Tips for hanging ten
No Rules, Just Waves
“Surfing is different from other sports in that there are no written rules,” says Eric Gross, surfer and stand-up paddleboarder and shop manager at Poseidon Paddle & Surf. “You definitely want to get an instructor for your first time to learn not only how to surf, but also the do’s and don’ts of surf etiquette.”
He offers these tips for riding the Santa Monica surf:
- Hit the ocean in the morning when winds are likely to be calm. Check the surf report and weather forecast before heading out.
- To help maintain your balance on either type of board, keep your head up. “Look up, stay up,” Gross says. “Look down, fall down.”
- On a paddleboard, “speed is your friend,” says Gross. “Like when you’re on a bicycle, the slower you go, the less stability you have.”
