WHERE ARE THE BIGGEST WAVES IN THE WORLD?

Now there are a few people out there that would give you a completely different list to the one I'm about to share with you, but trust me when I say - not all big waves are created equal. 

Yes, this is a list of the biggest waves in the world, but that accounts for more than just height, but how heavy and gnarly they are too. 

This is the list big wave surfers would tell you, not some keyboard warrior chump sitting on their couch at home. 

THE BIGGEST WAVE EVER RECORDED

Alright, I told you in the intro I'd tell you about a wave that'd dwarf everything on this list, and here it is, Lituya Bay, Alaska.

Guilty I get it, it's not a typical wave that's generated by wind, but I think it deserves an honourable mention in this post. 

Lituya Bay is a protected inlet that ships in the North Sea use to protect themselves from storms. The inlet itself is a shaped a little like a funnel, with a small opening on one end, and a glacier at the other. 

During the night of July 9, 1958, something crazy happened (and not for the first time either) whereby a huge chunk of glacier fell, creating its own Tsunami. 

This wave - as it funnelled into the inlet - jacked up to extreme heights, at its peak reaching 915m tall!

Yup you read that right.

How did anyone live to tell this tale?

They didn't have to, as one look at the geography of this zone will tell everything you need to know. 

With rich pine forests scaling the mountains coming to an abrupt stop, whereby all soil, all vegetation is completely stripped from the mountainside. 

A true freak of nature of a wave, that's scary even just to think about. 

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST WAVE EVER SURFED?

The biggest wave ever surfed was ridden by Sebastian Steudtner at the iconic big wave spot Nazare, on the West Coast of Portugal in October 2020. 

The wave height was measured at 86ft

CONCLUSION

Measuring the biggest waves in the world is a subjective process, and you'll get a different list depending on who you speak to. 

But I reckon I've done a good job here in giving you a list of the worlds biggest waves - that big wave surfers themselves would tip their hats to. 

Yew!
Rowan

And a whole lot more.

There's a lot to get through in this ultimate guide, so buckle up, and let's go!

WHAT IS A POINT BREAK?

A point break is a type of wave that breaks along/across a prominent piece of land, such as:

What makes them unique is the way the waves bend and wrap around the point, creating mechanical waves that can peel and break for miles - literally. 

In fact the longest point in the world, Chicama in Chile, can break for up to 8km!.

Point breaks are coveted in the surfing community as they offer up the longest rides, and break in a predictable way.

HOW IS A POINT BREAK DIFFERENT TO A BEACH BREAK OR REEF?

The biggest difference between a points and other styles of breaks is the way a swell has to wrap around a headland (or point if you will). 

This wrapping, or refracting if you prefer, is what sets point breaks apart from everything else with the waves moving down adjacent to the point, rather than perpendicular. 

But let’s take a closer look at how they differ below:

POINT BREAK VS BEACH BREAK

Beach breaks face perpendicular to ocean swells, and as such they don’t break for as long, or as predictably as a point break would.

Instead, the direction a wave will break depends largely on the swell direction, and the under water topography, or sandbanks as they’re known. 

Typically, a beach break will throw up short, unpredictable rides breaking in either direction, left or right, and will very greatly depending upon the tides too. 

POINT BREAK VS REEF BREAK

There are a lot of similarities between a reef breaks and points, but some key differences in there too. 

Reef breaks will break on rock, or coral - as too will some point breaks. 

But the difference is in the refracting of the swell around a headland or point that sets them apart. 

The wrapping nature of a swell will allow the swell to run down the point rather than focusing straight in on it.

Not to confuse you, but you can have a reef break that follows all the same mechanics of a point; how it breaks, swell refraction etc. but it’s still not classed as a point break because it’s not connected to a land mass.

Take Restaurants in Fiji for example (ref image above), a reef break wave where the swells wrap and roll down the reef, but because it’s not connected to land, it’s considered a reef break and not a point.

POINT BREAK VS RIVER MOUTH

River Mouths are similar in so many ways to a points, yet very different too. 

A river mouth will throw up long peeling, predictable waves that break along a sandy bottom, oftentimes breaking for hundreds of meters. 

The big difference though is how the waves are formed. 

A point break is formed either from sand deposits from swells that wrap around a headland to create the sand banks, or from rocky outcrops or reefs that shape the headland itself.

River Mouths on the other hand are created by sand and silt deposits from a river flowing out to sea.

As sand and silt flow out from the river they sink to the bottom to create a sand bar, and if everything aligns this sand and silt deposit will create long, sand bottom peeling waves that can be fun as hell.

