In November each year, the North Shore of Oahu – Hawaii’s big island – proves a magnet for the world’s most hardened surfers. It is here that waves, having travelled 1,000 miles across the Pacific crash onto the shore as enormous rollers. Many surf competitions are held on the North Shore in winter, but the biggest is undoubtedly the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. This competition has no set dates but is called when the waves at Waimea Bay reach heights in excess of ten metres.
The competition is named after an unassuming surf champion who passed away...in 1978 in tragic circumstances at the age of 32. Answering the call for volunteers from the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Eddie Aikau agreed to be part of the crew seeking to recreate an ancient Polynesian migration between Hawaii and the Tahitian chain, some 2,400 miles south of Honolulu. Travelling in a replica double-hulled canoe, Aikau and his fellow crew members left Hawaii on March 16th but soon ran into difficulties.
After developing a leak in one of the hulls, the canoe eventually capsized, dumping everyone into the Pacific. Clinging onto the stricken vessel, Aikau and the hapless crew became caught up in a strong southerly current which took them 12 miles to the West of the island of Lanai. As their situation became increasingly desperate and with no rescue forthcoming, Aikau insisted on attempting to swim to Lanai to raise help. Eventually his captain reluctantly agreed and he swam off into the distance at 10.30 that morning, never to be seen again. The rest of his crew remained with the capsized canoe and were rescued by midnight.
Prior to his tragic demise, Eddie was a champion surfer, an extremely well-respected member of the Hawaiian surfing community and the first lifeguard at the Waimea Bay Beach Park, North Shore, where his memorial statue now stands. During his role as a lifeguard on the North Shore Eddie saved the lives of many swimmers and surfers and not a single person was lost on his watch.
If you wish to witness the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational it is worth considering that, although the North Shore of Oahu is undeniably beautiful, it offers limited accommodation options. It would be better to stay at one of the many hotels in Waikiki, Honolulu, on the south of the island and drive up to the North Shore when the invitational is announced. As it only happens when the waves exceed ten metres you might want to while away your time in lively Honolulu and practice your surfing skills on Waikiki Beach rather than kick your heels at the North Beach.
Friday 28 December 2007
Sydneys World Famous Beach
Bondi Beach is one of Australias most famous beaches and among the worlds most well known beaches. The beach is roughly a kilometre long and is patrolled by lifesavers who make swimmers stay between the yellow and red flags.
Bondi Beach is located on the east coast of Australia and is a suburb of the city of Sydney.
Bondi has become synonymous with Sydneys beach lifestyle, busloads of Japanese tourists, for example, frequently travel...to Bondi direct from the airport, just so they can feel the warm yellow sand between their toes.
It has become a favourite of the so called barmy army or better known as the British tourists, who annually gather on its sands for a Southern Hemisphere Christmas in the sun.
Due to the worldwide popularity, Bondi is now home to numerous youth hostels with backpackers who congregate mainly in the summer months so it is not uncommon to hear Norwegian, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish or Spanish while walking across the beach or through the cafes.
Bondi Beach has a vaguely alternative feel, despite the obvious commercialism present, and attracts a large number of individualist, for example, for the guy who will strip off near the shops, to walk stark naked through the traffic on Campbell Parade, before going down to the beach.
It is very tolerant as topless sunbathing is common and gay and lesbian couples displaying affection is common.
The two biggest bars in Bondi are the Beach Road Hotel and Bondi Hotel. Both are excellent places to catch the finals in a cricket match or have a few drinks with your mates. Another great bar is at the previously mentioned Bondi Icebergs, it has a great view of the beach and relatively cheap drinks.
Make sure to take some form of ID that proves you live outside a 5km radius as this is a club and the rule require that you be a member if you are inside 5km. Of course, if you want to be seen then go for Ravesis on the corner of Hall St and Campbell parade.
It attracts the so called beautiful people, or at least those who think they are beautiful. The locals will tend to go for BBs. Relocated from its cramped spot on Curlewis St, BBs is hidden down an alley next to the Mambo surf shop on Campbell Parade. Live music, surf videos and a more relaxed vibe than the goldfish bowl up the road.
Bondi Beach is located on the east coast of Australia and is a suburb of the city of Sydney.
Bondi has become synonymous with Sydneys beach lifestyle, busloads of Japanese tourists, for example, frequently travel...to Bondi direct from the airport, just so they can feel the warm yellow sand between their toes.
It has become a favourite of the so called barmy army or better known as the British tourists, who annually gather on its sands for a Southern Hemisphere Christmas in the sun.
Due to the worldwide popularity, Bondi is now home to numerous youth hostels with backpackers who congregate mainly in the summer months so it is not uncommon to hear Norwegian, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish or Spanish while walking across the beach or through the cafes.
Bondi Beach has a vaguely alternative feel, despite the obvious commercialism present, and attracts a large number of individualist, for example, for the guy who will strip off near the shops, to walk stark naked through the traffic on Campbell Parade, before going down to the beach.
It is very tolerant as topless sunbathing is common and gay and lesbian couples displaying affection is common.
The two biggest bars in Bondi are the Beach Road Hotel and Bondi Hotel. Both are excellent places to catch the finals in a cricket match or have a few drinks with your mates. Another great bar is at the previously mentioned Bondi Icebergs, it has a great view of the beach and relatively cheap drinks.
Make sure to take some form of ID that proves you live outside a 5km radius as this is a club and the rule require that you be a member if you are inside 5km. Of course, if you want to be seen then go for Ravesis on the corner of Hall St and Campbell parade.
It attracts the so called beautiful people, or at least those who think they are beautiful. The locals will tend to go for BBs. Relocated from its cramped spot on Curlewis St, BBs is hidden down an alley next to the Mambo surf shop on Campbell Parade. Live music, surf videos and a more relaxed vibe than the goldfish bowl up the road.
Thursday 27 December 2007
How to Paint a Surfboard
Let’s pimp your ride.
First you’ll need to decide whether you want to paint the whole board, or just do a groovy design. I’ll walk you through both processes.
Step 1: Stuff You'll Need.
Acrylic auto spray-paint:
- Undercoat (1 x 150ml can).
- Main colour (I used 3 x 150ml cans of Holts, colour: Aurora).
- Clear top coat (about 300ml).
If you want to do funky designs you’ll need water-based paint pens. Legendary...board artist Drew Brophy sells Sharpie pens.
One roll low-tack masking tape.
One sheet 600-grit sandpaper.
A newspaper.
Step 2: Cleaning.
Set yourself up in a well ventilated area, out of the wind or you’ll get bugs stuck everywhere.
Pull the stomp pad off carefully (gently pry it with a scraper as you pull). Or you can leave it on and tape over it with newspaper later if you want to do a quick job and paint around it.
Now clean that board. I mean really clean it. Scrape the wax off then scrub the board thoroughly to remove all traces of wax, salt and grime (you can use a Wax Pickle for this). Don’t use any harsh solvents or your stick may melt into a bubbling mess. Repair dings.
Step 3: Sanding.
Give it a light but thorough sand all over. Don’t be lazy when it comes to sanding. I skimped out on this step and the paint's chipping off in places.
This is particularly important on high wearing areas like the nose, rails and tail.
Step 4: Spray Painting.
Set the board up so you can hold the cans vertically when spraying. Use long, smooth horizontal strokes that overlap a little.
It's preferable to do a couple of nice even thin coats as the paint will drip and look crap if you spray it on too thick.
If you suck at spray painting practice on newspaper first. Paint the less visible areas to begin with (like around your fins or on top of your deck where your wax goes).
Read paint instructions for drying time.
One layer of undercoat, then two coats of your primary colour. Give a light sand between coats.
If you want to have multiple colours tape off other areas with newspaper to protect them.
Step 5: Funky Designs.
If you want to get crazy use water-based paint marker pens to do designs. They allow a lot of colour and detail.
You can also tape off stencils any spray ‘em.
Sketch a draft first. Brave Surf recommend you THINK BIG for your design, since small stuff wont show up.
Don't worry if you mess up. Just tape over the rest of the design, re-spray where you stuffed up, then start again.
Step 6: Topcoat.
Finish off with two or three layers of clear topcoat.
Now you can say it’s a Tuflite and flick it to a punter on eBay.
You’ll make millions.
Visit learninghowtosurf.com for more surfing tips.
First you’ll need to decide whether you want to paint the whole board, or just do a groovy design. I’ll walk you through both processes.
Step 1: Stuff You'll Need.
Acrylic auto spray-paint:
- Undercoat (1 x 150ml can).
- Main colour (I used 3 x 150ml cans of Holts, colour: Aurora).
- Clear top coat (about 300ml).
If you want to do funky designs you’ll need water-based paint pens. Legendary...board artist Drew Brophy sells Sharpie pens.
One roll low-tack masking tape.
One sheet 600-grit sandpaper.
A newspaper.
Step 2: Cleaning.
Set yourself up in a well ventilated area, out of the wind or you’ll get bugs stuck everywhere.
Pull the stomp pad off carefully (gently pry it with a scraper as you pull). Or you can leave it on and tape over it with newspaper later if you want to do a quick job and paint around it.
Now clean that board. I mean really clean it. Scrape the wax off then scrub the board thoroughly to remove all traces of wax, salt and grime (you can use a Wax Pickle for this). Don’t use any harsh solvents or your stick may melt into a bubbling mess. Repair dings.
Step 3: Sanding.
Give it a light but thorough sand all over. Don’t be lazy when it comes to sanding. I skimped out on this step and the paint's chipping off in places.
This is particularly important on high wearing areas like the nose, rails and tail.
Step 4: Spray Painting.
Set the board up so you can hold the cans vertically when spraying. Use long, smooth horizontal strokes that overlap a little.
It's preferable to do a couple of nice even thin coats as the paint will drip and look crap if you spray it on too thick.
If you suck at spray painting practice on newspaper first. Paint the less visible areas to begin with (like around your fins or on top of your deck where your wax goes).
Read paint instructions for drying time.
One layer of undercoat, then two coats of your primary colour. Give a light sand between coats.
If you want to have multiple colours tape off other areas with newspaper to protect them.
Step 5: Funky Designs.
If you want to get crazy use water-based paint marker pens to do designs. They allow a lot of colour and detail.
You can also tape off stencils any spray ‘em.
Sketch a draft first. Brave Surf recommend you THINK BIG for your design, since small stuff wont show up.
Don't worry if you mess up. Just tape over the rest of the design, re-spray where you stuffed up, then start again.
Step 6: Topcoat.
Finish off with two or three layers of clear topcoat.
Now you can say it’s a Tuflite and flick it to a punter on eBay.
You’ll make millions.
Visit learninghowtosurf.com for more surfing tips.
Wednesday 26 December 2007
The Best Beaches in California
Visitusa.com humbly presents its list for what we believe are the best beaches in California. Of all the beaches California has to offer, we think these are tops! If you can find better beaches in California, then we'll eat out hat (metaphorically speaking)!
Malibu Lagoon Beach:
A beautiful lagoon beach with 22 acres of wetlands, gardens and sandy beach. It's considered one of the worlds premiere surfing beaches. On the...east side of the Malibu Creek Bridge is the Malibu Pier, which is excellent for saltwater fishing. On the west side is a nature area.
Venice Beach:
No trip to Los Angeles would be complete without a trip to this iconic beach. Street performers, artists and "the beautiful people" mingle and stroll all the way to Santa Monica along the famous boardwalk that runs through this inimitable California beach town.
El Capitan Beach:
This shady, sandy, Santa Barbara beach features rocky tide pools along El Capitan Creek. It's perfect for swimming, fishing, surfing, picnicking and camping. A long stairway gives access from the bluffs to beach and a bike trail connects the park with Refugio State Beach.
Ocean Beach:
O.B. as the locals call it is a laid-back beach-community know for its surfers and liberal politics. It is an eclectic beach community with a leash free "dog beach", a fishing pier, swimming, surfing and volleyball. It has separate swimming and surfing zones, which is definitely a good idea.
Rio Del Mar Beach:
This long, sandy beach is found in the town of Aptos, California, in Santa Cruz County. It features fire rings and a barbecue and picnic area and is a popular summer beach. It is also the home to the "cement boat" a long stranded freighter ship.
Muir Beach:
This beach is less than a half hour drive from San Francisco down scenic Hwy I. It's one of the most glorious regions of Northern California in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Fishing, surfing and campfires are allowed, and there are many coastal trails above the beach for hikers to explore.
Black Sands Beach at Shelter Cove:
This splendid black sand beach is a great place for Whale watching. Located north of the small hamlet of Shelter Cove in a remote region of the "Lost Coast", it's the trailhead for the famous King Range hike. This is a day only beach, so campers will have to head for the mountains.
La Jolla's Beaches:
La Jolla means "the jewel," a fitting name for the precious beaches of La Jolla's coast. Surfers prefer Windansea beach, harbor seals love the Children's Pool, La Jolla Shores is popular for swimming and sunbathing, while the Cove is a favorite snorkeling spot.
Drake's Beach:
This vast stretch of white sand can be found at the Point Reyes National Seashore. The areas strong winds and choppy seas make it at little too violent for most swimmers, but sun worshippers will be delighted by the opportunity to work on their tans in a beautiful California outdoor hotspot.
Skiing Clothing Basics for the Beginner
Downhill skiing is one of the most popular winter sports in the country. Every year, almost seven million Americans hit the ski slopes. This dwarfs by a factor of three other winter sports such as cross country skiing and ice hockey. Only the ever increasing in popularity sport of snowboarding comes close with a little over six million snowboarders in the country.
Skiing is a great all around...exercise. It's excellent for strengthening the upper leg muscles such as the thigh as well as the lower calf. A season of skiing will strengthen the shoulders and back and will help to trim your stomach. Skiing is also excellent aerobically. Experts estimate that an adult skiing with moderate effort, will burn anywhere from 300 to 500 calories an hour.
But in addition to its exercise benefits, Alpine skiing is also an exhilarating sport. Nothing quite compares to it. Olympic caliber skiers can top 80 miles per hour. But for a novice, even skiing at 5 miles per hours is a thrill.
So what are the dressing basics for alpine skiing? There are six essentials that every beginner should start with:
UV Rated Goggles or sunglasses - No, these are not just for style, although stylish sunglasses are always cool. You need sunglasses or goggles with a good UV protection rating. UV light can do real damage to the eyes ranging from simple sunblindness to major cataract problems. The best UV rated sunglasses are 100% UV protective and most are relatively inexpensive.
Hat - You can lose up to 80% of your body heat through your head. Most heat, as we know by now, escapes through the head. A good ski hat will keep you warm, even in the coldest of temperatures. Some of the nicer hats will even have ear protection.
Sunscreen - Skiing is a fun sport and you can easily spend an entire day on the slopes and in the sun without realizing it. Sunscreen serves the same purpose on a ski slope as it does on a beach. On an especially bright and sunny day, you can get a sunburn in as little as 20 minutes. A good sunscreen will protect you from the sun's UV radiation and from sunburn.
Gloves or mittens - to keep hands warm. If you want the best, you can pay well over $100 for a good pair of ski gloves. You'll want gloves that breathe well, are flexible, with some water proofing, and that are warm. Mittens are generally warmer than gloves, but gloves are more stylish and will do fine in most cases. Pick whichever you are more comfortable with.
Jacket and pants - to keep warm and protect you from hypothermia. The main feature you want in a ski jacket and pants is that they are water proof. This usually means that you want ones with a good polytetrafluoro-ethylene or PTFE membrane. PTFE is often laminated to nylon and polyester materials giving them excellent water protection but still allowing them to breathe. Of course, you will want jackets and pants that are warm and stylish also.
These are the minimalist clothing basics that every skier should have in order to have the best experience possible on the mountains.
Skiing is a great all around...exercise. It's excellent for strengthening the upper leg muscles such as the thigh as well as the lower calf. A season of skiing will strengthen the shoulders and back and will help to trim your stomach. Skiing is also excellent aerobically. Experts estimate that an adult skiing with moderate effort, will burn anywhere from 300 to 500 calories an hour.
But in addition to its exercise benefits, Alpine skiing is also an exhilarating sport. Nothing quite compares to it. Olympic caliber skiers can top 80 miles per hour. But for a novice, even skiing at 5 miles per hours is a thrill.
So what are the dressing basics for alpine skiing? There are six essentials that every beginner should start with:
UV Rated Goggles or sunglasses - No, these are not just for style, although stylish sunglasses are always cool. You need sunglasses or goggles with a good UV protection rating. UV light can do real damage to the eyes ranging from simple sunblindness to major cataract problems. The best UV rated sunglasses are 100% UV protective and most are relatively inexpensive.
Hat - You can lose up to 80% of your body heat through your head. Most heat, as we know by now, escapes through the head. A good ski hat will keep you warm, even in the coldest of temperatures. Some of the nicer hats will even have ear protection.
Sunscreen - Skiing is a fun sport and you can easily spend an entire day on the slopes and in the sun without realizing it. Sunscreen serves the same purpose on a ski slope as it does on a beach. On an especially bright and sunny day, you can get a sunburn in as little as 20 minutes. A good sunscreen will protect you from the sun's UV radiation and from sunburn.
Gloves or mittens - to keep hands warm. If you want the best, you can pay well over $100 for a good pair of ski gloves. You'll want gloves that breathe well, are flexible, with some water proofing, and that are warm. Mittens are generally warmer than gloves, but gloves are more stylish and will do fine in most cases. Pick whichever you are more comfortable with.
