Surfing

Surfing

I have now been surfing 3 times. Surfing is very fun and I plan to surf much more in my time here. The picture you see above is shipwrecks bay outside Ahipara. It has the longest left handed ride in the world! A left handed wave is where you have to right to the left instead of to the right. What happens at this beach is that the waves crash in on the other side of the spur and the current whips them around all the way to the beach and you can get up to a 3 minute ride! Unfortunately I was to chicken to do the whole thing because if you didn't turn in time, then you got crushed against a reef. I only caught the small waves. The cool thing was that I turned and rode the length of the wave for the first time. When you surf, you have to paddle out past the break of the waves, then wait for a good wave. Once you see it coming you start paddling about 20 ft early to come to the right speed. Once you are soundly on the wave you pop up to a standing position. Then if you can, you turn and ride down the length of the wave. The professionals make it look so easy, but it is actually a lot harder. It took me quite a few tries to stand up for my first time. Surfing is a real rush, once you do it you will want to do it again. But you have to respect the ocean because it can get pretty scary out there.

after surfing

not the best picture