April 5, 2011 by jameslucas.

I am closing this blog please go to http://www.greensurfers.org for the new site.

Thanks.

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July 2, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Jason B Fackrell

It’s safe to say that a good majority of surfers and skimboarders, beginners to intermediate are still not quite sure which type of waxes they should be waxing their boards with. We’re going to try and help some people out with any questions you might have. Depending on where you live might also determine which waxes you should use on your board.

First lets talk about two very famous wax companies and the different kinds of waxes that they carry and which ones would be best fit you.

1. Mr. Zog’s: Zog’s Sex was first produced by Fredrick Herzog III aka-(Mr Zog) and also by chemist Nate Skinner way back in 1972.

Zog’s was also originally created to be used for drummers to get better grips on their drum sticks but quickly became popular with surfers as a great wax for their boards.

Zog’s carries a variety of waxes but the most important information to know are the differences between cold wax and warm wax. It’s actually quite simple. If you’re going to be surfing or skimboarding in cold water than you should use a colder wax. If you’re surfing or skimboarding in warm water than you should use warmer/hotter wax.

Warm water wax last longer and is less sticky than cold water wax and some people prefer to use warm wax all the time regardless of the temperature of the water. Cold water wax is more sticky and softer than warm wax.

2. Sticky Bumps: Sticky Bumps was founded in 1967 by John Dahl and is now owned by John and his wife.

Like Zog’s, Sticky Bumps carries a wide range of waxes and here’s what type of wax they recommend depending on the temperature of the water.

• Tropical Wax: 75.F degrees and above.
• Warm Wax: 64-74.F degrees.
• Cool Wax: 58-78.F degrees.
• Cold Wax: 60.F degrees and below.

Thanks,
Jason Fackrell

http://www.SkimBoardPros.com

Article Source: Jason B. Fackrell
The Best Wax to Use on Your Skimboard and Surfboard

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July 1, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Zoe Whitfield

If there is one thing that I have noticed about women is that they are very particular about the clothing that they wear including bikini tops or bottoms. In today’s fashion world they make bikinis for all different types of women sizes and frames.

Many women have a different preference when it comes to swimwear, for those women who are on the plus size they may want a bigger top and a wider bottom fit. Some stores actually sell bikini wear by the season or by the color all depending on what shops that you want to journey off to. You can even get a surf bikini to match your surf board and your shoes if you want to go that route.

There are many different styles of bikinis and designs that a girl can choose from, like for example if you want to give your bra and extra boost or lift you can try to get a surf shack bikini or a Roxy surf bikini and that’s if you want to have a sexy exotic look to your outfit. What I like to see on a woman is the kind of tops that have a very unique design on them like their nickname or an object or the island man at the beach. I love seeing something that is completely original.

Now when you think about the cost of some of these surf bikini tops and bottoms you might be saying to yourself “these outfits sure sound expensive” when actually they aren’t. You can find some of these of as little as 20 to 30 dollars but that all factors in where you live and what state you are in at the time. If you want to be creative from what I have seen a lot of my friends do when they are in a really big crunch for money is they would take some really old clothes whether it be shorts or a shirt, and take them to a surf shop and have them to make them into swimwear by trimming them down and putting designs on them for a low price.

What I have also seen most girls do is they will buy the complete outfit as a whole, that includes the top, and the bottom half in the exact same color red or ocean blue and throw in the flip flops.

Zoe really loves her home and family and lives life to the full and has been writing about her knowledge and experience. Feel free to see some of her material at Surf Shirts and Surf Bikinis.

Article Source: Zoe Whitfield
Women’s Surf Bikini’s

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June 30, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Johnny Wallbridge

Whenever you are surfing, choosing the appropriate Surf Clothing is vital. Choosing a suit which fits and works best for your specified activity will not only help make surfing more exciting but it might allow you to avoid dangers and trouble in the water.

