by NOMB Surf | Jun 24, 2019 | 2020, GHANA, SURFCOACHING, SURFTRIPS
Thinking about surfing in Africa we might primarily think of South Africa, with famous surf spots like Jeffreys Bay, Muizenberg in Cape Town or big wave mecca Dungeos. But there are many more countries on this continent that offer quality surf!
Here at NOMB Surf we aim to explore unknown surfdestinations. That’s why our next surf coaching trip #Ghanarama takes us Ghana (September 2019) – and yeah, we are pretty excited about that 😀 Today we want to introduce you to our newest surf destination in West Africa.
“We aim to explore unknown surf destinations – states surf headcoaching Angie – so after talking to NOMB Surfer Annette it was pretty clear: let’s go surfing in Ghana!”
Good news are: you can leave your wetsuits at home because the water temperature won’t drop below 24 degrees Celsius. So let’s have a closer look..
About Ghana
Africa – that is this big other continent close to Fuerteventura (technically we are in Europa here on Fuerteventura, but geographically we are Africa). Europe or not, we have have the desire to discover this beautiful continent so close to NOMB Surf´s home base. Sooo let’s go to Ghana, West Africa!
Ghana is located between Togo and the Ivory Coast. Ghana is also called the Gold Coast of Africa – so no need to go to Australia this time to surf on the Gold Coast 😉 Before Ghana gained independency it was named the Gold Coast – referred to the trades that were made there. Either way, sounds pretty nice to have a Gold Coast for surfing – and pretty sure that surfing there is like gold for us surfers, too.
Ghana is a pretty modern african country with a relatively stable economy. Its capital, Accra is also a big travel hub in West Africa. That makes us as surfers quite happy, cause we can get there quite easily. From Germany a flight to Accra is about 500€ with a travel time between 10 and 15 hours and just one stopover in one of Europes capitals. And as there are airlines like KLM and AirFrance operating, you can also check your surfboard in for free (in exchange for luggage, but who needs luggage if you can travel with their surfboard instead ;))
Surfing in Ghana
And that brings us to surfing in Ghana! Besides of the rich African culture, rainforest and the biggest reservoir in the world (Volta) Ghana has a coastline of more than 500 km. And this, chicas and chicos, means a lot of surf in tropical climate! Leave your wetsuit at home and enjoy the nice and warm water!
Surfing in Ghana for the locals hasn´t really been a secret during the last decade but for the western European surfers it showed up on the surfers map just a few years ago (or maybe just right now). In 2006 two Americans opened the first surf shop with surf school in Busua to teach the locals how to surf (also on proper surfboards and not only the wooden ones they kind of shaped theirselfs in former times). The surf capital of Ghana was born: Busua with its first surfing beach of Ghana!
Surfspots in Ghana
The two most common surf spots in Ghana are Krokobite beach (around 40 minutes drive from the capital Accra) and, as mentioned above, Busua (around 5 hours west of Krokobite). Here you will find a bit of surf infrastructure like surf schools with local surf instructors and surfboard rentals. But more than that you will find a lot of positive vibes, reggae culture and amazing food!
Around the area of Busua there are various surf spots with range from beginner to intermediate level. And all along the coast you can find many other unsurfed waves waiting for you! The swell from south and southwest provides waves in Ghana especially from April to September, and even if it could rain from time to time, it will still be nice and warm – and if we are in the water the rain won’t bother us at all 😛
» Surftrip to Ghana: Dates, Price and Trip-Infos (english version) or see here for information in german
As mentioned before our NOMB Surfer Annette has already been surfing in Ghana and happily tells us about here Ghana experience.
Aloha Annette. How did you find out about surfing in Ghana?
Due to youth work I supported the African member associations who met up in Ghana. So when we went there, I already read that there is surfing in this area and wanted to check the waves myself – or better said with my friend Liese from Belgium.
What are your impressions about traveling around and the life in Ghana?
