From proper equipment to surfing techniques – here’s a complete guide for the ultimate surfing beginners in Sydney, Australia. I will be sharing tips to make your very first surfing experience a memorable one! I will cover the following topics for the guide including proper items for beginners, learning how to surf, and best beaches in Sydney for the ultimate surfing beginners.
Surfing is a water sport of riding waves; however, in Australia, surfing is a way of life, with over three million Aussies who knows how to surf.
A lot of people, including myself, have been hesitant to learn how to surf due to safety reasons. Fortunately, Sports Medicine Australia considers surfing a safe sport. According to them, most of the injuries are caused by hitting yourself with your board or someone else’s board — that’s why you should keep a distance with other people when surfing. Also, before surfing, check for any rock formations on the area to avoid hitting it.
Looking at Australia’s wavy beaches, I’d say it is the perfect destination for surfers. I could not miss this opportunity while being here. So, I took the challenge to learn this sport and surprisingly, I am addicted to it!
Are you ready to ride some waves? Read on and join me on my very first time surfing in Australia!
Surfing Essential Items
What items do you need for surfing? Not much, really. All you need are:
- Wetsuit – they keep you from getting wet and staying warm when in the water.
- Surfboard – the best type of surfboard for beginners is the longboard. It is over 9 ft long and wide enough to help you balance. Longboards are also thick, which makes it more buoyant.
- Surfboard leash – this keeps you from losing your surfboard.
- UV Sunscreen (lots of it!)
How to surf? My first time learning how to surf.
On my 30th birthday, I purchased a two-hour surfing lesson with Manly Surf School through Red Balloon. I originally booked a 9 AM class; however, when I called the surfing company to confirm my booking, they told me that as a first-time surfer I should move my schedule during low-tide, which is at 11 AM.
On the day, I arrived a few minutes before the class. The staff handed me a wetsuit and told me to change. I left my valuable items in the locker they’ve provided. Before leaving the building, they offered some UV sunscreen. The school have pretty much all the basic things you need for surfing.
There were over ten people in our group. After a few quick chats, I realised that I was the only first-time surfer in the group. Most of them have surfed for three to five times and were very much comfortable being in deep waters. We walked together for 200 meters towards the end of Manly beach. The instructor said it was the perfect spot for beginners.
We did not head out immediately to the water. Instead, our instructor asked us to form a circle with our surfboards beside us. This way, all of us could see every action of our instructor.
Step 1: Carry your surfboard properly
The very first thing our instructor taught us was the proper way to carry the surfboard. Learning the right way helps us avoid accidents such as getting hit by our surfboard, or avoiding unnecessary hassle.
The way you carry a surfboard varies on where you are.
- If you are not yet in the water – carry the surfboard on your dominant side, using your arms to wrap its nose or head. Continue carrying your surfboard in this manner until reaching a knee-deep level in the ocean.
- If the water is above your waist – hold the tail of your surfboard with your dominant hand. Place your other hand on the mid-side of the board to control its direction.
Avoid approaching waves by pushing down the tail of your surfboard. You raise the head of your surfboard this way; therefore, avoiding your board from crashing into the waves.
After learning the proper way to carry a surfboard, our instructor continued by teaching us how to ride our surfboard, paddle correctly, and catch waves – theoretically. I say ‘theoretically’ because we were still on the sand.
Step 2: Learn to position yourself in a surfboard
The best type of surfboard for beginners is the longboard. Most surfboards have a vertical line in the middle. This line serves as a guide on where you should place yourself to achieve balance.
Avoid lying too close on the head of the surfboard; else, you will end up nose-diving. Avoid lying too close on the tail of the surfboard; else, your board will fall back at you. Don’t lean on one side. Put yourself in the middle with your feet right over the edge.
Step 3: Catching waves for ultimate beginners
Did you know that you can still surf even in shallow waters? As beginners, our instructor told us to stay close to the shore and play with whitewash (the foamy water that you see after a wave breaks).
When a wave is approaching, slide on top of your surfboard with your feet outside the board. Start paddling with your two arms. And when the whitewash touches your feet, immediately pop-up to stand.
Tip: Give your surfboard a little push when you are sliding on top of it.
Step 4: How to pop-up on a surfboard?
Again, our instructor taught us all the surfing basics, including pop-up, when we were still on the sand.
To pop-up, start by placing your hands flat on the side of the board close to your chest. Push up and arch your back with your chest facing forward and your legs still in contact with the surfboard. Simply put, imagine yourself doing yoga.
Now, bring your feet forward at the same time – dominant foot (right) on the back and other foot (left) on the middle of the surfboard. Keep both feet wide apart. Once you’ve completed this, you can start removing your hands off the board and slowly rise.
If you prefer a step-by-step way of doing a pop-up, what you could do differently is instead of bringing your feet forward at the same time:
Slide your non-dominant foot in front with knees close to your chest. Start placing your dominant foot at the back of the surfboard. Your body will naturally twist a little while doing this. Place both feet flat on your surfboard. Slowly rise up and keep your balance.
To control your speed, lean back to slow down or use the foot in front to make it quick.
Step 5: Keep yourself balanced on top of your surfboard
To keep the balance, stand sideways on your surfboard with your feet wide apart, bend your knees, and lift your arms (as if you are dabbing slightly). Always keep your chest and head forward to help you see and control where you will go. If you look down, there is a higher chance that you will nose-dive.
Keep practicing in shallow waters and when you are confident in deep waters – well, I have yet to learn how to handle that so watch out 😉
Renting Surfing Equipments
*Coming Soon*
Guide to Best Beaches for Surfer Beginners in Australia
*Coming Soon* Unfortunately, not all beaches are beginner-friendly. But don’t worry, I’ll soon be exploring beaches in New South Wales and see if it’s fit for first-time surfers.
If you are not keen in surfing, why don’t you check out these posts for more Australia travel ideas.
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