Surf Talk Guru

If you’d like your child to become a pro tour regular or even just a local ripper, there are a few guidelines to follow to make sure you’re introducing the steps at the right ages. Get them started gradually, having them become confident in the ocean, and things should go smoothly.

From birth to age 2, have the child take showers with you. Believe it or not, water splashing on the face and head, and in eyes and nose can be a huge deterrent to future water activities if the child isn’t used to it. Shower spray will get them used to it. Take them to parent/child aquatic classes and have them get used to movement in the water, holding their breath, blowing bubbles, etc.

When the child is 2-4 years old, continue swimming lessons. Get them wetsuits and have them splash around in the surf, under adult supervision, of course, and wearing a PFD for extra safety. Wetsuits are great for beach activities because they keep the child warm whether they’re wading in the surf or digging in the sand. Having them get used to putting on and taking off wetsuits at an early age will prevent them from hating that aspect later on. Also at this age, have the child lay atop your surfboard while you hold it in the shallows. Have them practice the paddling motion on the board.

At 5-7 years of age, continue swimming lessons and introduce related sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and boogie boarding. Begin teaching them how to surf only if you yourself are an experienced surfer. If you’re not, pay for regular lessons through a local surf shop. Children should be on softop surfboards. Have them practice jumping to standing on their board onshore then push them into whitewater waves and practice standing and riding on the moving board.

As the child grows to 8-10 years old, he or she will have more strength and stamina, be able to carry their own board, and will have more patience and focus for all the practice they’ll need to improve. The learning curve for surfing might be the largest of any sport, so make sure you have a lot of patience for your child!

It’s no longer a secret that the surf spot of last resort in Newport is under the bridge. Winter swells that are too big to paddle surf will bring waist-high peelers into the bay. People who surf here are generally pretty desperate for waves and some easily forget the rules of engagement.

For one, people need to follow the surf order and take turns. Visitors or longboarders who take off on every possible wave are not appreciated. But most importantly, be careful! Overzealous surfers are bound to hurt someone in such tight quarters.

Most people would rather wait for better surf on the shore than surf under the bridge, but if you’ve got a wetsuit that hasn’t been wet in awhile, just remember to follow the rules!

Xcel wetsuits and surfing accessories such as booties and gloves have been hot products this fall. Their fall line is made with ThermoBamboo, a bamboo fiber that acts as a heat-insulating barrier.

If you haven’t gotten a new wetsuit this year, it’s the perfect time to do it and Xcel is a good brand to get. They’re a little spendier than some other brands, but they are worth it and a lot of surf shops are having sales this holiday season, especially starting on Black Friday.

Surfrider image showing visible pollution plume at Nye Beach

The Environmental Public Health arm of the Oregon Department of Human Services issued a water contact advisory for Nye Beach. Advisories are issued for marine water samples that are or exceed 158 enterococci(orgs)/100ml. The marine water at Nye Beach Turnaround’s discharge pipe tested at 495 enterococci(orgs)/100ml and the fresh water discharge pipe tested greater than 24196 enterococci(orgs)/100ml. That’s off the charts!

What does this mean for surfers? Well, it is advised not to wade, swim or surf in contaminated water at posted beaches. Surfing in water with a high bacteria count can make you sick, producing cold-like symptoms that linger throughout the rainy season. You should be safe to surf up or down the coast at beaches where the bacteria count is lower. The bacteria is still there, but not in quantities high enough to make you sick.

The only advice I can give is that when you’re surfing this winter and an advisory has been issued for a nearby beach, just get in wearing an Xcel wetsuit , get your waves, and get out. It gets hard enough to linger in cold water winter conditions without the worry of a health hazard you can’t avoid.

Prior to the advent of the wetsuit, many surfers risked hypothermia in chilly oceanic waters. Today, the wetsuit keeps surfers warm, comfortable and aerodynamic as they cut through the surf. Since these accessories represent a sizeable investment for any surfer, it’s crucial that one takes proper care of her Oneill wetsuits after use. Although it would be nice to crumple up a suit and retrieve it before the next day’s surf session, that’s never a wise course of action.