Well, traveling in Ghana is a bit different from Europe, that means it can take quite a while sometimes. The buses might be a bit more crowded than we are used to – but that makes the traveling in Ghana a real adventure, there are so many things and culture to explore! We also visited locals at home, that we knew from our youth work, and we always felt “Akwaaba”, which means welcome in Twi – one of Ghanas official languages. And not only the locals we knew, also all the other locals me met their shared this “Akwaaba” flair. They are not only welcoming, but also always joyful and really helpful!
And of course: What about surfing in Ghana?
We were surfing in Busua where we found a few little surf schools where I could rent a surfboard (I was a bit scared to break it, cause they really didn’t have a lot of surfing equipment there) and Liese took a surf lesson. When I went surfing there, the waves were a bit bigger in between, so I let the locals catch the tricky ones and went for the smaller ones. But I really enjoyed watching it and sitting in the line up (no wetsuit needed, you can surf in bikini there) with this beautiful nature, the sunset and surrounding – just stunning!
So how was your impression of the surf culture there?
Well that was really impressive for me. I could literally experience the local surf community there. The mood at the beach and in the water was just great! It was a “surfing together and enjoying it” because they shared just 2 or 3 shortboards amongst each other. And the best surfboard they had, was a wooden surfboard, that one of the surf coaches won at a contest in Liberia. And evidently all the local surfers could use it!
I didn’t spend enough time there to allow myself an opinion of the surf culture, but I’m excited to figure it out! I haven’t seen girls surfing there, I think it’s more for the men. But there is so much potential and hopefully one day they can produce their own equipment and surf lifestyle products instead of importing it – but maybe they are already doing it 🙂
And are you joining #Ghanarama ;)?
Yes and I’m really looking forward to it! I didn’t have enough time to figure out a lot about the surf culture there. So that’s what we can figure out together on the NOMB Surf trip to Ghana! Cause the intercultural exchange is so exciting in Ghana. And I really hope to talk more to local surfers in these two weeks we will spend there, to find out what they connect to the spirit of surfing. In the colors, rhythms, sounds dances and the way of life that I experienced in Ghana, I could really connect to my own imagination of surf culture to this!
Thanks Annette for telling us about your surfing in Ghana, we are super stoked to have you on board on yet another NOMB surftrip!!
Want to join us on this 14 days adventure surftrip?
For all Details & Booking see here
There are only very limited spaces left on #Ghanarama and due to visa issues the booking period closes the 14th August 2019.
Get in touch with us
per email: [email protected]
Whatsapp: +34 610 064 980
or via our contact form
– we are happy to answer all your questions and secure a spot for you.
Traveling to Ghana also means to consider a few things: you have to apply for a Visa and be aware of your vaccinations (especially yellow fever) ! And of course you should take malaria prophylaxes with you! If you have any more questions considering these things, don’t hesitate to contact us.
We here at NOMB Surf understand the principals of sustainable tourism, and believe that we, as travelling surfers, can leave a positive footprint at our destinations. Sustainable tourism is not only the environmental site but it also involves economic and socio-cultural benefits. This is why we have decided to organize the #Ghanarama Surfday 2019 during our stay in Ghana, together with our local surfschool partner. The surfday will include exciting surfworkshops, girls-only surflessons, beach cleanings as well as a little surf competiton. We will soon release more info about incredible event and will need YOUR help, too!! Stay tuned and keep checking our surfblog!!
Sea you soon in Ghana!
Angie & your NOMB Surfteam
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by NOMB Surf | Jun 10, 2019 | 2019, GALICIA, SURFCOACHING, SURFTRIPS, TRIPNOTES
.. was the slogan of this year´s 14 days intensive surfcamp in Galicia. Four motivated NOMB Surfers arrived eager to surf and to improve their surfing here in the Northwest of Spain.
The local surfbreak, only 500m walking distance from our homebase, welcomed the surfteam with small but glassy waves. Perfect conditions to boost the take-off and timing skills. Galicia presented itself in it´s most beautiful way: sunshine, no wind and roughly 30degrees. Perfect weather to shred some waves and chill on the beach afterwards. What a brilliant start to #GalicianGalaxy, so much glaaaass..