Water temperature is an essential element…. A good deal of surfing is done in quite warm waters nonetheless some have cozy temperatures than other waters and it is critical that your wet-suit along with all you surf gear is suitable for these conditions. Wetsuits are made of diverse lengths of legs along with sleeves. Of course shorter sleeves are good for warmer environments. The size of the swimwear is also a critical consideration. These crucial elements of surf attire are occasionally bought in 2.9mm and 5.9mm specifications. For anyone who is in waters greater than 85 degrees, as an illustration it would be wise to buy a short leg together with short sleeve water-suit with a size of 2mm. For climate of roughly 65 or 71 degrees a size of 6 to 7.1 mm is great.

However keep in mind…. The warmth rating differs between one swim-suit and another, and therefore, a thicker swimsuit may not always be warmer than a slimmer one. You furthermore have to think about flexibility and how tight the suit is, some individuals do not mind a tight suit while other people find that it limits motion and can actually be claustrophobic.

Together with the stitching, one other thing to make note of is the choice of textile. The wet-suit is mostly created from neoprene. What is better-known by some persons as a chemically-made swim-suit has a delicate and light touch, and is much less high-priced than a long-wearing and thicker gas blown swim-suit.

If budgets are no problem, then you might obtain a Titanium water-suit that should keep you more comfortable. Going over these possibilities with the best surf clothing shop is always a wise idea. In the same way you may as well borrow a friend’s water-suit whenever possible to see what is best for you.

The activity of surfing is greatly common in the Pacific Sea shores. Virtually, the whole Ring of Fire together with all the small island destinations in between delight in this leisure activity. It should not be a surprise that the domain of surf clothing has been rising. There are many factors for this.

Because of the popularity of the activity, it seems sensible that wet-suits and other types of surf outfits have multiplied in popularity recently. Beach days are popular close near coastal places as skiing days are popular in vacation skiing towns.

Fabulous surf clothing now at your finger tips. We’ve got the ultimate inside skinny now in our complete surf clothes guide.

Article Source: Johnny Wallbridge
How to Decide on the Best Surf Clothing

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June 29, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Jason Butter

Surfing good waves is always more fun than just hanging around… as a matter of fact, it’s more fun than just about anything I can think of. There is one aspect of surfing, however, that is more than just fun… it is, in fact, much like making love, or even being born again. That most amazing of feelings is called getting barreled, and if you ask any long-time, well-traveled surfer, they’ll pretty much all say exactly the same thing - there’s nothing they would rather do than get into a long, deep tube, completely disappearing from the beachgoer’s view, and then speed out of the barrel, back into daylight and with the most incredible feeling, a feeling like they’ve just entered a wormhole into another universe and returned - and in a way, that’s exactly what happens…

The best professionals, local tube-masters and even average Joes who get a good, long tube will agree - time expands inside the tube. It may be an actual scientific oversight, and one day a brilliant physicist may find tube-time-expansion to be true, even if it’s only for a split second.

At any rate, being inside an overhead tube, with the glass curtain of the wave hitting the water out in front of the nose of your board, and focusing so intently that it’s virtually impossible to describe is truly being in the zone - “tunnel vision” doesn’t quite do it justice. When you emerge cleanly maybe you’ll get off a few choice turns, or maybe just make a turn, and head up and over the back of the wave with a glued-on smile. Either way, when you’re done with the wave, you’ve paddled back out to the lineup, and have a chance to get settled, you’ll remember every single bit of the barrel, every single falling drop, like it’s a crystal-clear memory being played in slow motion on a plasma screen. You’ll find that ten or twenty years later, you can remember even the tiniest details of a good barrel. The best tubes are found on the best waves, which, at least for barrels, are usually reef breaks and point breaks. Reef breaks can offer big, wide-open barrels you could fit a V.W. van in, and offers that extra kick of dangerous thrill to your adrenaline soup. You can look around a bit and enjoy the view in a big tube - some good surfers actually look backwards into the pit! Point break tubes can be long, long ones, tubes that you can actually forget that hard focus, just a bit, and play around in the tube, running your fingers along the rising wall of water on one side, and feeling the breaking lip falling with your other hand.

