Comments on: Overcoming Fear Of The Ocean http://www.surfinghandbook.com Surfing Information And Resources Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:38:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Stephanie http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-33612 Stephanie Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:48:56 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-33612 Thanks for the article, it is very encouraging, as are many of the comments. I live in Nicaragua- a surfer's dream, right? I've wanted to surf all my life and am blessed to be with a wonderful man who, apart from having surfed for thirty+ years, is a patient and understanding coach. My journey toward becoming a surfer is slow- it seems I take two steps forward and one step back. I am working so hard to try to overcome my fear of the waves. Once I am outside, I feel calm and have a great time. My problem is paddling out. I begin to panic if I have to go under a few waves in a row. If a big set is coming in, I usually freak out and paddle back in. My boyfriend's advice has been very good: First of all, he put me on a boogie board which has helped me actually learn to catch waves and turn into them. Also, wearing fins helps me swim more quickly. In order to avoid panicking when I go under waves, he taught me to start counting as soon as I go under and I'll find that I'm never under for more than 5 seconds. It really helps! His best advice to me came on my first day out: He said, "If you do get tossed by a wave ALWAYS COME UP SMILING!" I'm still at the point where surfing more scary than it is fun, but I am determined! Good luck to everyone! :) Thanks for the article, it is very encouraging, as are many of the comments. I live in Nicaragua- a surfer’s dream, right? I’ve wanted to surf all my life and am blessed to be with a wonderful man who, apart from having surfed for thirty+ years, is a patient and understanding coach. My journey toward becoming a surfer is slow- it seems I take two steps forward and one step back. I am working so hard to try to overcome my fear of the waves. Once I am outside, I feel calm and have a great time. My problem is paddling out. I begin to panic if I have to go under a few waves in a row. If a big set is coming in, I usually freak out and paddle back in.

My boyfriend’s advice has been very good: First of all, he put me on a boogie board which has helped me actually learn to catch waves and turn into them. Also, wearing fins helps me swim more quickly. In order to avoid panicking when I go under waves, he taught me to start counting as soon as I go under and I’ll find that I’m never under for more than 5 seconds. It really helps! His best advice to me came on my first day out: He said, “If you do get tossed by a wave ALWAYS COME UP SMILING!” I’m still at the point where surfing more scary than it is fun, but I am determined!

Good luck to everyone! :)

]]> By: clint versfeld http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-32221 clint versfeld Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:59:39 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-32221 hi my name is clint and live margat kzn we have some mean wavesthis side and it is verry chopy at some days winter the waves are owesm it makes me wao go in but ? im a little scared to get to the back line i normaly surfin the middle between the back line and the beah wha can i do to over came my fear im scared if i get to the back line i wont get back to the beach im scared i might drift further in see pls i need help need t gt to the big waves at the back line ive been surfing for about 6 years and only paddeld out once and got a bit scared i paddeld back to shore HELP PLS hi my name is clint and live margat kzn we have some mean wavesthis side and it is verry chopy at some days winter the waves are owesm it makes me wao go in but ? im a little scared to get to the back line i normaly surfin the middle between the back line and the beah wha can i do to over came my fear im scared if i get to the back line i wont get back to the beach im scared i might drift further in see pls i need help need t gt to the big waves at the back line ive been surfing for about 6 years and only paddeld out once and got a bit scared i paddeld back to shore HELP PLS

]]> By: Hayley http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-22619 Hayley Sun, 22 May 2011 17:55:03 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-22619 Haha - I still remember that one day at Ditch where it was like...what...3-4 with maybe the occasional 5. And I was all like..."Can I paddle out with you?" cause I was all nervous. You were awesome. Thank you, that was actually a huge step for me and my funboard :) Haha – I still remember that one day at Ditch where it was like…what…3-4 with maybe the occasional 5. And I was all like…”Can I paddle out with you?” cause I was all nervous. You were awesome. Thank you, that was actually a huge step for me and my funboard :)

]]> By: p. claire pertalion http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-22602 p. claire pertalion Sun, 22 May 2011 14:12:41 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-22602 i remember having to get the writer of this article to go out on bigger waves. i knew she could handle it. it helps to have someone to make you go out on bigger days. now she kicks my ass. thank you very much. i remember having to get the writer of this article to go out on bigger waves. i knew she could handle it.

it helps to have someone to make you go out on bigger days.

now she kicks my ass.

thank you very much.

