PACKING FOR YOUR NEXT SURF DESTINATION

If you have just booked your surf vacation or surf camp and are a novice or beginner surfer, it’s a little daunting knowing what you need to bring along, especially if you have never surfed before. Even if you already have surf experience, this can act as a good surf holiday checklist to make sure you’ve got everything covered before leaving home.

Some surf destinations will have a lot or some of the items we’ve listed below to save you lugging them from home, but often, especially if you are travelling to an island destination for your surf trip, some things can be quite costly on location so you will save some money if you include them in your surf camp packing list. How annoying it would be to wait to get to your surf camp only to find that an essential item you require on your surf vacation is not actually available or costs 3x more than at home!

Let’s start with the basics: What’s the weather like where you are going on your surf holiday?

Always check the water and air temperature where you are headed. If you are someone who feels the cold anyway (like, you’re always the one shivering when everyone else thinks it’s still quite warm out) be extra-prepared. The general advice is that if the water temperature is above 75ºF (24ºC) you won’t need a neoprene wetsuit, but if the temps are hovering between 70ºF (21ºC) and 75ºF (24ºC), you might feel more comfortable in what we call a ‘shorty’ (a neoprene wetsuit with short legs rather than a full wetsuit). Anything below 70ºF (21ºC) you definitely need a full wetsuit.

If you are coming to Swell between December and April and you do tend to feel the cold more, bring a shorty, a 1mm (or 2mm if you are extra-shivery) neoprene body suit as our water temperatures hover around 23/24ºC during those months. You definitely don’t need one between May and November when water temps are more like 28ºC/29ºC.

What do you need to wear when surfing?

This is one of those most common questions we get in our inbox at Swell. As a beginner surfer, your experience of surfers so far is probably only in magazines or movies; bronzed dudes in surf shorts and gorgeous tanned chicks in bikinis. Well, (and hopefully this news won’t disappoint you), lots of surfers don’t look at all like that. In fact, now we know so much more about the damage the sun does to our skin, most surfers over 30 are choosing to cover up.

TIP: It’s a good idea when packing your hand luggage to pack some essential items should your larger bags be delayed. Toothbrush and paste, travel-sized sunscreen, a spare T-shirt or two, underwear and something to swim in the ocean will all help you get through the first 24 hours should your bags not arrive with you.

Here’s what we recommend bringing to wear in the water during your surf vacation:

A surf cap: I wear an FCS surf cap with straps that come around your ears and fasten beneath the chin. Mine has an all-around brim like the one shown in the photo below and offers me excellent sun protection on my face.

One of the reasons why we recommend a hat is because however well you put sunscreen on your face, you inevitably wipe your eyes and cheeks each time you fall off the surfboard and the protection your sunscreen offers inevitably wanes

 

Long leggings. Surf leggings will protect you from rashes that the rough surface beginner surfboards have for grip. They will also protect your legs from being burned by the sun. I wear ones from Speedo, but they are also available from many other brands.

 

A one-piece swimsuit, or a bikini?

It’s really your preference. We get it that you probably want to get a tan on your surf holiday and do feel free to wear just a bikini and sunscreen whilst you are surfing if you are not having lessons with us. We do recommend a one-piece suit to avoid losing one or more essential parts of a bikini during a wipeout. As someone who once lost the bottom part of a bikini entirely once during a shore break wipeout in Barbados (you know, the ones we regularly see on Kookslams’ Instagram feed) a one-piece is a much safer bet. We don’t have any shore break in the Dominican Republic where we surf by the way.

A ‘Rashguard’ or ‘Lycra’

This is a top that you wear over your bikini or one-piece to protect you from the sun (and from rashes on your arms whilst paddling). The best ones are made with a fabric that is already Factor-50 sun-protection guaranteed, i.e. when you wear one, you don’t need sunscreen beneath. We strongly recommend the use of them whilst you surf and at Swell they are compulsory during lessons (but we provide them for you!). If you are not coming to us for your surf camp vacation, then check with your host whether they provide them for you, or if you have to buy your own. Ideally, they are tight-fitting as it’s easier to paddle without ‘flapping’ fabric around you. Our advice is to buy genuine ones from good, recognised brands like Quicksilver, Ripcurl, ONeill etc. as they will last much longer and offer genuine sun protection. The cheaper ones tend to be faked brands and the fabric stretches quickly, breaking up the surface and destroying the sun protection offered.

