Springing into surfing

Not quite time to ditch the wetsuit, but spring means summer is on the way...

An azzure sky, a soft northerly and an upswing in water temperature means that surfers all along the Victorian coast are enjoying the spring waves. Not to mention calling in sick ('cough, cough, sorry boss I've got a bug'), as they indulge their surfing bug in the perfect A-frames melting in up and down the Great Ocean Road.
It’s been a long, long, icy cold winter in and out of the water and spring took a while to get going as even the more hardened zero water surfer will admit.

Now’s the time to remember to put on the sunblock along with your 3/2 and enjoy those uncrowded breaks before the summer hordes realise that now the footy has finished they can safely leave the house.

Late spring is also a good time to raise the bar on your surfing. Sometimes it's easy to settle into a comfort zone. Whether it's 3 ft beachies or always surfing your mal on 5 ft point breaks and nothing else, you can find yourself surfing the same beaches and the same waves all the time - and then you wonder why your surfing doesn't improve or maybe even begins to slip a bit.

Starting out
Once you discover your passion for surfing, it can be a weird mixture of fun and frustration, excitement and exasperation as you struggle to master your surfboard.
“When I started surfing, I attended lessons through a surf school each Saturday morning for about two months”, says Sydney surfer Belinda Glynn.
“Group lessons offered a safety buffer, we would all laugh and choke on water together and it made the surf seem less intimidating”, she recalls.
“Surfing with a grrlfriend helped me improve as she’s always encouraging and supportive”, says her friend Laura Soledad, who took up surfing in her 30’s.
“Having someone to encourage you really helps you persevere, especially through the times when you want to improve and you’d just get too frustrated on your own”.

Coach selection
Finding a coach with the right personality is as important as choosing your surfboard – get the wrong type and you’ll be floundering and miserable. Coaches are also good to return to on a regular basis to ensure you don’t lose your momentum.
“If you are really serious, think about getting a surf coach who can help you with the technical side of surfing”, says six times world champion Layne Beachley.
“A surf coach really improved my surfing in leaps and bounds”, agrees Laura. “He immediately identified bad habits and how to get rid of them and taught me good techniques which you don't get exposed to when you just jump on a board and go for it”, she says.

Look and learn
Northern Beaches surfer Sue Gill has been surfing for over 30 years and has caught waves in Mexico and Santa Cruz and closer to home, all along the Australian east coast from chilly Phillip Island to balmy Noosa.
“To improve my surfing and challenge my competence in the water I ask questions of my fellow surfers, particularly ones that seem skilled at a particular maneuver”, Sue says.
“I also watch videos of contemporary and traditional surfers of the 60’s and every time I venture into the water I aim to practice one aspect of my surfing technique”, she explains”.

Need to focus on your inner-surfer? Read The Surfer’s Mind by Richard Bennett.

Torquay surf news
For those who are heading down to the south-west coast, remember to check out the latest exhibition at Surfworld
Need to hire some gear? Or looking for some coaching to polish your cutback? Check out the friendly dudes at Torquay Surf Academy.