As surfers, we are closely connected with the environment. While the ocean may seem vast, our actions affect it greatly. The ways which surfers pollute the ocean are sometimes obvious, but so often ignored.

We all apply generous amounts of wax on our boards each session, only to have to reapply the next time. When you stop and think about it, its destination is obvious. When 20 million surfers commit the same act, the effects accumulate significantly. Sunscreen is also applied and rinsed off on a daily basis, eventually killing coral reefs.
Surfing equipment is mostly disposable and usually toxic. Fiberglass surfboards are extremely fragile and need to be replaced frequently. It’s not uncommon for a professional surfer to use a board for less than a week before discarding it. Every time a new board is shaped and glassed, large amounts of Volatile Organic Chemicals are released into the environment, which contaminate groundwater.

Wetsuits are similarly disposable. If you’re lucky, a high quality wetsuit might last a few years. Neoprene suits inevitably break down, usually at the seams, which diminishes their usefulness. Currently, wetsuits cannot be made using natural materials. Toxic solvents and glues are used in the laminating process and neoprene is typically made from petroleum.

With a few simple choices, we can turn everything around. There are natural waxes, sunscreens without harmful ingredients, surfboards which emit far less VOCs and last much longer, and wetsuits that are more durable and made with fewer chemicals. By choosing responsible products, we can minimize our own impact and persuade producers to become more sustainable.

For more information visit Green Surf Shop.

Soft Tops are the best to learn on.

What to Expect
So, what should you expect for your first beginner surf lesson? First of all, surf lessons (and surfing) should always be fun! If you are able to laugh at yourself (even the naturally athletic may be humbled by a couple of not-so-graceful wipe-outs), you are right on track. Surf lessons are typically 2 hours and should be at a maximum ratio of 5:1 (5 students to 1 instructor.)

At the beginning of your surf lesson, your surf instructor will do a brief check-in and introduction. After the intros, it time for a land lesson. Your class time on the beach will include things like safety, ocean awareness, anatomy of a surfboard and last but not least, surf etiquette – all critical to having fun once you hit the water. On the land, you’ll also receive instruction on how to pop up on a surfboard, how to ride the surfboard, and how to safely end your ride.

After your land lesson, is the time you’ve been waiting for – time to hit the ocean! This is where the true test lies, so hopefully you have paid attention to your surf instructor. Once in the water, the surf instructor will corral you in a group and call you over one at a time. During your turn, your instructor will watch for the perfect wave, and once it is coming, he/she will give you a slight push (I call it a love pat) into the wave. This is when the fun begins! Once you feel the push, it’s time to pop-up and enjoy the ride. Nothing beats your first wave!

How to Surf in Seven Easy Steps

Pearling-
Problem: When the nose of the surfboard gets buried in the water and you pitch forward.

Solution: You may be too far forward. Try lying a little further back on your board.
As the wave starts to take you, arch your back a little to put more weight on your legs / thighs.

The wave passes you by or you miss the wave-
Problem: You aren’t catching any waves.

Solution: You may be too far back on the board. Try shifting your weight a little farther forward (but watch out for pearling). It may take a bit of time to find the sweet spot on your board, not too far forward or too far back. You only want the nose of your board a couple of inches out of the water.
Start paddling earlier so you have more speed when the wave reaches you.
Paddle faster and keep paddling until the wave has passed.

Pictured- Soft Top boards with a protection fin

A great indicator of what your first board purchase should be, has a lot to do with how often you will be surfing. Soft tops or foamies (pictured above) are ideal for never-ever’s or beginners. They are easy to surf, buoyant and you won’t get discouraged as you will be catching a lot of waves (even on your very first day!). However, soft tops aren’t ideal for an adult who has fallen in love with the sport and wishes to do it more than once or twice a year. Typically, an adult would outgrow their  soft top surfboard. This brings us to epoxy boards which make an excellent board for a newbie. Epoxy boards are in between a Soft Top and a Fiber Glass board with a thick coating of foam around the fiberglass. Not only are these boards virtually indestructible, they are also a great training board to take a complete beginner to an intermediate level. After you graduate from an epoxy board, your next board purchase will be a fiber glass board. These certainly get dinged up easily and are not buoyant like the soft top or epoxy board. Fiber glass boards are recommended for intermediate surfers and higher. Hope this helps! Catch a wave today, even if only in your mind.

Soft Tops are the best surfboards to learn on.

The Surfboard

The surfboard is the essential piece of surfing equipment. You can’t surf without it. But what is the real difference between a soft top surfboard and a fiberglass board (or hard top)?

If you’ve ever had surfing lessons with a surf school, you already have a good idea of what a soft surfboard is. Pictured above, think of a soft, pliable foam that is similar to a boogie board but long like a surfboard. Soft Tops are incredibly buoyant and helps beginners catch waves more easily.

The difference between a traditional fiberglass board and a soft top surfboard is that the regular fiberglass has a hard outer shell unlike the foamy shell soft tops have. You also need wax for a fiberglass board to maintain traction while surfing.

Check out next week’s post: What kind of Surfboard should I buy?

India’s First Multi-Purpose Reef Goes Off from ASR Limited on Vimeo.

Make’s me want to go to India! Has anyone surfed this yet? It looks amazing and fun.

Outdoor classroom for surfers.

It’s nearly summer time and that means it’s time to finally learn how to surf. I know that you’ve been saying that you want to learn how to surf year after year but have been putting it off. Well, the time is now, 2010 is your year to learn how to surf.

What do you need to know about surfing? Surfing is a challenging sport both physically and mentally but dont’ worry it is achievable. It’s the perfect sport to learn that will both challenge you and provide quite an euphoric feeling after catching your very first wave. You will enter the state of a beginner mind and enjoy the flood of energy that comes with learning something new.

Here is some helpful advice to get you surfer ready for this summer:

• Swim- Swim as much as you can possibly take. It’s important to start working your upper body.
• Read a Surfing Book or try a Surf DVD like Peggy Hall’s Yoga for Surfers Fitness series.
• Take a surf lesson. It’s very difficult to learn how to surf on your own or have your super ripping boyfriend try and teach you.
• Go on a Surf Vacation. If you want to learn, why not commit and surf everyday for an entire week. You will see the most progression attending a surf retreat.

Hope to see you in the water soon!

The standard rules that EVERY surfer should know..local or traveler.

1. Closest surfer standing to the curl  has priority. If you are standing on the wave, you look behind you and some person is there… get off the wave

2. Paddle around the wave, not through it.

3. Don’t throw your board over the falls, there could be other surfers below you.

4. Help other surfers in trouble.

So those are the standard rules of surfing. If you don’t understand them, ask someone.

Here are some extra traveler rules that are good to go by. It’s what I go by when I’m traveling and it’s worked out for me.

1. Watch  where a local enters the water and paddles out. This will most likely be the best spot and the easiest entry.

2. Once you’re out in the line up, don’t just paddle around everyone so that you’re the closest to the curl. Wait your turn.

3. Observe the pecking order. there will be a few guys out that will get a majority of the waves. Locals know their spot and they don’t want to lose any waves to you.

4. Paddle for waves after the few guys that rip are paddling back into the lineup (after their waves).

5. Don’t get in a paddle battle with a local. You’re a traveler that is surfing on your week vacation. This person probably surfs everyday.You will lose.

6. If everyone is paddling out into the ocean, you should probably do that too… unless you want to take a wave on the head.

7. Talk to people in the line up. Everywhere I’ve been, surfers are nice and they have NO problem chatting while waiting.