Coming out of a barrel is like being born again, in that you emerge from the ocean’s womb and into the daylight - except that instead of crying about it, you shout out with happiness! And nobody spanks your bottom… emerging from a tube is also very much like making love, and without being too descriptive, I’ll just say this: you see a wave you like, take off and ride in anticipation of pulling into a sweet barrel, then getting as deep as you can, with one hundred percent focus of body and mind, riding the tube and forgetting all about time, and then when you’re pulling out of the barrel, you may well get spit out of the tube in a spray of whitewater…

Excuse me now while I wipe my brow…

I truly hope I don’t offend you with my description of what it’s like to get barreled, but it really is true, a fact proven by a nationwide Surfer Magazine poll, that more than fifty percent of surfers feel that riding the tube - not just surfing, but specifically, riding the tube - is the only thing on earth better than sex. On that note, I’ll end this article, and hopefully leave you with the idea of learning the truly amazing thrill of getting tubed.

Just like riding a bike, you’ll never forget your first time, and you’ll only get better and better the more you practice. It’s a occasion that people will want to see from the comfort of their ocean view villas.

Jason Butter, one of the most experienced surfers and surf teachers in Costa Rica and owns a well known Costa Rica surf camp: Green Iguana. Green Iguana offer full surfing packages including Eco-lodge, transport and meals.

Article Source: Jason Butter
Tube-Rides&id=4529391

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June 28, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Johnny Wallbridge

Learn How To Surf and enjoy your beach vacation. Surfing belongs to the world’s most widespread and much-loved extreme sports. Persons, whether hobbyists or experienced surfers, travel the earth to find the top surfing beach fronts and get enjoyment out of the activity all day long. Even so, there are still folks who have no clue where to go.

You will find a lot of seashores on planet earth, mainly best for swimming, sun-bathing and week-long holidays. However, if we are speaking about surfing, we have to define our choices. There are points to consider when selecting a location to surf, particularly if you are still learning.

To begin with, you must check out the waves. In case the waves are so big and so high, say approximately 21 feet, novices will definitely get washed away to the shore and before you can even get to ride on the surfing board, you will have to go to home. Less stronger waves are more desirable for new wave-surfers so they can immediately adjust and will be more unlikely to be seriously injured.

Afterward you will want to pick deep waters; naturally you will need to be sure that you can swim. Higher depth waters indicate the coral reefs are further away, the far away they are, the lesser the possible wounds a learner surfer may have.

Wave-runners likewise require a lot of space, particularly if the surf teacher is a little impatient and shouts a lot of the time. Keeping away from crowded shorelines might also be advisable. Anyway, here are a few best locations to learn wave-surfing, based on location, environment and also the people:

The first site is Oahu located in Hawaii. When you are a rookie you will need to start where wave-chasing started, which is Islands of Hawaii. It is one of the most recognized holiday resorts in the entire world. Visitors will find a 22 mile length of white sand beach-coasts on numerous parts of the region hence it is easy to find a site where you might learn without disturbances.

Given that the water is immeasurable, undoubtedly you will get a zone where the water waves are weak and swift enough to surf on. It is the home of wave-surfing, which the shows why there are many surf mentors able to instruct and give surf lessons you might attend.

Hawaii islands tops the best spots to learn wave-chasing. The second spot is Bali found in Indonesia. Bali is an excellent surfing zone in Asia. Found on the south-eastern direction of the island, a traveler will find some fantastic waves for surfing.

Now you can find out how to surf from professionals easy and fast! Once you learn surf methods and techniques, you will be able to enjoy your experiences in the surf more quickly!

Article Source: Johnny Wallbridge
Learn How to Surf at the Top Seashores on the Planet

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June 25, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Michael R Browne

It may come as a surprise to many to learn that the UK actually contains some fantastic beaches for learning to surf. Surfing is an extremely challenging pursuit, yet the rewards that come with improvement are well worth the multiple wipe outs.

First, you will need to find a beach that is suitable for your level of experience. Beaches with quality surf schools and manageable waves are in abundance around the UK. For example, those in the north-east of England may consider a trip to Saltburn beach. Here, suitably tame beginner waves can be easily located either side of the pier. Furthermore, Saltburn Surf Shop, found just above the beach, provides beginners with absolutely everything you need; from affordable lessons, through to handy advice on equipment. Knowing which board to buy can be a tricky business as a rookie; friendly advice is always worth seeking out.