Jacket and pants - to keep warm and protect you from hypothermia. The main feature you want in a ski jacket and pants is that they are water proof. This usually means that you want ones with a good polytetrafluoro-ethylene or PTFE membrane. PTFE is often laminated to nylon and polyester materials giving them excellent water protection but still allowing them to breathe. Of course, you will want jackets and pants that are warm and stylish also.
These are the minimalist clothing basics that every skier should have in order to have the best experience possible on the mountains.
Monday 24 December 2007
Latest Adventure - Try Mudslide Surfing!
Are you tried of the same old vacation activity?
The young family members will love you for some of these helpful resources for travel and adventure. Put excitement back into your life.
There is something for everyone.
Mark Miller reports from Malibu, Calif., that mudslide surfing is the latest adventure craze sport. Miller is a writer...for the Weekly World News known for weird sports and travel hot spots.
These mudsliding enthusiasts network to find fast-moving landslides that generally occur during periods of intense rainfall or rapid snowmelt.
"They usually start on steep hillsides as shallow landslides that liquefy and accelerate to speeds that are typically about 10 miles per hour, but can exceed 35 miles per hour. The consistency of mudslides ranges from watery mud to thick, rocky mud that can carry large items such as boulders, trees and cars. Lately, however, they've been carrying something new -- surfers!" reports Miller
"Mudslide surfing is the greatest sport ever!" gushed mudslide surfing enthusiast Matthew 'Wild Dog' Davar, who lives on a hill above Malibu. "On rainy days I used to have to stay inside. Not anymore. Now, I can't wait till it rains. I just set foot out my front door and I'm good to go!"
They have specially laminated fiberglass boards reinforced with hardened steel sheets built to stand up to the mudslides. These boards must travel over dangerous debris, such as, snapped trees, downed power lines and destroyed homes.
Other obstacles they have to avoid are fire crews and volunteers searching for people buried under huge avalanches of rubble and sun-baked mud.
"But what sport doesn't have its downside?" asked Davar. "When I'm riding that mudflow, in complete control of my board, whipping past emergency vehicles and panicked people screaming and crying that they've lost everything -- well, that kind of adventure is worth the little inconveniences."
When I was a kid we played on the newly constructed freeway bridges before the road were completed. There were four of us who would jump off a twelve foot tall bridge and bury up to the waste in mud. Mother never did find our how we got so muddy.
How do you find your next adventure?
Plan something very unusual and give your family a treat. How about a South Pacific vacation for family fun and a great way to enjoy a tropical holiday?
If all else fails to intrigue the young family members try mudslide surfing like Davar does in Malibu.
Are you interested in a family adventure, outdoor retreats, unique vacations, surfing, mountain climbing, river rafting, or a boating adventure? I found hundreds of choices at both these two sites: and http://www.aboating.com and http://www.dixieretreat.com
Do you want a family or a solo adventure. The ultimate site to find details and suggestions for your next trip is: http://www.aadventuresz.com. And for TV reality survival reality adventures I like this one: http://www.panamala.com
Relax! Get Away With A Vacation Cruise
I've found two interesting websites dedicated to adventure travel and cruises with great linking resources to hundreds of small private getaways. Check out these wonderful sites: http://www.travelxy.com and http://www.ahcruise.com. You can cruise the Nile, Bahamas or Panama. I found cheap tickets, links, articles and a new forum to share your good or not-so-good travel experiences.
Some offer free advice and travel coupons. There are many priceless adventures and too many to name here. Just check out some of the resources. Remember to bookmark the ones you want to find again.
Looking for the best unique private adventure for the man in the family. Try this resource: http://www.ulovehunting.com and http://www.afishingpage.com/ .
I'm heading to Panama for a two week vacation where I will visit Panama City with friends and family since I used to live there. I have a weekend flight to Bocas del Torro and reservations at a B&B that is completely built over the water. It is a little wooden two story house with four rooms for rent. The dining room is open air. Your have to go by boat taxi to get there. The taxi costs $2.00. It is so quiet at night that you can hear the water slapping the wood posts and you can almost hear the cangrejos (crabs) fighting over their food on the beach nearby.
Happy adventures!
The young family members will love you for some of these helpful resources for travel and adventure. Put excitement back into your life.
There is something for everyone.
Mark Miller reports from Malibu, Calif., that mudslide surfing is the latest adventure craze sport. Miller is a writer...for the Weekly World News known for weird sports and travel hot spots.
These mudsliding enthusiasts network to find fast-moving landslides that generally occur during periods of intense rainfall or rapid snowmelt.
"They usually start on steep hillsides as shallow landslides that liquefy and accelerate to speeds that are typically about 10 miles per hour, but can exceed 35 miles per hour. The consistency of mudslides ranges from watery mud to thick, rocky mud that can carry large items such as boulders, trees and cars. Lately, however, they've been carrying something new -- surfers!" reports Miller
"Mudslide surfing is the greatest sport ever!" gushed mudslide surfing enthusiast Matthew 'Wild Dog' Davar, who lives on a hill above Malibu. "On rainy days I used to have to stay inside. Not anymore. Now, I can't wait till it rains. I just set foot out my front door and I'm good to go!"
They have specially laminated fiberglass boards reinforced with hardened steel sheets built to stand up to the mudslides. These boards must travel over dangerous debris, such as, snapped trees, downed power lines and destroyed homes.
Other obstacles they have to avoid are fire crews and volunteers searching for people buried under huge avalanches of rubble and sun-baked mud.
"But what sport doesn't have its downside?" asked Davar. "When I'm riding that mudflow, in complete control of my board, whipping past emergency vehicles and panicked people screaming and crying that they've lost everything -- well, that kind of adventure is worth the little inconveniences."
When I was a kid we played on the newly constructed freeway bridges before the road were completed. There were four of us who would jump off a twelve foot tall bridge and bury up to the waste in mud. Mother never did find our how we got so muddy.
How do you find your next adventure?
Plan something very unusual and give your family a treat. How about a South Pacific vacation for family fun and a great way to enjoy a tropical holiday?
If all else fails to intrigue the young family members try mudslide surfing like Davar does in Malibu.
Are you interested in a family adventure, outdoor retreats, unique vacations, surfing, mountain climbing, river rafting, or a boating adventure? I found hundreds of choices at both these two sites: and http://www.aboating.com and http://www.dixieretreat.com
Do you want a family or a solo adventure. The ultimate site to find details and suggestions for your next trip is: http://www.aadventuresz.com. And for TV reality survival reality adventures I like this one: http://www.panamala.com
Relax! Get Away With A Vacation Cruise
I've found two interesting websites dedicated to adventure travel and cruises with great linking resources to hundreds of small private getaways. Check out these wonderful sites: http://www.travelxy.com and http://www.ahcruise.com. You can cruise the Nile, Bahamas or Panama. I found cheap tickets, links, articles and a new forum to share your good or not-so-good travel experiences.
Some offer free advice and travel coupons. There are many priceless adventures and too many to name here. Just check out some of the resources. Remember to bookmark the ones you want to find again.
Looking for the best unique private adventure for the man in the family. Try this resource: http://www.ulovehunting.com and http://www.afishingpage.com/ .
I'm heading to Panama for a two week vacation where I will visit Panama City with friends and family since I used to live there. I have a weekend flight to Bocas del Torro and reservations at a B&B that is completely built over the water. It is a little wooden two story house with four rooms for rent. The dining room is open air. Your have to go by boat taxi to get there. The taxi costs $2.00. It is so quiet at night that you can hear the water slapping the wood posts and you can almost hear the cangrejos (crabs) fighting over their food on the beach nearby.
Happy adventures!
Sailing, Surfing and Skiing: The Best Vacations for Water Sports Lovers!
How do you define a perfect vacation? For many it just means great climate, a nearby ocean shore and sandy beaches. We all need vacations so that our life does not become monotonous. There are a number of hot spots for those who love water sports like sailing, surfing and skiing. Some of them are listed below:
St. Lucia is a tropical island paradise. It is 27 miles....in length and 14 miles in width. It is actually a great place for sailors. It is just like a sailors paradise. There are so many exciting adventures and anchorages along the western coastline. The explorers can indulge in various activities. You can sail till Rodney Bay (along the west coast) and have fun on the beach in Pigeon Island National park. Here, you can enjoy great dinner and cocktail as there are excellent restaurants at night to dine in.
You can next visit the Volcano by sailing to Soufriere. You can also visit the Botanical Gardens, the Mineral Baths and Diamond Falls. You can then visit Ansa Cochon which is a perfect beach for snorkeling. You can also visit the romantic and famous Pitons. Enjoy the natural beauty of St. Lucia. You can visit the Jalousie Plantation Resorts beach in the afternoon or keep on snorkeling.
You must get back to Marigot before it turns dark. You can have an excellent Caribbean view. There are some great restaurants and you can dine as per your choice.
You can find surfers at some reachable shore in the Caribbean. Water sports freaks around the world rush to Barbados because of the Soup Bowl which is at Bathsheba. Even the champions/winners of water sports have been here and loved the friendly atmosphere, warm water and the uncrowded waves. Bathsheba is known for big thundering barrels and fast walls.
Surfers from round the world have loved to surf at the Soup Bowl in Bathsheba. This place is full with tourists in the month of November. The waves are perfect during this time of the year and the International Surfing Championship also takes place in November. Surfers just love the friendly atmosphere here and they rent bay houses and enjoy their stay.
St. Vincent has Shipping Bay and Lagoon Bay where there are good waves towards the windward side. A good surfing place can also be found at Trinidad on the east coast. The surfers enjoy surfing through out the day in the Caribbean.
If you wish to go skiing, visit the Water skiing at Ski Paradise. It is situated in Acapulco in Mexico. It has been actually rated by the Water Ski Magazine as the best ski site in the world. You can have a fabulous time here. It is good for everyone whether you are a beginner or a pro. It is the best place for water ski and other sport activities. You can find comfortable and nice accommodations here. What more, you may actually get instructions from some well know celebrities. Other than skiing, you can also enjoy sport fishing, tennis and golf here.
Acapulco has a great climate and an amazing night life. This city of a million people has some awesome beaches too. You will have the time of your life here with great skiing, amazing climate, food and people. You can also visit the Fuerte de San Diego which was built in 1616. It is a Spanish fort. In case you love adventure, hire a taxi and drive through the zigzag streets of the old town. You will see the ancient sites here.
Other than these top spots for surfing and skiing there are several other places too for water sports enthusiasts. Such vacations can be found anywhere on the West or the East coast. Such vacations are affordable and very enjoyable!
St. Lucia is a tropical island paradise. It is 27 miles....in length and 14 miles in width. It is actually a great place for sailors. It is just like a sailors paradise. There are so many exciting adventures and anchorages along the western coastline. The explorers can indulge in various activities. You can sail till Rodney Bay (along the west coast) and have fun on the beach in Pigeon Island National park. Here, you can enjoy great dinner and cocktail as there are excellent restaurants at night to dine in.
You can next visit the Volcano by sailing to Soufriere. You can also visit the Botanical Gardens, the Mineral Baths and Diamond Falls. You can then visit Ansa Cochon which is a perfect beach for snorkeling. You can also visit the romantic and famous Pitons. Enjoy the natural beauty of St. Lucia. You can visit the Jalousie Plantation Resorts beach in the afternoon or keep on snorkeling.
You must get back to Marigot before it turns dark. You can have an excellent Caribbean view. There are some great restaurants and you can dine as per your choice.
You can find surfers at some reachable shore in the Caribbean. Water sports freaks around the world rush to Barbados because of the Soup Bowl which is at Bathsheba. Even the champions/winners of water sports have been here and loved the friendly atmosphere, warm water and the uncrowded waves. Bathsheba is known for big thundering barrels and fast walls.
Surfers from round the world have loved to surf at the Soup Bowl in Bathsheba. This place is full with tourists in the month of November. The waves are perfect during this time of the year and the International Surfing Championship also takes place in November. Surfers just love the friendly atmosphere here and they rent bay houses and enjoy their stay.
St. Vincent has Shipping Bay and Lagoon Bay where there are good waves towards the windward side. A good surfing place can also be found at Trinidad on the east coast. The surfers enjoy surfing through out the day in the Caribbean.
If you wish to go skiing, visit the Water skiing at Ski Paradise. It is situated in Acapulco in Mexico. It has been actually rated by the Water Ski Magazine as the best ski site in the world. You can have a fabulous time here. It is good for everyone whether you are a beginner or a pro. It is the best place for water ski and other sport activities. You can find comfortable and nice accommodations here. What more, you may actually get instructions from some well know celebrities. Other than skiing, you can also enjoy sport fishing, tennis and golf here.
Acapulco has a great climate and an amazing night life. This city of a million people has some awesome beaches too. You will have the time of your life here with great skiing, amazing climate, food and people. You can also visit the Fuerte de San Diego which was built in 1616. It is a Spanish fort. In case you love adventure, hire a taxi and drive through the zigzag streets of the old town. You will see the ancient sites here.
Other than these top spots for surfing and skiing there are several other places too for water sports enthusiasts. Such vacations can be found anywhere on the West or the East coast. Such vacations are affordable and very enjoyable!
Sunday 23 December 2007
Taking Sport to its Limits.
Around the nineteen eighties a new term, extreme sports, evolved to embrace the growing development of sporting activities that involved an increased element of individualism coupled with an element of danger not associated with traditional sports.
Eagerly taken up by the youth of the day as well as adults, activities such as bungee jumping, hang gliding, sky diving, rock climbing, mountaineering and scuba diving grew in popularity aided by the growth in...disposable incomes enjoyed by teenagers and the twenty pluses.
During the last twenty-five years, largely due to the recognition by the marketing industry of the potential for profit, extreme sports have undergone a significant demographic change.
Adults still involve themselves in the more established extreme sports but the emphasis has changed to involving youth and promoting activities that, while still needing high levels of skills and dicing with danger, also require specialized gear and clothing.
If you are a parent you will know the importance of brand names to the young and the marketing boys were quick to exploit this new market.
Nowadays the term extreme sports has become associated with youth culture and the popularity of the specialized sporting activities that the younger generation have become involved in.
From the beginning most extreme sports have differed from conventional sports in two major areas, they are not a team effort and neither is competition against another a required element.
It is the rush of adrenalin associated with facing and overcoming a potentially dangerous, or even life threatening, obstacle that provides the buzz that modern over protected youth craves for.
As an example take a look at skate boarding, is there any adult out there that has not been amazed by the dangerous stunts that these kids seem able to perform so nonchalantly.
However they have to wear what looks like a quite a large amount of specialized gear to perform in.
Apart from the skateboard there are elbow and knee protectors, safety helmet and don't forget the trendy designer label clothing and footwear.
BMX racing, snowboarding, wind surfing, paragliding and all the other youth orientated extreme sports have one thing in common and that is expensive gear.
So parents be warned, encourage your children to take up a traditional sport, tennis football, baseball, cricket, hockey, athletics or swimming.
Oops, sorry, made a mistake as they all need expensive gear and most are just as dangerous as many so called extreme sports. I suppose all we can do is grin and bear it, pay the bills and pray they stay safe.
Eagerly taken up by the youth of the day as well as adults, activities such as bungee jumping, hang gliding, sky diving, rock climbing, mountaineering and scuba diving grew in popularity aided by the growth in...disposable incomes enjoyed by teenagers and the twenty pluses.
During the last twenty-five years, largely due to the recognition by the marketing industry of the potential for profit, extreme sports have undergone a significant demographic change.
Adults still involve themselves in the more established extreme sports but the emphasis has changed to involving youth and promoting activities that, while still needing high levels of skills and dicing with danger, also require specialized gear and clothing.
If you are a parent you will know the importance of brand names to the young and the marketing boys were quick to exploit this new market.
Nowadays the term extreme sports has become associated with youth culture and the popularity of the specialized sporting activities that the younger generation have become involved in.
From the beginning most extreme sports have differed from conventional sports in two major areas, they are not a team effort and neither is competition against another a required element.
It is the rush of adrenalin associated with facing and overcoming a potentially dangerous, or even life threatening, obstacle that provides the buzz that modern over protected youth craves for.
As an example take a look at skate boarding, is there any adult out there that has not been amazed by the dangerous stunts that these kids seem able to perform so nonchalantly.
However they have to wear what looks like a quite a large amount of specialized gear to perform in.
Apart from the skateboard there are elbow and knee protectors, safety helmet and don't forget the trendy designer label clothing and footwear.
BMX racing, snowboarding, wind surfing, paragliding and all the other youth orientated extreme sports have one thing in common and that is expensive gear.
So parents be warned, encourage your children to take up a traditional sport, tennis football, baseball, cricket, hockey, athletics or swimming.
Oops, sorry, made a mistake as they all need expensive gear and most are just as dangerous as many so called extreme sports. I suppose all we can do is grin and bear it, pay the bills and pray they stay safe.
Thinking of Surfing? Know the Right Equipment You Will Need Beforehand
If you have recently been thinking of taking up surfing, you are going to need to know exactly what equipment you will need before you start. You may or may not have thought about it, but there are various pieces of equipment which are absolutely essential in surfing.
The Equipment You Will Need
When thinking of which equipment you will need, you need to first know what type of surfing you are going to be partaking in. Most people do start off...with original stand-up surfing and for that you will need a surfboard.
Surfboards have been around for years, though the ones around today are a little different to the ones which were around years ago. They used to be made completely out of solid wood which meant that they were often really heavy to carry. Not really ideal when you have to run with them into the water! It wasn't until the 1940's that surfboards started to be made lighter and the material which was used to do that was 'balsa wood'. So, they were still made out of wood, only a different kind.
