Surfing Alone or with people?

the only time I'd rather surf with people is winter when its big

 

damn right.! just yourself and the ocean!

 

alone.. if a fish bites you then you probably deserved it

 

I surfed "sort of" alone this past Sunday. I had a non-surfing buddy sit in a beachchair to keep and eye on me and call 911 if I got in any trouble, but I was the only one in the water and he was the only one on the beach as far as the eye could see. It was great and I caught a few respectable waves.

However, I'm still not a very good surfer at all, and I have had my best sessions when I surf with my more experienced surfing friends whom really help coach me along out there. They have a much better eye for wave selection than I do and help me set up in the lineup correctly, tell me when to begin paddling, paddle harder etc. When I'm alone I frequently waste time and energy on the wrong waves. So I'd have to say for me the best situation is just myself and 1 or 2 buds who can be comrades/coaches but otherwise we have total isolation from everyone else. That is my personal favorite situation.

 

How can a surfer drown when he's a strong swimmer, he's got a board, a wetsuit? Wetsuits are made of air bubbles compressed between polyurethane so naturally, one would not be able to drown since it is a flotation device.

Lifeguard signs??? seriously? those things tell you not to go in the ocean if there are rip currents... like a rip is so life threatening! its easy to handle first of all, and second of all, surfers rely on rips to paddle out.

Lastly, i hope everything you said was a joke, especially the ignant part since its not quite a word.

 

i you surf alone it probally more relaxing like you said. but having a surfing buddy is probbaly more fun and entrataining

 

Drive down assateague on the OSV zone and paddle out on a cloudy day when there are no fishermen out. Its so much crazier there bc you cant even see the beach on a semi foggy day and there are no buildings to look back at, only ponies and sand dunes. SO RELAXING.....

 

What?

What are you talking about? I was on the beach getting ready to paddle out on a big day OCNJ when a friend passed out for no reason. He was great surfer and an all around watermen. He died. He would have lived if someone was with him. A wetsuit is not going to save your life. And you TALK as if the ocean does not challenge you? Even on the east coast, I have seen grown men with their tail between their legs. I surf by myself on a very rare occasion, but I would rather share the experience with my brothers or friends.

 

I love being by myself without the crowds, but its also fun just to have a few friends to share the experience with. you know. but i know what you mean. it is really relaxing to be out there by yourself sometimes.

 

I live in san diego, so it is damn near impossible to find an empty wave. I do know of a couple though. I go out at a spot on sunset cliffs that is always empty. Its like a 1/4 mile paddle out and a fickle wave. I like surfing that break alone in the summer time. If a nice south swell hits, its really cool to go out alone and see deep into the ocean and play around. I get off my board and swim around... Its nice when all the elements work out for you.

But on the other hand, when the winter comes and its colder water and 10feet plus. I like to have a few guys around. I mean, I have been 1/2 mile out on the 3rd reefs and had the whole lineup cleaned out. There is no more eerie of a feeling than being alone in huge surf all of the sudden.

And in the spring, after there are sightings of 20 ft white sharks in north county, one of which killed a guy last spring, yeah for sure you think about it.

I remember surfing that same day last april. Knowing tha a guy a few miles up the beach was just eaten by a shark. So me and my buddies acted like we didnt even think about it, but every duck dive felt cold and creepy.

SO, as long as there is good surf, I like surfing with others.


And in OB where I live, I have the pleasure of surfing with like 10 guys that are on the QS and can surf pretty ridiculously, so yeah, its also nice to watch other guys techniques. That is how I started getting good at airs and weird tricks... YOu watch these high flying 15 year old super groms for a few days and you will be learning fast.

 

I'm not gonna lie, there's been a few times down at the 'teague I freaked myself out enough to paddle into someone elses party. Granted i'm not sitting right "on" them, and def. giving them priority on waves.....but hey, you know the feeling......sometimes you just get spooked. And that can be one big lonely place !

 

619...OB....? Damn hippie.

And stop mentioning names!

BTW... sharks... man, there have always been shark sightings here in SoCA.
Taste the water... if it's salty that means there are sharks somewhere around you.
They always have been, always will be.


Oh, and I was an OB Rat for a decade (also known as the 90's), btw. 'Ol school.