 

Surf or reef booties

Surf or reef booties are not necessary if you are surfing on sand (a beach break for example), but as most waves occur when a wave that has travelled across the ocean hits a reef protecting the shore, reef booties will help protect your feet from either sharper edges of rock or corals, or from things like sea urchins that have a nasty spine. We recommend a split-toe bootie like the one below from Quicksliver. 2mm is ideal. 1mm is not quite thick enough to repel the urchin’s spine and 3mm booties will then be a bit too stiff to surf in easily; that’s why we say 2mm is ideal.Sunscreen/Zinc.

Apart from your surfwear, the next item to bring on your surf vacation should be good quality sunscreen (assuming you are going to surf somewhere warm and sunny, like the Dominican Republic).

Sunscreens come in all levels of protection and whilst many purport to be waterproof, they often are not. Check the reviews of sunscreens and try and buy one that is manufactured for watersports rather than for someone who wants to tan and wade or swim gently in the sea. There’s a big difference (note our earlier comments about rubbing your eyes). We really like the Ambre Solaire Kids Factor 50 – not the spray, but the cream. I also use (on my face) Sunzapper Ultra because I find it can last me a full 2 to 3 hours in the water whilst surfing. Best of all, neither of these brands contains oxybenzone, a chemical that is known to damage coral reefs. A little pot of reef-friendly Zinc cream is also a good addition to pop in your bag – Zinc stays on even better than suncreams and is great for extra protection from sunburned lips.

A travel towel. The best ones are super lightweight travel towels made of microfiber, perfect for chucking into a backpack. And they dry quickly, usually just a few minutes in the sun is enough, so your bag won’t get soggy and heavy. They’re also great to sit on if your driver wants to keep the seats of their vehicle dry and as sand free as possible whilst you are driving back and forth to the beach. I always use mine to sit on, on my little scooter when I’ve finished surfing. It prevents me from sliding around on the seat whilst driving in wet clothes.

A changing poncho. These are towelling ‘mini-tents’ that you can put over your body whilst you change beneath, away from prying eyes. They are great, if not essential if you plan to change into ‘normal’ clothes straight after surfing and there is no changing room to hand.

An essentials medical kit. Whilst of course, we hope that you won’t have any injuries (thankfully it’s rare for people to get injured whilst surfing), inevitably at some stage during your surfing journey, you will have a scrape or a bump, so be prepared. We have our own medical kit at Swell, but nevertheless, travelling with your own little medical kit is smart. It can be small and really practical and should contain the following:

• • Iodine solution (for cleaning up a cut or scratch)
  • Cotton wool buds and cotton wool balls
  • Lint for dressing
  • Quality waterproof plasters
  • Emergency wound closures, like Micromend or Sterostrip
  • A sharp needle for removing foreign objects from your feet or other parts of the body.
  • Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and also a small tube (or tablets) of a product containing Aclovir. Aclovir is a cold sore remedy essential if you are unlucky enough to get those from too much sun exposure (it’s very common). Quick use of Aclovir can stop a cold sore before it breaks out.
  • An antibiotic powder or cream (for putting directly onto wounds).

That’s it, a small but really useful medical kit for surfers.

Surfing essentials

For beginner surfers, if you are travelling to a surf camp like Swell, usually, all the things listed below are automatically provided by your host teaching you to surf so you don’t need to bring any on your surf holiday. But, if you are not attending a surf camp, your host does not provide them, or you are surfing independently, here’s the list of surfboard/surfing-related items you would need to bring or buy at your destination:

A Surfboard: Do check the surf forecast to see if the surfboard you intend to bring is suitable for the expected surf conditions and ask for local advice if you are unsure. It can be better to rent so that you can change up your board depending on the conditions. Surfboards often get damaged in transit and are usually at least $100 USD each way on flights, so renting is often a smarter idea.

A Surfboard leash (and a spare one)

Surfboard fin set (don’t ever travel with your fins installed on your surfboard – always take them out and put them in a sleeve inside your surfboard bag).

Fin key (for putting in and taking the fins out)

Surfboard wax

Ding repair kit and/or an instant repair tape like Phix Doctor marine grade tape

 

Reusable water bottle. At Swell, we insist all our clients bring a reusable water bottle on their surf vacation. There’s no excuse now for using or buying plastic water bottles if there is a water supply that you can refill from. As you enter the surfing world, you will likely see first-hand the amount of plastic in our oceans 🙁

 

Travel insurance. I cannot tell you how many times we see in the surfing destinations we’ve lived in, a GO FUND ME page that has been set up for someone who has had an accident either surfing or more often, travelling around on a scooter for example but has no travel insurance to pay for their treatment. As a result, they are reduced to begging for help. Medical care is not usually free in any country in the World and it’s incredibly unwise to travel without an insurance policy in place. These policies are comparatively cheap to obtain and usually give a very high level of coverage for emergencies, including repatriation to your home country in case of anything really serious. These policies will also help you if you have delays or cancellations of your flights, lose items or have items stolen. Please, don’t be one of those people who think, ‘I’ll be ok’, because you just might not be: Spend the extra $50 to $100 USD to protect yourself. Use Google or your preferred search engine to search for ‘trip insurance’ ‘travel insurance’ or ‘vacation insurance’. Make sure that the policy you choose covers water sports (or doesn’t have exclusions for ‘extreme sports’ as surfing is sometimes classified). It’s a good idea to buy an annual policy if you are going to be making more than one trip in a calendar year.