]]> By: sue http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-12825 sue Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:25:59 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-12825 Hi there, thanks for all the great articles I'm so glad I came across this site. I Started to learn to surf a year ago age 50 with my boyfriend as a 'teacher'. It's been an enlightening experience. Surfing is so not as easy as many make it look! I too had a great fear of the ocean, basically everything under the water, being held under, eaten by something more aggressive and hungry than me, bashed on the head and concussed or slammed into the ocean floor - it all seemed scary in the beginning.But a year on and I can paddle out back through 4foot waves fairly confidently, sit on my board in a balanced and stylish (at last) way, choose a decent wave to go for, accelerate my paddling when necessary and stay out back on my own without dying of fear. I have now paddled out after dolphins and seals, swam through green face waves with shoals of silvery shimmering fish and found myself one of only two people surfing a beautiful beach on a gloriously sunny day hoping to catch a glimpse of a hump-back whale! A far cry from the petrified but awestruck post-menopausal mother of two who entered the water 12 months previous hardly able to breathe with fear, excitement and anticipation!! I have now managed to catch and ride a few 3-5 foot waves and then I got ditch off a beautiful perfect 5 footer when I tried to catch it a bit late, slammed down and tumbled a bit and one bruised leg later my confidence was knocked, next time out I was hit on the head by my new Magic Carpet 9 footer (which apparently looked very comical!?) Now I am having trouble comitting to the take off for fear of a nasty pearling incident and have been trying to work out how to get back to where I was confidence-wise. I agree that our minds hold our bodies back, cos I know I am capable, I do a regular surf-work out and keep myself fit. I've been watching some short instructional vids on www.realwiings.com, and they're great. They have inspired me to take it down a knotch - go back to smaller waves to build my confidence and work on timing, to not surf alone and look for the fun in surfing which aleviates anxiety. So in two days time (if the surfs still here) that's what I'm gonna do and I'm feeling really inspired. I'll get back on here if it works out and tell you all about it!! Hi there, thanks for all the great articles I’m so glad I came across this site. I Started to learn to surf a year ago age 50 with my boyfriend as a ‘teacher’. It’s been an enlightening experience. Surfing is so not as easy as many make it look! I too had a great fear of the ocean, basically everything under the water, being held under, eaten by something more aggressive and hungry than me, bashed on the head and concussed or slammed into the ocean floor – it all seemed scary in the beginning.But a year on and I can paddle out back through 4foot waves fairly confidently, sit on my board in a balanced and stylish (at last) way, choose a decent wave to go for, accelerate my paddling when necessary and stay out back on my own without dying of
fear. I have now paddled out after dolphins and seals, swam through green face waves with shoals of silvery shimmering fish and found myself one of only two people surfing a beautiful beach on a gloriously sunny day hoping to catch a glimpse of a hump-back whale! A far cry from the petrified but awestruck post-menopausal mother of two who entered the water 12 months previous hardly able to breathe with fear, excitement and anticipation!! I have now managed to catch and ride a few 3-5 foot waves and then I got ditch off a beautiful perfect 5 footer when I tried to catch it a bit late, slammed down and tumbled a bit and one bruised leg later my confidence was knocked, next time out I was hit on the head by my new Magic Carpet 9 footer (which apparently looked very comical!?) Now I am having trouble comitting to the take off for fear of a nasty pearling incident and have been trying to work out how to get back to where I was confidence-wise. I agree that our minds hold our bodies back, cos I know I am capable, I do a regular surf-work out and keep myself fit. I’ve been watching some short instructional vids on http://www.realwiings.com, and they’re great. They have inspired me to take it down a knotch – go back to smaller waves to build my confidence and work on timing, to not surf alone and look for the fun in surfing which aleviates anxiety. So in two days time (if the surfs still here) that’s what I’m gonna do and I’m feeling really inspired. I’ll get back on here if it works out and tell you all about it!!