These days' surfboards are a lot more portable and light. They are created using polyurethane foam which has usually one or more wooden strips, polyester resin and fiberglass cloth. There are people constantly updating and improving the surfboard and at the moment they are researching a new type of board which is going to be even stronger and lighter than the fiberglass one.
Apart from a surfboard there are other types of equipment which you will need. These include a leash, surf wax, appropriate clothing, and fins. All of the mentioned are important and the leash is used to keep the surfboard close to the surfer. This helps to stop any other surfers from becoming injured if the surfer falls off the board. As it is tied on a leash, the board will not go floating away. This also helps the surfer to keep hold of the board so that they do not lose it or become stranded.
Surf Wax helps to keep the surfers feet on the board and stops the board from becoming slippery. Appropriate clothing generally depends entirely on the weather and in summer shorts are usually worn or a swimsuit for women. In winter when the weather is a lot harsher, wet suits are worn.
So, that is the equipment which you will need. If you are unsure of anything you should ask an assistant in your nearest surfing equipment store. You can also find out any questions you may have on the Internet on surfer's forums for example. Overall surfing can be fun but only if you do purchase the right equipment for the sport.
Less Extreme Adventures
Extreme adventures and travel adventures are becoming more popular all the time. Some of us, however, want to have the excitement, without so much risk of injury, without getting shot at or kidnapped like Robert Pelton, and without spending a fortune. With that in mind, here are some ideas for less extreme adventure travel.
- Summit the highest peak in your state. It might be less-than-adventurous in some states, but it will at least be an excuse to get outside and get some exercise.
- Canoe down a river you've never been on. There could be an interesting one an hour away from you. If you don't have one, you can...rent the canoe, and bring a picnic.
- Treasure hunting at the beach. You can rent or buy a metal detector and spend a relaxing but interesting weekend finding coins, jewelry and who-knows-what in the sand.
- Vagabonding. Just pack for several days and start driving, with no destination in mind. See where you end up, and discover what you can.
- Surfing lessons in Montanita, Ecuador. You might want to bring your Bob Marley CD to this hippy/reggae/tourist area. The beaches are beautiful and the lessons are cheap.
- Make a raft. Find the nearest river that is large enough and has some public forest, then build a raft from dead trees and float downstream for a day.
- Cliff-diving. Try the small ones, like those on Lake Superior, near Marquette, Michigan. You'll jump fifteen feet into crystal-clear water.
- Climbing lessons on Mount Ranier in Washington. It's sure to be more exciting than my trip up a local sledding hill with my ice-axe and crampons.
- Travel monastery to monastery. You can make it a spiritual adventure or just relax. They usually have reasonably priced accommodations, and they are in beautiful places.
- Take a hot springs tour. Drive around for a few days with a guide to hot springs or directions copied off the internet. Bring suits, towels and a cooler full of refreshments. For added adventure, seek out the ones that you have to hike into the wilderness to find.
- Take a waterfall tour. If you live near an area of waterfalls, drive around for a few days to find all the ones you haven't seen. try to find ones that you can go swimming in.
What is adventure? Any activity you engage in that is somewhat new to you and doesn't have a predictable outcome. It doesn't have to be too dangerous to be interesting and fun. It could even include a trip to the nearest large city for a weekend tour of the bars. Of course, depending on the bars you choose, this could be one of the more extreme adventures.
- Summit the highest peak in your state. It might be less-than-adventurous in some states, but it will at least be an excuse to get outside and get some exercise.
- Canoe down a river you've never been on. There could be an interesting one an hour away from you. If you don't have one, you can...rent the canoe, and bring a picnic.
- Treasure hunting at the beach. You can rent or buy a metal detector and spend a relaxing but interesting weekend finding coins, jewelry and who-knows-what in the sand.
- Vagabonding. Just pack for several days and start driving, with no destination in mind. See where you end up, and discover what you can.
- Surfing lessons in Montanita, Ecuador. You might want to bring your Bob Marley CD to this hippy/reggae/tourist area. The beaches are beautiful and the lessons are cheap.
- Make a raft. Find the nearest river that is large enough and has some public forest, then build a raft from dead trees and float downstream for a day.
- Cliff-diving. Try the small ones, like those on Lake Superior, near Marquette, Michigan. You'll jump fifteen feet into crystal-clear water.
- Climbing lessons on Mount Ranier in Washington. It's sure to be more exciting than my trip up a local sledding hill with my ice-axe and crampons.
- Travel monastery to monastery. You can make it a spiritual adventure or just relax. They usually have reasonably priced accommodations, and they are in beautiful places.
- Take a hot springs tour. Drive around for a few days with a guide to hot springs or directions copied off the internet. Bring suits, towels and a cooler full of refreshments. For added adventure, seek out the ones that you have to hike into the wilderness to find.
- Take a waterfall tour. If you live near an area of waterfalls, drive around for a few days to find all the ones you haven't seen. try to find ones that you can go swimming in.
What is adventure? Any activity you engage in that is somewhat new to you and doesn't have a predictable outcome. It doesn't have to be too dangerous to be interesting and fun. It could even include a trip to the nearest large city for a weekend tour of the bars. Of course, depending on the bars you choose, this could be one of the more extreme adventures.
Saturday 22 December 2007
Bali Island - a Tropical Paradise
The island of Bali is located in the tropics, just about 6º South of the equator. Blessed with warm temperatures, where the variation is very small throughout the year, with sunrises at 6 am in the morning and sunsets at 6 pm. Gentle climate, friendly people and modern Villas in Bali, make this place a paradise on earth.
When planning your next vacation consider the Saner beach, situated in the southeastern side of Bali, and...just a 10-minute drive from Denpasar. Bali Villas located in this area are excellent to jog on the sandy beach and watch the sunrises. Many of those villas near the ancient temple were constructed as the first resort centers developed on the island.
If you want to rent a Villa in Bali located on the opposite side of Sanur, the beaches of Legian and Kuta are situated in the southwest part of the island, offering surfing and other activities that watersports enthusiasts will enjoy. With many shops scattered all over the seashore, pubs and other facilities, Kuta has become the Indonesian tourist Mecca.
Traveling to any of these destinations brings you not only to Bali Villas, but also to memorable experiences enjoying the local culture, public dance performers and the pleasant and varied environment surrounding each setting, ranging from natural wilderness to romantic gateways and spiritual landmarks.
Nusa Dua is the newest luxurious resort area on the island, where you are more likely to find the most sumptuous Villas in Bali, including hotels, condos and other world-class facilities. The crystal clear water of this beach provides excellent diving and snorkeling, featuring also waves on the northern and southern area of the beach for surfing.
People wanting to rent a Villa in Bali closer to a romantic setting, the Soka Beach in the northwest of Denpasar, offers a small quiet beach, located on the way to Gilimanuk, the ferry port town connecting Bali and Java. Nearby, and along the path towards Gilimanuk, the Medewi Beach in the village of Pulukan enriches the spirit and soul of locals and visitors.
Lovina Beach is near the northern tip of the island that lays a stretch of Bali Villas by the Bali Sea, with excellent snorkeling and diving, as well as chartered boats to go out into the sea. Sunset watching approaches paradise from here, a beach not as crowded as the Kuta Beach.
Last but not least on your list of Villas in Bali, are those located in Jimbaran, which offer the convenience of being located south of the airport. Jimbaran is considered as the narrow neck of the island, providing the village with the benefit of two different beaches: on the east facing the Benoa Harbor, on the west, facing the Jimbaran Bay and its luxurious resorts and Bali Villas.
When planning your next vacation consider the Saner beach, situated in the southeastern side of Bali, and...just a 10-minute drive from Denpasar. Bali Villas located in this area are excellent to jog on the sandy beach and watch the sunrises. Many of those villas near the ancient temple were constructed as the first resort centers developed on the island.
If you want to rent a Villa in Bali located on the opposite side of Sanur, the beaches of Legian and Kuta are situated in the southwest part of the island, offering surfing and other activities that watersports enthusiasts will enjoy. With many shops scattered all over the seashore, pubs and other facilities, Kuta has become the Indonesian tourist Mecca.
Traveling to any of these destinations brings you not only to Bali Villas, but also to memorable experiences enjoying the local culture, public dance performers and the pleasant and varied environment surrounding each setting, ranging from natural wilderness to romantic gateways and spiritual landmarks.
Nusa Dua is the newest luxurious resort area on the island, where you are more likely to find the most sumptuous Villas in Bali, including hotels, condos and other world-class facilities. The crystal clear water of this beach provides excellent diving and snorkeling, featuring also waves on the northern and southern area of the beach for surfing.
People wanting to rent a Villa in Bali closer to a romantic setting, the Soka Beach in the northwest of Denpasar, offers a small quiet beach, located on the way to Gilimanuk, the ferry port town connecting Bali and Java. Nearby, and along the path towards Gilimanuk, the Medewi Beach in the village of Pulukan enriches the spirit and soul of locals and visitors.
Lovina Beach is near the northern tip of the island that lays a stretch of Bali Villas by the Bali Sea, with excellent snorkeling and diving, as well as chartered boats to go out into the sea. Sunset watching approaches paradise from here, a beach not as crowded as the Kuta Beach.
Last but not least on your list of Villas in Bali, are those located in Jimbaran, which offer the convenience of being located south of the airport. Jimbaran is considered as the narrow neck of the island, providing the village with the benefit of two different beaches: on the east facing the Benoa Harbor, on the west, facing the Jimbaran Bay and its luxurious resorts and Bali Villas.
The Best Wave Of My Life And The Lesson I Learned
It was an average day with plenty of sunshine and we had been out for an hour or so. There were about twenty of us competing for waves and we had a right hand break that if you went through a re-form of the wave the length of you wave could be about 50 to 80 meters.
I caught a wave and right...away dropped a steep face into a tube that had me placed about six to eight feet inside of the break. I traveled in there for about thirty to forty feet and then I came out of the tube, took my board to the lip and did a re- entry and re positioned and went into another tube that went a further twenty feet or so. I came out of that tube and quickly entered another before moving onto the reform and I rode the wave all the way to the shallow water where I stepped off into shallow water.
I quickly went out and shared my wave with my elder brother and it was dismissed as he shared three or so waves he had ridden and so I thought that all I had to show for myself was a fond memory. Getting three tubes in one wave is pretty rare and getting out of them all is even rarer.
Years later I was walking down to the same beach with my elder brother and one of the towns best surfers. My brother was having a go at me and this guy spoke up. He told my brother in all his time on the beach he had not often seen a better wave ridden then the wave he saw me ride one day. I asked him if it was the one with three tubes and he shook his head and agreed that it was.
The lesson I learned that day was no matter what you do in life there is always a witness. God is always our witness. I have also learned to have fond memories of events I have had in my life. I will always remember that wave, I was never a great surfer but I did enjoy myself and at one time I was quite slim.
Just remember guys. Someone is always watching you even when you’re alone.
I caught a wave and right...away dropped a steep face into a tube that had me placed about six to eight feet inside of the break. I traveled in there for about thirty to forty feet and then I came out of the tube, took my board to the lip and did a re- entry and re positioned and went into another tube that went a further twenty feet or so. I came out of that tube and quickly entered another before moving onto the reform and I rode the wave all the way to the shallow water where I stepped off into shallow water.
I quickly went out and shared my wave with my elder brother and it was dismissed as he shared three or so waves he had ridden and so I thought that all I had to show for myself was a fond memory. Getting three tubes in one wave is pretty rare and getting out of them all is even rarer.
Years later I was walking down to the same beach with my elder brother and one of the towns best surfers. My brother was having a go at me and this guy spoke up. He told my brother in all his time on the beach he had not often seen a better wave ridden then the wave he saw me ride one day. I asked him if it was the one with three tubes and he shook his head and agreed that it was.
The lesson I learned that day was no matter what you do in life there is always a witness. God is always our witness. I have also learned to have fond memories of events I have had in my life. I will always remember that wave, I was never a great surfer but I did enjoy myself and at one time I was quite slim.
Just remember guys. Someone is always watching you even when you’re alone.
The Rising Popularity of Windsurfing
As with any extreme sport or sport in general, there is only so much one can do on a surfboard. Enter windsurfing, a popular way to gain speed and air by using a sail attached to the surfboard itself. A windsurf setup consists of a bi-directional surfboard with a sail attached in the middle. Windsurfing is not for just the ocean, this sport can be done on a lake should their...be a proper wind to propel the surfer.
As with any sport there has to be two factors present when learning how to windsurf. Wind is the key ingredient to take flight. In order to power up your sail you need to know what the wind conditions are going to be. On an optimal day, depending on the wind conditions the wind can be gusting from 3N to 6N. The wind speed greatly enhances the experience.
There are conditions above 15N when windsurfing can be considered dangerous to the surfer. Should these conditions be too violent for the surfer, they should wait until they can properly handle the board. With the right amount of wind and waves, windsurfers can take flight over waves at a high rate of speed. Depending on your experience level, you may crave to hit the waves at higher conditions to maximize speed and adrenaline.
Often a windsurfer will attack a wave head on depending on the conditions and propel themselves 15 feet or more straight in the air. If you enjoy the thrill of hang-time and flight this sport is for you! Windsurfing ranks high in the world of extreme sports because of its high flying action.
There are professional competitions that rank the windsurfer by style and being able to handle monster waves with ease and grace. These competitions take surfers around the world to tame the toughest waters with only a board and sail to display their style.
A windsurfing setup can cost from $ 500 - $ 2000 depending on what you are looking to purchase. The quality of the sail as well as the fabric used to create it will definitely change the price quickly.
As with any sport there has to be two factors present when learning how to windsurf. Wind is the key ingredient to take flight. In order to power up your sail you need to know what the wind conditions are going to be. On an optimal day, depending on the wind conditions the wind can be gusting from 3N to 6N. The wind speed greatly enhances the experience.
There are conditions above 15N when windsurfing can be considered dangerous to the surfer. Should these conditions be too violent for the surfer, they should wait until they can properly handle the board. With the right amount of wind and waves, windsurfers can take flight over waves at a high rate of speed. Depending on your experience level, you may crave to hit the waves at higher conditions to maximize speed and adrenaline.
Often a windsurfer will attack a wave head on depending on the conditions and propel themselves 15 feet or more straight in the air. If you enjoy the thrill of hang-time and flight this sport is for you! Windsurfing ranks high in the world of extreme sports because of its high flying action.
There are professional competitions that rank the windsurfer by style and being able to handle monster waves with ease and grace. These competitions take surfers around the world to tame the toughest waters with only a board and sail to display their style.
A windsurfing setup can cost from $ 500 - $ 2000 depending on what you are looking to purchase. The quality of the sail as well as the fabric used to create it will definitely change the price quickly.
The Art of Surfing
Since its hey day in the 1960’s, surfing through the ocean has become a popular past time. Riders love to pound the surf with their waxed boards and ride large waves into the shore. As like any sport, there is risk associated with surfing. Surfing implies that a rider can successfully use their arms and legs to maintain balance upon a surfboard as the wave begins to swell and crest.
Most beginners will enjoy this...sport because the cost of getting into surfing is relatively low. A good board can cost $200 - $ 1,000 depending on the material it’s made from. Many beginners can buy a good board used and can take up the sport at a nearby beach. Before you begin, there are several things you should learn.
How to keep your board nearby should you wipe out
How to swim out towards an incoming wave
What to do should you collide with another surfer
What conditions are right for surfing and which ones are dangerous
Surfers should know how to swim. It’s the basic necessity to keep you afloat should you go out too far or if you lose your board on a wipe out. Most surfers start out on their boards flat on their stomach and begin to kneel into a crouching position as they approach a wave. Upon reaching the swell of the wave, they should be in a upright position heading into the ebb or top of the wave. As soon as the reach the top they begin to navigate through the remainder of the wave using their feet to steer into the cresting tide. Usually most surfers ride a wave from right to left.
There are times when a surfer can get closer to another surfer and collide. Try to remain as far away from swimmers as possible and keep a clear 180-degree view as much as possible to avoid dangerous situations. Know exactly how far you are from the beach at all times. There are times when surfing is at its premium right before a storm or when currents are at their strongest. During this peak time, it is good to exercise caution for your own personal safety. Depending on how warm the water may be you may have to be concerned with sharks. Although a shark attack is considered rare, there is always a possibility in some regions.
Surfing has become so popular that there are various spin-offs of this sport including windsurfing and kitesurfing, which allows the user to reach heights of 20’ above the ocean. Depending on the location wave swells can grow upwards of 15-20’ high; so the more experience you amass the more challenges you will seek. All beginning surfers should take at least one or two lessons to get the basics down. In no time at all you will be hunting the monster waves and hanging ten with the best of them.
Surfs up!
Most beginners will enjoy this...sport because the cost of getting into surfing is relatively low. A good board can cost $200 - $ 1,000 depending on the material it’s made from. Many beginners can buy a good board used and can take up the sport at a nearby beach. Before you begin, there are several things you should learn.
How to keep your board nearby should you wipe out
How to swim out towards an incoming wave
What to do should you collide with another surfer
What conditions are right for surfing and which ones are dangerous
Surfers should know how to swim. It’s the basic necessity to keep you afloat should you go out too far or if you lose your board on a wipe out. Most surfers start out on their boards flat on their stomach and begin to kneel into a crouching position as they approach a wave. Upon reaching the swell of the wave, they should be in a upright position heading into the ebb or top of the wave. As soon as the reach the top they begin to navigate through the remainder of the wave using their feet to steer into the cresting tide. Usually most surfers ride a wave from right to left.