After a couple of days finetuning the take-off timing and the pop-up the NOMB surfteam set off to use their newly perfected skills in a bit more powerful conditions. A beautiful beachbreak with noone else in the water. The waves were more challenging than the first beach as the ocean floor here was a bit steeper, producing still small but a lot more powerful waves.
Here the NOMB Surfers realized that positioning in the wave and reading the wave are crutial. Through video analysis and extensive surftheory surf headcoach Angie made sure that every single one of the NOMB Surfers understood the dynamic of the wave and developed the ability to read it, too.
But being able to read the wave is not everything. The reaction of what you see is even more important. Reaction drills under stress in the water (change directions, go, go, go… ) during the next sessions were hard in the beginning but the surfteam did fantastic and the results were clearly visible: a highly increased wavecount, less wipeouts during take-off and great positioning in the waves. Check out one of the beauties that was surfed on that day. NOMB Surfer Reto showing off with this bottom turn.
The next days were filled with double surfsessions and also a lot of surftheory. That doesn´t mean just sitting around listening to some presentation but involves a lot of differnet exercises. Twice the NOMB Surfers set out with surf skateboards to finetune their skills. During the first session they worked on overall positioning on the board, on flow and flexibility. The second session involved shifting weight on the skateboard, especially the backfoot, getting more sensible towards the reaction of the board: the first step to really learn how to turn your surfboard.
The surfteam also learned a lot of the ocean environment and understood how important it is to be aware of the constant changes in the water. Group exercises helped to deepen this understanding. Daily forecast updates and discussions about the same are always part of our dinner routine. Have you ever fallen asleep dreaming of tomorrow´s forecast?
Two weeks of daily double surf sessions physically challenge your body, even if you are a trained surfers. Our slightly crazy campchef Lindis made sure that all the batteries were recharged properly. Powerbreakfast included loads of proteins, carbs and sometimes even a traditional Swiss roesti. Yummy. Dinnertime, watching the sun set over the close by ocean, was a highlight and everyone enjoyed Lindi´s healthy and super nutritious meals. Thanks for joining us on yet another surftrip, Lovely Lindis!!
The 14 days went really quick and once in a sudden it was time to sit down for a final feedback. Headcoach Angie was more than happy with all the achievements, set goals were met and even exceeded. You don´t believe it? Check out the pics of the trip on our Facebook page, get hyped with the waves we surfed and the funny moments that made #GalicianGalaxy another unforgettable surftrip. That´s the dreamteam of this intensive surfcamp in Galicia.
Thanks for surfing with us A.K., Fabi, Reto and Romi. You guys really rocked the waves!! Muchas gracias goes out to Ramonski and the surfing Panda, our local surfguides, for bringing us to the best spots and joining our Schabernack. Thanks to head surfcoach Angie for coaching her brains out, what an epic trip. Simply #livingthedream 😉
Next years intensive surfcamp here in Galicia is already in the making, sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Instagram and be the first one to know dates and details.
Hope to sea you soon in the water!
YOUR NOMB SURFTEAM
by NOMB Surf | May 20, 2019 | OCEAN, SURFCOACHING, SURFING
Here´s the thing. You are a landlocked surfer, dying to hit the waves again. You finally manage to get some time of work, pick your next surfdestination and then.. well.. the big question: surfcamp or no surfcamp??
You have already been to a few surfcamps or surfschools, master the surfing basics and actually really want to go out there by yourself. The problem is that until today you have always been following a surfinstructor, or maybe even a more surfexperienced friend. And now, once in a sudden, you find yourself vantripping direction the French Atlantic coast. Finally, there the ocean and it´s full of waves!! Woohoo! You wax your new board, put on your wetsuit, do a little warm-up and hit the waves!
Next thing you know, the ocean (or maybe even a local) has spit you out and you are back on the beach. Frustration level: suuuper high!! Noone likes to get dropped in by a local, not even head surfcoach Angie in a small wave on Lanzarote 😉
So what to do?? How to survive and enjoy a new surfspot?
