[xmlenigma]

I've been contemplating taking 2-3 months off and camping at an inexpensive spot that has learner / beginner friendly waves & sandy beach + correct weather/ time of the year - as bad weather can make good surf for most people but be tough for learning.

So, suggestions inexpensive for beach spots/ towns & time of year to go there..

(09-22-2014 10:59 AM)faznine15 Wrote:  

I'll be frank you'll likely have to move to somewhere where you can have steady access to decent waves. It can take a month just to get in the type of phsycial shape that a few hours of paddling requires. "Paddle Fitness" it's often called. Then learning the actual activity can take a while.

The other thing is the sport doesn't have a come one come all culture so as a "kook" you'll likely feel like an outsider for some time until your skill improves. Not everyone feels this way and its a wide scale that I personally think varies with age, but it still something to keep in mind. Theres only so many good waves to be had a given time so it breeds this more surfers = less fun type of attidue at places.

If you have actual surfer friends this will help tremedously as they can help you avoid faux pauxs, and make you feel more at ease as you learn.

The surf camp likely wont' have this type of vibe so it could be a good start. However, 1 week isn't going to cut it.

[Thaitanium]

Go to the Philippines, plenty of surf there. Cheap as well and these coming months the weather will be very good. Typhoon season is going to end soon.

(10-01-2015 01:18 PM)xmlenigma Wrote:  

I've been contemplating taking 2-3 months off and camping at an inexpensive spot that has learner / beginner friendly waves & sandy beach + correct weather/ time of the year - as bad weather can make good surf for most people but be tough for learning.

So, suggestions inexpensive for beach spots/ towns & time of year to go there..

(09-22-2014 10:59 AM)faznine15 Wrote:  

I'll be frank you'll likely have to move to somewhere where you can have steady access to decent waves. It can take a month just to get in the type of phsycial shape that a few hours of paddling requires. "Paddle Fitness" it's often called. Then learning the actual activity can take a while.

The other thing is the sport doesn't have a come one come all culture so as a "kook" you'll likely feel like an outsider for some time until your skill improves. Not everyone feels this way and its a wide scale that I personally think varies with age, but it still something to keep in mind. Theres only so many good waves to be had a given time so it breeds this more surfers = less fun type of attidue at places.

If you have actual surfer friends this will help tremedously as they can help you avoid faux pauxs, and make you feel more at ease as you learn.

The surf camp likely wont' have this type of vibe so it could be a good start. However, 1 week isn't going to cut it.

[worldtraveler3]

Plan on renting a large FOAM board for 1 month at least just to learn the beginner stuff.

Then switch to a smaller board which is fiber glass (still mini malibu) , then to a expert board in something like 6 months.
Note: this is assuming you are surfing EVERY single day, non stop, for 2-3 hours a day at least. If you are overweight, add more time to this.

Nah, 1 week surf camp isnt gonna cut it. Those surf schools which says 'you will learn in few days' are just bs. they probably mean you can stand up on a long board in white water waves near the shore...

Surfing is not a come and got it sport where you 'learnt' on your 1 week annual vacation to Hawaii.

[LMRking]

The North shore in the Dominican Republic is great for learning. Big, mushy waves good for a long board.

[xmlenigma]

(10-02-2015 05:25 AM)worldtraveler3 Wrote:  

Plan on renting a large FOAM board for 1 month at least just to learn the beginner stuff.

Then switch to a smaller board which is fiber glass (still mini malibu) , then to a expert board in something like 6 months.
Note: this is assuming you are surfing EVERY single day, non stop, for 2-3 hours a day at least. If you are overweight, add more time to this.

Nah, 1 week surf camp isnt gonna cut it. Those surf schools which says 'you will learn in few days' are just bs. they probably mean you can stand up on a long board in white water waves near the shore...

Surfing is not a come and got it sport where you 'learnt' on your 1 week annual vacation to Hawaii.

Exactly why I did not take an expensive 'tourist trap' surf camp that gives you a feel good.. been there done that. thing for a week.

I really want to get the foundations down when I start it.. so that it becomes something I never leave. And to do that means INITIAL TIME EFFORT & LOCATION commitment.

[Brahman]

I've been surfing 7 days straight here in NYC, Hurricane Joaquin has been producing some huge swell, so we've been getting a lot of overhead sized waves here which is pretty uncommon.

