Surf's up, dude. Cowabunga maybe?
We were able to go surfing and we all had a blast-so much fun that we want to try it again, but that’s partly because we didn’t have enough time to learn to surf in. We had a two hour slot at 2pm (to give credit, they did say the 11:30 slot was a better time to catch waves, but that was logistically impossible due to the amount of people (6) that wanted to learn.)
The two instructors gave us these foam training boards and sent us into the waves, telling us they’d take us a couple at a time and that we’d work a round-about way of surfing in, going to the side, and paddling back out. In theory, it would’ve flowed nicely except the waves they let us catch (there weren’t a lot) were very infrequent and we spent most of the time sitting on our boards, the two instructors as mute as ever. That was it. That was our instruction. In about two hours we each got about 5 rides/attempts to surf.
So I thought I’d try to make the most of the situation and learn enough to bypass an instructor the next time I have the chance to surf. I’d ask questions:
Me: So, how do you know which waves to catch?
Instructor: You look at the waves and get an idea of which ones are good.
Me: *
Fifteen minutes later while still waiting for a wave:
Me: When should we stand up?
Instructor: When I say stand up.
Me: Have you been saying that?
Instructor: Yeah.
Me: I can’t hear you.
Everyone else: I never heard you either.
Instructor: *
The articulate Kona boys had a way of helping us onto waves by sending us out paddling before the wave got to us, then paddling behind and once we’re on the wave, giving the board a good shove onto the wave. It took 1.5 hours of the 2 hour lesson to learn that this was the time we needed to stand up as it would be “the fastest you’ll ever go.”
Made sense, but it would’ve been nice to know that at the beginning of the lesson.
Bottom line: Surf Lessons Hawaii sucked rocks, but we’re already making plans to try it again. You know, the next time we’re near an ocean.
The two instructors gave us these foam training boards and sent us into the waves, telling us they’d take us a couple at a time and that we’d work a round-about way of surfing in, going to the side, and paddling back out. In theory, it would’ve flowed nicely except the waves they let us catch (there weren’t a lot) were very infrequent and we spent most of the time sitting on our boards, the two instructors as mute as ever. That was it. That was our instruction. In about two hours we each got about 5 rides/attempts to surf.
So I thought I’d try to make the most of the situation and learn enough to bypass an instructor the next time I have the chance to surf. I’d ask questions:
Me: So, how do you know which waves to catch?
Instructor: You look at the waves and get an idea of which ones are good.
Me: *
Fifteen minutes later while still waiting for a wave:
Me: When should we stand up?
Instructor: When I say stand up.
Me: Have you been saying that?
Instructor: Yeah.
Me: I can’t hear you.
Everyone else: I never heard you either.
Instructor: *
The articulate Kona boys had a way of helping us onto waves by sending us out paddling before the wave got to us, then paddling behind and once we’re on the wave, giving the board a good shove onto the wave. It took 1.5 hours of the 2 hour lesson to learn that this was the time we needed to stand up as it would be “the fastest you’ll ever go.”
Made sense, but it would’ve been nice to know that at the beginning of the lesson.
Bottom line: Surf Lessons Hawaii sucked rocks, but we’re already making plans to try it again. You know, the next time we’re near an ocean.