My aim is simple - to get barreled within two years.
For context, Iโm 29, 5โ10โ, with an athletic background (jiu-jitsu, wrestled at the collegiate level) and with a skill-level skewing towards the kooky end of intermediate. For better or worse, I learned to surf on a HPSB when I was 17. I surfed fairly regularly for three years before college and then a career in public accounting got in the way. For the last 10 years Iโve probably surfed once every other month, on average.
When Iโm able to string together a few solid weeks of surfing, I feel almost as skillful as the 20 year old that was charging well-overhead waves during hurricane Irene.
Iโve achieved every modest professional accomplishment that I could have ever hoped for in this lifetime. Still, I imagine myself laying on my death bed, thinking โIโve lived a good life. Ive known friendship. Iโve known love. Iโve been all over the world. Iโve worked hard and made a pretty pennyโฆbut Iโve never been barreledโ and then I flatline.
What are the drawbacks of sizing up on the fish like this?
The shaper told me that the longer rail line of the 5โ10โ would actually allow me to surf larger waves than a shorter fish. Is there any truth to this?
More importantly, can I get barreled within two years?
I own a 9โ3โ longboard and Iโve surfed it plenty and plan to continue doing so, so save the longboard lecture. Iโm trying to get barreled.
What experience and knowledge does a surfer need to surf this break or any other break with crazy currents, heavy waves and waves coming from all different directions?
Another question is, if youโre caught in a fierce rip where swimming perpendicular to the pull does not work, and the current pulls you a around the cliff a mile out, what is the best form of survival?
I've been kind of obsessed with learning about different breaks around the world lately and watching videos about them, so I wanted to know what gems other surf fans knew about. Here are the ones that have stuck out to me so far as being particularly special:
- Maverick's, California, USA
- The Wedge, California, USA
- Cortes Bank, California, USA
- Jaws, Hawaii, USA
- Pipeline, Hawaii, USA
- Waimea Bay, Hawaii, USA
- Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Teahupo'o, Tahiti
- Nazare, Portugal
- Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania, Australia
Let me know any others I should check out!
EDIT:
Here's a list of everything mentioned, if anyone's interested and for my future reference. For the record, I'm not trying to make any spots more crowded by revealing them online, and to me it would be crazy if my random little reddit post did that, but I get it. I'm just obsessed with beautiful, interesting waves and how much of a worldwide phenomenon they are!
USA, West Coast
- Black's Beach, California
- Boxcars, California
- Cortes Bank, California
- Fort Point, California
- Ghost Tree, California
- Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch/Wave Pool, California
- Linda Mar, California (heh)
- Lowers/Lower Trestles, California
- Lunada Bay, California (notorious?)
- Maverick's, California
- Nelscott Reef, Oregon
- Ocean Beach SF, California
- Salt Creek, California
- Sandspit, California
- Seal Beach Cloudbreak, California
- Steamer Lane, California
- Tourmaline, California
- Ventura Surfer's Point/C Street, California
- The Wedge, California
USA, East Coast
- BSR Surf Ranch Wave Pool, Waco, Texas (hmm)
- Galveston, Texas (hmm)
- Lake Superior
- Lighthouse Beach, North Carolina
- Mayport Poles, Florida
- New Jersey Winter
- Outer Banks, North Carolina
- Ponce Inlet/New Smyrna Beach, Florida
- RC's/Satellite Beach, Florida
- Reef Road/Pumphouse, Florida
- Ruggles, Rhode Island
- Sebastian Inlet, Florida
- 2nd Light, Florida
- South Beach, Florida
- Vilano, Florida
USA, Hawaii
- Cannons, Kauai
- China Walls, Oahu
- Honolua Bay, Maui
- Insanities, Oahu
- Jaws, Maui
- Keiki Shorebreak, Oahu
- Ma'alaea Freight Trains, Maui
- Outer Log Cabins, Oahu
- Pipeline, Oahu
- Rockpiles, Oahu
- Sandy Beach, Oahu
- Sunset Beach, Oahu
- Tunnels, Kauai
- Waimea Bay, Oahu
Caribbean
- Tres Palmas, Puerto Rico
- Wilderness, Puerto Rico
Central America
- Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico
- K-38, Baja California, Mexico
- Pavones, Costa Rica
- Playa Colorado, Nicaragua
Good god there seems to be a hypto krypto in everyoneโs garage in the South Bay.
Hey guys, Iโm doing a 4 day stay at [beach city] for work next week. Iโll only be working half days so Iโll have plenty of time. Iโm still kind of a beginner but I can get up and surf down the line consistently. I usually surf [well known beginner break] when itโs not crowded, but Iโm polite around people and I know my way around a lineup.
I was looking at [world famous break nearby] on Surfline but I was disheartened to see the crowds on the cam. I checked [other break in the area] and saw it was flat and blown out when Surfline said it was โgoodโ and gave up looking in that site.
I wanted to know if anyone here is willing to blow up their local secret spot for me so I can get an empty session to myself so I can stuff my takeoffs in peace.
Title. Seriously. I've been surfing for a few years now and when there's a reasonable number of people out I'm fine.
But whenever I paddle out into a zoo, it seems like every time I'm going to get on a wave, someone else paddles to the peak for priority, someone snakes it or I see people that were behind me that didn't get out of the way and I won't be able to surf around.
But at the same time, I'll see the same guys shredding it up and catching tons of waves.
This just leads to frustration and swearing off good breaks at the popular times because I zero out or catch one or two waves... until a few months later when I try it again.
Any advice would be appreciated on surviving and thriving in the zoo.
As the title says, i am looking for a rod and reel that can double for surf fishing, but also could be used for shore or dock fishing say for catfish or stripers. I have spent most of my life fishing on the west coast in streams, lakes, and ocean, so fishing in MD is a bit new to me.
Any opinions or suggestions?
Considering
- Penn Fierce III Spinning Combo
- Tsunami Shield Surf Spinning Combo
- PENN Battle III Spinning Reel and Fishing Rod Combo