]]> By: GJ http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-8895 GJ Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:01:04 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-8895 Great article. I have been trying my hand at surfing for two months. I had an 8 ft softboard and I was finally getting comofortable with paddling out, going for waves (no bigger than 2 foot, 3 tops) and even catching them and riding straight. I decided to get a next step real board because my softboard was starting to feel slow (I got a 7'6 epoxy fun shape). Well, it has been awesome but also very scary. I did that last-minute pullout yesterday at El Porto, and finned myself and got held under over and over. All of a sudden I feel like I am back to square one. I have been out three times with my new board and unfortunately each day has been 3 feet or bigger. So I have been so scared. I also hit my head with my board yesterday. I know all of yesterday's problems were because of my fear and because I was moving really slowly out there. I am going to apply your article and also look for a gentler spot, because summer's over and the waves seem to be getting heavier! (Hopefully it's not just me being scared!) Great article. I have been trying my hand at surfing for two months. I had an 8 ft softboard and I was finally getting comofortable with paddling out, going for waves (no bigger than 2 foot, 3 tops) and even catching them and riding straight. I decided to get a next step real board because my softboard was starting to feel slow (I got a 7’6 epoxy fun shape). Well, it has been awesome but also very scary. I did that last-minute pullout yesterday at El Porto, and finned myself and got held under over and over. All of a sudden I feel like I am back to square one. I have been out three times with my new board and unfortunately each day has been 3 feet or bigger. So I have been so scared. I also hit my head with my board yesterday. I know all of yesterday’s problems were because of my fear and because I was moving really slowly out there. I am going to apply your article and also look for a gentler spot, because summer’s over and the waves seem to be getting heavier! (Hopefully it’s not just me being scared!)

]]> By: will http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-6943 will Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:50:17 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-6943 Hi Lee, My name is Will and I am in the same boat you're in. I also live in the Bay Area and I'm looking for someone to learn with or split a lesson or something. Shoot me an email if you're interested. Thanks. willywonkadds@hotmail.com Hi Lee, My name is Will and I am in the same boat you’re in. I also live in the Bay Area and I’m looking for someone to learn with or split a lesson or something. Shoot me an email if you’re interested. Thanks.

willywonkadds@hotmail.com

]]> By: admin http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-6250 admin Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:44:45 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-6250 Hey Kairi - no, you don't have to be a professional swimmer, but you should feel comfortable in the water. Just make sure you can swim back in if you should lose your board :) Learning to swim in open water - especially the ocean - is a process. Take it a step at a time, and don't go in when the waves are big at first. Take some swimming lessons at your local YMCA to start off. That's what I did when I first started surfing. Hey Kairi – no, you don’t have to be a professional swimmer, but you should feel comfortable in the water. Just make sure you can swim back in if you should lose your board :)

Learning to swim in open water – especially the ocean – is a process. Take it a step at a time, and don’t go in when the waves are big at first. Take some swimming lessons at your local YMCA to start off. That’s what I did when I first started surfing.

]]> By: Kairi http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-6245 Kairi Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:48:46 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-6245 Heyy, I'm 16 and can't wait to start surfing but I live about 2 hrs from the sea....and I can't swim :( This may seem like a stupid question but how well do you have to be able to swim? Like, do have to be a proffessional or just a basic swimmer? Heyy, I’m 16 and can’t wait to start surfing but I live about 2 hrs from the sea….and I can’t swim :(
This may seem like a stupid question but how well do you have to be able to swim? Like, do have to be a proffessional or just a basic swimmer?

]]> By: Lee http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/fear-of-the-ocean/comment-page-1/#comment-6209 Lee Wed, 23 Jun 2010 06:32:51 +0000 http://surfinghandbook.com/?page_id=20#comment-6209 Tried surfer for the first time in Hawaii to convince myself 40 is not old and yes I liked it. I like it a lot.I need baby waves and maybe a personal life guard. My fear is high maintenance. So questions are where are the best baby waves? Best or economical safe ways to learn this sport for purely masochistic recreational pleasure? I live in the Bay area so I'm thinking there has to be some non Maverick beaches and some decent surf schools right? Tried surfer for the first time in Hawaii to convince myself 40 is not old and yes I liked it. I like it a lot.I need baby waves and maybe a personal life guard. My fear is high maintenance. So questions are where are the best baby waves? Best or economical safe ways to learn this sport for purely masochistic recreational pleasure? I live in the Bay area so I’m thinking there has to be some non Maverick beaches and some decent surf schools right?

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