Virgin Surfer No More!

I finally managed to have a go surfing on Friday. My friend Steve arrived from the UK on Thursday and we had a chance to go surfing on Manly beach on Friday afternoon. Deirdre was going to go as part of a school trip for work and we could tag along with the class as well.

Unfortunately the tide was at its height on the beach which meant very difficult conditions for surfing. The weather was fantastic with hot temperatures well into the late 30's and a cool sea breeze. Because of the high tide it meant that paddling out to catch the waves in would be very difficult, as we would have to paddle out quite far and be well out of our depths in the sea.

There were around ten of us in our class and two instructors. After a brief lesson in paddling and jumping up on our boards. We were told to go ahead and try to paddle out to sea. I found it very difficult going trying to stay on my surf board against the waves. Several times I rolled over on my board and eventually just couldn't make it out past the waves. Steve and Allen managed to get out there but I just couldn't paddle hard enough into the waves.

Eventually I gave in and swam back to shore and waited for an instructor to help take me out. Near the end of the lesson an instructor did help take me out there and I caught a couple of waves on the way back, tried to stand up and quickly fell back down again!

Overall it was a difficult start to my surfing career. Maybe I shouldn't have given up my day job to be a surfing instructor quite yet. I won't be hanging ten in the green room quite yet either. But I certainly will give it another go in easier conditions. The instructors did say that it was very difficult conditions to start surfing in and everyone else was having problems as well, excuses, excuses. :-)