The south-west of the UK is a popular location for budding surfers and with good reason. Cornwall itself is littered with excellent beaches for surfing. In particular, Newquay prides itself on Fistral Beach; coining it ‘The Best Surf in Europe’. Despite its popularity amongst more advanced surfers, it is also ideal for beginners. Smaller, more manageable waves can be found without too much difficulty. It is also worth considering that Fistral Beach is home to the Quiksilver Surf School; one of the premier surf schools in the UK.

However, the popularity of Fistral Beach may be off-putting to some newcomers. It may be a little disheartening to struggle to stand up on your board in modest surf whilst others are catching waves up to 40 feet high! For those who desire a quieter place to learn to surf around Newquay, Watergate Bay may be a good alternative. At low tide, the sea at Watergate Bay is absolutely perfect for beginners, with small waves and a gentle current, allowing for less of a struggle when you fall off. Again, good quality beginner surf instruction is available. The Xtreme academy teaches here; as the name suggests, they also teach other ‘extreme’ sports for those who fancy broadening their horizons beyond surfing.

To prepare to learn to surf, you will need a decent board. All beginner-friendly surf beaches in the UK should have a surf shop nearby. Resist the urge to plunge in and buy the first board you see; ask lots of people for advice and make an informed purchase. You may find a better deal by doing so online, in advance of your trip. If you are unsure as to whether you will take to the sport, it may be more cost effective to simply hire a board for the day.

There are numerous beaches in the UK that are ideally suited to beginner surfing, and not just those in Cornwall; other beaches such as Pease Bay in Scotland and Llangennith in Wales offer ideally sized waves, again supported by good quality surfing schools. Beginner beaches are nationwide; wherever you are in the country, you should be able to find a suitable beach within relatively easy reach.

Article by Michael R Browne for Simply Beach
For a huge selection of women’s designer swimwear, from the bikinis and tankinis, swimsuits, plus size swimwear, mastectomy and maternity swimwear, to kaftans, cover ups and summer dresses, beach hats and bags. At Simply Beach you’ll find everything you need to complete your summer wardrobe.

Article Source: Michael R. Browne
UK Surf Beaches for Learners

Posted in Surf Travel | Print | 1 Comment »

June 24, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Glenn Kolb

The kick out is an important surfing maneuver to add to your surfing tool chest. The kick out is performed to escape a wave that is closing out in front of you or to avoid a collision with another surfer. Sometimes the decision to execute a kick out comes in a fraction of a second, you need to perform this maneuver quickly and forcefully.

In the spring of 2010, I was surfing at a quiet break in Costa Rica. Yes there still are quiet breaks to be found in Costa Rica. There were only four other surfers out in the water. They were all locals and were pretty much ignoring me. This was fine by me, as there were plenty of waves and lots of room for the five of us.

About an hour into the session, I was riding a wave and in a great position on it when one of the other surfers caught the wave and hadn’t seen me. As he began to drop down into the wave he saw me out of the corner of his eye. I quickly did a kick out and avoided slamming into him or his surfboard. I lost a good ride, but for the rest of the day, I gained 4 new friends.

Here is a lesson in how to execute a kick out.

Start by forcefully shoving the tail of the surfboard down with your rear foot. This causes the tail of the surfboard to sink into the water. When the tail sinks, it stalls the surfboard.

At the same time that you are forcing the tail down, rotate your body in the direction you want to turn. This will help the surfboard to quickly turn.

If the two parts of the maneuver are done together and with sufficient force the kick out will be successful, and you will go out over the top of the wave avoiding the close-out or another surfer.

The kick out is another component of successful surfing. The author has a free online guide to surfing where you can learn surf techniques. Included are free instructional surf videos. The surf travel section of the website has videos of his selection of the Top 10 Surf Spots in the World. Living in Costa Rica, the author has a section on the website focused on surfing in Costa Rica.

Article Source: Glenn Kolb
Learn to Surf: How to Perform the Kick Out

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June 23, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Johnny Wallbridge

It is great to maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising often, but in order to ensure that it is something you stick with, you should choose a way that you also find fun and enjoyable to do on a constant basis. Since surfing takes place in the waves of the salty ocean, with the breeze in your hair and the sun warming your back, it is a great thing to do to stay fit. It is simple to learn how to surf and by practicing your skills, you will be up and going in no time.