Mundaka in Spain, is the most famous (pictured above) River Mouth in surfing. 

LIST: THE WORLD’S BEST POINT BREAKS

Want to know where the best point breaks for surfing in the world can be found?

Keep reading...

JEFFREY'S BAY, SOUTH AFRICA

One of the worlds longest right-hand points, breaking over a rocky shelf in South Africa. 

An iconic spot, famous for its long stretched out walls, tubes, and its crazy marine life (yes, this is where famously Mick Fanning was attacked by a great white).

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/An63LMgFGjVL8c746

SUPER-BANK, AUSTRALIA

The jewel in the crown of Australia's East Coast, the Super Bank (a largely man-made phenomenon) is known world wide as one of the best points on the planet. 

Expect sand bottom tubes, and long open walls - expect too a hell of a lot of people, as this is one of the most crowded surf spots in the world!

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/An63LMgFGjVL8c746

RINCON POINT, CALIFORNIA

Rincon is a mellow right-hand point break in California, a natural footers dream. 

On it's day it can rival anywhere, but as with most famous breaks you can expect a crowd, as this is one of the best waves on the California coast. 

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MC7U31RvTiQBaE5f6

CHICAMA, CHILE

Officially the longest wave in the world!

Chicama in Chile spans roughly 8km, with multiple sections and take-off spots to choose from. 

The place itself might not be the most beautiful, but if you're after left handers that run for literally miles, you've found your spot.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LBuzcoc1m44xMEcB8

RAGLAN, NEW ZEALAND

Raglan is home to the most iconic wave in New Zealand. 

A series of point breaks in fact, stretching out from the beach across multiple headlands, the long left-handers are a goofy footers dream.

If you're surfing in New Zealand you absolutely have to check this place out. 

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/avQNygPJtodb2aEf8

SKELETON BAY, NAMIBIA

Discovered in an online surf competition back in the day where the public would scour Google Earth for potential, unknown world class waves, and boy did they find a gem.

Quite possibly the best wave on planet earth, period. 

Surfers have been known to have tube rides here for over 30seconds, WTF!

NOOSA HEADS, AUSTRALIA

Noosa's famous points are quite possibly the most beautiful in the world.

Sure, they may not offer top to bottom tubes like the Super Bank down the coast, but if Longboarding is your jam, then you've just found your heaven. 

Sand bottom peeling right handers, amongst a backdrop of tropical national park, Koala's and all.

Read our Guide to Surfing Noosa here for more.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/u9DiZbG6TBsMKUCR6

CONCLUSION

If you've never surfed a point break before, this is something that you just have to do.

One wave on a point like this could be the wave of your life, trust me. 

Yes they're often crowded, and yes your wave count will likely be low, but the payoffs of getting that one wave is well, well worth it.

Yew!
Rowan

And a whole lot more.

But first...

DO YOU NEED TO WAX A NEW SURFBOARD?

Yes, absolutely.

Wax is what gives the deck of a surfboard grip, and without it, it’s incredibly slippery.

Granted, it can be painful to wax a new surfboard because they look so damn pretty, but it’s unavoidable I’m afraid.

HOW TO WAX A SURFBOARD FOR THE FIRST TIME

Alright, there are some pretty wacky - insanely complicated - ways to wax a surfboard that people have conjured up over the years, many of which are overkill, so we won’t be covering those here.

Instead we’ll cover the two main approaches: 

SINGLE-COAT WAX JOB

A single coat wax job uses just a single block of wax appropriate for your water temperature.

This is usually more than enough traction for most people, in fact most of the pro’s use just a single coat.

And if it's good enough for them, it's likely good enough for you.

DOUBLE-COAT WAX JOB

A double-coat wax job uses two blocks of wax - one harder, one softer.

The harder wax is used as the base-coat to create small hard bumps for traction that won’t smudge or slip underfoot as the temperature increases.

From there, a softer wax is applied on top for extra traction.

We'll cover how these coats are applied in just a moment.

HOW TO WAX A SURFBOARD STEP BY STEP

Seven simple steps to waxing a surfboard for maximum traction:

STEP 1. PREPPING THE DECK

The first step is to make sure the deck of the board is clean and free from dust, dirt, and old wax.

Old wax can be removed with a wax comb, followed by either a wax removal tool, Methylated spirits, Turpentine (or similar).

Once your board is clean and dry, move onto the next step.

STEP 2. WAX SELECTION

The type of wax you use will vary depending upon the temperature of water you're surfing in. 