There are times when a surfer can get closer to another surfer and collide. Try to remain as far away from swimmers as possible and keep a clear 180-degree view as much as possible to avoid dangerous situations. Know exactly how far you are from the beach at all times. There are times when surfing is at its premium right before a storm or when currents are at their strongest. During this peak time, it is good to exercise caution for your own personal safety. Depending on how warm the water may be you may have to be concerned with sharks. Although a shark attack is considered rare, there is always a possibility in some regions.
Surfing has become so popular that there are various spin-offs of this sport including windsurfing and kitesurfing, which allows the user to reach heights of 20’ above the ocean. Depending on the location wave swells can grow upwards of 15-20’ high; so the more experience you amass the more challenges you will seek. All beginning surfers should take at least one or two lessons to get the basics down. In no time at all you will be hunting the monster waves and hanging ten with the best of them.
Surfs up!
Surfing Water Sports - Five Muscle Groups Used In Bodyboarding
Bodyboarding is a “complete” surfing water sport. It requires the use of your whole body, though depending on your level of riding you may need to be more aware of and condition different muscle groups.
The leg muscles are the first group you will want to condition. Used for swimming from shore out to where the waves break, paddling into waves, and also as leverage
for turning while riding the waves. Leg positioning and movement during high performance bodyboarding tricks is also used to control your momentum. No leg strength or stamina makes for a very short surf session.
I am including the feet here because sometimes you may get foot cramps when swimming. In my experience this is usually an effect of either your bodyboarding fins not fitting properly or leg muscles tightening up from overuse /exhaustion which in turn pulls on the muscles in your feet.
The arms are typically used for paddling, though not as exclusively as with traditional surfing. Personally, I use arm paddling primarily to give the legs a rest from kicking during extended "paddle outs" or for extra boosts of speed when paddling for a wave. Arm strength will also be needed for performing advanced bodyboarding maneuvers that are exclusive to this water sport since you must hold on to your board as you flip, twist, spin—sometimes all at the same time--and fall out of the sky when doing aerial moves.
Since for most riders the majority of the time will be spent lying with the stomach on the bodyboard, the "ab" muscles must be able to support and direct the weight of your body. Also, when doing advanced maneuvers like airs, rolls, ARS's, and flips you will be freefalling onto your stomach. Strong abdominal muscles will help keep the wind from getting knocked out of you and the quick recovery you will make insures that you will not lose speed upon impact.
Weak stomach muscles will also put extra responsibility on the back muscles to absorb the impact of hard landings. If you find you have recurring back pain after doing advanced bodyboarding moves, I can tell you first hand that improving your ab strength may likely reduce or eliminate your back problems.
This brings us to the last group of muscles I will talk about...the back muscles. You should have a strong back regardless of your skill level, but advanced moves require a lot of twisting, arcing, and body english that can only be accomplished with a strong, flexible back.
So now that know what muscles to condition for this water sport, it’s time to start enjoying the wide world of surfing. Grab a board and fins, and go out and have a great bodyboarding session. Enjoy!
The leg muscles are the first group you will want to condition. Used for swimming from shore out to where the waves break, paddling into waves, and also as leverage
for turning while riding the waves. Leg positioning and movement during high performance bodyboarding tricks is also used to control your momentum. No leg strength or stamina makes for a very short surf session.
I am including the feet here because sometimes you may get foot cramps when swimming. In my experience this is usually an effect of either your bodyboarding fins not fitting properly or leg muscles tightening up from overuse /exhaustion which in turn pulls on the muscles in your feet.
The arms are typically used for paddling, though not as exclusively as with traditional surfing. Personally, I use arm paddling primarily to give the legs a rest from kicking during extended "paddle outs" or for extra boosts of speed when paddling for a wave. Arm strength will also be needed for performing advanced bodyboarding maneuvers that are exclusive to this water sport since you must hold on to your board as you flip, twist, spin—sometimes all at the same time--and fall out of the sky when doing aerial moves.
Since for most riders the majority of the time will be spent lying with the stomach on the bodyboard, the "ab" muscles must be able to support and direct the weight of your body. Also, when doing advanced maneuvers like airs, rolls, ARS's, and flips you will be freefalling onto your stomach. Strong abdominal muscles will help keep the wind from getting knocked out of you and the quick recovery you will make insures that you will not lose speed upon impact.
Weak stomach muscles will also put extra responsibility on the back muscles to absorb the impact of hard landings. If you find you have recurring back pain after doing advanced bodyboarding moves, I can tell you first hand that improving your ab strength may likely reduce or eliminate your back problems.
This brings us to the last group of muscles I will talk about...the back muscles. You should have a strong back regardless of your skill level, but advanced moves require a lot of twisting, arcing, and body english that can only be accomplished with a strong, flexible back.
So now that know what muscles to condition for this water sport, it’s time to start enjoying the wide world of surfing. Grab a board and fins, and go out and have a great bodyboarding session. Enjoy!
Del Mar Surfing is Best when the "Santa Ana" Winds Blow
Even before I wake, I can tell something’s changed. First thing I notice before I even open my eyes is the sound of the surf. It’s loud, with some of the waves cracking like rifle shots. I can feel the air is much drier, the normal coastal humidity is gone (which is why the sound of the waves breaking is so loud and clear.) Without looking, I know the wind is blowing offshore, whipping through the San Dieguito River coastal canyon from the desert out to sea. The Santa Ana winds are here! While most of the state fears these ‘devil winds’ because of...the real danger of the wildfires they fan, surfers rejoice because the offshore winds make the waves near perfect.
As I trot over to the beach at 25th St. to see how big the waves are, I first notice the corduroy lines out to sea. A South swell! As I get closer, I see the rainbows formed from the tops of the breaking waves being blown off from the strong offshore wind. Unlike most of the year, as the waves form, they usually have the prevailing Northwesterly winds pushing them from behind towards shore, and helping them crumble over as they break. However when the Santa Ana winds come, they hit the breaking waves head-on, pushing them straight up.
The effect is a near perfect wave, which holds up clean and cylindrical before it breaks, the collapsing cylinder, or tube, making the loud ‘rifle shot’ sound as it closes on itself. For a surfer, it means the chance to ride the wave longer, on a clean face, and the possibility of getting ‘tubed’ or tucking inside the face of the wave as it throws over and covers up the surfer as she streaks along the wave face.
South swells create the “lefts” (as you face the beach, you take off going to your left) and for me, a ‘regular foot’, that means going ‘backside’, or my back is to the breaking wave and I face the shore as I ride. I love the Santa Ana lefts, and the bigger, the better. The larger waves have more of a face to work and are usually faster.
I run back to the house, get into my wetsuit, grab my 9’4” Walden longboard and trot back to the beach, race into the surf, hop onto the board prone, and paddle hard to get out to the lineup. I feel the wind pushing me out, and pushing the water with me as well. I get through the impact zone, and as I climb over a 6 foot breaking wave, the wind helps me over as it blows the top off the wave into a rainbow of spray droplets around me. I scan the horizon for the next wave and see a set starting south at 20th street.
As it approaches me, I paddle to where I think the peak will be, wait, and just as it comes, I spin the board around and paddle hard to catch it. The strong wind is now my enemy as it is blowing in my face, slowing down my efforts to catch this big one. One extra burst of paddling, and I feel the board now moving on its own. I jump to a squat and turn the board into the rising face. Just as it is about to break, the wind, now my friend again, holds up the wave into a perfect barrel, and as I scream along the wave face for about 50 yards, it covers me for about 5 seconds before it catches me and throws me ‘over the falls’. Yes!!!
Awoooh!!! I’m hooting with joy as I come up for air, slide back on my board and go out again for more. It doesn’t get any better than this! For the next two hours, this is the bliss of surfing Del Mar beach breaks on a South swell with the Santa Ana winds!
As I trot over to the beach at 25th St. to see how big the waves are, I first notice the corduroy lines out to sea. A South swell! As I get closer, I see the rainbows formed from the tops of the breaking waves being blown off from the strong offshore wind. Unlike most of the year, as the waves form, they usually have the prevailing Northwesterly winds pushing them from behind towards shore, and helping them crumble over as they break. However when the Santa Ana winds come, they hit the breaking waves head-on, pushing them straight up.
The effect is a near perfect wave, which holds up clean and cylindrical before it breaks, the collapsing cylinder, or tube, making the loud ‘rifle shot’ sound as it closes on itself. For a surfer, it means the chance to ride the wave longer, on a clean face, and the possibility of getting ‘tubed’ or tucking inside the face of the wave as it throws over and covers up the surfer as she streaks along the wave face.
South swells create the “lefts” (as you face the beach, you take off going to your left) and for me, a ‘regular foot’, that means going ‘backside’, or my back is to the breaking wave and I face the shore as I ride. I love the Santa Ana lefts, and the bigger, the better. The larger waves have more of a face to work and are usually faster.
I run back to the house, get into my wetsuit, grab my 9’4” Walden longboard and trot back to the beach, race into the surf, hop onto the board prone, and paddle hard to get out to the lineup. I feel the wind pushing me out, and pushing the water with me as well. I get through the impact zone, and as I climb over a 6 foot breaking wave, the wind helps me over as it blows the top off the wave into a rainbow of spray droplets around me. I scan the horizon for the next wave and see a set starting south at 20th street.
As it approaches me, I paddle to where I think the peak will be, wait, and just as it comes, I spin the board around and paddle hard to catch it. The strong wind is now my enemy as it is blowing in my face, slowing down my efforts to catch this big one. One extra burst of paddling, and I feel the board now moving on its own. I jump to a squat and turn the board into the rising face. Just as it is about to break, the wind, now my friend again, holds up the wave into a perfect barrel, and as I scream along the wave face for about 50 yards, it covers me for about 5 seconds before it catches me and throws me ‘over the falls’. Yes!!!
Awoooh!!! I’m hooting with joy as I come up for air, slide back on my board and go out again for more. It doesn’t get any better than this! For the next two hours, this is the bliss of surfing Del Mar beach breaks on a South swell with the Santa Ana winds!
Friday 21 December 2007
Can You Really Surf in Indiana?
you tend to miss out a bit on some of the exciting things that happen in other parts of the country. We sit at home in the winter watching the surfing contests in California and Hawaii and wonder if we'll ever even step onto a surf board.
Well, due to some new entertainment items available you now have the chance. A mechanical surfboard simulates the feeling of surfing the...waves, BUT you don't have to worry about drowning if you fall off. Ok...it's a bit more tame than the real thing but it's still fun. And since the odds are that we'll never have any big waves coming our way, it's the best some of us are every going to get.
Surf Simulators are actually fun for all ages. The operator can rotate the board in a gentle way so even a 4 year old can give it a shot. Or, they can really simulate higher waves for those brave participants who want a lot of excitement.
And speaking of 4 year olds, if you take a picture of your younger child riding a surfboard, it'll bring a smile to your face forever.
Mechanical Bulls have always been extremely popular but in many areas they are prohibited due to insurance and liability issues. The liability/insurance issue does not apply to the surf machine, making it great for use at virtually any type of function.
So, if you're wanting to try something different, pick a balmy day, put on Surfin' Safari and get the simulator started.
"Let's go surfin' now, Everybody's learning how....Come on and Safari with me!"
Well, due to some new entertainment items available you now have the chance. A mechanical surfboard simulates the feeling of surfing the...waves, BUT you don't have to worry about drowning if you fall off. Ok...it's a bit more tame than the real thing but it's still fun. And since the odds are that we'll never have any big waves coming our way, it's the best some of us are every going to get.
Surf Simulators are actually fun for all ages. The operator can rotate the board in a gentle way so even a 4 year old can give it a shot. Or, they can really simulate higher waves for those brave participants who want a lot of excitement.
And speaking of 4 year olds, if you take a picture of your younger child riding a surfboard, it'll bring a smile to your face forever.
Mechanical Bulls have always been extremely popular but in many areas they are prohibited due to insurance and liability issues. The liability/insurance issue does not apply to the surf machine, making it great for use at virtually any type of function.
So, if you're wanting to try something different, pick a balmy day, put on Surfin' Safari and get the simulator started.
"Let's go surfin' now, Everybody's learning how....Come on and Safari with me!"
How to Choose a Good Wetsuit for Surfing or Wake
Wetsuit Fit When choosing a wetsuit its fit and tailoring for your body shape is critical. A poor wetsuit that fits your body shape is always going to perform better than a bad fitting high quality wetsuit. So fit is very important. Look for a snugg fit all over your body especially your torso, good length on your arms and legs.
When you try a wetsuit on do a few...stretches and squats to see how it follows the contour of your body. If you notice significant room especially on your lower back, in that arch between the top of your bum and your shoulder, then you do not have a good fit. Simply, if your wetsuit doesn't cling closely to your body shape then water will flush in and you will not stay warm.
Another important area to look for good fit is around the neck, where you enter the wetsuit. Obviously you won't want it to choke you but you do need it to be secure as can be to prevent water flushing into your wetsuit when duck diving. There are a variety of neck entry systems that different wetsuit brands will offer, the regular back zip and velcro close over or the front zip offered by Xcel or C-Skins. Most people do need to try on a few wetsuits to get one that fits them perfectly.
Tailoring There are many different tailoring options on wetsuits. A return to a basic wetsuit design would be the Quiksilver Cell which has loads fewer panels and less seams than a lot of other wetsuits to reduce water intake through the seams. It has also a high level of tailoring with not stitch out of place in the whole wetsuit. Worthy of note, another wetsuit which is also very highly finished is the O'Neill Psycho 2.
Individual wetsuit features Wetsuit manufacturers try to enhance the experience of surfers by introducing special wetsuit features such as glide-skin material around the neck of the wetsuit to prevent wetsuit rash or chaff without requiring the surfer to put on a rash vest underneath.
Rip Curl introduced the Batwing system a few years back in their wetsuit to keep the surfer extra warm on their most critical part of the body, the torso. This is where the heat is generated and water leakage through the back zip threatens this warmth. So this batwing is an extra layer of thin neoprene that gives extra protection.
Wetsuit Price How much do you much do you want to spend? There are steamers (also known as fullsuits) on the market to fit all pockets. The brand and thickness of the wetsuit will determine how much it will cost.
Brand loyalty Who a brand sponsors will influence your buying decision. Quiksilver for example have sponsored Kelly Slater for the majority of his surfing career and it has been a good relationship for both parties. Quiksilver's dominance in the surf market is largely down to one man, Kelly Slater, who's successful surf career and personal image is so highly marketable to their brand. Australian Brand Billabong has also done extremely well due to the success of home grown talent such as Joel Parkinson. So what surf brand do you want to associate with,we let you decide that.
When you try a wetsuit on do a few...stretches and squats to see how it follows the contour of your body. If you notice significant room especially on your lower back, in that arch between the top of your bum and your shoulder, then you do not have a good fit. Simply, if your wetsuit doesn't cling closely to your body shape then water will flush in and you will not stay warm.
Another important area to look for good fit is around the neck, where you enter the wetsuit. Obviously you won't want it to choke you but you do need it to be secure as can be to prevent water flushing into your wetsuit when duck diving. There are a variety of neck entry systems that different wetsuit brands will offer, the regular back zip and velcro close over or the front zip offered by Xcel or C-Skins. Most people do need to try on a few wetsuits to get one that fits them perfectly.
Tailoring There are many different tailoring options on wetsuits. A return to a basic wetsuit design would be the Quiksilver Cell which has loads fewer panels and less seams than a lot of other wetsuits to reduce water intake through the seams. It has also a high level of tailoring with not stitch out of place in the whole wetsuit. Worthy of note, another wetsuit which is also very highly finished is the O'Neill Psycho 2.
Individual wetsuit features Wetsuit manufacturers try to enhance the experience of surfers by introducing special wetsuit features such as glide-skin material around the neck of the wetsuit to prevent wetsuit rash or chaff without requiring the surfer to put on a rash vest underneath.
Rip Curl introduced the Batwing system a few years back in their wetsuit to keep the surfer extra warm on their most critical part of the body, the torso. This is where the heat is generated and water leakage through the back zip threatens this warmth. So this batwing is an extra layer of thin neoprene that gives extra protection.
Wetsuit Price How much do you much do you want to spend? There are steamers (also known as fullsuits) on the market to fit all pockets. The brand and thickness of the wetsuit will determine how much it will cost.
Brand loyalty Who a brand sponsors will influence your buying decision. Quiksilver for example have sponsored Kelly Slater for the majority of his surfing career and it has been a good relationship for both parties. Quiksilver's dominance in the surf market is largely down to one man, Kelly Slater, who's successful surf career and personal image is so highly marketable to their brand. Australian Brand Billabong has also done extremely well due to the success of home grown talent such as Joel Parkinson. So what surf brand do you want to associate with,we let you decide that.
How Will Ocean Level Rises Affect Surfing; Global Warming Rocks!
It should be noted that about the best thing to ever come along for the sport of surfing is Global Warming. Ocean levels will rise and you will have bigger waves and more abundant surf. Plus most of the homes along the water will be washed away giving surfers more places to surf and therefore less crowding or worry of someone stealing Your wave!
Also the water will be warmer and you...will not need to wear a wet suit in the early mornings, in fact the water will be a great temperature to surf in and the Sun will always be shining and it will be fantastic. Global Warming is the greatest thing to come along for surfers since the jet power surf board, short board or Internet WiFi surf boards.
