I wrote a long post then accidently lost it! Thanks all for the replies/insights. Who knows where it'll end up, but seems she's planning a "sufing vacation", and I guess she figures she'd like to give it a try then. Haven't had a vacation in ages, so who really knows?
I can only remember being told by some older guy, he was probably 20 I was 11, to turn the board around and hold onto the fin and lift the board by the fin up over the white water. This was back when boards were wood and heavy. You stayed in the white water until THEY decided you were ready. We learned to go right and left in the white water. I still remember my first “real” wave sooo much easier than white water, I was ready.
I still tell people learn the basics in the white water you can have all the waves you want. Girls will usually listen if you break it down into step by step. Guys just want to go out and get hammered. I know I will get flack for this but learn to surf with out a leash. You will be well aware of your limitations and “pay” for your mistakes, than quit making them.
Straight in straight out and do not get hit in the face. Thats a surf lesson.
[quote="$1"] .
...learn to surf without a leash. You will be well aware of your limitations and "pay" for your mistakes, than quit making them.
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Priceless, worthwhile insight, for the novice.
Huck, let me try to get my head around this. You are asking a bunch of surfers for advice on dealing with your wife? Hmmm.
If your goal is to keep her separate from your surfing, (completely understandable, by the way, I'm 60 and married) you are going about it the right way. But if your goal is to keep your relationship with her good, and give her a shot at enjoying surfing, you might try this instead:
Book a trip to the islands. Waikiki is a great place to take "surfing lessons". The water is warm, and the waves long rollers perfect for getting a feel for sliding down hill on water. Maui has "Girls Gone Surfing" a little surf school that caters to women, teaches surf etiquette, ( is surf ettiquette in 2010 an oximoron?) and Kaui has Margot Oberg's surf school.
Plus you get to play in warm water too. When you guys get back, she can decide if she wants to take it further, buy a wetsuit, etc.
Body surfing big Zuma? That implies a willingness to suffer.
My .02
Mike
“don’t know why you blokes are whining”
That’s what the slash-and-burn farmer said until he noticed that all his topsoil had washed away.
" …learn to surf without a leash"
That’s what we did. If we fell, we swam—spring, summer, fall or winter. And all we had were those crappy, thick, high-necked, beaver-tailed, short-sleeved dive jackets for wetsuits, if that. Neoprene on both sides (no nylon laminate), so they rashed you but good. I remember when the “Farmer John” wetsuits first came out. Finally: a way to keep yer “boys” warm!
I agree ACE’s method is the preferred method.
Let your wife do whatever she wants. Sounds like she does what she wants, anyway. Mike
you guys are more entertaining than Oprah any day!!!
I screwed up the quote…
It was “Surfing is the hardest thing you will ever attempt. Should you succeed, it will ruin your life.” Depending on how you look at it, this is pretty accurate. ;) Anyway, article on the surf instructor is pretty good. I re-read it today.