If you're surfing in warm water you'll use harder wax, and if surfing in cold water you'll need a softer wax.

All the different wax brands will be colour-coded to make this selection process easy, and failing that just ask the clerk at your local surf shop and they'll be able to advise.

STEP 3. DIAGONAL LINES

Using the edge of the block of wax, lightly begin to apply the wax on to the deck of the board in diagonal lines - making sure the lines are close together.

Repeat the process with diagonal lines running the opposite way.

STEP 4. HORIZONTAL LINES

Continue the same wax application process, however this time apply the wax in horizontal lines.

And remember, don't apply too much pressure at this point.

STEP 5. VERTICAL LINES

After the horizontal lines are complete, switch now to vertical lines up and down the board.

STEP 6. REPEAT UNTIL SMALL BUMPS ARE FORMED

The goal of steps 1-5 is to create small traction bumps in the wax, these bumps help to make the wax more grippy.

So, continue steps 3-5 until you have bumps approx 1mm high.

Once you're there, move on to the next step.

STEP 7. CIRCULAR MOTION

Now that the bumps are fully formed, switch to a circular motion.

This is where you can be a bit more aggressive, and apply more pressure during the application process.

The goal here is to build on the bumps already created - making them taller and more pronounced.

Keep applying wax until it's around 3-5mm thick

And that's it, you're done and you're ready to hit the water.

*HOW TO APPLY A BASE COAT OF WAX

To apply a base coat of wax to your surfboard you can simply follow the steps 1-6 above - using a harder wax for the process.

Once complete, proceed to step 7 and apply a top coat of softer wax in a circular motion from there.

CAN YOU PUT TOO MUCH WAX ON A BOARD?

No, not really. 

Sure, some people apply a little more than others but you’re still only talking about a ¼ of a block of wax or so.

So don’t stress that you’re putting too much wax on your board.

A more common issue is surfers not putting enough wax on their boards, so better to load it on just in case.

SHOULD YOU APPLY WAX TO YOUR DECK GRIP?

Deck grips provide enough traction for the everyday surfer just fine, however, lots of famous pro surfers choose to add wax to their deck grips for additional traction too.

So I'll leave this one up to you, as an optional extra.

*Interesting fact: Some pro's even wax the tops and the bottoms of their feet for additional traction.

HOW FAR UP THE BOARD SHOULD YOU WAX?

Up until about 10 years ago surfers would only ever wax the board up to where their chests lie, however things have changed a little since then.

With elite surfers doing air-rotations, and spins, they increasingly rely on the nose of their board as a functional foot placement area for balance.

For that reason, elite surfers will wax their boards right to the very nose.

However for the everyday surfer waxing to the chest point is more than enough.

DO YOU WAX THE BOTTOM OF A SURFBOARD?

No.

The bottom of the surfboard should be kept wax free as this area has no need for traction, instead its surface is designed to be smooth to allow water to flow over it freely for speed.

In short, keep all wax on the deck of your board.

HOW TO AVOID BEING A KOOK WITH YOUR WAX JOB

Now I’ve seen some pretty interesting wax jobs in my time, and it’s often a tell-tale sign of kookiness…

So here’s what to avoid:

Follow along to the above and you'll avoid the kook trap just fine.

WRAPPING IT UP

There's no better feeling that waxing up a new surfboard for the very first time in anticipation for your first surf.

And now, you should have all the knowledge you need to get the best grip possible from here onwards.

Any board waxing tips I missed?

If so, chuck'em in the comments below.

Yew!
Rowan

There’s a lot to get through, so let's go.

WHAT CAUSES SQUARE WAVES IN THE OCEAN

Square waves (also referred to as cross sea, or squared sea) are a rare ocean phenomenon caused by two ocean swells colliding perpendicular to one another.

These waves are often formed at peninsular's of land where two different seas or oceans meet.

As the two opposing swells collide they interact with one another colliding at right angles, resulting in the square waves visible from land.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOU SEE SQUARE WAVES

It means that two swells are colliding at 90° to one another. 

From afar, square waves are no cause for alarm and can be enjoyed for the natural phenomenon that they are.

Getting caught swimming, surfing or sailing in square waves however is a different story altogether.

More on that though in a minute.

ARE SQUARE SEA WAVES REAL?

Yup, absolutely. 

Although rare, and only made possible in certain unique conditions, they absolutely are real.

In fact square waves in the ocean have caused numerous shipping accidents over the years, and are a real danger to swimmers and surfers too.

