If you are an aquatic person, a day without waves to surf opens up new horizons for water activities. Sometimes it is a blessing, something like a pardon. Do you ever get tired of surfing every day? Don’t answer that question! Consider all the possibilities available to you if there are no waves to surf.
Here are some types of surfboards for a day without surfing:
SIP
skimboarding
wakeboarding
paddle board
wave pool surfboard
You have some really good alternatives. You can take your SUP to the ocean or the nearest body of water and go on a pleasure cruise or a great physical workout. It seems that more and more surfers are adding a SUP to their quiver. Many families are adding one or two SUPs or even more so everyone in the family can get in the water. If they don’t have a SUP, they go to their local surf shop or water sports rental shop and rent one for the day for a very nominal amount.
As I have mentioned in previous articles, stand up paddling has become a very popular activity for individuals and families. It has become a great way to have fun while getting a good workout, surfing solo on a channel, joining your local group of friends or a SUP club and turning your SUP experience into a social affair. Consider adding a SUP to your quiver of surfboards.
If you are younger or a person with a lot of energy, you can try skimboarding. A skimboard is a small surfboard made to slide or slide in very shallow water with you standing on it. It can slide in water as shallow as 1/8 inch or less. To skimboard, run as fast as you can on your skimboard, build up your speed and momentum, drop your skimboard in shallow water or on a wet surface, jump on it, and then slide and slide for long distances. As your skill level develops, you can do twists, turns, jumps, and walk forwards and backwards. Be very careful when you are learning because you can lose control and fall on your butt in the hard sand.
You can skim in lakes, rivers, and shorelines of almost any body of water, even on a wet lawn, as long as there are no rocks or debris to prevent skimming. Some of the kids who ride skimboards ride them on grassy hills in parks or on golf courses. It can also tow a rider on their skimboard behind a boat or even pulled by a car across an aqueduct. Skimboarding is a fun event and has become a small professional sport, with more and more companies practicing it. Most skimboards are hard boards made from fiberglass or wood, but there are also soft skimboards on the market called “the ONE” designed by Tom Morey, the inventor of the Morey Boogie Board.
Wakeboards are another possibility, but you need a boat to tow you. You can ride behind the board as if you were water skiing or you can ride the wake of the boat by letting go of the rope as if you were surfing. As a special note, Hobie Alter walked the wake behind a power boat from Long Beach, CA to Catalina Island, which is approximately 26 miles and is in the Guinness Book of World Records. You can also buy a wakeboard designed specifically for wakeboarding or you can use your own surfboard, SUP or skimboard. Most surfers who practice this sport use their surfboards, whether they are long or short.
Paddleboarding is another great way to spend time on the water. Paddleboards have been around for a long time and were made popular by Tom Blake in Hawaii in the early 20th century. A stand up paddle board is paddled in a prone or kneeling position. However, you can sit on the board and paddle leisurely to observe the underwater foliage, fish or sail enjoying the fresh air and the view. You can also paddle with your surfboard to keep fit. There is a small group of people who compete on paddleboards. The most famous race is the annual Molokai to Diamond Head Race in Hawaii. It is a regatta on the high seas in which rowers have lost their lives in the past.
Surfing a man-made wave is another place that has become somewhat popular. There are wave parks with simulated ocean waves, some as big as 4 to 6 feet. There are also Standing Wave Machines where water is forcefully pushed up a wall simulating a wave. The operators of the standing wave machines use and provide special small surfboards. Wave pools, wave parks, and stationary wave machines are few and far between. Some are pretty good, but most are mediocre at best.
If you really need a break from surfing and don’t feel like riding one of the boards mentioned above, forget about the couch and the TV. Hit the gym and do some cardio, sit-ups, and lift weights. You can get a great workout getting ready for your next surf session and walk out of the gym feeling great because you’ve accomplished something for yourself. In a future article, I’ll be talking about a fitness routine that all surfers should follow. I will also talk to you about healthy eating, which is a big part of your physical well-being, which will also help you improve your navigation.
So my friends, don’t let a day without surfing get you down. Make the most of it by having the right types of surfboards in your quiver that will allow you to diversify your experience on the water. This is all part of learning to surf life. Enjoy the water, with or without surfing! It’s great!