Surfing isn't really a hobby, but more of a lifestyle perse, I def schedule my week around the surf forecast, it def makes for having and maintaining a LTR tough (which i guess is good for the people here?). It's not possible to just go to the beach and surf whenever you want, all of it depends on whether the weather is cooperative. Most of your surf days up here are during the fall/winter...summers are notorious for flat days. The west coast has better surfing waves and more days of it, but it's still a lot of fun and I'm grateful that I live somewhere that I get to surf 50% of the month...honestly, I'm kind of grateful too or I probably would be just some surf bum.

Most of the central america surf schools are def geared for the touristy/aspirational lifestyle people...they tend to put you on these huge logs and push you out, and since the boards are so buoyant, you can immediately stand up...unfortunately you'll never learn proper technique on those. This school, Surf Simply (http://surfsimply.com/) is highly recommended. They do the opposite, have classrooms to go over technique, and also video tape so you can review what you did right/wrong. Def worth checking out, though they are expensive and are almost always booked, so you have to book months ahead of time.

[Merenguero]

(10-02-2015 04:32 PM)Brahman Wrote:  

I've been surfing 7 days straight here in NYC, Hurricane Joaquin has been producing some huge swell, so we've been getting a lot of overhead sized waves here which is pretty uncommon.

Can you post where you have been surfing in New York? Rockaway? If you have a car or can rent one, take a ride over the bridge to New Jersey, go as far south as you can get and look for Broadway. If you get there about forty eight hours from now, you should have some great waves. There should be tons of people in the water, but at least no shoobies will be in your way.

[Vaun]

(10-02-2015 06:44 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

(10-02-2015 04:32 PM)Brahman Wrote:  

I've been surfing 7 days straight here in NYC, Hurricane Joaquin has been producing some huge swell, so we've been getting a lot of overhead sized waves here which is pretty uncommon.

Can you post where you have been surfing in New York? Rockaway? If you have a car or can rent one, take a ride over the bridge to New Jersey, go as far south as you can get and look for Broadway. If you get there about forty eight hours from now, you should have some great waves. There should be tons of people in the water, but at least no shoobies will be in your way.

NYC data sheet! Living up in the city makes it tough to get down to Rockaway. I'd imagine the last week has been great, and this weekend should be good too. Its impossible to make it a lifestyle unless you are living in Rockaway or out that way. Or if you can drive out every week.

[Brahman]

(10-02-2015 06:44 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

(10-02-2015 04:32 PM)Brahman Wrote:  

I've been surfing 7 days straight here in NYC, Hurricane Joaquin has been producing some huge swell, so we've been getting a lot of overhead sized waves here which is pretty uncommon.

Can you post where you have been surfing in New York? Rockaway? If you have a car or can rent one, take a ride over the bridge to New Jersey, go as far south as you can get and look for Broadway. If you get there about forty eight hours from now, you should have some great waves. There should be tons of people in the water, but at least no shoobies will be in your way.

I usually surf Rockaways during the week, if i can come in late to work, I'll drive out to Lido or somewhere out in Long Beach. During the summer when it's usually flat, I'll sometimes drive out to Gilgo, but that place is usually packed with SUPrs and longboarders, so I'll only go if my friends are going to score party waves.
Jersey is nice, esp since I'm regular footed...I like Manesquan a lot. This week though, with the 25mph+ winds blowing west, most of Jersey has been kind of meh. The only place that was makeable this week was Lincoln, saw probably a dozen broken boards at the Rockaways this week, people were getting pitched all over this weekend.

[Brahman]

(10-02-2015 08:30 PM)Vaun Wrote:  

(10-02-2015 06:44 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

(10-02-2015 04:32 PM)Brahman Wrote:  

I've been surfing 7 days straight here in NYC, Hurricane Joaquin has been producing some huge swell, so we've been getting a lot of overhead sized waves here which is pretty uncommon.

Can you post where you have been surfing in New York? Rockaway? If you have a car or can rent one, take a ride over the bridge to New Jersey, go as far south as you can get and look for Broadway. If you get there about forty eight hours from now, you should have some great waves. There should be tons of people in the water, but at least no shoobies will be in your way.

NYC data sheet! Living up in the city makes it tough to get down to Rockaway. I'd imagine the last week has been great, and this weekend should be good too. Its impossible to make it a lifestyle unless you are living in Rockaway or out that way. Or if you can drive out every week.

NYC is probably the only place where you can take the subway to go surf, the A-train makes it pretty easy...getting off at Beach 67th stop, you're only a block away from a beach break that's pretty good conditions permitting. If you transfer on the shuttle, you can also surf at Beach 90th too, though this place is usually packed with long boarders since it breaks further out from the shore. From Manhattan, you're probably looking at an hour commute each way on the train, having a car def makes it easier SOMETIMES...traffic can get pretty bad on the LIE or the Belt Parkway. You can also drive out to Long Beach, there are a few good breaks there too that tend to be better than the Rockaways when it gets super windy due to the geographical location of the beach. I've seen some people take the LIRR and hop a cab, so it's not necessary to have a car to surf this break.