So, How will Global Warming and the impending Ocean Level Rises affect Surfing you ask? It will be great and smart surfers can hardly wait. Some climatologists and long-term weather forecasters are predicting an El Nino season every year and you know what that means for California Surfing, only it will be even better because it will be much warmer too.
Life is good and so is Global Warming for the serious surfer. I will ask you take a good hard look in your mirror and your academic displacement. I am helping you, I hope you can see it is out of kindness that I point this out, I hope you are man enough, and I mean that in a sincere way, to comprehend what I am trying to explain for your benefit.
Also the water will be warmer and you...will not need to wear a wet suit in the early mornings, in fact the water will be a great temperature to surf in and the Sun will always be shining and it will be fantastic. Global Warming is the greatest thing to come along for surfers since the jet power surf board, short board or Internet WiFi surf boards.
So, How will Global Warming and the impending Ocean Level Rises affect Surfing you ask? It will be great and smart surfers can hardly wait. Some climatologists and long-term weather forecasters are predicting an El Nino season every year and you know what that means for California Surfing, only it will be even better because it will be much warmer too.
Life is good and so is Global Warming for the serious surfer. I will ask you take a good hard look in your mirror and your academic displacement. I am helping you, I hope you can see it is out of kindness that I point this out, I hope you are man enough, and I mean that in a sincere way, to comprehend what I am trying to explain for your benefit.
Follow Your Path to Extreme Sports
If you enjoy taking risks and having a good time appreciating the thrills of nature’s beauty, you probably like to Surf. If this is the case, there are some great surf videos that have awesome waves and surf tricks, displaying the killer California surf, man. You might also be interested in Surf Wear like Sunglasses and Surf Truncks that will make your ride perfect. If you are a regular surf champ, there are some awesome surf facts that you should know. Back on the early days...of California surf, a group of friends would pile into a car and head off to search for waves together.
As airplane travel became affordable in the sixties, surfers would toss their long boards on a flight to Hawaii and share a beater and flophouse North Shore housing for their first taste of a 'surf safari.'
Then, in the seventies, groups of traveling surfers used freighters, sailboats and exotic Third World modes of transportation to locate and surf new spots. During the 1980's and 1990's surf camps appeared in remote locations where surfers could take their friends and wives and enjoy a feeling of genteel exploration while surfing un crowded waves.
Additionally, as technology and the internet have opened the world to easier access of information, surfers have used more and more high-tech methods to achieve essentially the same thing as the early travelers, to surf with your buddies in an uncrowded environment.
You probably are aware that surfing spots are crowded and will get worse and worse in the future. To find previously waves that have not been ridden waves in California today, you need a good boat, and we've found one. The " Condor Express” is a 75' aluminum jet-drive rocket ship that will easily do thirty five knots.
Even if we are using a high-tech catamaran and PWCs to access these remote waves, it's essentially all about the adventure-the 'aloha spirit' of our film crew and tow-surfers getting together, sharing the whole experience with anyone interested.
When big swells hit California, we'll be on the Condor with some tow-surfing teams and a film crew. When we return we'll post our images, videoclips and stories on this site so you can share the adventure. Anything that pushes you to the beach is just fine.
It doesn't matter if you're bodysurfing, bodyboarding, windsurfing, kiteboarding, foilboarding, surfing or towsurfing, it's all the same thing.
It pushes you to the beach, and that's what it's all about. Now we have satellite based surfing forecasts, live surf cams and guys flying personal helicopters to inaccessible spots in order to achieve the same objective. Surfers now scour the world looking for not only the perfect wave but the biggest wave.
As airplane travel became affordable in the sixties, surfers would toss their long boards on a flight to Hawaii and share a beater and flophouse North Shore housing for their first taste of a 'surf safari.'
Then, in the seventies, groups of traveling surfers used freighters, sailboats and exotic Third World modes of transportation to locate and surf new spots. During the 1980's and 1990's surf camps appeared in remote locations where surfers could take their friends and wives and enjoy a feeling of genteel exploration while surfing un crowded waves.
Additionally, as technology and the internet have opened the world to easier access of information, surfers have used more and more high-tech methods to achieve essentially the same thing as the early travelers, to surf with your buddies in an uncrowded environment.
You probably are aware that surfing spots are crowded and will get worse and worse in the future. To find previously waves that have not been ridden waves in California today, you need a good boat, and we've found one. The " Condor Express” is a 75' aluminum jet-drive rocket ship that will easily do thirty five knots.
Even if we are using a high-tech catamaran and PWCs to access these remote waves, it's essentially all about the adventure-the 'aloha spirit' of our film crew and tow-surfers getting together, sharing the whole experience with anyone interested.
When big swells hit California, we'll be on the Condor with some tow-surfing teams and a film crew. When we return we'll post our images, videoclips and stories on this site so you can share the adventure. Anything that pushes you to the beach is just fine.
It doesn't matter if you're bodysurfing, bodyboarding, windsurfing, kiteboarding, foilboarding, surfing or towsurfing, it's all the same thing.
It pushes you to the beach, and that's what it's all about. Now we have satellite based surfing forecasts, live surf cams and guys flying personal helicopters to inaccessible spots in order to achieve the same objective. Surfers now scour the world looking for not only the perfect wave but the biggest wave.
Surfing - Unaffordable Sport?
Fortunately both the surfboard and the wetsuit are long-lasting equipment. Thus, though with some effort, you can save to purchase the equipment or use some kind of financial product and pay for everything in small installments. Here are some tips that can help you get what you need to start practicing surfing without...too many hassles or sacrifices.
Price Range And Savings
The price range of surfboards goes from a couple of hundreds and up to a few thousands of dollars while a surf wetsuit can cost a couple of hundreds generally with some higher price rare exceptions that can be as high as one or two thousands dollars. All in all, the whole kit can demand an average price of a thousands dollars sometimes reaching higher amounts depending on the quality of the equipment.
Saving that kind of money is not such a difficult task. Yet, all depends on your income and spending. Modifying your budget to include a small amount every month towards a savings account for the purchase of the equipment shouldn’t be such a sacrifice. Yet, if you don’t have that kind of control over your finances, you may want to resort to other means.
Financing The Purchase Of Equipment
Most of the stores selling this kind of equipment will accept credit cards without ado. They may even have some promotions specially tailored for credit card purchases. Bear in mind though, that financing with credit cards is rather expensive compared to most of the other financial products. Though using a credit card may be the most comfortable and quick financial option, chances are that it won’t be the cheapest one.
Most banks and financial institutions are offering unsecured personal loans for their customers every day. It may be time to take advantage of these offers. Make sure to compare interest rates first (look especially to the APR which combines all costs in one so you can easily compare). Then analyze what kind of repayment program you would benefit more of. A longer repayment program implies lower monthly payments but higher amounts spent on interests while shorter repayment programs may entail higher monthly payments but the costs of financing will be lower.
If you decide to go for an unsecured personal loan, consider including the amount necessary for taking some lessons, if you are just starting to practice this sport. It isn’t that costly and it can save you a lot of time and hassles.
The requirements for getting approved for an unsecured loan are not that harsh. If you are already a client of the bank or financial institution, chances are that you may have a pre-approved loan available. Otherwise you may have to show proof of employment or income and provide authorization for a short credit verification.
---
Jessica Peterson writes finance articles for Yourloanservices.com where she shares her knowledge about how to get money for a starting-up business, consolidating any kind of debt, repairing a home even with a bad credit history and more.
Price Range And Savings
The price range of surfboards goes from a couple of hundreds and up to a few thousands of dollars while a surf wetsuit can cost a couple of hundreds generally with some higher price rare exceptions that can be as high as one or two thousands dollars. All in all, the whole kit can demand an average price of a thousands dollars sometimes reaching higher amounts depending on the quality of the equipment.
Saving that kind of money is not such a difficult task. Yet, all depends on your income and spending. Modifying your budget to include a small amount every month towards a savings account for the purchase of the equipment shouldn’t be such a sacrifice. Yet, if you don’t have that kind of control over your finances, you may want to resort to other means.
Financing The Purchase Of Equipment
Most of the stores selling this kind of equipment will accept credit cards without ado. They may even have some promotions specially tailored for credit card purchases. Bear in mind though, that financing with credit cards is rather expensive compared to most of the other financial products. Though using a credit card may be the most comfortable and quick financial option, chances are that it won’t be the cheapest one.
Most banks and financial institutions are offering unsecured personal loans for their customers every day. It may be time to take advantage of these offers. Make sure to compare interest rates first (look especially to the APR which combines all costs in one so you can easily compare). Then analyze what kind of repayment program you would benefit more of. A longer repayment program implies lower monthly payments but higher amounts spent on interests while shorter repayment programs may entail higher monthly payments but the costs of financing will be lower.
If you decide to go for an unsecured personal loan, consider including the amount necessary for taking some lessons, if you are just starting to practice this sport. It isn’t that costly and it can save you a lot of time and hassles.
The requirements for getting approved for an unsecured loan are not that harsh. If you are already a client of the bank or financial institution, chances are that you may have a pre-approved loan available. Otherwise you may have to show proof of employment or income and provide authorization for a short credit verification.
---
Jessica Peterson writes finance articles for Yourloanservices.com where she shares her knowledge about how to get money for a starting-up business, consolidating any kind of debt, repairing a home even with a bad credit history and more.
Dune Surfing in Dubai is a Thrill of a Ride
Dune surfing in Dubai is a unique experience. The big sand dunes are to be found in the southern area of Dubai, near Hatta, and you need wide skis or big snowboards.
Snowboards are best, especially if the base is really hard to give a lot of slip. The problem with sand is that it is not as slippery as snow, and you can tend to sink into it if it is...too soft, but if you find the right sand and a nice big dune, you can get up quite a bit of speed. It’s usually the front of the boards that dip into the sand, and the secret is to lean back so as do dig the heel into the sand.
The sand dunes round Dubai can be from 100 to 300 ft high, and you might think it would be pretty tame compared to snowboarding down big mountains, but nothing is further from the truth. These dunes are really massive and you get a fabulous adrenaline rush just getting to the top in a dune buggy – and that’s before you even strap on the boards! When you look down some of these big dunes its like standing at the top of a massive yellow mountain without a single rock or a single blade of grass – no vegetation whatsoever. Then you set off.
Wow! Who said dune surfing was tame? There’s not a breath of wind, yet if feels like you are in a gale, shooting down an almost vertical slope and it is so surreal. You expect it be snow white rather than sandy yellow, and if you close your eyes it is just like snowboarding only it is so hot! The only problem is getting back to the top again. You really need someone with a dune buggy because it is quite a trek and your feet tend to sink into the sand. Two steps forward and one back sort of thing!
I have no idea how these guys you read about trekking across the desert ever managed it. It is very tiring walking in sand. It’s nothing like a beach, where the sand is wet and compacted. More like walking on a bed of soft dry sponge, if there is such a thing. The dune buggies are fantastic. They shoot up the dunes in no time and are themselves a bit of a thrill. You get a really good view of Dubai and the surrounding area from top of some of the really big guys.
Dune bashing is great fun. That is where you use buggies to shoot up and down the dunes and it can really be stomach-churning when you hit the top and shoot off down the other side. It’s not being able see what’s over the top that gets you. For all you know it could be a massive 1000 foot drop, but these drivers know their stuff and they are obviously well acquainted with the terrain.
Your boards should be wide, to avoid them sinking in the sand, and with a hard base. Formica is a good surface and you should wax them really well for maximum slip since you don’t get as much from sand as you do with snow. It’s still a good surface though, since the sand grains tend roll over each other as though you were surfing on millions of tiny glass balls.
The dunes round Dubai can be at a 45 degree angle or even steeper, but it really is quite an experience. If you fall, the sand is a bit more pleasant to fall into than snow. It’s warmer for a start, and that is something you will have to be careful about. If you are not used to the sun, the temperature can be 40 degrees or more, so make sure you are well protected with sun-blocker.
You are also advised to wear a Bedouin-style scarf round your mouth, nose and ears. The sand can get everywhere and these guys don’t dress as they do for no reason. When in Rome do as the Romans do, and this applies equally in Dubai.
Dune surfing in Dubai provides you with an experience that you will always remember, and if you really want some roller-coaster thrills try a spot of dune bashing with it. It’s a hair-raising thrill of a ride and you must give it a go!
Snowboards are best, especially if the base is really hard to give a lot of slip. The problem with sand is that it is not as slippery as snow, and you can tend to sink into it if it is...too soft, but if you find the right sand and a nice big dune, you can get up quite a bit of speed. It’s usually the front of the boards that dip into the sand, and the secret is to lean back so as do dig the heel into the sand.
The sand dunes round Dubai can be from 100 to 300 ft high, and you might think it would be pretty tame compared to snowboarding down big mountains, but nothing is further from the truth. These dunes are really massive and you get a fabulous adrenaline rush just getting to the top in a dune buggy – and that’s before you even strap on the boards! When you look down some of these big dunes its like standing at the top of a massive yellow mountain without a single rock or a single blade of grass – no vegetation whatsoever. Then you set off.
Wow! Who said dune surfing was tame? There’s not a breath of wind, yet if feels like you are in a gale, shooting down an almost vertical slope and it is so surreal. You expect it be snow white rather than sandy yellow, and if you close your eyes it is just like snowboarding only it is so hot! The only problem is getting back to the top again. You really need someone with a dune buggy because it is quite a trek and your feet tend to sink into the sand. Two steps forward and one back sort of thing!
I have no idea how these guys you read about trekking across the desert ever managed it. It is very tiring walking in sand. It’s nothing like a beach, where the sand is wet and compacted. More like walking on a bed of soft dry sponge, if there is such a thing. The dune buggies are fantastic. They shoot up the dunes in no time and are themselves a bit of a thrill. You get a really good view of Dubai and the surrounding area from top of some of the really big guys.
Dune bashing is great fun. That is where you use buggies to shoot up and down the dunes and it can really be stomach-churning when you hit the top and shoot off down the other side. It’s not being able see what’s over the top that gets you. For all you know it could be a massive 1000 foot drop, but these drivers know their stuff and they are obviously well acquainted with the terrain.
Your boards should be wide, to avoid them sinking in the sand, and with a hard base. Formica is a good surface and you should wax them really well for maximum slip since you don’t get as much from sand as you do with snow. It’s still a good surface though, since the sand grains tend roll over each other as though you were surfing on millions of tiny glass balls.
The dunes round Dubai can be at a 45 degree angle or even steeper, but it really is quite an experience. If you fall, the sand is a bit more pleasant to fall into than snow. It’s warmer for a start, and that is something you will have to be careful about. If you are not used to the sun, the temperature can be 40 degrees or more, so make sure you are well protected with sun-blocker.
You are also advised to wear a Bedouin-style scarf round your mouth, nose and ears. The sand can get everywhere and these guys don’t dress as they do for no reason. When in Rome do as the Romans do, and this applies equally in Dubai.
Dune surfing in Dubai provides you with an experience that you will always remember, and if you really want some roller-coaster thrills try a spot of dune bashing with it. It’s a hair-raising thrill of a ride and you must give it a go!
The Popularity of Surfing
Surfs Up
The popularity of surfing starting growing in the1960's when movies like “Gidget” and “Beach Blanket Bingo” exposed the rest of the world to a sport only known to ‘locals’ who were lucky enough to live near the beach.
Surfing is popular largely because it requires no formal training, a minimum of equipment and can be enjoyed by almost anyone at any age. All you...need is a surfboard, some swimming ability and a nearby beach.
What started out as ‘The Sport of Kings” and was practiced mostly by men has exploded to include women and young girls in increasing numbers. While in the 1960’s through the 1980’s it was unusual to see women in the water you can go to the beach now and see sometimes up to half of the people in the water are female.
While many men enjoy seeing women out in the lineup there are still some who refuse to share the waves with their female counterparts.
There are even surf clothing and surfboard manufacturers who cater specifically to women. Just look at Roxy Clothing and Trixie Surfboards.
Today there are many surfing accessories in use that were not available to surfers of the 1960's such as wetsuits, leashes and rash guards.
Before the advent of wetsuits to keep them warm, many a surfer braved the frigid ocean water, especially in winter, in his bare skin. Now surfers can surf year-round, as well as in places with freezing cold water, and keep warm.
Made of neoprene rubber, a wetsuit fits tightly against the surfer’s skin. It traps a layer of water, which the body warms, then holds it against the skin, keeping the warm water inside of the suit.
More recently neoprene hoods, gloves and booties are used to cover and warm all the extremities as well.
The leash was another welcome addition to the surfing world. Basically a rubber cord that attaches from the fin area of the surfboard to the ankle, a leash keeps a surfer’s board in arm’s reach even after a wipeout so he can quickly retrieve his board without a long swim to shore.
Rash guard shirts were yet another great addition to a surfer’s arsenal. Made from a special lycra material, rash guards are made to be worn in the water and dry very quick. They are light and form fitting for comfort so they don’t get in the way of a surfer’s performance.
Rash guards protect the surfer's body against irritating skin rashes they can get from laying on their surfboard as they paddle or rashes that can occur under their armpits when they wear a wetsuit.
Not only do they protect from skin rashes but they also offer the best UV protection you can get in the water with many providing SPF 150 protection. With the advent of rash guard shirts, surfers could say goodbye to slippery sunscreens that wash off in the water.
These few accessories have made a world of difference to surfers everywhere and made the sport of surfing more accessible and popular to the masses.
You can learn more about rash guards and see them in different styles and colors for men, women and kids at http://www.Buy-Rash-Guards.com
The popularity of surfing starting growing in the1960's when movies like “Gidget” and “Beach Blanket Bingo” exposed the rest of the world to a sport only known to ‘locals’ who were lucky enough to live near the beach.
