So we’re just over two weeks into our South African surf trip and we’ve already learnt so much, mostly, that surfing is not as straight forward as you think and that learning to surf will challenge you in many ways you probably never expected. There are so many elements, a some of them uncontrollable, that can have affect on your enjoyment and success or lack thereof in your endeavour to be part of the greatest sport/pass-time known to mankind 😉
Don’t forget to stretch
Being part of a Ticket to Ride trip however means that the controllable is managed in ways that best serve you, the rider, and all the controllable elements are set out for you with enjoyment and progression in mind, from coaching, to resources, locations and activities.
Muizenberg beach, arguably the best beginner wave in the world, easy on the eyes as well
So after 14 days of surfing in Muizenberg Cape Town our guys are looking in really good shape to maximise their potential for progression as we head up the coast. The first two weeks for a novice are the most vital, here’s a bit of what the guys have experienced so far that has aided them in preparing for this trip and the rest of their surfing lives.
Knowledge is power and we have some of the most knowledgeable and savvy people in the industry at our disposal, starting with coaching. Jarred Veldhuis is our head coach as well as a Trip Leader. He’s a Quiksilver team rider and competitive surfer who could surf before he could walk. Jarred epitomises what it means to be a surfer and his passion and knowledge shows in his coaching and leadership, always inspiring the best from the riders.
Jarred and the crew
Every surfer I’m sure would love to posses the skills and prowess of the top guys like Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater, tearing up big open faces at waves like Supertubes but the reality is that they’ve been surfing for almost all of their lives, but they like us, had to start somewhere. So we weren’t on the shortboards just yet as it would be impractical and near impossible. Surfing will teach you patience, all things take time and we take you through the baby steps of surfing and see it as imperative to do so as a solid set of fundamentals and understanding will help you improve faster and benefit you in the long run. So we got started on soft top foam boards for the introductory lesson before moving onto longboards and later progressing onto Mini-mals with the initial aim being to pop-up and ride straight. The margin for error is significantly greater on this type of equipment and it is very forgiving, perfect for your beginning stages of surfing. More rides and longer rides = Increased learning potential, less frustration, rapid progression and a lot of fun and thats how its been for us so far.
So the guys had started to get the hang of surfing, aided by the correct use of equipment and the perfect wave conditions. It’s no coincidence that we started our South African road trip in Muizenberg, we regard it as the best beginner wave in the world and therefore the perfect place to get the ball rolling. Progression was clearly noticeable from session to session and soon they had started to traverse onto the open face, out of the whitewash and onto the clear green part of the wave.
We even decided to really push the guys and take them for a session at a more challenging break, a place called Long Beach in Kommetjie which is where Jarred spent all of his time as a grom honing his skills. The waves here would be more similar to what they could expect from most beach breaks we would encounter as we travel on and it was a great opportunity for them to get acquainted with a more powerful wave.
Muizenberg has quite a vibey beachfront with an array of coffee shops, surf retail shops and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of our accommodation and surf break. The guys took an instant liking to the Falafel store and could often be found there ordering what is probably the best falafel you’ll ever have to refuel between sessions while enjoying a walk along the beach.
Head of operations and our no.1 source of seemingly infinite surf knowledge Chris Bond came down as well this week to give the guys a board talk explaining everything and anything there is to know about surfboards and all their designs and how that pertains to performance. These things are often overlooked but knowledge of and use of the right equipment goes hand in hand with progression and is therefore a critical element for us at Ticket to Ride.
Probably one of the coolest moments for a surfer is the moment you purchase your very own surfboard. After a thorough briefing with Jarred the guys selected boards that would be fun, practical and most beneficial to their surfing for the rest of this trip and their future surfing. Froth levels were maxing out amongst the guys!
So we’re all set up to move on up the coast, new boards, new skills and new experiences in the bag. Here’s what the guys have to say about their progression and time surfing in Cape Town.
http:/https://youtu.be/w6XEqMUmeU4
Till next time 🙂
Luke