A lot of surfers rent bungalows (~$200/month) that they store their boards/wetsuits in and crash the night before so they can wake up at the crack of dawn to surf, then take the train back to the city to work...a lot of these are posted on craigslist. The best time to surf in NYC is during the fall/winter...summers are notorious for long flat spells, but it's still nice to get out during the week when there is some surf, tons of topless sunbathers too. I have a few friends who've moved out permanently to the Rockaways, it's def great in the summer, less humidity and you're near the beach...though in the winter, it's pretty isolating, so you really have to be a committed surfer to live there year round.

My routine normally is to scope out the forecast for the week, and the days I want to surf, I'll hit the bed by 11 and wake up around 445-530 depending on the tidal conditions, and drive 30 min out (no traffic). I'll surf for a few hours and depending on what my work schedule is like, I'll drive back to the city (1.25 hours) OR, I'll leave my car at the beach and just take the A train (1 hour)...then leave work early and take the train back out to surf a sunset session, then drive back home after rush hour traffic clears.

Let me know if you have any other questions

[StudebacherHoch]

Boardsports will keep you YOUNG - it is the fountain of youth! I'm 60 as of last month - skateboarding 54 years, surfing 50 years, snowboarding 39 (owned one of the first Wintersticks in CA back in '76. Still skating skateparks, surfing North county breaks and snowboarding all over! My latest boardsport passion? BoostedBoards! Own 3 Dual+s...they are 'da kine!

http://boostedboards.com/?gclid=CK_BvKCT...fgodQWwD6Q

[Rhyme or Reason]

So i just bought my first ever board. A Wavestorm. For those not familiar, it's the cheap ass, 99 dollar costco board. Took it out for the first time yesterday, and it's slippery as fuck. Far as i know, you aren't supposed to put wax on a soft top...apparently that's super kooky.

[Brahman]

Nah you can wax those, just use soft cold temp wax...i see a lot of people use them on catch surf skipper boards (look up jamie o brien vids, he rips on foam tops). The wavestorm is a pretty fun board, even for seasoned riders...have fun!

[Lime]

(08-29-2014 10:23 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

(04-18-2012 05:10 PM)Willy Wrote:  

Wow I'm late to this party. Surfing is a life choice transcending all else. Fortunately lots of other great things come with it. Spent a couple of years in Costa Rica. If you're new anything less than a solid year of surfing will still have you ranked a beginner. That's the appeal though -tough to master.

If I were you I'd book a trip with Witches Rock Surf Camp. Tamarindo is a cool party town and the surf resort is great even if you're going Dolo. Take lessons and flirt with the broads trying to learn.

Surfing Avellana DOH, Ollies OH+ and finding Labarinto on a rumor are memories seared into my mind forever. Although my last trip to the garden island is fighting for space.

Glad I searched surfing on here and found this. I found this Witches Rock Surf Camp browsing online. They are offering free room and board from OCT-NOV, you still have to pay like $600USD for the surf school but its cheaper then when you have to pay for everything. Apparently OCT-NOV are the "green" months in Costa Rica where it has the potential to rain a lot. The school sounds legit tho, I'm gonna book a week there around the first of Oct.

Anyone else have any info about this school or town? I'm trying to find a short term rental there but everything on Airbnb is pretty pricey. Seems like Oct-Nov things would be cheaper since its pretty much off season there...

I would have thought this thread would have more posters. Seems like surfing beautiful exotic locations and banging beautiful exotic girls would be a popular discussion amongst men of our lifestyle.

I have spent 5,5 weeks in Tamarindo and I have also spent one or two nights at the Witches Rock Surf Camp.

Highly recommendable, second half of november is when it starts to get very dry.

Tamarindo is a town where you can game girls as well but there was some consensus on the board if I remember correctly that great surfing and great game locations seldom go hand in hand. I got laid in Tamarindo, but it is more of a 'cock paradise'. Not impossible to get laid, though.

For surfing, it is one of the best places I've been to.

If you want specific information, feel free to ask.

[worldtraveler3]

If you can afford the airfare, I would say Bali is a good place for both surfing and gaming. Alot of international chicks doing the surf , eat pray love thing.

[Yeti]

I'm looking to take a surfing trip sometime from now through April or May. I'm a beginner and I need a good place to learn, somewhere in the western hemisphere. Any ideas? Thanks!