Surfing is popular largely because it requires no formal training, a minimum of equipment and can be enjoyed by almost anyone at any age. All you...need is a surfboard, some swimming ability and a nearby beach.
What started out as ‘The Sport of Kings” and was practiced mostly by men has exploded to include women and young girls in increasing numbers. While in the 1960’s through the 1980’s it was unusual to see women in the water you can go to the beach now and see sometimes up to half of the people in the water are female.
While many men enjoy seeing women out in the lineup there are still some who refuse to share the waves with their female counterparts.
There are even surf clothing and surfboard manufacturers who cater specifically to women. Just look at Roxy Clothing and Trixie Surfboards.
Today there are many surfing accessories in use that were not available to surfers of the 1960's such as wetsuits, leashes and rash guards.
Before the advent of wetsuits to keep them warm, many a surfer braved the frigid ocean water, especially in winter, in his bare skin. Now surfers can surf year-round, as well as in places with freezing cold water, and keep warm.
Made of neoprene rubber, a wetsuit fits tightly against the surfer’s skin. It traps a layer of water, which the body warms, then holds it against the skin, keeping the warm water inside of the suit.
More recently neoprene hoods, gloves and booties are used to cover and warm all the extremities as well.
The leash was another welcome addition to the surfing world. Basically a rubber cord that attaches from the fin area of the surfboard to the ankle, a leash keeps a surfer’s board in arm’s reach even after a wipeout so he can quickly retrieve his board without a long swim to shore.
Rash guard shirts were yet another great addition to a surfer’s arsenal. Made from a special lycra material, rash guards are made to be worn in the water and dry very quick. They are light and form fitting for comfort so they don’t get in the way of a surfer’s performance.
Rash guards protect the surfer's body against irritating skin rashes they can get from laying on their surfboard as they paddle or rashes that can occur under their armpits when they wear a wetsuit.
Not only do they protect from skin rashes but they also offer the best UV protection you can get in the water with many providing SPF 150 protection. With the advent of rash guard shirts, surfers could say goodbye to slippery sunscreens that wash off in the water.
These few accessories have made a world of difference to surfers everywhere and made the sport of surfing more accessible and popular to the masses.
You can learn more about rash guards and see them in different styles and colors for men, women and kids at http://www.Buy-Rash-Guards.com
Japan Goes Off
When Hurricane Loke crossed the International Date Line, it got everyone on the eastern shore of Japan buzzing: Typhoon 12 was on its way and man she was a big one.
The news programs seemed obsessed with her, giving off their warnings in their usual foreboding way, the elderly people with whom I talked...with, talked of the wind and the rain, many of whom knew I was a surfer and gave me the standard "Kiosukete ne" (be careful). My wife stared at me after the six o'clock evening news and gave me her best, 'do you really have to go surfing' look, and I was straight on the phone with all my surfing buddies, my voice strangely several octaves high with excitement, planning, anticipating and dreaming of the waves to come. The typhoon was big; way off shore and all we could think of was those epic clean lines that would soon be marching towards us from the horizon.
On the morning of September 3rd 2006, I paddled into the line up of my local beach break, Sendai Shinko, along with two of my friends James a fellow Aussie, and Alexei a Russian surfer, the day was a clean if not slightly full 3-4ft we paddled down the beach several hundred meters to the third peak along to avoid the epic crowds that had formed on the "Main peak", all of us agreeing that it was a bit bigger and far better down the line. Japanese surfers in general are very loyal to the "main peak" often surfing it when it's not working rather than driving an extra 20mins to find a clean ride.
The three of us traded off waves getting a few nice ones, the lip crumbling with the high tide, but providing a fair bit of wall to play with. During the lulls we sat together and talked of the swell to come, the general feeling was that Shinko gets big hollow and perfect, but it's a straight beach break, without a boat or ski it's a very daunting place to surf over 8ft, the water rushing out off the beach creates a vortex in the impact zone that neither wants to let you out or in, but being a port break it has great potential as a tow-in spot. A boating lane less than 600meters to the left of the break, which is sizable enough to give way to ocean going ferries, gives easy and direct access to the outer banks which can easily hold epic surf. Unfortunately none of us had the equipment or experience to attempt this. We surfed our peak for three hours or so with around five other surfers tripping out on the mayhem of the main peak, which by 8am was swamped with close to sixty surfers dropping in on each other in packs of five or six per wave. While chilling in the car park after a great session, we decided to head up the coast a few hours The next morning to surf a remote cobble stone reef break known as Gakemiaya.
That night I couldn't sleep, my mind was full of images of the 4-5ft empty right hand reef break that I had only surfed once prior.
The trip north was made by myself, James(Aust.), Danny(Aust), Omar(USA) and Jason (CAN), what a motley crew we make, three Aussies, and American and a Canadian who calls the icy breaks of Nova Scotia home. We all piled into Danny's 8 seater van at 3:30am and made the two hour trek north along tiny back streets of sleepy towns. Reading old surf mags, talking of barrels, the excitement level was maxing. I remember as we pulled up to the rocky car park and got a half a second peak of the waves, Danny turning around, smile ear to ear and saying "Mate, she's cranking". We all dove out of the car like it was on fire, scrambled up the hill to the viewing area, smiling like kids in a candy store, fingers already pointing out to sea in anticipation, the feeling only a surfer knows, but it was short lived.
It was cranking, but it was way out of control, our anticipated hollow right barrel was there but it was made of thick white foam, the place was exploding. The outer reef about one kilometer off shore was epic sending huge walls of white water towards shore with so much force it was reforming onto the inside reef. I stood there thinking those most dreaded of words, "should have been here yesterday". We spent the next twenty minutes pointing and shouting as huge sets closed out on the outer reef, sending spray so high it looked like depth charges going off. Our eyes collectively scouring the length of the bay searching for some little pocket that might be ride able, but we all felt it, we had been skunked! I looked over at Jason and saw a look in his eyes that I was sure I had in mine, pure awe, the force of nature that exploded before us was truly amazing. Now I'm no expert on big waves but if I had to guess I would say the outer reef was some where in the 20ft range, I'm not Hawaiian so probably only 10ft to you guys. (The buoy just off the coast was registering 29ft). After we had all come down from the stoke high the call was made to try a few of the smaller more sheltered bays up and down the coast. We piled back into the car and began the search, but found nothing overly ride able, wrong swell directions etc. It was now about 8am and we headed back to the reef for another look. The tide had come up a ways and we found a wave that looked pretty wild, but ride able, off to the left of the reef, and decided to give it a go, I hit the water first with Jason right behind me and we tried to make it through the closing inside section to little avail, meanwhile Danny, the most experienced of our crew found a nice rip and made his way out, he spent about an hour or so surfing the wild swell solo, with us boys just standing on the shore hooting and hollering for him on every wave; Danny got a few good ones and we called it a day.
That same day, Back at Sendai shinko it was huge, double over and a bit and triple on the sets. Alexei(RUSS), Jerry(NZ) and Dylan(USA) paddled out and joined the few older locals who were game to test themselves against the full fury of typhoon 12 as it was by this time sitting directly off the coast. Also out was ex- WCT pro surfer Danny Melhado. Alexei took a heavy one and snapped his leg rope on the wipeout, calling it a day after a crazy swim to the beach to find his new shape 6"6' fish. Jerry also made the drop on only one wave before deciding he was outmatched, having recently recovered from a slipped disk from an epic session in Typhoon surf a couple of years earlier which kept him out of the water for many months. Dylan took a couple of waves charging hard before joining his buddies on the beach.
While waiting for Jerry and Dylan to come in Alexei saw Danny Melhado ride one mammoth set all the way to the inside closeout, as Danny walked up the beach Alexei asked him if he was going back out, eager to see a pro tear the arse out of another one, to which Danny replied, "Nah, it's pure survival out there" That's how heavy this place can get. If you've seen Taylor Steele's "Drive thru Japan" then you may remember a big hollow beach break that swallowed Machado and co. up, well that was shinko at two thirds of the size we had it during this swell. My hat goes off to my boys for making it out that day.
The next day I couldn't think of anything but waves, I tried to work but I just couldn't, so I blew it off and headed down the beach, one of the few perks of working for your self.
When I got to the beach my first thought was that it was dropping, I saw a perfectly groomed face about 6-8ft where the main peak normally broke, and I started to think about waxing up my board, when the sets came through, I have never seen a wave break that far out at shinko, it stopped my heart. The wave looked so perfect breaking left and right so symmetrically that it seemed to shrink, but it was huge. I watched this perfect wave complete with offshore blow off through the viewfinder of my camera, so entranced by it that the camera seemed to disappear in my hands, Huey the god of swell as we Aussies call him had sent me soaring with stoke, I quickly burnt up two rolls of film then decided that was enough, it was time to just sit and watch this force of nature erupt before me. I sat on the tail gate of my Toyota 4runner for two or three hours with the biggest smile I've had in years, god it's good to be a surfer.
Typhoon 12 blessed us with a few days of clean, off shore 3-4ft waves as it moved northward past us, some of the best surfs I've had. I don't know if I'll ever ride 20ft waves, head to double seems pretty much perfect to me at this point, but before this swell I had no desire to try it. After seeing those waves break over and over in my mind I feel like something has changed, it may take a few years before I attempt big surf, but the seed of temptation is now planted firmly in my mind, who knows huh.
Who knows what it is about surfing that draws us so intensely to it, but it has a hold over me so powerful that I can't function without it. As I sat there and watched those perfect empty waves break around me, I spent some serious time reflecting on my life. I'm not sure what it is about watching empty waves roll through, that makes me so reflective, having never been a religious man I wonder if it's akin to a religious experience. I thought about so many things great and terrible that I have seen and experienced since my first wave 4 years ago. The garbage that litters the coasts of Japan wrecking havoc on it's marine life, the great sea turtle's I've seen in the tens washed up dead on the shores of Sendai, probably dying from mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish, the crowds, the constant drop-ins, a negative man could go on and on, but out of all the things that coursed through my mind that afternoon the one thing that stood out was, how surfing, a mere sport to many people could bring so many people together in friendship, the group of guys I surf with have little in common, but our bond, generated by a mutual love of riding waves is truly a blessing.
The news programs seemed obsessed with her, giving off their warnings in their usual foreboding way, the elderly people with whom I talked...
On the morning of September 3rd 2006, I paddled into the line up of my local beach break, Sendai Shinko, along with two of my friends James a fellow Aussie, and Alexei a Russian surfer, the day was a clean if not slightly full 3-4ft we paddled down the beach several hundred meters to the third peak along to avoid the epic crowds that had formed on the "Main peak", all of us agreeing that it was a bit bigger and far better down the line. Japanese surfers in general are very loyal to the "main peak" often surfing it when it's not working rather than driving an extra 20mins to find a clean ride.
The three of us traded off waves getting a few nice ones, the lip crumbling with the high tide, but providing a fair bit of wall to play with. During the lulls we sat together and talked of the swell to come, the general feeling was that Shinko gets big hollow and perfect, but it's a straight beach break, without a boat or ski it's a very daunting place to surf over 8ft, the water rushing out off the beach creates a vortex in the impact zone that neither wants to let you out or in, but being a port break it has great potential as a tow-in spot. A boating lane less than 600meters to the left of the break, which is sizable enough to give way to ocean going ferries, gives easy and direct access to the outer banks which can easily hold epic surf. Unfortunately none of us had the equipment or experience to attempt this. We surfed our peak for three hours or so with around five other surfers tripping out on the mayhem of the main peak, which by 8am was swamped with close to sixty surfers dropping in on each other in packs of five or six per wave. While chilling in the car park after a great session, we decided to head up the coast a few hours The next morning to surf a remote cobble stone reef break known as Gakemiaya.
That night I couldn't sleep, my mind was full of images of the 4-5ft empty right hand reef break that I had only surfed once prior.
The trip north was made by myself, James(Aust.), Danny(Aust), Omar(USA) and Jason (CAN), what a motley crew we make, three Aussies, and American and a Canadian who calls the icy breaks of Nova Scotia home. We all piled into Danny's 8 seater van at 3:30am and made the two hour trek north along tiny back streets of sleepy towns. Reading old surf mags, talking of barrels, the excitement level was maxing. I remember as we pulled up to the rocky car park and got a half a second peak of the waves, Danny turning around, smile ear to ear and saying "Mate, she's cranking". We all dove out of the car like it was on fire, scrambled up the hill to the viewing area, smiling like kids in a candy store, fingers already pointing out to sea in anticipation, the feeling only a surfer knows, but it was short lived.
It was cranking, but it was way out of control, our anticipated hollow right barrel was there but it was made of thick white foam, the place was exploding. The outer reef about one kilometer off shore was epic sending huge walls of white water towards shore with so much force it was reforming onto the inside reef. I stood there thinking those most dreaded of words, "should have been here yesterday". We spent the next twenty minutes pointing and shouting as huge sets closed out on the outer reef, sending spray so high it looked like depth charges going off. Our eyes collectively scouring the length of the bay searching for some little pocket that might be ride able, but we all felt it, we had been skunked! I looked over at Jason and saw a look in his eyes that I was sure I had in mine, pure awe, the force of nature that exploded before us was truly amazing. Now I'm no expert on big waves but if I had to guess I would say the outer reef was some where in the 20ft range, I'm not Hawaiian so probably only 10ft to you guys. (The buoy just off the coast was registering 29ft). After we had all come down from the stoke high the call was made to try a few of the smaller more sheltered bays up and down the coast. We piled back into the car and began the search, but found nothing overly ride able, wrong swell directions etc. It was now about 8am and we headed back to the reef for another look. The tide had come up a ways and we found a wave that looked pretty wild, but ride able, off to the left of the reef, and decided to give it a go, I hit the water first with Jason right behind me and we tried to make it through the closing inside section to little avail, meanwhile Danny, the most experienced of our crew found a nice rip and made his way out, he spent about an hour or so surfing the wild swell solo, with us boys just standing on the shore hooting and hollering for him on every wave; Danny got a few good ones and we called it a day.
That same day, Back at Sendai shinko it was huge, double over and a bit and triple on the sets. Alexei(RUSS), Jerry(NZ) and Dylan(USA) paddled out and joined the few older locals who were game to test themselves against the full fury of typhoon 12 as it was by this time sitting directly off the coast. Also out was ex- WCT pro surfer Danny Melhado. Alexei took a heavy one and snapped his leg rope on the wipeout, calling it a day after a crazy swim to the beach to find his new shape 6"6' fish. Jerry also made the drop on only one wave before deciding he was outmatched, having recently recovered from a slipped disk from an epic session in Typhoon surf a couple of years earlier which kept him out of the water for many months. Dylan took a couple of waves charging hard before joining his buddies on the beach.
While waiting for Jerry and Dylan to come in Alexei saw Danny Melhado ride one mammoth set all the way to the inside closeout, as Danny walked up the beach Alexei asked him if he was going back out, eager to see a pro tear the arse out of another one, to which Danny replied, "Nah, it's pure survival out there" That's how heavy this place can get. If you've seen Taylor Steele's "Drive thru Japan" then you may remember a big hollow beach break that swallowed Machado and co. up, well that was shinko at two thirds of the size we had it during this swell. My hat goes off to my boys for making it out that day.
The next day I couldn't think of anything but waves, I tried to work but I just couldn't, so I blew it off and headed down the beach, one of the few perks of working for your self.
When I got to the beach my first thought was that it was dropping, I saw a perfectly groomed face about 6-8ft where the main peak normally broke, and I started to think about waxing up my board, when the sets came through, I have never seen a wave break that far out at shinko, it stopped my heart. The wave looked so perfect breaking left and right so symmetrically that it seemed to shrink, but it was huge. I watched this perfect wave complete with offshore blow off through the viewfinder of my camera, so entranced by it that the camera seemed to disappear in my hands, Huey the god of swell as we Aussies call him had sent me soaring with stoke, I quickly burnt up two rolls of film then decided that was enough, it was time to just sit and watch this force of nature erupt before me. I sat on the tail gate of my Toyota 4runner for two or three hours with the biggest smile I've had in years, god it's good to be a surfer.
Typhoon 12 blessed us with a few days of clean, off shore 3-4ft waves as it moved northward past us, some of the best surfs I've had. I don't know if I'll ever ride 20ft waves, head to double seems pretty much perfect to me at this point, but before this swell I had no desire to try it. After seeing those waves break over and over in my mind I feel like something has changed, it may take a few years before I attempt big surf, but the seed of temptation is now planted firmly in my mind, who knows huh.
Who knows what it is about surfing that draws us so intensely to it, but it has a hold over me so powerful that I can't function without it. As I sat there and watched those perfect empty waves break around me, I spent some serious time reflecting on my life. I'm not sure what it is about watching empty waves roll through, that makes me so reflective, having never been a religious man I wonder if it's akin to a religious experience. I thought about so many things great and terrible that I have seen and experienced since my first wave 4 years ago. The garbage that litters the coasts of Japan wrecking havoc on it's marine life, the great sea turtle's I've seen in the tens washed up dead on the shores of Sendai, probably dying from mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish, the crowds, the constant drop-ins, a negative man could go on and on, but out of all the things that coursed through my mind that afternoon the one thing that stood out was, how surfing, a mere sport to many people could bring so many people together in friendship, the group of guys I surf with have little in common, but our bond, generated by a mutual love of riding waves is truly a blessing.