Before you begin, you need to make sure that the board you choose is a good fit for your height and that it has a nice feel to it. This is about six feet for a kid and anywhere from seven to nine foot for an adult or someone tall and you should make sure that you are comfortable when you stand up on it.

Set yourself up in an area of the ocean that is not crowded by other surfers or swimmers so that you can practice without anybody interfering with developing your skills or accidentally getting in your way and disrupting your precarious balance. Always stay within range of the lifeguard, however, to make sure that you will be safe as you try out your new tricks.

When you see the first wave coming that you want to try out, make sure that your board is going in the right direction, which is straight into the oncoming wave. If you are tilted at any angle or sort of sideways to the wave, it will not be picked up and you will not be able to take off.

You start off by lying down on your board and paddling with your hands towards that wave. As you feel the wave underneath you, you should quickly jump up so that you are on both feet, with them placed squarely in the center of the surfboard.

You might find it easier to try out this move on the dry land before heading out to try it in the middle of the waves. It can be easy to lose your balance or to miss and not land in the center and these things are key to doing a successful job, so prepare yourself before just heading out.

By practicing many times, you will find that it is simple to learn how to surf and you can’t even remember a time when you didn’t know how. You will be cruising along those waves like a pro in no time at all and looking for more adventure further out.

Get fantastic tips to teach you how to surf by going online. Discover the options of how you can learn surf with easy steps. Head online now and learn more.

Article Source: Johnny Wallbridge

See How to Surf in a Few, Short Steps

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June 22, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Glenn Kolb

Duck diving is a surfing technique used by many surfers to punch through heavy whitewater or a breaking wave with relative ease. To get it right, it takes practice and timing. Here are the steps to learn how to duck dive a surfboard.

• Paddle hard as the wave is approaching.
• A few feet before the wave hits, lean forward and push the nose of the surfboard down hard with both arms, extending your arms fully. Your grip on the surfboard should be about a third of it’s length from the nose.
• As you are pushing down with your arms, you are going to push down with one knee. This will submerge the tail of the surfboard. Watch an experienced surfer from shore and you will notice that while the knee is pushing the tail down, the other leg is kicking up in the air, giving more momentum to the knee that is pushing down the tail.
• By now you should be fully submerged and the wave will be passing overhead. As the wave is passing, keep pushing down on the surfboard, but try to keep yourself flat to the board.
• The downward force from your knee that pushed the tail down, will now cause the nose to lift. Pull up now with your hands and you should pop out at the back of the wave.

As you can see, there aren’t many steps involved in learning to duck dive a surfboard. However, it is a skill that takes a lot of practice to get the timing correct. If you start your duck dive too soon, you will submerge and then pop back up before the wave has fully passed. If you start the duck dive too late, the wave will hit before you are submerged. It also takes a lot of practice to get the technique just right. Pushing the nose down is usually not too hard, it is using the knee to drive down the tail that gives most surfers learning to duck dive the problem. Just keep at it, practice the duck dive on smaller days, and use the Eskimo roll (also known as turning turtle) on larger days until you get more confident with duck diving.

It needs to be pointed out that duck diving is really a maneuver that is performed best with shortboards. Duck diving can be done on a funboard (mini mal) or a longboard but it takes much more force to get the nose underwater. When I surf with a longboard, I choose to turn turtle. I cannot get enough downward force on the surfboard to submerge the board sufficiently under the water. I end up loosing too much ground as the whitewater pushes me back towards shore. I find for me, it is more efficient to turn turtle and then continue on once the wave has passed.

The duck dive is another component of successful surfing. The author has a free online guide to surfing where you can learn surf techniques. Included are free instructional surf videos. The surf travel section of the website has videos of his selection of the Top 10 Surf Spots in the World. Living in Costa Rica, the author has a section on the website focused on surfing in Costa Rica.

Article Source: Glenn Kolb

Learn to Surf: How to Duck Dive a Surfboard

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