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The Surf Rules

Easter Holidays mean crowds. In the water, this can translate to crowded waves. Learn the surf rules and you won’t get into trouble. We teach people to surf. It’s a fantastic job and it’s something we love to do but here’s the downside. The more people who learn to surf, the more surfers are going to be in the water.

The maddening crowds
Locals, holidaymakers, beginners, elite surfers, bodyboarders, belly boarders, longboarders, stand up paddlers, surf skiers, kneeboarders and kayakers all floating like black blobs, gurning and scratching for waves like their lives depended on it. Crowded waves equal short tempers.

The Rules
If you’re relatively new to the sport it’s important that you understand the surfing code of conduct. Even if you’re a seasoned pro, it doesn’t do any harm to remember the rules. Handily, the National Trust have created a Surf Commandments plaque on a stone up at Godrevy car park so if you’re unsure, why not take a look while you check the waves?

10 Surf commandments at Godrevy beach — 10 Commandments of Surfing Etiquette – National Trust

Rule 1. Do. Not. Drop. In. Ever.
This is the cardinal sin of surfing. Beginners often paddle and take waves without being aware there is someone else on the wave already. The one closest to the breaking part of the wave or curl HAS priority. Before you go, look left and right and look again and if there is someone on it, pull off, fall off or get out the way. Dropping in doesn’t just ruin the ride for the surfer in question, it can also cause a crash and nothing pisses an experienced surfer off more than a beginner dinging his board. No matter how apologetic you are.

Rule 2. Paddle the right way.
When paddling out to the line-up (where the other surfers are sitting) do NOT paddle in front of someone riding a wave. You must paddle behind them even if it means taking the hit of whitewater that follows. Essentially don’t get in the way of someone surfing along a wave.

Rule 3. Do. Not. Ditch. Your. Board.
When it’s crowded always keep hold of your board. Letting go of your board, especially if there is any wind, is likely to hit someone or even yourself. When paddling out, if a wall of whitewater is coming either roll with the board, duck dive or hold on to it for dear life. If someone is behind you and you let go and it hits them, well frankly you deserve to get what’s coming!

Rule 4. Don’t hog the waves.
As more and more people are using Stand Up Paddleboards, longboards and surf kayaks it means they can sit further out, stick an oar in and basically catch every little ripple that comes through. It doesn’t mean they should. Give and take, spare a few for the short boarders on the inside. You will earn respect, even if you are sat in a canoe.

Rule 5. Don’t snake people.
If a surfer paddles in front or behind another to get in a position of priority for the oncoming wave it’s called ‘Snaking’. It’s extremely annoying. (Andy Social was a snake and lord only knows what happened to him!) If you’ve been waiting for a wave for a while and then someone snakes you….Arrrghhhh! (Please, don’t do it.)

Rule 6. Be safe in the sea.
Are you safe on a surfboard? Do you know where the rip currents are? Are you aware of where the rocks are? How’s your knowledge of the beach and the tides? Do you know how to get out of a rip if you’re caught in one? If you’re in any doubt of the above then I suggest you book a lesson or surf course with our experienced Surf Instructors. Not only will they look after you and teach you to be competent in the surf, they will take you where it’s not so crowded where you can safely practise your surfing technique.

Room here for everyone
St Ives Bay is a 3-mile long beach. There really are enough waves for everyone here. If you can see it’s crowded at the popular surf spots of Godrevy or Gwithian (generally where there are cafes and parkin) have a little walk or better still hire one of our new fat bikes and head further down the beach to find a less crowded break. It may be a bit smaller but it’s better for learning and you’ll get more waves to yourself.

Ride along Gwithian beach with our new fat bikes

Learn the rules, you will be a better surfer for it and you’ll have more fun! That’s what it’s all about after all.

Training for Wave Project Volunteers

Tyson Greenaway

You might think it’s all restocking the shop, repainting the walls or surfing winter bombs while we’re in the low season. True, but did you know we’re an Academy of Surf Instructors (ASI) training centre of excellence? So, during the off season we run training courses for ASI Surf Instructors and an induction course for the Wave Project Charity.

The Wave Project
Is a registered charity that runs therapeutic surf courses for young people aged between 8-21 years old who are socially isolated. This can be through mental health issues, isolation, family problems, disability or traumatic experiences. The surf projects are designed to help improve self-confidence, resilience and motivation. What’s not to like?

Working together
For the last 4 years Gwithian Academy of Surfing has worked with the Wave Project to provide training to the their volunteer surf mentors – the guys and girls who help them run surf therapy sessions throughout the season. We are also happy to continue this year as one of their surf providers running the surf sessions and a surf club for their clients.

Induction Course
The volunteer induction course ran on Saturday 25^th March and was a great success. There were 12 volunteers who all coped extremely well in challenging surf conditions and they did remarkably well considering.

Key Skills
They learned skills such as: Handling equipment safely with the Wave Project clients, surf safety hazards, emergency signals, how a surf session with clients normally operates and correct technique for assisting clients to catch waves, some of which are disabled. They learned how to identify and overcome specific challenges when working with clients; from coping with extremely anxious young adults to keeping others calm and happy whilst they wait to go surfing.

Manager at GAS, Ian Gabbitas says: “The volunteers did brilliantly considering the windy conditions out there. The Wave Project is such a great cause, we have lots of kids come here who are anxious and withdrawn and really benefit from getting in the water and learning to surf. It’s great to see their beaming faces after each session, that’s what it’s all about!”

