Surfing
- Thread starter FretDancer
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FretDancer
Ostrich
I intend to try surfing here in Taiwan before the year ends. I will try to find some good spots and deals, and post some data on it. 
A buddy of mine lives out there and I see him posting surfing pics on facebook sometimes. I was supposed to go to Taiwan and visit him when I was in China but a week before I was supposed to fly to Taiwan I emailed him to make sure everything was still straight and he said "I got a divorce and flew back to the USA" It worked out good though cause thats when I said fuck it and went to the Philippines. He is back in Taiwan now with a new Taiwanese wife... and 3 kids from his old one.FretDancer said:I intend to try surfing here in Taiwan before the year ends. I will try to find some good spots and deals, and post some data on it.
FretDancer
Ostrich
Cr33pin said:A buddy of mine lives out there and I see him posting surfing pics on facebook sometimes. I was supposed to go to Taiwan and visit him when I was in China but a week before I was supposed to fly to Taiwan I emailed him to make sure everything was still straight and he said "I got a divorce and flew back to the USA" It worked out good though cause thats when I said fuck it and went to the Philippines. He is back in Taiwan now with a new Taiwanese wife... and 3 kids from his old one.FretDancer said:I intend to try surfing here in Taiwan before the year ends. I will try to find some good spots and deals, and post some data on it.
Wow that's crazy. Any idea where he did his surfing here? Recommendations?
FretDancer said:
He lives in Taipei so I am assuming its not real far from there on the Northern tip of the island. The beaches in the pics don't really look like tropical paradises like Costa Rica or Hawaii or anything. I will hit him up on facebook and see what he knows about the surfing scene there.
faznine15
Sparrow
I'll be frank you'll likely have to move to somewhere where you can have steady access to decent waves. It can take a month just to get in the type of phsycial shape that a few hours of paddling requires. "Paddle Fitness" it's often called. Then learning the actual activity can take a while.
The other thing is the sport doesn't have a come one come all culture so as a "kook" you'll likely feel like an outsider for some time until your skill improves. Not everyone feels this way and its a wide scale that I personally think varies with age, but it still something to keep in mind. Theres only so many good waves to be had a given time so it breeds this more surfers = less fun type of attidue at places.
If you have actual surfer friends this will help tremedously as they can help you avoid faux pauxs, and make you feel more at ease as you learn.
The surf camp likely wont' have this type of vibe so it could be a good start. However, 1 week isn't going to cut it.
The other thing is the sport doesn't have a come one come all culture so as a "kook" you'll likely feel like an outsider for some time until your skill improves. Not everyone feels this way and its a wide scale that I personally think varies with age, but it still something to keep in mind. Theres only so many good waves to be had a given time so it breeds this more surfers = less fun type of attidue at places.
If you have actual surfer friends this will help tremedously as they can help you avoid faux pauxs, and make you feel more at ease as you learn.
The surf camp likely wont' have this type of vibe so it could be a good start. However, 1 week isn't going to cut it.
I'm glad to see others here are into surfing.
I started surfing about 6 weeks ago, and I absolutely love it. I rode my first few waves yesterday after weeks of getting my ass kicked. I'm considering buying a board (up till now I've just been using a friends foam board).
It really is an incredibly fun and challenging activity. I encourage more RVFer's to pick it up, provided there's a beach nearby. Down here in SoCal El Nino has the waters at a very warm 76 degrees, and it's likely to stay that way until about December. Surfing chicks are in decent shape at worst (lots of butterfaces) but some of them are smoking hot.
I'd love to hear some more input on this topic from others here.
I started surfing about 6 weeks ago, and I absolutely love it. I rode my first few waves yesterday after weeks of getting my ass kicked. I'm considering buying a board (up till now I've just been using a friends foam board).
It really is an incredibly fun and challenging activity. I encourage more RVFer's to pick it up, provided there's a beach nearby. Down here in SoCal El Nino has the waters at a very warm 76 degrees, and it's likely to stay that way until about December. Surfing chicks are in decent shape at worst (lots of butterfaces) but some of them are smoking hot.
I'd love to hear some more input on this topic from others here.
FretDancer said:
I have quite some experience surfing and it is great. I learned it in Southwest France, and mostly in Costa Rica.
Tamarindo is perfect to learn how to surf.
For Costa Rica, I would learn at the Pacific Coast (Santa Teresa could be good, but Tamarindo is just very good in terms of learning how to surf, and functions as a surfing hub.
When would you like to go, as in what time of the year? This is important obviously in selecting a destination.
Sonoma said:
Northern or southern cali? I've been hitting up Huntington Pier lately.
I did some surfing in Bali and went for a week on a surfcamp in Portugal. I thought it would just be fine but I found out you need to keep doing it in order to be any good. I lost most of my skills after a few months not surfing. Will try to pick it up in Sri Lanka next year again, anybody been there?
I've been contemplating taking 2-3 months off and camping at an inexpensive spot that has learner / beginner friendly waves & sandy beach + correct weather/ time of the year - as bad weather can make good surf for most people but be tough for learning.
So, suggestions inexpensive for beach spots/ towns & time of year to go there..
So, suggestions inexpensive for beach spots/ towns & time of year to go there..
faznine15 said:
Go to the Philippines, plenty of surf there. Cheap as well and these coming months the weather will be very good. Typhoon season is going to end soon.
xmlenigma said:
worldtraveler3
Kingfisher
Plan on renting a large FOAM board for 1 month at least just to learn the beginner stuff.
Then switch to a smaller board which is fiber glass (still mini malibu) , then to a expert board in something like 6 months.
Note: this is assuming you are surfing EVERY single day, non stop, for 2-3 hours a day at least. If you are overweight, add more time to this.
Nah, 1 week surf camp isnt gonna cut it. Those surf schools which says 'you will learn in few days' are just bs. they probably mean you can stand up on a long board in white water waves near the shore...
Surfing is not a come and got it sport where you 'learnt' on your 1 week annual vacation to Hawaii.
Then switch to a smaller board which is fiber glass (still mini malibu) , then to a expert board in something like 6 months.
Note: this is assuming you are surfing EVERY single day, non stop, for 2-3 hours a day at least. If you are overweight, add more time to this.
Nah, 1 week surf camp isnt gonna cut it. Those surf schools which says 'you will learn in few days' are just bs. they probably mean you can stand up on a long board in white water waves near the shore...
Surfing is not a come and got it sport where you 'learnt' on your 1 week annual vacation to Hawaii.
worldtraveler3 said:
Exactly why I did not take an expensive 'tourist trap' surf camp that gives you a feel good.. been there done that. thing for a week.
I really want to get the foundations down when I start it.. so that it becomes something I never leave. And to do that means INITIAL TIME EFFORT & LOCATION commitment.
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