 

Adaptors and chargers; For your adaptor, check the socket type of the destination you are headed to, or if you are not sure, buy one of the more expensive multi-socket adaptors that cover all socket types. Don’t forget your ‘phone charger!

Tip 

Check your data roaming policy from your ‘phone service provider. Does their data roaming cover where you are headed without incurring lots of extra fees? If their charges are going to be excessive, buy a local sim card as soon as you arrive at your destination: They are often sold in airport arrival areas. Using a local number can save you a fortune on roaming charges. Remember that apps like WhatsApp will still work even if you have a new SIM card with a different number in your ‘phone (just select ‘no’ if Whatsapp asks whether you wish to change the number registered to your Whatsapp account).

Final travel tips for your surf vacation

Check the validity of your passport before you book your vacation; when does it run out? How long will it take to renew, if necessary?
Check any visa requirements you might need for the country you are headed to. (Most nationals don’t need a visa for the Dominican Republic)
Check any compulsory or recommended immunisations you might need
Tell your bank you are travelling; most credit card providers have a travel advisory section where you can let them know it will be you using your card(s) in an unusual place. It will help prevent the rather embarrassing experience of not being able to pay for things!
If you are on medication, do you have enough for the length of time you will be away?

We think we’ve covered everything you need to bring on your surf vacation, but if you have any other tips we haven’t covered, do get in touch with us!

ABOUT SWELL SURF CAMP

At Swell we have been offering active watersport holidays since 2009. We offer high quality accommodation, tasty food and a social vibe for people of all ages. We offer surf lessons, kitesurfing lessons and Wingfoiling courses. Get in contact with Clare if you’d like to join Swell Surf camp

WHAT IS THE PERFECT AGE TOO LEARN TO SURF?

Or: Am I too old to learn to surf?

Ah…….. this question. I promise it’s my favorite (and I get asked a lot of questions every week). I receive this particular one in my inbox at least once per week. Am I too old to start surfing? Will I fit in? It’s my favorite question because it’s the one I can answer with absolute surety because I’ve experienced it and I understand it, I get the doubt in the back of your mind. I’m 58 and began surfing at 52. My only regret is that I didn’t take up surfing even earlier in life.

(That’s me surfing 2 years ago, ago 56)

We receive emails from people of 50, 60 and slightly less often of 70+ all asking the same thing about age and suitability. Surfing, after all, has a reputation for young dudes hasn’t it?

When we opened Swell in Cabarete, on the North coast of the Dominican Republic back in 2009, the first thing my husband and I noticed was that the people who were choosing our surf camp were older than we had been expecting. We had not even considered that there were this many ‘older’ people who wanted to learn to surf. It blew us away. Our website, in the beginning, was geared up to the audience we had been expecting, but as the ‘older’ surfers kept coming, we adapted, changed our website, and our mindset. Our average age at Swell is now 40; when you think about it, that means we have as many 50-year-olds as we do 30-year-olds. It’s pretty incredible and we are super proud of the fact that age is no barrier when you want to learn to surf. It just isn’t.

I’m pretty confident that you have heard the saying, 70 is the new 50. Whatever the age, it’s a fact that we are living much longer than a few decades ago. I’m no medical practitioner but I am 58 and I can see that being 70 years old is not far away. Barring a debilitating illness, I don’t see myself giving up my water sports any time soon. I began kiteboarding at 41, surfing at 52 and I’ve just started wingfoiling at 58. I’ll probably try the next new water sport that comes along, as long as my body lets me keep trying.

AM I TOO OLD TO LEARN TO SURF?

Let’s be really honest here, it’s definitely a bit harder on the body learning to surf at 50, 60 or 70+ than it is when you are learning to surf at 30 years old. But with good basic preparation and realistic expectations, it’s absolutely possible.