Joe Taylor, CEO of The Wave Project says: “We’ve been working with GAS for the last four years and have a really great working relationship with them. The training course is invaluable to our volunteer surf mentors because of the knowledge and skills they gain from it.”

Gwithian Academy of Surfing is running surf courses for The Wave Project each Sunday 11-1pm and 2-4pm from 23 April-28^th May 2017.

We also run surf clinics, ASI Surf Instructor courses, daily surf lessons – private or group lessons, surf tours, junior surf club, board hire, Stand Up Paddle lessons and hire, Surf Yoga breaks and more.

Storm Doris – A sherry soaked hell woman or a good-time girl?

Tyson Greenaway

Cornwall has been taking a hell of beating with storm Doris unleashing sideways rain, high winds and huge storm waves. You’d think with an old ladies name she couldn’t cause too much harm. Wrong, she’s an old lady who’s had too much sherry and is on a mission to cause trouble.

30ft waves smash into Cornwall

Doris has whipped up rough seas that are lashing the lighthouses and boats with 30ft waves hitting Penzance. These are the biggest waves of the year so far. It’s exhilarating to watch from the safety of a cliff top or a warm café with a cuppa.

30ft waves have been smashing into trains going out of Penzance (must be like being in a very dodgy car wash.) Flooding, fallen trees and broken power lines all scaring the living daylights out of us. All in all, a pretty nasty havoc-wreaking storm thank you Doris.

Real time Storm tracker here.

According to Magic Seaweed, this particular storm will peak in Cornwall on Friday 3rd of January. With swell up to 39.5ft at 18 seconds forecast and 65mph winds resulting in huge waves throughout the weekend and into next week. Good for those nutters who like it big.

If you fancy having a go at some of what Doris has to offer, the sheltered spots will be firing. If you can manage to find somewhere out of the wind that is. We can’t tell you where exactly without having our fingernails pulled off. But check out this blog on surf spots in St Ives bay for a general idea.

Are we getting more storms?

According to the weather forecasters, there will be a succession of storms like Doris to hit the UK over the next few months. Storm Ewan, Fleur and Gabriel are queuing up in the next few months to give us another pounding.

Stormy weather is not unusual in the winter. The winter of 2013-14 was a very stormy winter with 12 major storms, the worst weather in the UK for 20 years according to the met office. And some of the best surf we’ve ever had!

With Ewan, Fleur and Gabriel on the way, we will be watching these bad guys and girls with interest and keeping it all crossed that the wind blows off shore. Time to dust off the big gun and get amped with some Point Break on DVD.

We’re Open! What’s on in 2016.

Tyson Greenaway

That felt like a very long winter.

But now, thankfully, spring is in the air, the sun is shining and the march into summer begins.

The surf school will be opening from 10am to 5pm, seven days a week from Good Friday so you’ll be able to get surfing lessons and surf hire everyday until November.

New surf clobber is arriving every day for the shop including a brand new batch of 4/3mm hire wetsuits so no matter how cold the air temperature is you will be as warm as toast in the sea.

This year we will be stocking leashes and assessories from Ocean & Earth, wetsuits from Quiksilver, Roxy and Gul, as well as our own line of surfboards that have been specifically designed with Cornwall waves in mind – more on these later but they arrive in June and suffice it to say we are delighted with the results.

Become a Surf Coach

We have A.S.I Level 1 Surf coach courses and 1 Level 2 course running over the next few months so there has never been a better time to jump on one, get qualified as a surf instructor and spend the rest of your summer on the beach.

And get paid for it.

International Surfing Day

Put June 21st in your diary now. This year we will be celebrating International Surfing Day by offering surfing lessons with all the proceeds going to a surfing inspired charity called Waves4Water.

These guys deliver filtration systems that are portable, easy to use, easy to pack, and effective to areas that are in desperate need of clean water. One filter can provide 100 people with clean water for up to 5 years and they’ve managed to distribute over 100,000 filters in dozens of countries around the world.

Help us to get a few more water filters where they are needed.

It’s shaping up to be a fantastic 2016 at our surf school, we hope you can join us.

How to improve your surfing – the easiest way (probably)!

Tyson Greenaway

Well, I say ‘easiest way’. It kind of is.

It just requires hours of time, patience, petrol and cash.

Y’see I could give you thousands of tips on how to stand on your surfboard, catch waves and improve your technique and they would all help to a greater or lesser degree.

But what’s the best way to improve your surfing?

In a word – travel.

And I write this from the balcony of a rental apartment in the south of France so you can’t deny that I don’t practise what I preach!

Put simply, just get out and surf somewhere different.

You don’t have to throw yourself into some below sea-level grinders in Hawaii or Tahiti; you will improve your surfing just as much in the beach breaks of the USA and Europe.

And if you’re not lucky enough or have too many responsibilities to get the time to spend a couple of weeks or months surveying a pristine surf break from your hammock while a waiter hands you a post-surf mojito then all is not lost.

In fact you don’t even need to leave the country. Why not try the beach break just around the corner from your local surf spot or the point an hour up the road?

The key thing is to sample new waves and learn how to react to them. It doesn’t matter if you’ve only just started cutting across the green waves, you’re a seasoned pro or a whitewater warrior: nothing will help you to improve your surfing like stepping out of your comfort zone and surfing a different wave.

Even whitewater waves offer new challenges at a different surf spot and will require new skills and techniques to overcome them.

So next time you load your surfboard and wetsuit into the car and hit the road, try somewhere different – it’s the best, and most enjoyable, way to improve your surfing.

And if you do go abroad and still have a rubbish surf?

That mojito will still taste good.