If you’re fortunate enough to see one first hand, lucky you, enjoy it.

Just don't grab your board and hop in, as they're more dangerous than you might think.

ARE SQUARE WAVES DANGEROUS?

Yes, square waves can be very dangerous and here’s why:

Square waves are the result of two ocean swells colliding perpendicular to one another, and this cross sea wave collision results in powerful rip currents, and incredibly unpredictable waves - making them extremely dangerous.

Countless ships and lives have been lost to squared sea waves, so they’re not something to take lightly.

Even though on the surface cross sea waves may appear harmless, underneath the surface a turbulent battle is taking place underwater that should not be messed with under any circumstances.

Squared waves should be avoided recreationally at all costs.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SWIM IN SQUARE WAVES?

If you’re swimming, and you notice yourself in a cross sea wave situation, get out of the water immediately.

The cross waves on the surface may not be too hazardous to contend with, but the current underwater can be treacherous. 

So if you find yourself in a situation like this take action to get to shore immediately.

WHERE ARE SQUARE WAVES FOUND?

Square waves are usually found at peninsular's of land where two oceans meet. With swells coming from different angles and often refracting around the peninsular, this is where square waves can be found.

Examples of where square waves have been found:

Isle of Ré, France - This island off the coast of La Rochelle in France is probably the most famous location for spotting crossed sea waves.

Cape Reinga, New Zealand - Located at the very Northern tip of New Zealand where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean collide.

Wednesday Island, Australia - Situated at the most Northern point of Queensland, Australia known as the Torres Strait where the Arafura Sea and the Coral Sea collide.

SQUARE WAVES VS WEDGES

Ok, so there’s a big difference between square waves and a wedge (a wave that has rebounded off a headland, or a man made rock jetty).

Square waves are the result of two ocean swells colliding - hence all the turbulent water that movies underneath. 

Wedge waves on the other hand are formed from a single ocean swell instead making them much safer and less turbulent as a result.

WRAPPING IT UP

Square waves are a rare phenomenon that occur when two ocean swells collide.

They’re mesmerising to look at, and a sight to behold, but they’re dangerous for surfers, swimmers, and boats alike - so just enjoy them at a distance.

If you ever get to witness square sea waves first-hand, savour it and soak it up, as they’re incredibly rare.

Yew!

Rowan

Let's go.

THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN YOU THINK

Granted, every surfer that hits the water from day one is able to turn their surfboard around in some shape or form.

But, there’s a big difference in being able to do it in 0.5 seconds vs 5 seconds as we’re about to find out…

ADVANTAGES OF BEING ABLE TO TURN AROUND FAST

Get this turning manoeuvre right, and it’ll open up your surfing in the following ways.

POSITIONING

Being able to turn your surfboard around quickly means you can make better positional changes in the lineup. 

Why is this important?

Well, it means you no longer have to be static in the ocean, happy with the cards you’ve been dealt, and instead you can make big positional adjustments to get yourself in the right spots more often. 

The result?

It means being in the right place, at the right time - more often. 

Which’ll send your make-rate through the roof.

ONSHORE WAVES

Surfing onshore waves is very different to surfing offshore waves.

The waves are less uniform and much closer together, and as such, make them much more difficult to catch.  

Surfing waves like this requires much quicker reflexes giving you much less time to prepare for each wave you catch.  

The ability to swivel fast really helps in these scenarios.

COMPETING FOR WAVES: Lots of waves that people paddle for they fail to catch, and if you're not able to swivel quickly and react in these situations you'll miss waves that could've been yours.

COMPETING FOR WAVES

Lots of waves that people paddle for they fail to catch, and if you're not able to swivel quickly and react in these situations you'll miss waves that could've been yours.

More waves = More opportunity to improve

Who would’ve thought so much good could come from a simple swivel of the board hey?

HOW DO I TURN MY SURFBOARD AROUND?

Alright, now there are three ways you can turn your surfboard around in the water.

Two of them are slow as hell and should be avoided like the plague, and the other one is the one we recommend... 

Let’s take a look at all three below;

TURN 1. THE TITANIC TURN

The Titanic turn is when a surfer is lying on their surfboard in the prone position, using just their arms with tiny little paddles to slowly (very slowly) turn their surfboard around.

This is by far the slowest way to turn around, and should be avoided.

Turning Time: 5 Seconds +

TURN 2. THE HELICOPTER

The Helicopter technique is where a surfer will be sitting on their surfboard using their legs and arms rotating in a circular motion to turn their surfboards around. 