Surfing Wetsuits 101 - How To Pick The Best Wetsuits For Surfing
Winter is a fact of life for many people who enjoy the sport of surfing. However, cold air and water temperatures don't have to stop your sessions! Enter the wetsuit, probably the single biggest invention in surfing since the surfboard itself.
Wetsuits are tight fitting bodysuits made of flexible neoprene rubber. They work by
...trapping a thin layer of water between the neoprene and the skin. The body heats up this water, thus keeping the surfer warm.
When picking out a suit, you're going to want to get one that is specifically designed for surfing. That means seeking out your local surf shop. Don't go to a dive shop or swimming store. Surfing wetsuits are specially made to endure the specific repetitive motions that surfers make when they're out in the ocean. For example, non-surfing suits can have seams in bad places that will cause major rashes when you've been paddling for a few hours.
Wetsuits come in different cuts, from short-sleeve spring suits (or shorties) to fullsuits with hoods. When it gets very cold, booties and gloves are also available. Caps and hoods are also available for suits that don't have them already attached.
Surfers often have a quiver of wetsuits to accompany their quiver of different boards, especially in areas where the seasons change dramatically.
There are a variety of thicknesses from which to choose. From thin 2 mm spring suits, to 2/3 mm fullsuits, 4/3's, 5/4/3's, and 6/5/4's. These numbers reference how thick the neoprene is in millimeters for different areas of the suit. Often the thickest neoprene will be in the torso and thighs, while the thinner areas will be on the arms and calves.
When getting a wetsuit, it's important to set aside a block of time in order to try them on. Each company uses different models and they all have a slightly different fit.
The fit should be snug. Don't buy them too loose or water will be able to freely enter the suit and the insulating effect will be lost. This means you shouldn't buy a kid's suit a few sizes too big so they can grow into it. They might as well not wear a suit at all. The neck is an important area to pay attention to. The collar should be snug so that water doesn't freely enter and exit.
When looking at the pricetag, you do tend to get what you pay for. There are several different makes and models from each company, from budget to luxury. Often the higher priced wetsuits will have all sorts of cool things like sealed seams and improved zippers and entry/exit schemes.
Wetsuits are tight fitting bodysuits made of flexible neoprene rubber. They work by
...trapping a thin layer of water between the neoprene and the skin. The body heats up this water, thus keeping the surfer warm.
When picking out a suit, you're going to want to get one that is specifically designed for surfing. That means seeking out your local surf shop. Don't go to a dive shop or swimming store. Surfing wetsuits are specially made to endure the specific repetitive motions that surfers make when they're out in the ocean. For example, non-surfing suits can have seams in bad places that will cause major rashes when you've been paddling for a few hours.
Wetsuits come in different cuts, from short-sleeve spring suits (or shorties) to fullsuits with hoods. When it gets very cold, booties and gloves are also available. Caps and hoods are also available for suits that don't have them already attached.
Surfers often have a quiver of wetsuits to accompany their quiver of different boards, especially in areas where the seasons change dramatically.
There are a variety of thicknesses from which to choose. From thin 2 mm spring suits, to 2/3 mm fullsuits, 4/3's, 5/4/3's, and 6/5/4's. These numbers reference how thick the neoprene is in millimeters for different areas of the suit. Often the thickest neoprene will be in the torso and thighs, while the thinner areas will be on the arms and calves.
When getting a wetsuit, it's important to set aside a block of time in order to try them on. Each company uses different models and they all have a slightly different fit.
The fit should be snug. Don't buy them too loose or water will be able to freely enter the suit and the insulating effect will be lost. This means you shouldn't buy a kid's suit a few sizes too big so they can grow into it. They might as well not wear a suit at all. The neck is an important area to pay attention to. The collar should be snug so that water doesn't freely enter and exit.
When looking at the pricetag, you do tend to get what you pay for. There are several different makes and models from each company, from budget to luxury. Often the higher priced wetsuits will have all sorts of cool things like sealed seams and improved zippers and entry/exit schemes.
How To Buy A Surf Rack - The Best Surfboard Racks On The Market
Unless you live right next to the beach, getting your surfboard to the shore can be a bit difficult. If you've got an SUV or a pickup truck then life is easy, but if you have a smaller car you'll probably want to invest in some quality surf racks. There are actually a number of different options available for the safe transport of your board.
If you have a small compact car with...no factory racks, you can buy aftermarket hard racks from companies such as Yakima and Thule. They offer racks to fit just about every car. Although they can be a little pricey, if you are an avid surfer then the investment will be worth it.
Another option for those without hard racks-factory or aftermarket-are soft racks. Soft racks are a temporary rack solution made of soft foam that attach to the roof of your car with straps. The boards are then secured to the foam rolls. Soft surf racks are an excellent option if you're traveling and using rental cars. They're also great for when you don't have the money for a more permanent rack solution. Soft racks aren't the most secure rack system out there, so if you're driving around with boards a lot you might want to think about getting a more permanent solution.
If you have a car or SUV with factory racks, then you might want to invest in some rack pads. These are soft foam rolls that attach to the rack crossbars and protect your surfboard from dings and contact with the bars. These are fairly inexpensive, but you will also need to get some straps or cords to tie down the board. Some rack pads come with straps already attached, which can make your life a lot easier.
Another option for those with hard racks is to buy a special surf rack attachment. There are a couple different models to choose from.
In my experience, the Inno Boardlocker rack system is the best option for hard rack attachments. The Boardlocker has an easy to use floating strap system, which ratchets down and then locks to keep your surfboards secure from thieves. No more worrying about someone running off with your boards while you're not by your car. The Boardlocker has plenty of room for several boards stacked on top of each other. It is also compatible with just about every factory and aftermarket rack system out there.
Another hard rack system is the Thule Hang Two. This is a popular rack system that is easy to use and fairly cheap, and is also compatible with factory racks. It is designed for up to two boards, however it doesn't have a locking mechanism like the Boardlocker.
The Gatekeeper is another locking rack that also has a version for pickup trucks. The Gatekeeper has gotten good reviews, however it can only store one board, so it's a bit limited.
If you're in the market to buy a surf rack, think about how many boards you like to take around with you, what your budget is, and what features you'd like. Also consider versatility if you're into other sports like kayaking and fishing.
If you have a small compact car with...no factory racks, you can buy aftermarket hard racks from companies such as Yakima and Thule. They offer racks to fit just about every car. Although they can be a little pricey, if you are an avid surfer then the investment will be worth it.
Another option for those without hard racks-factory or aftermarket-are soft racks. Soft racks are a temporary rack solution made of soft foam that attach to the roof of your car with straps. The boards are then secured to the foam rolls. Soft surf racks are an excellent option if you're traveling and using rental cars. They're also great for when you don't have the money for a more permanent rack solution. Soft racks aren't the most secure rack system out there, so if you're driving around with boards a lot you might want to think about getting a more permanent solution.
If you have a car or SUV with factory racks, then you might want to invest in some rack pads. These are soft foam rolls that attach to the rack crossbars and protect your surfboard from dings and contact with the bars. These are fairly inexpensive, but you will also need to get some straps or cords to tie down the board. Some rack pads come with straps already attached, which can make your life a lot easier.
Another option for those with hard racks is to buy a special surf rack attachment. There are a couple different models to choose from.
In my experience, the Inno Boardlocker rack system is the best option for hard rack attachments. The Boardlocker has an easy to use floating strap system, which ratchets down and then locks to keep your surfboards secure from thieves. No more worrying about someone running off with your boards while you're not by your car. The Boardlocker has plenty of room for several boards stacked on top of each other. It is also compatible with just about every factory and aftermarket rack system out there.
Another hard rack system is the Thule Hang Two. This is a popular rack system that is easy to use and fairly cheap, and is also compatible with factory racks. It is designed for up to two boards, however it doesn't have a locking mechanism like the Boardlocker.
The Gatekeeper is another locking rack that also has a version for pickup trucks. The Gatekeeper has gotten good reviews, however it can only store one board, so it's a bit limited.
If you're in the market to buy a surf rack, think about how many boards you like to take around with you, what your budget is, and what features you'd like. Also consider versatility if you're into other sports like kayaking and fishing.
How To Build A Wakeboard Pylon
My family had always loved wakeboarding, and after finding out how to make a wakeboard pylon for our wakeboards, it turned into our favorite weekend activity. Using it made it much more fun by allowing easier starts, and better jumps.
Initially, when I had just heard of a "wakeboard pylon", I got the impression that this was just another sales hype. However, after a wakeboarding trip with a friend, who had a pylon attached to the board, I realized that I would do any thing to know how to make a wakeboard pylon myself.
Among the various kinds of wakeboard pylons, you may use the stiff and smart looking, two-piece, stainless steel units. They are easy to discard when not in use.
Before you start, you must first get your design goals straight. You must aim to make one that can be quickly installed, and removed, taking care that when you do now use it no hardware is visible.
While making a wakeboard pylon, retain space to mount the pylon in front of the engine, above the fins.
For air, place the pull point 7 feet above, mounting it rigidly for the large wake-boarders.
Before you start learning how to make a it, you must also make up your mind to place it between the middle seat and the engine hatch. Ensure that it has a rigid bottom mounting point.
To make a it, you build your deck frame including in it a big box beam. On the right hand side, the deck frame should be the lowest piece. As you look down the opening, you should be able to understand how to make a wakeboard pylon by checking out the thickness of your reinforced deck.
Next, you coat the box with epoxy, or seal it off. The pylon fits into 80 PVC pipes. You can make the tube from old cloth, two layers thick. Plant it at right, wrapping it in wax and ordinary paper. Attach it at the deck opening, so that it acts as a watertight seal for the inner part of the 5x6 inches long box beam.
Now cut the opening for the pylon with the hole saw while looking through the opening with the beam bottom.
You should build the pylon bracket in three sections. Mount the left and right portions onto the stringers carefully bolting the stringers using the same bolts, which join the stringer and the frame.
Next add a block to the uprights supporting the crosspiece.
The bracket should be 6" wide, made from 4/4 ash stock. Then you stick them together, making two holes on the top for mounting crosspiece bolts.
You can make the crosspiece from more ash and drill it.
Finish it with a stainless steel plate, and you know now how to make a wakeboard pylon, which is ready for you to use!
2008 Surfboard Models
More and more models have surfaced since the first wooden surf board made of koa wood by the Hawaiians. They have diverse shapes, colors, made of a mixture of materials with additional pieces like fins or leashes attached, depending on the situations.
There is one thing that hasn't changed since the beginning or surfing andthat is the shaping of the board. Even the modern board is hand shaped by professionals after they have been molded into a rough shape. They basically make them out of polyurethane foam and cover it with fiberglass and resin. Recently, boards made of balsa and polystyrene cores have increasingly become more popular. The majority of them have between 2 and 5 kg in weight. In recent years one or more fins have been added to enhance directionality and stability.
Generally, modern surfboard can be either longboards - of eight or more feet - or shortboards - of 5 to 7 feet. Longboard are thicker and wider, with a more rounded nose while short board are shorter, thinner with a more pointed nose, usually easier to maneuver. Shortboard are also known as "Thrusters" and tend to have 3 fins - although a surfer can choose to attach as many fin as he wants to his board. Other types of surfboard are Gun, Fish, Egg, hydrofoils or fun-boards.
The Gun surfboard is especially designed for paddling easier in the big waves and has from 7 to 12 feet in length. It is thin with a single fin, making it look like a shortboard in shape but with a longboard's size. The Fish surfboard is very short and has less than 6 feet in length, with twin fin set up. It has developed in other models like Skip Frye, Steve Brom and Rich Pavel, which are best used for small waves. The Egg surfboard is a hybrid of 6 to 8 feet in length has tail shape and a rounded nose for smaller waves, as well. This isn't the best choices for doing tricks or displaying major performance but it surely is a lot of fun. That is why it's highly recommended to beginners.
Longboard are single finned and can reach 12 feet. Some of them are called noseriders because they allow the surfer to walk to the tip and do what is called "nose ride". The most popular longboard is called Malibu (or Mal) and there are also Mini Mals. The most impressive longboard are the Olos, which can reach 14 feet and are made of wood, weighing 32 kg.
Funboards are very flexible to stabilize and have more floatation than a shortboard. They are midsized, suitable for beginner or amateurs. For beginners a Malibu board is the best option - if you choose to go to a surfing school you will most likely star with this one, also called a Foamie surfboard. A Pop-out board is a good alternative to a cheaper surfboard that floats very well.
Find your favourite info here:
Learn How to Surf
Trout Fishing
2008 Classic Car Insurance
There is one thing that hasn't changed since the beginning or surfing andthat is the shaping of the board. Even the modern board is hand shaped by professionals after they have been molded into a rough shape. They basically make them out of polyurethane foam and cover it with fiberglass and resin. Recently, boards made of balsa and polystyrene cores have increasingly become more popular. The majority of them have between 2 and 5 kg in weight. In recent years one or more fins have been added to enhance directionality and stability.
Generally, modern surfboard can be either longboards - of eight or more feet - or shortboards - of 5 to 7 feet. Longboard are thicker and wider, with a more rounded nose while short board are shorter, thinner with a more pointed nose, usually easier to maneuver. Shortboard are also known as "Thrusters" and tend to have 3 fins - although a surfer can choose to attach as many fin as he wants to his board. Other types of surfboard are Gun, Fish, Egg, hydrofoils or fun-boards.
The Gun surfboard is especially designed for paddling easier in the big waves and has from 7 to 12 feet in length. It is thin with a single fin, making it look like a shortboard in shape but with a longboard's size. The Fish surfboard is very short and has less than 6 feet in length, with twin fin set up. It has developed in other models like Skip Frye, Steve Brom and Rich Pavel, which are best used for small waves. The Egg surfboard is a hybrid of 6 to 8 feet in length has tail shape and a rounded nose for smaller waves, as well. This isn't the best choices for doing tricks or displaying major performance but it surely is a lot of fun. That is why it's highly recommended to beginners.
Longboard are single finned and can reach 12 feet. Some of them are called noseriders because they allow the surfer to walk to the tip and do what is called "nose ride". The most popular longboard is called Malibu (or Mal) and there are also Mini Mals. The most impressive longboard are the Olos, which can reach 14 feet and are made of wood, weighing 32 kg.
Funboards are very flexible to stabilize and have more floatation than a shortboard. They are midsized, suitable for beginner or amateurs. For beginners a Malibu board is the best option - if you choose to go to a surfing school you will most likely star with this one, also called a Foamie surfboard. A Pop-out board is a good alternative to a cheaper surfboard that floats very well.
Find your favourite info here:
Learn How to Surf
Trout Fishing
2008 Classic Car Insurance
The Rules Of Surfing
These are the guidelines you should always follow while surfing. I have written them with the intention of keeping you all safe. They are all relevant, and will not only keep you safe but may stop you from injuring others or damaging your own equipment. Always follow these rules...no exceptions!
Rules of Surfing:
Don't Drink and Surf. Surfing while drunk is not a good idea. Or drugs for that matter. Save the drinking for after your surf. It's much safer and much more rewarding. It gives you something to look forward to after your surf and keeps you steady on your feet. Not only that but you can always talk it up with your mates over a few cold ones after.
Be Aware. You must always be aware of other surfers and water users, the surf conditions, and of where you are surfing. Surfing in familiar territory always helps.
Comfort Zone. Always stay within your comfort zone. Don't push yourself too far, especially when starting out and learning to surf. This is one of the most important rules! Always stay in waves you are comfortable in and if in doubt, stay out.
Strength and Fitness. Make sure you are a strong enough paddler and are physically fit enough to surf. Get fit and spend time in the pool if you need to. You may need all the strength you have at some stage.
Don't Eat and Surf. You don't want to sink. Don't make the mistake of eating and surfing. Allow at least 45 minutes from the time you last ate before going out.
Know When to Bail. Know when to hold onto your surfboard and when to bail out. If you are paddling out then keep hold of your board, you'll get out back to the line up more quickly and you will not put anyone paddling out behind you at risk. If you are about to wipe-out then get rid of your board. You are far more likely to sustain an injury if you and your board are getting washed around together.
Patrolled Beaches. If you are surfing on a patrolled beach make sure that you keep within the designated surfing area. Take note of where you should be surfing before you go out, and make sure you stick to it when you are out. You don't want to endanger others.
Don't Drop In. Never take someone else's wave. This is basic surfing etiquette and will save you a lot of trouble. Especially if you are surfing someone else's beach. The general rule is, the surfer closest to the breaking part of the wave has control of the wave. Hence the term "dropping in". In surfing contests, dropping in is heavily penalized. People often react very badly to being dropped in on. It is dangerous.
Practice makes Perfect. If you want to improve then you need to be in the water surfing as much as you can. No-one got any better at anything by staying home and watching TV. Non-surfing activities are also great for fitness which will always help your surfing.
Respect. Respect the locals if you are visiting a beach. Remember that you are a guest and that waves should be shared. Also, always respect visitors to your beach. Sharing waves keeps everyone happy.
Rips. Hopefully you already know that a rip is a strong current that (generally) goes straight out to sea. If caught in one, DO NOT panic. Paddle across the rip untill you have escaped. You must know how to spot a rip before ever attempting to surf.
Sun. The sun is much stronger when out surfing as it not only hits you from above, but also reflects off the water. The sun will tire you out and dehydrate you. The sun will burn you. Always wear sun-block.
Never Surf Alone. Always surf with someone else. Especially when learning. The ocean can be very dangerous and unpredictable. You have more fun surfing with someone else, always have someone to talk to and most importantly "proof" that you scored the waves you tell everyone about!
