Day 1
Surfing is one of our optional ECAs (extra curricular activities) we can do with Boundless. My friends and left the school and had to get on a van and drive about 30 minutes to the Carcavelos Beach in Cascais.
When we got there, we sat near a curb while one of the instructors brought out wetsuits for everyone to wear. After we all got them on, we got into groups of two and carried two surfboards at a time down to the beach. Applause to Surf’s Up and Vasco!
Before we started surfing, we went for a quick swim to cool off because it was HOT in the wetsuits (if we didn’t get in we would make our own oceans). Then we did a quick warm-up and stretching on the beach.
The instructors brought us out one by one to see what we could do. I was able to stand up on the surfboard (a foamie) on my first day! But was sort of boring because I only caught about six waves in the hour we were at the beach. There was a lot of waiting around for my turn.
Surfing Lessons: What you Need to Know
Our first surfing lesson started with a few important rules, most of which were about how not to get hurt.
- Rule #1: When you fall, land flat on your stomach or back. Never dive or jump off the board.
- Rule #2: If you’re underwater, protect your head! Not just from your own surfboard, but from everyone else’s flying around you.
- Rule #3: When heading out to sea, keep your board beside or behind you. Beside you is definitely easier.
- Rule #4: Arguably the most important rule. Have fun!
In the beginning, the instructor did most of the hard work for us. He would push us out to catch the wave at just the right moment, then yell when it was time to stand up. Our job was simply to listen, pop up, and hopefully stay standing, which is easier said than done.
It turns out that timing a wave is an art in itself, but a good way to tell is look where the waves are right before they crash, then go there. Even with this trick its still easier having someone else figure that part out makes learning to surf a whole lot easier!
Days 2-4 and Family Day
The second time we went, everything was a lot quicker because we mostly had the hang of it. Everyone could go out into the water and find an instructor who wasn’t helping someone else.
This time, the waves were way bigger and much harder. I even tried catching some waves that hadn’t crashed yet, which was WAY harder. I also tried catching some waves completely by myself, and I actually did pretty good! So I kept doing that for the rest of the day.
Moving on from that day, we had a family surf where you could go surfing with your family. The waves were much calmer that day, which made it easier. Mom and Dad had been taking surf lessons and we all (tried to) surf together.
Some days, the ocean is rough and with waves were at least five feet tall — which is SUPER big when you’re actually in the water! This time we weren’t surfing with our families. We had to run all the way to the other side of the beach to the castle because we got in trouble.