This is the most common board turning technique you’ll see, and it serves a purpose to a degree, but it’s still much too slow for us. 

Turning time: 2-3 Seconds

TURN 3. THE SWIVEL

The Swivel is by far the fastest way to turn a surfboard around.

Done well a surfer will be able to make a complete 180 turn in under 0.5 seconds.

It's the technique used by the pro's and it's the technique we recommend to our students too.

The swivel - when done correctly - is more of a controlled fall than a steady pivot.

Done right, it's one fluid motion from sitting on your board looking out to sea, to full 180 swivel into paddle in one motion.

It'll take a lot of practice to get it right, but it's well worth the investment that's for sure.

Here's how it's done.

WRAPPING IT UP

Being able to turn your surfboard around in under 0.5secs has a BIG impact out in the water.

You’ll catch more waves, be able to manoeuvre into better positions, and increase your success rate as a result.

This little skill really packs a punch, and getting it dialled will elevate your surfing to a whole new level. 

You got this.

Yew!

Rowan

We've got a lot to get through, so let's go!

WHAT IS A NOSEDIVE ON A SURFBOARD?

Nosediving on a surfboard is when the nose (the front) of your surfboard digs into the wave causing you to wipeout. 

Nosediving, or pearling as it’s also known, is a common issue for beginner surfers which can lead to some very bad habits (the downward spiral of doom) as compensation techniques as a result.

WHY DO I NOSEDIVE ALL THE TIME?

Nosediving happens for a variety of reasons.

Let's go into each in a little more detail on why below:

1. TOO FAR FORWARD

Probably the most common of the lot is where a surfer is positioned too far forward on their board when paddling for a wave. 

All this excess weight at the front of the board causes the nose of the board to dig into the waves face as it picks you up. 

The tendency when this occurs is to compensate by leaning your weight much further back on the board, however, as you’ll see later in this post, this isn’t always the answer…

2. TOO LATE

The earlier you can enter into a wave the more gradual the incline, likewise the later you enter a wave the steeper the incline will be.

Steeper waves increase the risk of nosediving considerably.

3. SUCKY WAVES

Certain waves go from ground swell to pitching wave virtually instantly, and it's these waves that are the culprit for a LOT of nosedives.

If you're an advanced surfer, sucky waves needn't cause you too much of an issue, but for a beginner they can be a nightmare.

THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF DOOM

Ok, so before you ask, the way to avoid nose diving is NOT to move way further back on your surfboard, and here’s why.

Welcome to the downward spiral of doom…

So, you move further back on your board and you think that’s it, problem solved.

…think again.

When you move too far back on your surfboard here’s what happens:

Reduced Paddle Speed: When you move too far back on your surfboard you create lots of drag, which in turn slows you down when you paddle.

Struggle To Catch Waves: This reduced paddle speed makes it difficult to catch waves.

Move Closer To Shore: Now that catching waves is much harder you move closer to shore.

Waves Get Steep: The further towards the shore you move, the steeper the waves become.

Nosediving Increases: Catching steeper waves is way harder, and increases your chances of nose diving.

...the cycle continues. 

The answer to not nosediving counterintuitively lies elsewhere…

HOW TO STOP NOSE DIVING - 7 COUNTERINTUITIVE TECHNIQUES

1. FIND THE SWEET SPOT

Ok, we mentioned earlier how simply moving way back on your board isn’t the answer, instead we need to find the sweet spot, the spot where you’re not too far forward or too far back. 

That perfect spot where your board is able to plane over the surface of the water with minimal resistance. 

2. ARCH BACK, CHIN DOWN

If you arch your back when you’re paddling (which you should) you’ll notice that the sweet spot as mentioned above shifts a little further up the board. 

This is a good thing.

Let me explain.

With your back arched, and the ability to lie a little further up the board you have the benefit of a couple of things. 

You carry a lot of weight in your shoulders and head which can be pushed forward when a wave picks you up, this helps you to catch wave earlier. 

Catching waves earlier you avoid those nasty late drops, helping you to stop nosediving as a result.

Arch back, chin down - and go, go, go!

3. TAIL HIGH TAKE OFF

With chin down, naturally the tail of your board will rise with the wave as it picks you up, and this is a very good thing.

As the tail rises with the wave, gravity is on your side which helps to connect you and your board to the wave and help you to catch it way earlier - making everything easier as a result.

4. PADDLE BETTER, FASTER

Everyone can paddle to a degree, granted.

However there’s a big difference to being a good paddler and everything else.