Salt water leaves wetsuits smelling funky to say the least, and the salt can also deteriorate neoprene material over time. It’s therefore up to the surfer to rinse the suit thoroughly before hanging it on a plastic hanger. Note that metal hangers could do irreversible damage to the material. Some surfers advocate drying a wetsuit inside out so that the interior is dry when one puts it back on.

It’s a beautifully crisp, clear, and sunny fall morning. You’re out catching glassy, head-high peelers and the waves are only getting better.You just bought a brand new ThermoBamboo 5/4mm Xcel wetsuit for the chillier seasons, so you’re nice and toasty warm. This session could last forever. But. . .you had a cup of coffee this morning and you have to pee. Should you pee in your new suit or get out and do it?

Some people say that urinating in your suit will attract sharks, will ruin the suit, or should otherwise be avoided at all costs. If you’re renting your suit, no, do not pee in it. It will smell for the next person. But if it’s yours, I say go ahead and pee guilt-free. You’ll eventually end up urinating in your new suit, so you might as well get it over with so you won’t feel bad about it next time, either. As long as you faithfully wash it with wetsuit shampoo every few days or so, it shouldn’t stink up your car.

Winter weather is creeping up on us here on the coast. The temperatures have been staying in the 40’s some days all day long. Most coasties know how to stay warm in the surf and can extend their sessions and therefore their skills.

Some essential gear: a 5/4mm hooded wetsuit and7mm booties. Some surfers like gloves, other’s don’t, but even a pair of 5mm’s can keep your hands working and comfortable. A non-essential, but much appreciated warmer is the Quiksilver PS+ Cypher Heat Vest.

Surfline posted a good article about what happens to our bodies when we’re exposed to the cold: http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/2009-wetsuit-preview-buyers-guide_30884/1/

Big swell is coming to Newport! A Pacific storm is moving east. Thursday’s forecast is for 18 foot seas and Friday’s is for 26 foot swell! For those tow surfers out there, go big, but be careful!

Make sure all your equipment is working at optimum performance. Have a good Xcel wetsuit and PFD on in case something happens, and try to get some pictures!

November’s here, the air is getting chillier, the fall sets are raging big and burly. Looking to improve your surfing this fall? Stay out longer with a warm-up. This heat vest isn’t quite mainstream yet. I know, $200 seems like a lot to pay when you were fine without it. But when it comes to staying warm during the best month of the year for surfing, you might want to have all your tricks ready to pull out.

Check out Surfline’s review of the PS+ Cypher Heat Vest System from Quiksilver. http://www.surfline.com/gear/fieldtesting-the-first-ever-heated-wetsuit-vest_31835/

Wetsuit thickness is indicated by the numbers included with the name of the suit, for example, the Xcel 4/3mm Infiniti. The first and largest number tells you the thickness, in millimeters, of the neoprene in the chest and groin area of the wetsuit, where you need to retain most of your heat. The second number describes the thickness of the neoprene in the arms and legs of the suit, where it needs to be a little thinner and more flexible for paddling and maneuvering on your board. If the wetsuit is described with three numbers, like 5/4/3mm, it’s 5mm in the chest and groin, 4mm in the arms, and 3mm in the legs.

Wetsuit manufacturers offer suit styles and thicknesses for every practicality. 1mm and 2/1mm springsuits offer a minimum amount of protection from weather and water conditions and are only good for tropical waters 78 degrees and up. 2mm and 3/2mm fullsuits are good for water temperatures 60 degrees and up. 4/3mm fullsuits are used for 52 degrees and up. 5/4mm can be used for 48 degree water, and 6/5mm for 40 degrees and up. The bulk of the thicker suits will add more warmth, but also weigh you down. Some people prefer thicker suits in warmer water to extend their sessions. Remember that a wetsuit, especially in wintery conditions, isn’t complete without a hood, booties, and gloves.