Here is a quick checklist for you before entering the water by yourself
1. CHECK THE FORECAST (i.e. Magicseaweed or Windguru) for local conditions and extra spotinfo
2. GOOGLE THE SURFSPOT and pick out every info about needed swell size, swell directions, currents, localism etc
3. SIT DOWN AND ACTUALLY WATCH THE SPOT
4. MAKE DETAILED NOTES about the beach environment:
- Ocean floor (sand, rocks, shallow / deep water)
- Entrance + exit of the surfspot
- Dangers (rocks / other surfers / other watercrafts etc)
- Currents and channels (set yourself reference points on shore)
- Today´s swell size, swell direction, swell period, swell intensity, number of set waves etc
- Tides and tidal range
- Wind direction and intensity
- Peaks (set yourself reference points on shore)
- Other surfers (surflevel, who catches waves, locals etc)
5. BE REALISTIC! Does your surflevel fit the break and today´s conditions?
As an example check out the detailed map of the surfspot the NOMB Surfteam surfed yesterday on our surfcoaching trip Galician Galaxy. Noone (including head surfcoach Angie) had surfed the spot before. But yeahhh, the whole team caught excellent waves and didn´t get into any trouble with the locals 😉
Ticked off all the above? So what´s next?
Here is a little guide on how to enjoy your first session in a new surfspot!
Surfing rule number 1: GIVE RESPECT TO GAIN RESPECT!
Be aware of the constant changes around you.
Paddle out using the channel and/or wait for the break in between sets.
Position yourself in fair distance of the peak and take in the energy of the line-up.
Politely greet surfers next to you, a smile often works wonders.
Patiently wait for your turn.
If you are at the peak there is no way back! Your first wave is your signature wave. Other surfers will judge you by your commitment and surfing abilities.
Use the channels to paddle back to the line-up. NEVER paddle against the peak!!
Always follow the rules of surfing. It´s not your local spot and just because you are on well deserved holidays doesn´t mean that you are entitled to waves. You have to earn them by showing respect!
Wow, that sounds like a looot of things to consider.. Maybe some of you weren´t aware of all the important things we as surfers need to think about. But wait, haven´t you been to a surfschool/surfcamp before? Unfortunately not a lot of surfschools take the time and patience to teach about beach environment, awareness in the water and the basic surfing rules. If you opt for not surfing by yourself but join a surfcamp/surfschool make sure you know how to spot quality surfcoaching and learn about all these important factors.
We here at NOMB Surf train our students to become independent surfers. That´s why well needed surftheory is always a big part of our private surfcoachings on Fuerteventura and an even bigger part of our surfcoaching trips. Feel like you, too, want to learn to surf independently and be able to enjoy (and survive) a new surfspot? Get in touch for more info!
Sea you in the water soon!
Your NOMB Surfteam
by NOMB Surf | Apr 8, 2019 | SURFCOACHING, SURFING
No doubt that surfing is our passion, our sport and our favorite thing to do. Small waves, big waves, longboarding, shortboarding – we love it all. But sometimes there is this little thing, called being scared or fear of surfing or bigger waves – a really ugly thing to deal with but not impossible!
“I have days, where I can surf waves up to 2 meters easily, and then out of nowhere I get scared when I see waves that are bigger than a meter or a lot of people in the water! I feel like my mind is totally blocked and can’t do anything else but sitting in the channel and waiting for the tiny little waves that will pass by from time to time…”
I bet that a few of you also had this feeling from. Well if you started surfing before walking you probably don’t know this feeling, but the surfers amongst us who started a “little bit later” might know what we are talking about here 😉 . It doesn’t matter in which situation (bigger waves, lots of people) you feel this “fear”, the question is how to overcome it in general.
Let’s start from the beginning guys, first of all you have to figure out, what this fear is about, meaning what are the roots of it. We’re not psychologists, but there are a few simple things that you can consider.
Did something happen? And what exactly are you scared about while surfing?
