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Surfing Alone

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Do you guys do it?

I find often people will be busy and i’ll end up with no surf companion to go get in the waves.  Surfing alone doesn’t seem like the best plan at first thought but I don’t see the other options! Tassie beaches can be quite deserted a lot of the time

 
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I do it quite regular as I don’t enjoy crowds at all these days!!!!

It can be the times when ya surf the best cause you have little distractions!!!! That is until a splash in the water nearby, or schools of bait fish leapin about start to play mind games with ya!!!!!

 
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Dont really get the oppoertunity to do that really very much, I surf without mates fairly regularly but not alone, is a hard ask in Sydney!

 
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I’m only ever alone for short periods - either at the start of the surf when I know another mate will soon join me, or at the end of the surf (usually near dark) when I’m just waiting for one more good one to go in on. Probably only ever surfed purely by myself 5 times ever. Its fun if its my local but I wouldn’t do it anywhere else. It doesn’t make much sense and definitely a false sense of security but I do feel a lot more comfortable at the wave I surf the most.

 
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Decided to just head up the coast and do it shortly after I made this post.  Wasn’t too bad in the end for my first surf by myself, I thought I had been out for a couple hours or so and came back in and checked the time and it was only about 50 mins!

Checked one of the points and it was working pretty good but with not another sole in sight I went with a beachy just to be on the safe side!

 
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How’s ya surfing progressin max????

 
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I don’t like the crowd. However, I normally surf with a mate.

 
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Crowd’s can be pretty scarce here unless its pumping or on a point. Although I have been out on a point with just me and a couple mates when its small like 2-3ft! 

Surfing is going alright. I’m not really doing much more than taking the drop and riding along for a bit.  Getting at least a few waves every time i head out now though!  Have surfed a fair few crap waves of late though so I’m hoping when I get some better ones I’ll be able to try some stuff!

On leave this week and have ended up with a cold/flu from going out boarding or surfing everyday haha

I want to head down east for a surf today but not sure if i’ll just get worse!

 
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Good to hear mate!!!!! The best way to progress is to keep at it, and believe it or not, one of the the best ways is to surf crap waves!!!!!

When Tom Carroll won his first world title, he trained in 1-2 foot slop!!!!! 

Don’t hesitate to post some pics of these uncrowded Tassie point breaks either!!!!! I know that ya def know how to use a camera!!!!!

 
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This is the point I checked yesterday which is closest to home, just happened to take a photo so here you go:

North coast

Hard to tell without someone being in the water but I think it was about 2-3ftish.  Should of got in here cause the beachy I surfed was mostly closeouts!

But yeh not a sole in sight and about 5km north west of this spot a lady got eaten by a great white back in 1993, they say it was 5m’s long then so he has probably grown a bit!

 
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Another empty point apart from a pod of dolphins that rolled past. Bit gnarly for me and not quite breaking right I think maybe because of the tide. This was left over swell from last weekends epic southerly!

East Coast TAS

 
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nthnbeachesguy - 13 July 2011 05:38 AM

Dont really get the oppoertunity to do that really very much, I surf without mates fairly regularly but not alone, is a hard ask in Sydney!

yeah on the northern beach especially you rarely will get a surf by yourself. unless its heaps early and there is no surf.

 
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I paddle out alone often.
I’ve watched my local being checked by many people and they don’t go out because they can’t get a good idea of what the waves are doing unless someone is in the water showing them the waves are catchable. It’s a guaranty once I’m out there the cars will hang a bit longer to see if I get a wave. If I get a wave car doors open and they suit up. The first sign of a beach or point having surf is that people are in the water it is a good indicator of size, power and conditions.

Surfing alone is dangerous! Having one other person in the water is a safety measure.
1) It halves your chance of being eaten by a shark wink (a small statistic anyway BUT THEN HALF IT).
2) Injuries happen - at least if there’s someone else in the water you can get help. Especially if you get KO’d.
3) Equipment breaks - I’ve piggybacked strangers in on my board a few times who have had their leash break and lost their board.

It’s much harder to share your stoke when alone. How good is it when that other person paddles back after catching a wave and you say “sick turn you pulled on that one” even better when it comes back your way.

 
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Sometimes I really enjoy surfing alone, especially when its big and a bit wild.

 
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I usually surf alone. Not many of my friends surf and I like going on my own time. That said, if a mate wants to join me he/she is always welcome. I’m usually surfing at Bondi so being alone in regards to danger isn’t an issue.

 
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Except for the sharks! There are so many more sharks at Bondi than any other beach wink