Practice makes perfect, and although paddling has nothing to do with surfing itself, if you perfect the art it’ll work wonders for the rest of your surfing across the board.

5. TOP POP, THEN DROP

We see it all the time in our surf school, students catch a wave, look down it and freak out, then ride down it on their bellies thinking it's the safest thing to do.

It’s not.

Quite the opposite in fact.

And as you’d expect, going down the wave’s face on your belly is a great way to nosedive that’s for sure.

So, from here on in commit to popping up at the top of the wave and riding down it on your feet.

It’s much easier (I promise), much safer, and you’re way, way more in control.

6. CUT OFF THE ANGLE

The steepest way down a wave is to go straight, right?

So, naturally, the way to reduce the steepness is to cut off the angle and go across it instead.

Just like a skier goes down a mountain from side to side to cut off the angle, surfers can do this too by angling their surfboards when taking off.

It's called an angled takeoff and it's something worth knowing for sure.

7. COMMIT

A lot of nosedives happen because people fail to commit.

They see the steep wave, freeze, and do the exact opposite of what’s needed. 

Sure, looking down a wave can be scary at times, but you’ve got to find a way to fight that instinct and embrace it. 

Only when you fully embrace it and commit, will you give yourself the best chance of not nosediving.

WRAPPING IT UP

Avoiding nosediving entirely is almost impossible, I mean even the pro’s do it from time to time.

But, what you’ve learned here will severely reduce the likelihood of it happening to you.

Practice makes perfect right?

Yew!

Rowan

You ready? 

Keep reading…

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT STANCES IN SURFING?

There are just two different stances in surfing, one where you ride with your left foot forward and the other with your right.

Although we only have two different stances in surfing, we strangely have three different names for them…

…go figure.

SURFING STANCE NAMES

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M GOOFY OR REGULAR STANCE

You’ll know whether you are a goofy of regular footer by feel. 

Whichever stance feels more balanced and natural, is the stance for you.

But it’s not always this easy.

Some people are more ambidextrous than others and feel comfortable riding with either stance, this can make the whole process confusing.

What then?

Ok. Well if you fall into this category and you’re still unsure which stance you are, here are a few tests you can do to help figure it out:

STANCE TEST 1: SLIDING ON ICE

Imagine you were about to run and slide on an iced lake. 

Which foot do you lead with?

If you lead with your left, you're likely a Natural footer, and if you lead with your right you'd be Goofy.

STANCE TEST 2: LEAN & FALL

Stand with your feet together and slowly lean over until you fall. 

Whichever foot you reach out to balance with will likely be your leading foot in your surfing stance.

STANCE TEST 3: RUN SKIM RUN

Imagine yourself with a skimboard in hand about to run and skim across the water.

Which foot would you lead with? 

Run through this in your mind, and your leading foot will likely dictate your stance.

*If you've tried all of the above and you're still unsure, lead with the assumption that you're a Regular footer. Why? As you're about to find out, most people are Regular footed anyway.

ARE MOST SURFERS GOOFY OR REGULAR STANCE?

It turns out that roughly 80% of people surf with a regular stance.

Why?

In the same way that most people are right-handed, most surfers are regular footed too.

It has a lot to do with genetics and the way we process things in the brain, but that's beyond the scope of this article so we'll leave it there for now.

SURF STANCES TO AVOID

Alright I know I said earlier that there are only two stances…

…well, I kinda lied.

Sort of at least.

Correct, there’s only two real ways you can ride a surfboard - left foot forward or right - but there are a couple of other stances you want to avoid.

THE SKIER STANCE

The skier stance is when your front foot (or both feet for that matter) are pointing towards the nose of the board, rather than across it.

Why is this a bad thing?

Well, what it does is open up your shoulders and flatten off the chest (note the difference between the angle of the shoulders of a snowboarder vs a skier), and it distributes your weight across your board in a strange way - making things real wobbly and hard to balance as a result.

THE POO STANCE

If you’ve not heard of this yet, you soon will.

The poo stance in surfing is the furthest thing away from good surfing style that you can get.

What is is?

The poo stance is where a surfers stance is wide, with both knees pointed outward in a squat-like position, just like when you’re about to crouch down and take a #@$*

This stance may be practical (to a degree), but it’s ugly as hell so don’t do it!

HOW WIDE SHOULD YOUR SURFING STANCE BE?

Your stance should be a little over shoulder width apart.

If your legs are too close together you’ll find it hard to balance, and if they're too far apart you’ll fall into the poo stance category mentioned above.