Ask yourself the question! Did you hava a really bad wipeout once and got stuck under water really long? Or maybe you lost your surfboard once because the leash broke and you just felt alone in the water and also felt how strong the ocean and the currents are without a surfboard? Or is your fear of surfing coming out of nowwhere and you just feel mentally blocked?
Try to find the trigger for your being scared in the water, that’s the first step! So when you feel uncomfortable in the water, when this happens to you, you might feel like you are not controlling the situation – your surfing and you being out there in the line up. No matter what, don’t give up, sit down in the channel, take a few deep breaths and focus on what you might be scared of. Maybe you just want to step up from surfing small waves and start surfing bigger waves? We are not talking about surfing Nazaré tomorrow, but it would be nice to surf steeper and maybe overhead waves to bring your surfing to the next level. So go deep in yourself and think about what exactly you are scared of, cause only if you know what’s triggering this fear, you can work on it!
So what can you do to overcome your fear of surfing (bigger waves)?
First of all you should focus on yourself and your body! That means stay fit! If you’re body is charged to 100% (which means your fitnesslevel, your awareness and your consciousness) you will feel way more comfortable in the water. As this is not coming out of nothing, you have to do something for it! Yoga for example is a good supplement or your surfing, it does not only help you to achieve more balance in your body but also being awareof the right breathing can help you to calm you down in moments where you might feel uncomfortable in the water. If you are scared of wipeouts, improve your “holding your breathe” technique. In the end it is just water, you will always come up again. But if you know, that you are able to hold your breath long enough, probably you won’t be scared of the next wipe out in a big wave and will just go for it.
It might also help you to go surfing with a person you trust and who knows the surfspot very well. It should be a really good friend if he will sit there with you to give more selfconfidence instead of surfing nice waves ;)) but maybe you’ll have this one good surfbuddy who will help you to get your confidence back. With these people you also might “go for something that you are scared of”. Cause you know that they won’t let you die when your leash breaks or you will be stuck under water for a while 😉 oh yes, and if you are scared of bigger waves, wipeouts or something else, even if the lineup is empty don’t go alone in the water.
Don’t let the fear eat you but also don’t pressure yourself too much!
You have to find the slim line between getting out of your comfort zone and not putting too much pressure on your surfing. Go and take a risk sometimes, to grow with your fear and overcome it (make sure you won’t hurt people with your surfboarf during a possible wipeout ;)), and you will see what’s the “worst thing” that can happen to you on this day – and maybe if you take a risk you will have the wave of the day! (To take “risks” for yourself make sure your body is well prepared for it like mentioned above!) And if you go a step back in the sense of surfing smaller waves a few days or for a while – well that’s life and absolutely not a bad thing! You have to feel comfortable and believe in yourself! And the most important thing: Never forget that surfing should be fun! Grab your friends and go for a Foamie Fun Session on a small day – it will bring your smile back and make you forget that you are scared of this water =)
Start a surflog to focus more on your good days!
The fear of surfing and bigger waves is just in your mind! So free it! Maybe to start a surflog is a good idea for you to focus on what’s going on in your mind. Start to write down how you feel before and after the session, how you surfed the waves, how many, which goals you set yourself, if you achieved them and so on. Also note the swell- and wave size and direction as wall as the wind. This will help you also to feel more comfortable with your surfspot cause you will have your own experiences what you could accomplish on a surfing day on paper. That might push your selfconfidence, cause you know you can do it!
Check your equipment
Especially if you are afraid of breaking your leash and be out there alone in the ocean, we have a pretty simple first step solution for you: Go and buy you a new leash every few months! These 30 bucks are definitely worth it 😉
Also ask yourself if you feel comfortable with your surfboard. It should be you and your surfboard against the rest of the world. Well of course not like this, but maybe you feel it is too long or too short for you. So go and change it! It isn’t the end of the world if you take “a step back” from your shortboard to a minimalibu or even a softtop if that makes you feel much more secure (by the way, surfing with a softtop is actually such a fun thing, look at all these Mick Fannings and Jamie O’Brians who developed their own softboard brands).
