My First Surfing Lesson in Waikiki Hawaii
If I was ever going to try surfing, Hawaii was the place to do it. How could I let this chance go by without jumping on it.
And now I know why surfers have the most toned bodies ever! HOLY CRAP IT’S ACTUALLY REALLY HARD! Okay, imagine lying on your stomach on a table top, not having your legs available, then holding your shoulders and chest up in an arch, and waving your arms about… for over an hour!!! Okay… got it? Yep – it seriously hurt… but it was so amazing and I would totally do it again!
I booked a 2 hour private lesson with the Nancy Emerson School of Surfing in Waikiki. My teacher’s name was Kalahiki, and he was the most patient person I’ve ever met. He gave me some on-shore lessons first, and broke down the techniques into steps that I could easily remember. It took me a few goes on the beach to get the hang of the steps:
- Paddle
- Paddle
- Paddle
- Arch back
- Straighten arms
- Lift body into a plank
- Shuffle left foot forward (arms still in place)
- Shuffle right foot forward
- Left foot again
- Right foot again
- Stand up!
Easy-peasy!
It seemed like forever to paddle out to the waves, but on the way out, Kalahiki taught me some simple techniques for balancing, going ‘over’ the waves without getting dumped, and just general tricks and tips.
I ended up catching 2 waves, and managed to stand both times… just (it was the end of the wave by the time I’d done my 11 steps). But the rush when the board was taken by the wave was just awesome. There’s so much energy that you can feel in the wave – it’s a feeling like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
I will definitely be trying this again! I may have a bit of practice to do, but this surfing thing could be an addiction that doesn’t go away.