from Southampton, hopefully I see him again sometime.

Learnings:

Apply suncream on back of hands! I've learnt the hard way that they get burnt very easily 💀

Next time I buy wax I should buy a good pile of bars as they seem to run out super quick.

Struggled a bit with salty water/sun in my eyes when popping up this time, maybe try not to rub my face too much next time.

Feeling super confident with placing my back foot during pop ups now, the only problems came from planting my front foot, which once or twice was not centered enough. Focus on getting that foot bang in the middle.

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Tips

Some tips and tricks that I'm trying to keep in mind:

Wax the top of your feet

For ease when putting your wetsuit legs on, put your foot in a plastic bag first

Put the roof rack strap behind the fin so it doesn't slide off the car when driving

Instead of popping up, try to slide up

Keep a low stance, eventually leaning forward on your front leg

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 002

Date: Thu 11th May 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Duration: 2hrs

Waves: 2-3+ ft

Journal: As my work day drew to a close I checked Magic Seaweed out of curiosity, and to my delight saw some decent swells were forecast. I couldn't pack up the car quick enough and I got to the beach as golden hour approached to find the area almost empty. Right as I was ready to jump into the waves, disaster struck - the zip on my wetsuit snapped off 🫠 My stomach sank and I spent about 10-15 minutes trying to fix it before realising it was a lost cause. Rather than go home I decided to risk and went in feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed, with some of my back exposed.

Within minutes, however, those negative feelings dissolved. The waves were looking big, fast and choppy, and by some miracle, I actually caught the first wave I went for! As the wave carried me off I almost freaked out with excitement, but remembered I'd needed to stay calm if I wanted to ride it for as long as possible. So instead I focussed on balancing and counted in my head. I think I managed about 5 seconds in total. It doesn't seem like much when I write it down, but even just 5 seconds felt INCREDIBLE. I tried to turn a bit and pumped a little too.

For the next hour I caught some nice waves, but didn't manage to ride them for any longer than maybe 2 or 3 seconds before losing momentum or losing balance. I was also being weight down by my wetsuit, which kept filling with water through the broken zip. I wiped out a bunch. Super annoying. By the second hour I had foolishly exhausted myself, but I didn't want to go in, the waves and weather were just too lush. I was starting to feel a bit disorientated and I should have taken a break to drink some water and eat a snack.

Oh, and about halfway through my session another surfer paddled out. He was a middle-aged dude with his kids, who were playing on the beach as he surfed. How cool is that? We chatted a bit on the waves and I tried my best to give him space. Soon we got into a rhythm where we were taking the waves in turns. He was pretty sick, and I tried to study his riding, though he was mainly just riding the waves with a few nice little turns and stuff. I hope I can get to that level soon.

Side note: I fixed my wetsuit zip once I got home, thankfully.

Learnings:

If I'm surfing for longer than an hour I definitely need to take breaks more often. Having some water or coffee and a protein bar would have helped me out a bunch during this session.

Getting your back foot up first is essential.

Be careful with my wetsuit zip!

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