Originally posted by: scott
Add suggestions (as if you needed more words):
Never go surfing alone.
Never let your board get between yourself and the oncoming wave, even momentarily in shallow water near shore.
It's hard trying to learn in the soup. It'll be easier, faster, smoother & true fun later on the unbroken wave face.
Bodyboard your surfboard a lot in the whitewater to build sense for how your fore/aft position affects the board.
When you get tired of that, try pushing up and hopping to both feet all in one motion. What fails=trying to ease up gradually on one knee. That's not the way. It's a hop all the way up onto both feet. You'll get it right.
Surfing makes you hungry, take food.
It's fun exploring new spots.
Helps to keep binoculars in car to check for waves/crowds without having to walk out there.
Always leave the beach a little cleaner than you found it. The small amount of trash you pick up as you leave probably won't make a dent. Still, your symbolic act breeds good attitude among others who see you. We're the modern-day custodial Indians respecting the shore.
Remember,
Never go surfing alone.
Learn to correlate weather with waves at your spots. Generally, best waves are on the back side of a passing low pressure zone.
I kid you not...never go surfing alone.