Surf Conditions. Make sure that the surf is safe before you go in. If you are going surfing at a spot you are unfamiliar with it is a good idea to get some advice from a local. Check out the surf spot while warming up.
Warm-up. Always have a quick warm-up and stretch before entering the surf. This will reduce the risk of muscle injury or cramp whilst you are surfing. It also gives you time to check for any rips or where the best spot to catch waves is.
These rules of surfing should be followed by all surfers at all times. More surfing information including How To Surf can be found at http://howtosurf.blogspot.com - a must visit for all surfers and beginner surfers alike.
Rules of Surfing:
Don't Drink and Surf. Surfing while drunk is not a good idea. Or drugs for that matter. Save the drinking for after your surf. It's much safer and much more rewarding. It gives you something to look forward to after your surf and keeps you steady on your feet. Not only that but you can always talk it up with your mates over a few cold ones after.
Be Aware. You must always be aware of other surfers and water users, the surf conditions, and of where you are surfing. Surfing in familiar territory always helps.
Comfort Zone. Always stay within your comfort zone. Don't push yourself too far, especially when starting out and learning to surf. This is one of the most important rules! Always stay in waves you are comfortable in and if in doubt, stay out.
Strength and Fitness. Make sure you are a strong enough paddler and are physically fit enough to surf. Get fit and spend time in the pool if you need to. You may need all the strength you have at some stage.
Don't Eat and Surf. You don't want to sink. Don't make the mistake of eating and surfing. Allow at least 45 minutes from the time you last ate before going out.
Know When to Bail. Know when to hold onto your surfboard and when to bail out. If you are paddling out then keep hold of your board, you'll get out back to the line up more quickly and you will not put anyone paddling out behind you at risk. If you are about to wipe-out then get rid of your board. You are far more likely to sustain an injury if you and your board are getting washed around together.
Patrolled Beaches. If you are surfing on a patrolled beach make sure that you keep within the designated surfing area. Take note of where you should be surfing before you go out, and make sure you stick to it when you are out. You don't want to endanger others.
Don't Drop In. Never take someone else's wave. This is basic surfing etiquette and will save you a lot of trouble. Especially if you are surfing someone else's beach. The general rule is, the surfer closest to the breaking part of the wave has control of the wave. Hence the term "dropping in". In surfing contests, dropping in is heavily penalized. People often react very badly to being dropped in on. It is dangerous.
Practice makes Perfect. If you want to improve then you need to be in the water surfing as much as you can. No-one got any better at anything by staying home and watching TV. Non-surfing activities are also great for fitness which will always help your surfing.
Respect. Respect the locals if you are visiting a beach. Remember that you are a guest and that waves should be shared. Also, always respect visitors to your beach. Sharing waves keeps everyone happy.
Rips. Hopefully you already know that a rip is a strong current that (generally) goes straight out to sea. If caught in one, DO NOT panic. Paddle across the rip untill you have escaped. You must know how to spot a rip before ever attempting to surf.
Sun. The sun is much stronger when out surfing as it not only hits you from above, but also reflects off the water. The sun will tire you out and dehydrate you. The sun will burn you. Always wear sun-block.
Never Surf Alone. Always surf with someone else. Especially when learning. The ocean can be very dangerous and unpredictable. You have more fun surfing with someone else, always have someone to talk to and most importantly "proof" that you scored the waves you tell everyone about!
Surf Conditions. Make sure that the surf is safe before you go in. If you are going surfing at a spot you are unfamiliar with it is a good idea to get some advice from a local. Check out the surf spot while warming up.
Warm-up. Always have a quick warm-up and stretch before entering the surf. This will reduce the risk of muscle injury or cramp whilst you are surfing. It also gives you time to check for any rips or where the best spot to catch waves is.
These rules of surfing should be followed by all surfers at all times. More surfing information including How To Surf can be found at http://howtosurf.blogspot.com - a must visit for all surfers and beginner surfers alike.
Surfing - Learn to Long Board in Six Easy Steps
So, you've sat on the beach watching all those cool surf dudes dancing around on the waves and you really want to get out there and join them. A good place to start is on a long board, you can hop up on greater variety of waves and you'll feel a whole lot more stable than on a short board. Get to grips with surfing the long board and you'll soon be gagging for more. Read on for a guide on how to get started...Step one
You can hire a long board form a local surf shop, they should be able to help you match the board to your body size. Rent for half a day or a day, or longer if you have time. Practice makes perfect after all. Depending on where you are surfing and the time of year you might just want to hire a wet suit too, we don't want you getting to cold now do we, you are going to be in the water a lot after all....
Step two
When you get to the waters edge strap you board to your back ankle. Hopefully you know which your back foot is going to be. Left foot forward is a regular stance; right foot forward is a goofy stance. A good way to find out if you are regular or goofy foot is to put on some socks and run then slide along on a hard shiny floor, whichever foot you naturally put forward will be your front foot on a surf board...
Step three
To start with you need to get used to the board, find some calm water near the shore, lie down on the board and paddle around. Get used to the balance and weight distribution necessary to get the board gliding around with the least amount of effort.
Step four
OK you ready to hit the waves, but only the little foamy breakers. Paddle further out to where the small waves are breaking and you're in the rolling foam. Point your board back towards the shore. When you see the next wave coming, paddle hard, keeping the board pointing forwards. Don't be surprised if to end up in the drink a few times before you get the hang of this, but you should soon get the balance issues sorted and you'll know when you've caught the wave right as you'll be able to ride it all the way to the shore.
Step five
Now you've learned how to catch a wave lying on your stomach its time to start standing up. You should know by now at what point the wave is carrying you without you having to paddle, this is the time to pop up onto your feet as smoothly and quickly as possible. Get up as soon as you can as you'll have better stability the faster you are going.
Step six
Practice as much as you can without drowning, as you progress you will be able to start catching the small waves before they break. You will be able to learn how to make the board go faster and slower by moving your weight around on the board and as you get better you should be able to turn your board 'down the line' in the direction the wave is breaking. When you can do that you are well on the way to becoming a surf dude.
Steve Batchelor is a Extreme Sports enthusiast and the webmaster at www.extremesportguides.com where you can find some great information on many different extreme sports. He also recommends infogoldmine for more info on extreme sports as well as many other subjects.
You can hire a long board form a local surf shop, they should be able to help you match the board to your body size. Rent for half a day or a day, or longer if you have time. Practice makes perfect after all. Depending on where you are surfing and the time of year you might just want to hire a wet suit too, we don't want you getting to cold now do we, you are going to be in the water a lot after all....
Step two
When you get to the waters edge strap you board to your back ankle. Hopefully you know which your back foot is going to be. Left foot forward is a regular stance; right foot forward is a goofy stance. A good way to find out if you are regular or goofy foot is to put on some socks and run then slide along on a hard shiny floor, whichever foot you naturally put forward will be your front foot on a surf board...
Step three
To start with you need to get used to the board, find some calm water near the shore, lie down on the board and paddle around. Get used to the balance and weight distribution necessary to get the board gliding around with the least amount of effort.
Step four
OK you ready to hit the waves, but only the little foamy breakers. Paddle further out to where the small waves are breaking and you're in the rolling foam. Point your board back towards the shore. When you see the next wave coming, paddle hard, keeping the board pointing forwards. Don't be surprised if to end up in the drink a few times before you get the hang of this, but you should soon get the balance issues sorted and you'll know when you've caught the wave right as you'll be able to ride it all the way to the shore.
Step five
Now you've learned how to catch a wave lying on your stomach its time to start standing up. You should know by now at what point the wave is carrying you without you having to paddle, this is the time to pop up onto your feet as smoothly and quickly as possible. Get up as soon as you can as you'll have better stability the faster you are going.
Step six
Practice as much as you can without drowning, as you progress you will be able to start catching the small waves before they break. You will be able to learn how to make the board go faster and slower by moving your weight around on the board and as you get better you should be able to turn your board 'down the line' in the direction the wave is breaking. When you can do that you are well on the way to becoming a surf dude.
Steve Batchelor is a Extreme Sports enthusiast and the webmaster at www.extremesportguides.com where you can find some great information on many different extreme sports. He also recommends infogoldmine for more info on extreme sports as well as many other subjects.
Surfing Tips For The Holiday Tidal Wave Frenzy
Its official, the tidal wave is coming, all the media Giants, mega-stores and all the retail in your area are unleashing their Campaigns to help you find Happiness. The ads and images beckon us to Feel enticed - as if you need to have this - indeed you must buy, do, or have this OR your life won't be as bright, successful, or enjoyable without this...We are bombarded with cultural images of family, light, obligation and feeling "happy" to unleash your enjoyment and longing.
Where are you in this frenzy of have-tos, need-tos and want- tos? The season is about light, the diminishing of it as the day light get shorter and shorter, and the celebrations are for the return or keeping of the light.
The Key to surfing those Zenith waves of frenzy and stewarding your own divine light is staying in touch with your own Knowing and listening to deep inner guidance. This process of staying in center will allow you to Know what you really want.
How do you stay in center with all the things that are to be done? Take a few moments each day to check in and consciously connect with yourself. Here are 5 Tips to help you Surf and Savor and steward the bright divine light within while in living daily life.
First, in order to create more of what you want you must be with yourself more. No, I'm not talking about running away into the dessert for time away (though it may be a great fantasy to entertain)(see the next blog for how-tos)
I'm talking about being with yourself all throughout each day. To check in - take a deep breath. Make time for you in-between the doing all the activities. Its really very simple, start by letting the phone ring 3 times before answering. While listening to the rings - take several deep breaths - and smile, before you answer the phone.
Whenever we smile we create joy hormones in our system - we begin to have more happiness hormones available to us. Many of us are out of practice and by practicing over time your body will actually make more receptor sites to allow the happy hormones to dock (so you feel even happier over time). So this is one to practice. practice. practice.
This small step of these- mini-breaks - mini times of centering - gives you time for you while still doing your daily tasks. Next as part of making time for you, take a breath and smile each time you send an email and each time you open an email. And, when you stop at every traffic signal. Really take a cleansing breath and smile. It will help the commute be more relaxing.
Instigating one or more of those three daily time, will give you lots of time each day to be with your true Self and listen to your deep Knowing.
Tip two - plan what you want, NOT what you don't. Actually ask yourself - What 3 things would you really enjoy doing? Write them down - really write them down on your calendar and schedule them. Don't skip them - they are you tethers to hold you in contact with true wonder and joy.
What song or ideas do you need to develop to do your holidays or non-holidays in the best way possible? Put time to do these on your calendar.
This is the time of year to fully charge your batteries - charging your heart with what brings it nourishment. Do as many of the things that you want to do and that feed your spirit as you can truly savor and let go of all the rest.
Third Key tip, ask for help. Where in your life do you need more information or guidance or just plain help with daily tasks? So many people try to get it all done alone and forget to ask for help. Where can you get help in your life?
Get a friend to come and help you hang those pictures on the wall. For errand help, hire a neighborhood stay- at- home Mom to do your grocery shopping. She can do it when she goes to the store and make some extra cash. And you don't have to take the time to go or fight the crowds and traffic, AND you get well picked produce and products delivered to you door.(this adds several hours to your week and doesn't waste you life force).
Work out a Trade of consultation with colleague that has expertise you could use.
Fourth Key Tip, Turn your have-tos and drudgeries into games or add levity in some way. What have you been putting off doing? How could you approach it in a childlike or light manner to help you to just get it done? Set a timer and see how much you can do in only 5 minutes. Doing this a few times will get a whole 15 minutes of work done.
OR set the timer and challenge yourself -see how many items you can de-clutter in less than 5 minutes. Add to it by putting on your favorite get-moving music to keep you flowing.
The Fifth Key Tip to keep you surfing, Take care of the basics. Yes the basics are always in need of care. Get enough sleep. Drink enough water. Eat healthy food. Take 5 minutes to plan how to cover your basics. Do you need a new water bottle or water filtration system? Do you need to set a new bedtime? Can you prepare ahead and freeze meals so you can eat well without preparation hassle OR better yet work out a trade - help a neighbor with a project ( could be you are going to make cookies for holidays so you make double batches) in exchange for 1 cooked meal per week for the month.
There are lots of different ways to set up your life so you can cover the basics. Be creative and be consistent with checking to make sure these get covered.
Here is the 5 Key Re-Cap. 1) Be With Yourself Regular - Quick Mini - Breaks are great! 2) Plan Now What You Want - leave off those things you don't enjoy; 3) Get Help Getting it Done; 4) Add Levity and Fun to Must-Do Tasks; 5) Take Care of the Basics.
Wishing you all the best in savoring and stewarding your light to make this the best holiday ever.
Wishing you all best bright blessings of the season, and great joy in whatever you plan this season,
Katherine Wright Desai
Katherine Wright Desai, Ph.D. is a Energy and Spiritual Psychologist. She teaches lightworkers skills and methods for working with intuition, inner wisdom, and teams of angels and spirit guides to joyfully thrive and Be all you are Capable of Becoming - living the Light of the Truth that you Are - Your Soul Fire. See her free resources and events at http://www.Vitability.com
Where are you in this frenzy of have-tos, need-tos and want- tos? The season is about light, the diminishing of it as the day light get shorter and shorter, and the celebrations are for the return or keeping of the light.
The Key to surfing those Zenith waves of frenzy and stewarding your own divine light is staying in touch with your own Knowing and listening to deep inner guidance. This process of staying in center will allow you to Know what you really want.
How do you stay in center with all the things that are to be done? Take a few moments each day to check in and consciously connect with yourself. Here are 5 Tips to help you Surf and Savor and steward the bright divine light within while in living daily life.
First, in order to create more of what you want you must be with yourself more. No, I'm not talking about running away into the dessert for time away (though it may be a great fantasy to entertain)(see the next blog for how-tos)
I'm talking about being with yourself all throughout each day. To check in - take a deep breath. Make time for you in-between the doing all the activities. Its really very simple, start by letting the phone ring 3 times before answering. While listening to the rings - take several deep breaths - and smile, before you answer the phone.
Whenever we smile we create joy hormones in our system - we begin to have more happiness hormones available to us. Many of us are out of practice and by practicing over time your body will actually make more receptor sites to allow the happy hormones to dock (so you feel even happier over time). So this is one to practice. practice. practice.
This small step of these- mini-breaks - mini times of centering - gives you time for you while still doing your daily tasks. Next as part of making time for you, take a breath and smile each time you send an email and each time you open an email. And, when you stop at every traffic signal. Really take a cleansing breath and smile. It will help the commute be more relaxing.
Instigating one or more of those three daily time, will give you lots of time each day to be with your true Self and listen to your deep Knowing.
Tip two - plan what you want, NOT what you don't. Actually ask yourself - What 3 things would you really enjoy doing? Write them down - really write them down on your calendar and schedule them. Don't skip them - they are you tethers to hold you in contact with true wonder and joy.
What song or ideas do you need to develop to do your holidays or non-holidays in the best way possible? Put time to do these on your calendar.
This is the time of year to fully charge your batteries - charging your heart with what brings it nourishment. Do as many of the things that you want to do and that feed your spirit as you can truly savor and let go of all the rest.
Third Key tip, ask for help. Where in your life do you need more information or guidance or just plain help with daily tasks? So many people try to get it all done alone and forget to ask for help. Where can you get help in your life?
Get a friend to come and help you hang those pictures on the wall. For errand help, hire a neighborhood stay- at- home Mom to do your grocery shopping. She can do it when she goes to the store and make some extra cash. And you don't have to take the time to go or fight the crowds and traffic, AND you get well picked produce and products delivered to you door.(this adds several hours to your week and doesn't waste you life force).
Work out a Trade of consultation with colleague that has expertise you could use.
Fourth Key Tip, Turn your have-tos and drudgeries into games or add levity in some way. What have you been putting off doing? How could you approach it in a childlike or light manner to help you to just get it done? Set a timer and see how much you can do in only 5 minutes. Doing this a few times will get a whole 15 minutes of work done.
OR set the timer and challenge yourself -see how many items you can de-clutter in less than 5 minutes. Add to it by putting on your favorite get-moving music to keep you flowing.
The Fifth Key Tip to keep you surfing, Take care of the basics. Yes the basics are always in need of care. Get enough sleep. Drink enough water. Eat healthy food. Take 5 minutes to plan how to cover your basics. Do you need a new water bottle or water filtration system? Do you need to set a new bedtime? Can you prepare ahead and freeze meals so you can eat well without preparation hassle OR better yet work out a trade - help a neighbor with a project ( could be you are going to make cookies for holidays so you make double batches) in exchange for 1 cooked meal per week for the month.
There are lots of different ways to set up your life so you can cover the basics. Be creative and be consistent with checking to make sure these get covered.
Here is the 5 Key Re-Cap. 1) Be With Yourself Regular - Quick Mini - Breaks are great! 2) Plan Now What You Want - leave off those things you don't enjoy; 3) Get Help Getting it Done; 4) Add Levity and Fun to Must-Do Tasks; 5) Take Care of the Basics.
Wishing you all the best in savoring and stewarding your light to make this the best holiday ever.
Wishing you all best bright blessings of the season, and great joy in whatever you plan this season,
Katherine Wright Desai
Katherine Wright Desai, Ph.D. is a Energy and Spiritual Psychologist. She teaches lightworkers skills and methods for working with intuition, inner wisdom, and teams of angels and spirit guides to joyfully thrive and Be all you are Capable of Becoming - living the Light of the Truth that you Are - Your Soul Fire. See her free resources and events at http://www.Vitability.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)