Surf California: Top 5 Beginner Surfing Spots: La Jolla Shores
August 20th, 2008To surf california, you need to learn how to surf. So let’s get on that. For someone who’s never been out in the waves, the first couple of times can seem pretty stressful. What do I wear, what kind of board do I get, where should I go, etc.?
First, have no worries. We’ll cover what you want to look out for, and then I’ll give you an overview of the glorious La Jolla Shores.
The whole point of being fresh blood is that you make mistakes. If you don’t make any mistakes, you won’t learn anything, so we want an environment where you’re free to have brutal wipe-outs all day long.
Don’t go to the most crowded beach. Surfing is about you and the ocean, not you, the ocean and 300 other annoyed people. Finding a place to surf is always a balance between finding the right environment and finding a place with not too many people.
Start doing your homework. Reading this site is a good start, but make sure to browse around for more information. If there’s a surf shop in your area, visit it and find out where to go. Tell them you know nothing about surfing- there’s no point pretending to be a veteran Beach Boy when you’re not.
You’re going to want a gentle wave to start with. Gentle and calm are the words to look out for. As a beginner, you’re going to fall off your surfboard a lot, so you don’t want to spend 10 minutes trying to get back on your board.
You also want sand. Lots of sand. Gentle, nice, warm-between-your-toes sand. If you hear about rocks in an area, just don’t go there.
You can check out this video I found on YouTube:
It’s nothing glamourous. That’s the point. When you’re starting out, you’re going to be falling off A LOT. You have to learn to walk before you can run, so practising in a smooth location is ideal.
The video is of La Jolla Shores. It’s a beach that stretches about a mile, and has Kellogg Park just behind it where you can lay back on some grass if you’ve had enough sand.
When they say that San Diego is beautiful, this is the kind of thing they have in mind. In the summer this place will be crowded, but from now onwards you should have a great time, even if the water starts to get a little colder.
La Jolla Shores is a great place to learn how to surf. Remember to bring sandwiches as well. Surf California thinks sandwiches are essential here.
