| It's perfectly acceptable and, actually, highly | | | | might paddle out together, but your friends might |
| recommended to take a surfing lesson when | | | | leave you treading water at the lineup while |
| you're just picking up the sport. You might think | | | | they're catching all the waves. |
| surfing is logical and that you will have the natural | | | | That's why you are much better off shelling out |
| ability to pick it up right away, but the reality is | | | | the $50 or so for a first lesson. Surf instructors |
| that surfing is a very awkward sport when you | | | | get paid to answer questions and push you into a |
| first start out and there are tons of little tips that | | | | wave. Their main goal is for you to have a good |
| you can acquire only from a surf instructing | | | | time while riding your first wave. To take full |
| professional. | | | | advantage of the time you have with your |
| Surf lessons can be private or in groups and last | | | | instructor, it is advisable to prepare a list of |
| for about an hour. You will likely ride on a | | | | questions you can ask. There's no limit to the silly |
| completely foam board that is nearly 10 feet long | | | | or stupid questions you can ask a surf instructor, |
| and very lightweight, which catches waves easily | | | | so fire away. |
| and gives you a lot of float. Most surf schools | | | | Surf instructors take their students to beginner |
| guarantee that you will stand up on a wave. If | | | | surf breaks that are usually a bit crowded. This |
| you don't, you can usually come back for another | | | | will be a most humbling experience, but you will be |
| lesson for free until you do. It might appear | | | | among others who are in the same boat as you. |
| unnecessary and dorky, but a beginning surf | | | | One thing is for certain: Wherever it is you go |
| lesson will likely accelerate your surfing ability | | | | with your instructor, he or she won't paddle you |
| more than the trial and error of learning on your | | | | out to a break that you can't handle, so you |
| own. If you go it alone, your learning curve will | | | | know you will be safe and taken care of. For this |
| likely be slower, more painful, and in some cases | | | | reason, surf lessons ensure that you will paddle |
| more dangerous. | | | | back out another day wanting more. Goodness |
| Another thing you must keep in mind is that | | | | knows you don't want to be in over your head or |
| friends who surf are not the same as surf | | | | get injured and be too scared to try the sport |
| instructors. Some of your friends may have been | | | | again. So start off on the right foot by taking one |
| surfing for years, but if you ask them to go | | | | surf lesson. Once you get that initial lesson out of |
| surfing with you to help you learn, they could well | | | | the way, you'll feel far more confident going it |
| be worse than your least favorite middle school | | | | alone thereafter. |
| teacher. You and your experienced surfing friends | | | | |