Also go and check your wetsuit, espceially if you are a surfer who tends to freeze like hell. Your body won’t be charged a 100% if it also has to concentrate on this “freezing cold water”. If you spend money for a good wetsuit you will have one thing less to worry about in the water – you see figthing your fear starts with eliminating all the small avoidable problems you could have 😉
Go and get yourself a private surfcoaching!
Besides of setting yourself small goals (like every day a little bit closer to the peak) go and get yourself a private surfcoaching! Cause you will never have learned enough in this kind of sports, every day is different! And if you have someone from the outside, who also helps you to understand the ocean environment and improves your surfing skills, you will have it way easier!
Just one important thing to remember: overcome your fear of surfing but always maintain your respect of the ocean!
Sea you in the water soon!
YOUR NOMB SURFTEAM
by NOMB Surf | Mar 16, 2019 | SURFCOACHING, SURFING, SURFTRIPS
Here at NOMB Surf we like to offer you the best options to improve your surfing: On our surfcoaching trips you share a certain time learning within a group. During our individual surfcoachings on Fuerteventura it´s all about you and your own surfcoach.
However, we do understand that not everyone wants to travel to Fuerteventura or join one of our surfcoaching trips. And that´s how NOMB SURF CUSTOMIZED was born.
So what exactly does that mean? Well, it means that we are open to any surfcoaching suggestions you can think of. How about coaching a group of friends at a certain destination? How about guiding a family during their surfholiday? How about teaching university sport students the basics and beauty of surfing?
Whatever it is, if you feel like you are in need of a surfcoach, that´s what NOMB Surf Customized is there for. Head surfcoach Angie (ISA Level II qualified, valid lifesaver, very experienced, German, English, and Spanish) is keen on coaching at new destinations and discover the world with you.
But is this for real you think? It certainly is. Let us tell you about a couple of really cool surfcoaching projects from last year
1.Teaching students from of the German university of Hildesheim how to surf – on an island in the Northsea
Island? Northsea? Germany? Yep, the beautiful island of Sylt, located just below the boarder to Denmark, is a watersports mecca. Generally more know for it´s perfect conditions for kite- and windsurfing Sylt also offeres some rare days that will make every surfer feel like in heaven. Imagine how super stoked NOMB Surf headcoach Angie was when she arrived on Sylt and found this little gem just on the other side of the sanddune from her homebase.
Based in a big youthhostel, 5min walk over the dunes to the beach, a whole basement full of great surfequipment, the islands best coffee shop just around the corner – what a treat for Angie.
A total of 24 sport students from the University of Hildesheim, Germany, flogged to the island to take part in a watersports excursion. Within 10 days they got taught the basics of surfing, kitesurfing and SUP. NOMB Surf headcoach Angie was in charge of the surfing business. Theory sessions, explaining of surfequipment, ocean awareness and loads of hours on the beach. At the end every single one of the students looooved surfing and promised to go for more! Job done!!
2. Family holiday to Galicia, Northwest Spain
10 days surfholidaying with your family on the Northwest coast of Spain? There is hardly a better way to spend your autumn vacations. When Angie was asked if she wanted to join her favourite surfer family from Berlin, Germany, on their holiday, her answer was: YEEEEES, for sure!! While the family stayed in a real cool house overlooking the beach, Angie rented herself a mobile home and that way wavechecked every morning to find the best conditions for the day.
3 adults and 5 kids, what a great surfer family. And everyone, apart from little Willy who is a little bit too small still to surf, was keen to go surfing every day. Angie, knowing Galicia and it´s hidden spots, made sure the surfing family was at the right beach at the right time, with the right conditions for everyone. Sure, sometime the group was split because of the different surflevels but there was always a beach where everyone could surf together.
Loads of days of surfing, surf theory, ocean awareness excercises… Angie made sure that her family didn´t get bored. And was super stoked to see that after the holiday every single one had improved their surfing. Woohoo!! Looking forward to coaching you again next month 😉 Here you see the surfing grooms at a little tea pitstop at Angie´s mobile home parked on the beach.