AT WHAT ANGLE SHOULD I POINT MY FEET?

A good surfing stance will see you with your back foot at roughly 90° to the stringer, and your front foot roughly 45°.

HOW DO I FIX MY SURFING STANCE

Alright, a bit of troubleshooting is in order I think. 

Here goes:

COMMON PROBLEMS WITH STANCE AND HOW TO FIX THEM...

1. STANDING TOO TALL

2. POO STANCE

3. BENT AT THE HIP

4. DOUBLE TROUBLE

WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR WEIGHT WHEN SURFING

There are two answers to this question:

ANSWER 1: WHERE TO PUT YOUR WEIGHT AS A BEGINNER

When you’re just starting out the answer is to put your weight over the stringer of the board, right in the centre - evenly distributed between both feet to help the board plane over the surface of the water.

ANSWER 2: WHERE TO PUT YOUR WEIGHT FOR INTERMEDIATES (AND ABOVE)

There is no fixed answer to where to put your weight at this stage as it all depends on the type of board you’re riding, the type of waves, what you’re trying to do, and when.

Weight distribution at this stage is so nuanced that there’s no hard and fast 'catch-all' rule.

Instead the answer is, “it depends”.

WRAPPING IT UP

Now, whether your surf stance is Natural or Goofy is besides the question.

What’s important is that you’re doing it right.

Get your stance right and you’re on the right path for improvement. 

Better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to be on, than at the top of one you don’t, right?

So, even if you have to take a few steps back in the short term to fix any bad habits, the long term payoffs will be worth it.

Yew!
Rowan

STEP 1: GET THE RIGHT GEAR

It's impossible to start without having the right surfing gear beforehand. 

Below is a list of the absolute essentials to get you started:

SURFBOARD

To surf, you're going to need a surfboard, but not just any board - a surfboard that's built for beginners.

The surfboard you need will be:

Here's what a good beginner surfboard should look like:

WETSUIT

If you surf outside of the tropics, you'll need a wetsuit. 

Why do surfers need to wear wetsuits?

They wear them for the following reasons:

Above all though, wetsuits are to keep you warm in cold water, and the best surfing wetsuits are damn good at it.

WAX

Surfboards are naturally slippery objects, especially when they're wet.

This is fine for the underside of the surfboard that glides through the water, but not great for the top part (the deck) where you stand. 

To overcome this lack of traction, surfers use surf wax - a grippy substance that gets applied to the deck of a surfboard.

So you'll need some of this before you start surfing.

Not sure how to wax your surfboard? This tutorial will help.

LEGROPE

A legrope, or leash as it's also known is a chord that attaches to both the surfboard, and the surfer. 

This chord is designed to stop your surfboard from floating away when you fall off. 

Be sure to equip yourself with one of these before you get started.

You can find out everything you need to know about surf leashes in this beginners guide.

FINS

Fins attach to the bottom of your surfboard. 

They act like a rudder on a boat, helping the surfboard to turn, without them, the board would simply slide out. 

Surfboards come with a range of different fin set ups from one fin, all the way up to five - each with a different feel, and a different use case.

But for where you're at right now, just looking to get started at surfing, you should be looking for a surfboard with three fins. 

This is the best of the bunch for beginner surfers. 

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPOT

As a beginner looking to start surfing for the very first time, you'll want to make sure you're at the right spot, something that's suitable for a new surfer.

Here's what to look out for:

For the best surf conditions for beginners click here.

STEP 3: LEARN THE BASICS

Before you hit the water, it's important that you've at the very least got a bit of a grasp of the technical basics. 

We could write a whole course on this subject, oh wait, we have (Surfing Made Simple), but for just getting started, here's the absolute minimum you need to know: 

HOW TO PADDLE

Surfers need to paddle to move around in the water, to get over waves, and to catch them. 

Here's super brief breakdown on how it's done:

There's much more to being a great paddler than what I've outlined here, but this should be enough to get you started. 

HOW TO POP UP

Surfing is all about riding waves on your feet (easier said than done....), however getting to your feet on a moving board in the water is not easy.

To do it successfully, you'll need to know the right way to pop up.

Our preferred pop up method for beginners is the Aussie Pop up method because it sets the foundations for progression later on. 

We cover it in detail in our surfing technique course here, but here's a macro view of how it's done:

If only it was that easy hey. 

Well everything's easy when you know how, and with practice and persistence, this will become easy for you too.

HOW TO CATCH WAVES

So you know how to paddle, and you know how to pop up to your feet, now you've got to put it all together when catching a wave. 

