Attending college in Southern California has its perks especially at a coastal school like Pepperdine. Nuzzled next to the Pacific Ocean it would be a loss to graduate without at least having attempted to surf.
There are however a few things you should know before your inaugural surf session to avoid frustration and to make your first surfing experience magical (as it should be).
1. Go out on a longboard
I know Kelly Slater and Sofia Mulanovich look awesome when they tear it up on their shortboards but despite how easy the pros make it look a shortboard is not the board on which to learn. In the interest of getting up during your first session use a longboard. Longboards are at least nine feet long. Either borrow one from a friend or rent one from Malibu Surf Shack or Zuma Jay’s. Malibu Surf Shack charges $25 per day and Zuma Jay’s charges $20 per day. 2. Catch whitewater waves first
The goal of your first surf session is to stand up on your board and ride the wave straight into the shore. The easiest way to accomplish this is by catching the whitewater— the wave after it has broken. Only when you can consistently stand up while paddling into whitewater waves should you move on to catching waves as they are breaking. Timing a drop-in is difficult and probably over-ambitious to master during your very first surfing session. 3. Know where to go
Malibu surfers tend to be territorial meaning they don’t like to share waves with beginners from Pepperdine. The first step to avoiding an unnecessary confrontation with locals is to know where to surf and where not to surf. Zuma is a good place to learn. Its wide-open sandy beach break provides beginners with their own individual space. Make sure you go at low tide so you have plenty of room to paddle into whitewater. Also make sure not to paddle out to the actual break at Zuma— it’s one of the strongest in Southern California and not suitable for beginners. Once you get a couple Zuma whitewater sessions under your belt head out to Sunset (where Sunset Blvd meets PCH). This is a slow wave and a great place to learn how to drop into waves. 4. Know where not to go
Although it’s tempting to head out to Malibu Surfrider (First Point) because it is close to Pepperdine and its perfect longboarding waves refrain— especially if it’s your first time heading out. If there aren’t too many people out go for it but Surfrider is usually crowded and is generally a very localized spot. If you don’t know the rules of surfing you’ll probably end up cutting people off. If you do know the rules of surfing (and follow them) you’ll most likely be sitting on the outside like a buoy. 5. Know the basic etiquette of surfing
Make sure you don’t “cut people off.” In other words if someone is on a wave don’t drop in. The goal of surfing is to ride the open shoulder of a wave until it terminates. If you take off on a wave that someone else is already on you’ll essentially ruin that person’s ride. Dropping in on surfers will make them angry especially if you are a beginner. 6. Wear a wetsuit unless it’s summer
It doesn’t matter how tough you are. The water in L.A. County is cold especially in the winter. You don’t want to immerse yourself in 50-something-degree water without insulation. Rent a wetsuit from Malibu Surf Shack or Zuma Jay’s for $10 or borrow one from a friend. If you’re learning during summer a wetsuit isn’t necessary especially on a sunny day. 7. Go out with someone who knows how to surf Receiving pointers from an experienced surfer is essential but make sure the surfer you’re going with is planning on teaching you the basics. Surfers are generally out to get their wave fix. Emphasize to your surf friend that you want guidance. A good friend will sit with you in the whitewater at least for a little while. 8. Understand that paddling is difficult
Don’t be fooled; paddling is arguably the most difficult component of surfing. If you feel like you’re not going anywhere don’t get frustrated. Paddling is a unique body movement that a surfer develops over a long period of time. Also it’s more about muscle memory than strength. Even if you can bench press an obscene amount the 100-pound veteran surfer girl in the lineup will probably be able to paddle circles around you. Just accept it and be patient. 9. If you nose dive you’re too far up on your boardOften beginners lie too far forward on their boards. This results in a nose dive meaning the nose of the board sinks the board flies up vertically and you sink down with the nose. You can easily modify your body position to avoid the all-too-common nose dive. Just make sure your feet are touching the tail of your longboard. Keep in mind it will feel like there’s a bit too much board in front of you especially if you’re a small person.