There are a few more surfcoaching projects planned in the future, involving families, social engagements and a fitness camp. But psssst, let´s not tell all the secrets yet..
If you have a cool surfcoaching project, involving travelling or not, NOMB Surf would like to hear from you!! We are always happy to help you improve and realize your dreams! Simply get in touch and tell us about it!!
Sea you in the water soon!
YOUR NOMB SURFTEAM
by NOMB Surf | Jan 14, 2019 | SURFCOACHING, SURFING
Stuck with your surfing? Not sure which board to buy? Unsure about how the ocean, waves and all that stuff works??
Well, surfing is a sport that not only requires you to learn chains of movement but also to be able to read and predict the ocean. They didn´t tell you that at your first surflesson? If they would, surely there wouldn´t be as many people out there trying to surf… 😉
But now it´s too late, you are already hooked on surfing, there is no way back. You do feel however that you are not advancing anymore. Going back to a surfschool or surfcoach is a bit outside your budget for the moment. But the summer is not too far away and you and your van are ready to hit the Atlantic coast.
So how can you boost your surfing without having to invest in quality surfcoaching?? The answer is simple: hit the internet! Yeah right you think, there is so much info out there, where to start? Right here, right now. Check out the following great sources to get free surfcoaching tipps and tricks.
1. You Tube
That´s an obvious one for sure. There are tutourials for pretty much everything. One of the most complete and easy to understand You Tube channels for surfcoaching tricks is 110% Surfing Techniques. With straight video and clear commentary these tutourials are very easy to understand. They cover pretty much everything, from beginner surfing to advanced tricks. You can buy their complete course as DVD or as download but by now they have nearly all the videos available for free on their You Tube channel. Here is an example of what they do, a short clip about how to wipe out correctly.
https://youtu.be/Wl2ZnS8_QR0
2. Facebook
Facebook is a great platform to keep in touch with family and friends. Especially important for us surfers who tend to spend more time at the coast than back in our hometowns. Apart from keeping everyone informed about how you are doing Facebook is a great source of free information. There are loads of different Facebook groups out there creating spaces for people to ask questions, give tipps and get in touch. In big groups like Surftravellers you can ask for advice on destinations and transport for example.
New on Facebook is a community called SURFCOACHING TRICKS where you can ask concrete questions about your actual surfing. You can post videos or photos of yourself surfing, getting responses with tipps and tricks from the other community members. There will even be a monthly life chat where you can ask questions and get an immediate response. We are proud to confirm that our surf headcoach Angie will regularly offer free professional advice in the Surfcoaching Tricks group. We here at NOMB Surf believe in the essence of surfing: the connection to the ocean and within the community. and are happy to do our little grain and share the stoke. So sign up for SURFCOACHING TRICKS now!
3. Hang out with people who surf better than you
One of the first rules of surfing is to never surf alone. Even though surfing is a very selfish sport it´s not advisable to surf with noone else in the water. Just imagine you get knocked out by your board (happens) and there is noone around to get your head out of the water.
So find yourself a surfbuddy. And here is the trick now: find someone who surfs better than you. That doesn´t mean to hang out with someone who gets barreled on every wave if you are still practicing in the whitewater. Find someone who can share your session at the same spot with the same conditions but is more advanced than you. Why that? Isn´t it nicer to surf with someone who has less experience than you? Giving you that sneaky little joy of being better? Well, leave your ego behind, you want to advance, right? So hang around surfer who have a higher level and simply watch them. Their position. Their timing. Their chains of movements. Watching others is the best free advice you can get. And if you ask nicely, surely you will get some tipps as well. Everyone remembers how they started surfing and the little tipps along the way that helped.
Caution: don´t copy wrong styles. Always go back to double check with videos of professional surfing.
There are loooads of other free resources available, especially on the internet. Hopefully above three will help you, and your budget, to improve and catch more waves. Let us know how you got on!
Sea you in the water soon!
YOUR NOMB SURFTEAM