As a new surfer you're looking for a particular type of wave to catch, and once you've identified the right wave, here's what you need to do:

STEP 4: PRACTICE ON LAND FIRST

It's a good idea to practice all of the above on land first, before entering the water.

Here's why.

Practising on land will help you to familiarise yourself with the body movements needed to paddle, and pop to your feet. 

With a little repetition on land, you'll be better prepared when you hit the water.

STEP 5: UNDERSTAND THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF SURFING (SURF ETIQUETTE)

Believe it or not, surfing has a bunch of unwritten rules (surf etiquette) that surfers abide by to keep things in the ocean fair and safe. 

They're not 100% essential for absolute beginners to know, but it's definitely good to familiarise yourself with the rules to avoid any unwanted confrontation. 

The main rules you'll need to know are:

For an in depth dive into surfing etiquette, click here.

STEP 6: CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONDITIONS

The best surf conditions for beginners are as follows:

STEP 7: START IN THE WHITEWATER

There are two types of waves:

And as someone learning how to start surfing for the first time, you want to make sure you stick exclusively to whitewater waves for now. 

Why?

Well, whitewater waves are more predictable, and much easier to ride - perfect for new surfers.

STEP 8: BE PATIENT, SURFING IS DAMN HARD

Surfing has got to be one of the hardest sports on the planet. 

The playing field is constantly changing, and literally no two waves will ever be the same. 

This makes it extremely difficult to get good at quickly, and can make progress slow for many - so be patient. 

Don't be hard on yourself if it takes a while to pick things up, it's the same for everyone I promise. 

And just like all games and sports, the harder they are, the more rewarding it is when you improve - which is partly why surfing can become so damn addictive. 

WRAPPING IT UP

If you're just starting out in your surfing journey, lucky you, you've picked the best sport in the world by far. 

Surfing will fill your life with meaning, open you up to a rad community of new people, and take you places around the world you never even imagined. 

And as they say "the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step...."

Well, you've just had eight, so you're well on your way already!

Yew!
Rowan

WHY SURFERS PEE IN THEIR WETSUITS

Alright, we've already established that surfers are guilty of peeing in their wetsuits, but why do they do it? 

Let's take a closer look...

LAZINESS

Above all, surfers pee in their wetsuits out of laziness. 

The idea of getting out the water mid-surf, de-robing, all just to have a quick pee is just too much.

Too much effort, and too much time.

Way easier to just pee in your wetsuit and keep surfing.

WARMTH

If you surf in cold water, you'll know all too well that it sucks.

Any opportunity for warmth is taken with open hands, and peeing in your wetsuit does just that. 

A warm, stinky bath of your own urine.

Sounds disgusting writing it down, but holy hell does it feel good when you do it. 

LETS LOOK AT THE PROS AND CONS OF PEEING VS NOT PEEING IN YOUR WETSUIT

DOES PEEING IN YOUR WETSUIT RUIN YOUR WETSUIT

Peeing in your wetsuit doesn't ruin your wetsuit necessarily, but it does speed up the degradation process, and will shorten the lifespan of your wetsuit. 

Why, urine can cause the onset of premature degradation of wetsuit neoprene, and can affect the adhesion of the glues used in wetsuit seams too.

Now I'm not sure of any tests done comparing the lifespan of a wetsuit with and without a surfer peeing in it to give you a guide as to how much a wetsuits lifespan is reduced, so I'll let you weigh that one up for yourself as to whether it's worth it.

HOW TO CLEAN A WETSUIT AFTER PEEING IN IT

Quite simply, if you surf, you're going to pee in your wetsuit at some point. 

It's going to happen whether you like it or not. 

As such, you're going to need to know how to get the smell of pee out of a wetsuit. 

Here's how: 

If you've really gone to town and your wetsuit still stinks like a urinal, repeat the process above until the smell of pee is finally out of your wetsuit. 

CAN WETSUITS GO IN THE WASHING MACHINE?

Technically yes, you could just chuck your pissy wetsuit in the washing machine and job done. 

But, rather unfortunately, the agitation of a washing machine will cause damage to the neoprene material and the wetsuit seams. 

This kinda sucks as this would be a great, easy solution. 

Instead it's better to follow the steps above and wash your wetsuit by hand to extend its lifespan.

CONCLUSION

Well now you know why grown adults choose to urinate over themselves (usually laziness) and pee in their wetsuits, without coercion, and strangely without any loss of dignity whatsoever. 

Go figure. 

Yew!
Rowan