All surfing lessons - beginners through to pro - progress through the skills of surfing according to the students' abilities and previous experience. The instructors will start by checking the surf conditions with you and lead into the warm up to prepare your body for a session of surfing fun, entertainment and improvement. Beginners sessions will cover the basics of riding a surfboard and how to catch a wave, surf awareness and ocean conditions (rips, currents, tides) all whilst you are on the beach.
The focus is to introduce you as a beginner surfer to the pure thrill and addiction of surfing a great wave, but also to educate you on the dangers of the ocean and the importance of fitness and safety. Techniques you will learn include: How to ride a surfboard, surf awareness, surf safety, warm-up and stretches.
Book a surfing lesson, Or buy a learn to surf voucher today.
The origins of surfing
Surfing was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture, and the chief was the most skilled wave rider in the community with the best board made from the best tree. Moreover, the ruling class had the best beaches and the best boards, and commoners were not allowed on the same beaches, but they could gain prestige by their ability to ride the surf on their extremely heavy boards. Surfing permeated ancient Polynesian society, including religion and myth, and Polynesian chiefs would demonstrate and confirm their authority by the skills they displayed in the surf.
The art of surfing was first observed by Europeans in 1767, by the crewmembers of the Dolphin at Tahiti. Later, Lieutenant James King, wrote about the art when completing the journals of Captain James Cook upon Cook's death in 1779.
Australia's love of surfing was born when, in 1915, Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku rode a surfboard for the first time in Australia at Harbord, on Sydney’s northern beaches. A statue of the Duke on the northern headland commemorates the event.
Learn the lingo!
• Regular/Natural foot - Right foot on back of board
• Goofy foot - Left foot on back of board
• Take off - the start of a ride
• Drop in - dropping into (engaging) the wave, most often as part of standing up
• Snaking, Drop in on, cut off, or "burn" - taking off on a wave in front of someone closer to
the peak (considered inappropriate)
• Duck dive - pushing the board underwater, nose first, and diving through an oncoming wave instead of riding it
• Snaking/Back-Paddling - paddling around someone to get into the best position for a wave (in essence, stealing it)
• Pop-up - Going from lying on the board to standing, all in one jump
• Bottom turn - the first turn at the bottom of the wave
• Shoulder - the unbroken part of the wave
• Cutback - a turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave
• Fade - on takeoff, aiming toward the breaking part of the wave, before turning sharply and
surfing in the direction the wave is breaking towards
• Over the falls - When a surfer falls and the wave carries him in a circular motion with the lip of the wave, also
referred to as the "wash cycle", being "pitched over" and being "sucked over" because the wave can suck
the surfer off of the bottom and draw him or her "over the falls."
• Pump - an up/down carving movement that generates speed along a wave
• Stall - slowing down by shifting weight to the tail of the board or putting a hand in the water
• Floater - riding up on the top of the breaking part of the wave, and coming down with it
• Hang-five/hang ten - putting five or ten toes respectively over the nose of a longboard
• Hang Heels - Facing backwards and putting the surfers' heels over the edge of a longboard.
• Re-entry - hitting the lip vertically and re-rentering the wave in quick succession.
• Switch-foot - having equal ability to surf regular foot or goofy foot (i.e. left foot forward or right foot forward)
- like being ambidextrous
• Tube riding/Getting barreled - riding inside the hollow curl of a wave
• Carve - turns (often accentuated)
• Pearl - accidentally driving the nose of the board underwater, generally ending the ride
• Off the Top - a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving
• Snap - a quick, sharp turn off the top of a wave
• Fins-free snap (or "fins out") - a sharp turn where the fins slide off the top of the wave
• Air/Aerial - riding the board briefly into the air above the wave, landing back upon the wave, and continuing to ride.
• Grom/Grommet - young surfer (usually under 15 or so)
• Wipe Out- Falling off your surfboard while riding a wave. Accident while involved with surfing.
Adrenaline
Adrenaline 