Well, I got back from my senior trip to Oahu Monday night, and all I can say, is that I can’t wait until I can go back! Surfing is THE best thing you can do in the water, better than the watersports I have enjoyed in the past (and still do, I just love surfing). I rented an 8 ft, a 10ft, and then settled on a 9 ft for the rest of the trip. I went out every morning at 6am to Waikiki and one afternoon, and got some great experience and rides in. I am addicted to surfing! The boards were crap, but it didn’t matter, I was out there having a ball. I didn’t have a rash guard, and my stomach showed it, but it didn’t matter, as soon as I caught a wave everything else just disappeared. It was just me, the board, the wave, and avoiding the tourists who were worse than me (If that’s possible :P). It was funny, there was a local guy, David I think his name was, kind of big, who was yelling at all the tourist newbs to get out of the water, but helping me, a person who hasn’t surfed ever before, to get up and catch waves on two different days. All of my friends were afraid of him, but he was helping me out. My coach (who was surfing with us) was cracking up, he said, “Yeah, the locals were mad at everyone, and there’s Nathan, right in the middle of them chatting it up.” I was cracking up. Bill and I didn’t get a chance to meet up, but I talked to him on the phone a few times and drove by his shop. (He wasn’t there so I didn’t want to hold everyone up just to go into the shop). Anyway, I am officially addicted.
I’m wondering here, I think that around 8-9’ is perfect to take to Cal Poly with me, what style in that size do you guys think would be best? I can get up pretty consistently, and once up on the 9 foot rental I was pretty stable. Those boards were thruster configuration. (Seemed kind of pointless on a longboard…)
i lived in slo for a while and usually hit up morro bay, studios, a beach, pismo…etc…lots and lots of longboards…i couldnt tell you what sizes they were riding, but at the rock when it got big they could sit way outside and get some really good rides…then in the summer they got good rides on the powerless stuff…i noticed too that a lot of the regulars would be on the same board every day in the winter and in the summer. im a shortboarder so thats why i refer to them as “they” its definitely a good place to work on your surfing…the locals are really mellow so you most likely wont be getting beat up if you drop in on someone, there is a variety of waves for both beginners and pros (ask nate tyler), and there are so many empty breaks there. youll find that nobody surfs on the central coast…some has to do with the fact that its cold year round…some has to do with the fatal shark attack a couple years ago…but its a great place to be a surfer…the dolphins and sea lions come up within a couple feet of you (the otters are a bit more shy)…the water is clear…and youll be walking around campus with a wetsuit tan year round. hope youre stoked
Yeah, I’m really stoked! I don’t mind the water, it actually get’s pretty warm down there by my standards (I can swim Monterey Bay without a wetsuit all day if the weather’s nice)
It was just me, the board, the wave, and avoiding the tourists who were worse than me (If that’s possible :P). It was funny, there was a local guy, David I think his name was, kind of big, who was yelling at all the tourist newbs to get out of the water, but helping me, a person who hasn’t surfed ever before, to get up and catch waves on two different days. All of my friends were afraid of him, but he was helping me out. My coach (who was surfing with us) was cracking up, he said, “Yeah, the locals were mad at everyone, and there’s Nathan, right in the middle of them chatting it up.” I was cracking up.
You picked the perfect wave.
as crowded as waikiki can get it’s still has a magicaly spell in those waves.
the brudda probably could see the stoke in your eye versus carelessness in the others.
amazing how that kind of stuff happens here but it does all the time
Check out craigslist.com for a used surfboard. Learn to fix your own dings.
I stay away from used wetsuits…
Shop around for a name brand wetsuit that fits you well. Pay the extra money when it comes to quality wetsuits. Cheap wetsuits don’t last and they give you weird rashes in strange places…Or…buy the cheapest wetsuit you can find. I saw 3mm full suits at Lucadia Surfboards this winter for $100. The Trestles Outlet in San Clemente has some killer deals too! They had this two for one deal last year…
as crowded as waikiki can get it’s still has a magicaly spell in those waves.
the brudda probably could see the stoke in your eye versus carelessness in the others.
amazing how that kind of stuff happens here but it does all the time
that’s the beauty of surfing
it’s the great equalizer
welcome to the addiction.
That’s exactly what I was going to say… Oneula beat me to it.
You most likely had the right approach to it and, without words, good people can “feel” other good people. It’s good to hear that this happens in Waikiki, too. I’ve never been there, unfortunately, but I guess that it must be rather crowded. Which usually makes for not so good vibes…
There was alot of dropping in going on, so some people were a little P.Oed. The afternoon when I got the perfect wave, I almost had another great one but a guy to my right (Wave breaking left) got up a split second before me. I bailed just because I’m a beginner and didn’t want to get into a collision. Was that the proper thing to do? I couldn’t tell if the people in the lineup were yelling at me or him. I would love to shape my own board, if you remember I did the world’s ugliest skimboard last summer, but you guys are probably right about buying used for my first board. I was thinking about checking swaybay, since I know some of you make some quality boards.
Oh, I forgot to tell, you I was cracking up one night after going into one of the numerous Waikiki surfshops, I was talking to one of the girls working there, and I said something about having to “pump” thrusters for speed when she was talking about a quad, and she said, “No, you just go and the fins do the work for you” I kind of chuckled and walked away.