Peninsula Surf Sisters Beginner’s Guide…
WELCOME!!
We all have to start somewhere right?
Surfing is one of the most mentally and physically challenging sports out there but the reward upon achievement is ten fold!
When you start there’s a few big things to remember!
Not one wave is the same, so your playground is constantly changing. You’re battling the elements such as wind, tides and swell. These all individually impact your ability to surf, and surf well!
So we hope with our community and this guide, we can provide some handy tips to build your confidence out on the water.
Words by Elise Saunders - PSS Salty Socials & Events Coordinator
COMMUNITY:
Welcome to the Peninsula Surf Sisters Community. A hub for supporting, nurturing and stoking the surf flame on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula.
PSS started as a small core committee of ocean loving women, who saw the need to create a safe and inclusive space to share the love, knowledge and good vibes in and out of the water.
We are flanked by the most wonderful cohort of individuals, businesses, sub-groups and community members, who generously donate their time, energy and resources.
Below is by no means an exhaustive list, and we will endeavour to continue to give shout outs to all those who support PSS. Please take the time to check out some of the community supporters below and be sure to show them your love too.
SCHOOLS:
Mornington Peninsula Surf School
BUSINESSES:
SunButter (for all your sustainable sun/skin care and more)
Dave Lawson (PSS Stickers)
CREATIVES:
Leyla Bulmer (creative genius behind our PSS art direction and merch)
Kait Everett (photography)
Luke Stoermer (photography)
Sam Harrison (photography)
Lisa Dinale (photography)
CLUBS AND ORGANISATIONS:
D.S.A.M.P (Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula)
SAFETY!!
This is one of the key reasons we wanted to put this guide together. PSS are not surf coaches, so we’re not in the position to offer in depth guidance on skill development, surf breaks, equipment and so on. These things are best sought out through surf schools such as East Coast Surf School, connecting with the wider community and coming along to other PSS events such as our Salty Yarns series.
We can however share a few great resources to help educate you on keeping yourself, and others, safe in the water, ensuring you continue to enjoy a long and stoke filled surf journey.
photo credit: sophie turner
TIPS:
Get yourself some lessons. (see links to surf schools in the Community section).
Educate yourself on surf safety and etiquette. (see links below for some great online resources). Talk to surf schools and community members.
Understand rips and how to navigate them.
Get a handle on when and where to paddle out based on your level of surf experience and skill.
Practice being able to turtle roll your board or duck dive. Try to not ditch your board with an oncoming wave.
Never turn your back on the sea. The water can change quickly and without warning. Always keep your eye on the conditions and assess whether you’re still feeling safe and within your capabilities. What may have started as a gentle session could suddenly change.
When entering and exiting the water, be mindful of “shoreys”, the waves that break right on the shore where it’s shallow. These waves can be some of the most dangerous as they can knock you down with great force. Many serious injuries have been caused by shoreys. Keep your eye on the waves and wait for a lull before entering or exiting the water, always keeping one eye on what’s coming.
SAFETY AND ETIQUETTE RESOURCES:
Heres a few great links to brush up on your surf safety and etiquette knowledge:
Barefoot Surf: Surf Etiquette: 10 Rules a Beginner needs to know
Dregree 33 Surf Blog: SURF ETIQUETTE 101: LESSONS LEARNED FROM AN EXPERIENCED SURFER
Communication:
Good communication in and out of the water is crucial to building awareness, knowledge, and growing a supportive community.
Say hi to folks in the water. Chat, don’t be afraid to let people know you’re starting out.
Apologise if you make a mistake, we all make them, and a genuine sorry goes a long way.
Ask questions in and out of the water. Most people are more than willing to offer advice and help.
If you’re going for a wave, look around to see if anyone else is also going for it (see: dropping in), and if you’re all clear and decide to go for it, don’t be afraid to let people know you’re giving it a crack. A friendly “going right” or “yooo-hooo” will let folks know you’re giving it a go. If you miss it, no worries, paddle back into the line-up, let a few waves pass (let others have a go), then try again.
Cheer for your mates, cheer for others. Sharing stoke breeds stoke and good vibes all round.
HELP!
Confused about what kind of wetsuit to invest in, what type of board you should be on, where to surf as a beginner on the Peninsula, how to read a surf chart…?
Here’s a collection of helpful info we’ve compiled for you. Remember though, nothing beats chatting to your surf community, coaches and getting involved with local surf clubs and events.
Where and when to surf:
This is a curly question as so much of it depends on where you are in your surf journey.
Aside from a good old fashion surf check, learning to decipher a surf forecast chart is really helpful. It can take a bit of time to get your head around all the stats, but if you can start by getting a handle on reading the tides, wind direction and swell/wave size, you’ll be in a good position to gauge what’s happening.
(We’ll be holding a forecasting & etiquette Salty Yarns later in the year, so keep an eat out for more info).
Popular forecasting sites are:
Willy Weather, Swellnet and Surfline (among many others).
You can also find surf cams on the Trigger Brothers and Surfline websites.
CRUNCHIES:
What break should you start your surfing journey on the Mornington Peninsula? Most surf schools will direct you to a lovely little spot called Crunchies, at Point Leo. It’s a well frequented spot for water craft of all types, and due to its more protected position and accessibly, it’s a perfect break for starting out and progressing from white to green waves.
The best time to jump in at Crunchies is anywhere from 2 hrs before high tide to an hour after. Even though its surfable on a variety conditions (and let me tell you, we’ve surfed them ALL!), for a beginner its best surfed in light winds with a wave size of around 1-2ft. On bigger days, you can come in closer to the club house and catch the white wash and reforms. As you progress you can start to paddle further out the back to catch more green waves.
Though a relatively safe and gentle break, Crunchies can still get big and unpredictable. As it’s a reef break, on a lower tide, or if you sit in the wrong spot, you can get yourself into trouble on the rocks. Make sure you’re very clear about where is the safest spot to sit.
Make sure you’ve spent some time getting the lay of the land before jumping in, always surf within your abilities, try and surf with a buddy, and if you can, get a few lessons as nothing beats expert local knowledge.
And finally, here’s a few more links to some great surf organisations, resources and inspiration.
Photo Credits: All surf sister photos, unless stated otherwise, were taken by local talented photographer and fellow surf sister Kait Everett.