If you’re a water person, a day without waves to surf opens up whole new horizons for water activities. Sometimes it’s a blessing, something of a reprieve. Do you ever get tired of surfing every day? Don’t answer this question! Consider all the options available to you when there are no waves to surf.
Here are some surfboard types for a non-surfing day:
SUP
· Skim board
· Wakeboarding
· Paddle boat
· Wave pool surfboard
They have some really good alternatives. You can take your SUP to the ocean or the nearest body of water and go on a leisure cruise or a great physical workout. It seems more and more surfers are adding a SUP to their quiver. Many families add a SUP or two, or even more, so everyone in the family can get in the water. If you don’t have a SUP, go to your local surf shop or watersports rental and rent one for the day for a very small fee.
As I have mentioned in previous articles, standup paddling has become a very popular activity for individuals and families. It has become a great way to have fun while getting a good physical workout, cruising a waterway alone, joining your local friends group or a SUP club and turning your SUP experience into a social affair. Consider adding a SUP to your quiver of surfboards.
If you are younger or a person with a lot of energy, you can go skimboarding. A skimboard is a small surfboard that allows you to slide or slide while standing on it in very shallow water. They can glide in water as shallow as 1/8 inch or less. To glide, you run as fast as you can while carrying your skimboard, building speed and momentum, dropping your skimboard into shallow water or onto a wet surface, jumping on it, and then gliding and gliding long distances. As you improve your skills, you can twist, spin, jump, and go forward and backward. Be very careful when you are learning because you can lose control and end up on your butt on the hard sand.
You can glide on lakes, rivers and banks of almost any body of water or even on a wet lawn as long as there are no rocks or debris impeding your glide. Some of the kids who ride skimboards ride them on grassy hills in parks or on golf courses. You can also tow a rider on his skimboard behind a boat, or even be towed by a car in an aqueduct. Skimboarding is a fun event and has developed into a small professional sport that is practiced by more and more companies. Most skimboards are hardboards made of fiberglass or wood, but there are also soft skimboards on the market called “The ONE” designed by Tom Morey, inventor of the Morey Boogie Board.
Wakeboards are another option, but you need a boat to tow you. You can ride behind the board as if you were water skiing, or you can ride the boat’s wake by letting go of the rope as if you were surfing. As a special note, Hobie Alter drove behind a motorboat from Long Beach, California to Catalina Island, which is approximately 26 miles long and features in the Guinness Book of Records. You can also buy a wakeboard specifically designed for wakeboarding, or you can use your surfboard, SUP or skimboard. Most surfers who practice this sport use their surfboards, either long or short.
Paddleboarding is another great way to spend time on the water. Paddleboards have been around for a long time and were popularized by Tom Blake in Hawaii in the early 20th century. A paddleboard is paddled prone or on your knees. However, you can sit on the board and paddle around leisurely to watch the underwater leaves, fish or cruise around and enjoy the fresh air and views. You can also paddle your surfboard to keep in paddling shape. There is a small group of individuals riding paddle boards. The most famous race is the annual Molokai to Diamond Head Race in Hawaii. It’s a rough open sea race where paddlers have lost their lives in the past.
Surfing an artificial wave is another popular spot. There are wave parks with simulated ocean waves, some measuring 4 to 6 feet. There are also standing wave machines in which water is forced up a wall under force to simulate a wave. Special small surfboards are used and provided by the operators of the standing wave machines. The wave pools, wave parks and standing wave machines are few and far between. Some are pretty good, but most are mediocre at best.
If you really need a break from surfing and don’t feel like boarding any of the above boards, forget the couch and TV. Hit the gym and do some cardio, abs, and lift some weights. You can get a great workout to prepare for your next surf session and walk out of the gym feeling great because you’ve accomplished something for yourself. In a future article I will talk about a physical conditioning routine that all surfers should follow. I’ll also tell you about healthy eating, which is a big part of your physical well-being, which will also help you improve your surfing.
So my friends, don’t let a day without surfing get you down. Make the most of it by having the right types of surfboards in your quiver that will allow you to diversify your water experience. This is all part of learning how to surf in life. Enjoy the water, surf or no surf! It’s a great time!
Thanks to Chuck Herpick
