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The Drop
Catching Unbroken Waves
If you’re busy paddling for unbroken waves, you need to know what to do when you catch one. You’ll soon find out, but a few tips might help.
Timing is everything, and this is when all the time you’ve spent in the water will count. Water knowledge will be what puts you in the right position to catch a wave, and what tells you when you’ve caught one. It also tells you when you are about to drop into a close out and gives you the option to pull off.
Catching unbroken waves is the beginning of a long journey, and as with everything in surfing, not something you master in an afternoon. Different conditions change everything – catching a fat, crumbly 2 foot beach break doesn’t really tell you what’s needed to drop into a hollow, 6 foot, barrelling reef break. But it’s the beginning, and the first time you achieve one is just as exhilarating as the first time you do the other.
It’s important to choose the right conditions to start catching unbroken waves (see Understanding the Ocean for more information). When you’re starting out there’s a lot to get to grips with – the speed and shape of the wave, your positioning on the wave, when it will peak, when it will break, when you should paddle, when you should pop up – It’s the slow, crumbly beach break you want to give yourself the chance to understand and perfect all this – the only thing you’ll learn on the hollow reef break is how to handle pain.
Start out by paddling out past where waves are breaking and everyone else is lining up. If you are out beyond the break zone you can relax and get a feel for what is happening without having to deal with breaking waves, as out here its deep enough for them to just pass by beneath you. Sit on your board and look at the ocean. Watch the waves as they come through; get a feel for what they are doing, their strength, shape and speed. Watch the horizon for a set – spot a darkening lump and follow it as it approaches, watch it become a recognisable wave, feel its power as it moves beneath you and turn to watch it crest and break behind you. This will give you a sense of what you are part of and help you know what to expect from the waves as you are catching them.
When you feel ready you should move in and join the others to wait for a wave. Start with a few practice runs – spot a set and practice paddling into the right position to catch it. As with catching white water waves, your aim is to paddle to match the speed of the wave, so when it crests and prepares to break you are right there, moving at the same speed and balanced and ready to pop up to stand.
When you spot your wave you need to gauge where you think it will break. Turn and paddle for that spot immediately. You will probably have to adjust your paddle as you watch the wave over your shoulder, and slow down or speed up accordingly as the wave approaches.
When you feel the wave take you, as it did in the white water, the key is to get to your feet as soon as possible. Pop up right at the peak of the wave. Most beginners start off by catching the wave, belly riding over the lip and right down the face to the bottom then jumping to their feet when they reach the flat, and riding the white water straight into the beach. While this makes sense as the flat bit feels safer and is easier and more stable to pop up on, you’ve actually missed the wave. Your goal is to jump to your feet as soon as you feel the wave steepen, and be on your feet ready to sail along the smooth unbroken face of the wave.
This takes ALOT of practice and you shouldn’t expect to crack it straight away, but it’s always good to keep in mind what you’re aiming for.
The second golden rule is to keep your knees bent. It’s easy to be so desperate to get up quickly that you try to leap right up to straight legs, but this is counter-productive. Aim to tuck your legs underneath you to keep flexible and balanced. Try to point the board away from the breaking wave and angle it along the shore rather then towards the beach, and soon you’ll be sailing along the unbroken face. Crack all this and you’re surfing baby.
The good thing is that popping up on an unbroken wave is actually easier than in the white water as the board won’t be bouncing and bobbling about all over the place.