And if you have a desire to do it, then the health benefits are extraordinary. In fact, surfing is one of the best all-around fitness activities you can possibly undertake. It generally has low impact, it’s good for cardio, good for muscular strength (and let’s face it as we get older, our muscles can really benefit from being used more rather than less), and perhaps most importantly, it’s really good for the soul. I’ve left many a bad mood on the beach when I enter the water. Surfing has a tendency to connect you to nature and forget about all the other stuff. I cannot even begin to describe the feeling when you catch your first wave, even a little white water ride, it’s incredible and trust me, if you are 70+ it will probably give you more of a thrill than if you were 25.

So if you are someone who wants to ask the question, ‘I am too old to learn to surf?’ let me answer that here and now: No, you are not too old to learn to surf. Neither are you too old to ‘fit in’ with the surfing crew. As I answer every client who sends that question my way if you have the desire, it’s enough: It already puts you in the ‘crew’ before you’ve ridden your first surfboard. And, just as these wonderful Australian ladies in the video Taking Off demonstrate so well, it changes lives and always for the better.

NEED MORE INSPIRATION FOR LEARNING TO SURF AT AN ‘OLDER’ AGE?

Come and try it, regardless of your age. We look forward to teaching you how to surf and changing your life too! I’m on hand to answer any questions or doubts you might have about learning to surf as an ‘older’ person.

Clare, co-owner of Swell surf retreats

Sidenote: It’s not just surfing that you can learn later in life, I have also just started my first lessons in Wingfoiling, I will update you on that progress here too.

SURF TECHNIQUE: HOW TO PADDLE ON A SURFBOARD

The Proper Paddle Technique Explained

Paddling is arguably the most important aspect of surfing. In fact, we probably spend 90% of our time in the water on our stomachs paddling, not on our feet riding waves. So, whether you are you a beginner surfer who can’t seem to figure out a natural paddle technique, or you’re an intermediate or an advanced surfer who always seems to run out of steam on tough paddle outs, improving your paddle technique will ensure you have a better time in the water.

 

Either way, this article ‘how to paddle on a surfboard‘ is for you. Learn the proper technique that will have you gliding, streamlined on top of the water’s surface, and save your shoulders from that dreaded burnout pain. Whether you’re paddling out right in front of our Caribbean surf camp, or your surfing at home, these tips will help get you to the lineup as quickly as possible, fresh, and ready surf.

HOW TO PADDLE ON A SURFBOARD

1. Start with a proper warmup

Paddling can be a bit of a workout, so you should warm up accordingly. Either when you hit the sand, or before you head out of the surf camp. When you paddle, you engage your shoulders and upper back, so be sure your warm-up activates both of those muscle groups.

Additionally, when you paddle, sit in the line-up, and ride waves, your hips are in a closed and locked position. It is crucial for longevity to perform exercises and stretches that will open your hips.

2. Timing is everything, don’t rush

When you arrive at the beach and strap your leash on, don’t just sprint into the water and start paddling madly. Relax, sit down, maybe stretch a bit, but most importantly watch the water.

What are the waves doing? How often are sets coming? Is there a channel to paddle out in? These are all things you must ask yourself and answer before entering the water. Wait for a lull between sets, and head into the water. Walk your board out until you’re in about chest deep water and then hop on and paddle.

3. Position yourself on the board correctly

Bad positioning plagues many beginner surfers, causing unnecessary drag and therefore hardship during their paddle out. If you’re too far towards the back of the board, the nose of your board will tilt up in the air, slowing your paddle.

Contrastingly, if you’re too far forward on your board, the nose of the board will sink underwater causing unnecessary drag. Find that sweet spot on your board, where the nose is gliding just above the surface, in calm water and remember where you are in reference to a marking on the board (like the logo).

4. Elongate your reach with each stroke

Like swimming, when you learn how to paddle on a surfboard, your body should be as long and stretched out as possible.

With each stroke, you should extend your arm to its furthest possible length. Short and rapid movements will leave you exhausted, while long reaching strokes will send you forward, gliding efficiently over the surface of the water.

5. Move slowly

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast?” It applies directly to paddling. If you’re at a full sprint trying to paddle out, you won’t make it. You will tire long before you reach the lineup. Slow and smooth long reaching strokes will propel you quickly and efficiently.

7. Don’t overreach on the follow through

When you’re executing the “pull” phase of your paddle stroke, be sure not to drag your hands too far back causing downward (not forward) momentum that will slow your paddle. To execute proper paddle technique, pull your stroke back to chest level, then lift your arm straight out of the water and repeat. When you pull further than your chest, the last portion of your stroke will push your board downward causing you to lose your momentum with each stroke.

8. Keep your elbows high

If you watch 11-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater paddle, you’ll notice how effortlessly he moves through the water. Part of his technique that stands out is that he consistently keeps his elbows high. From the moment Kelly brings his hands out of the water, to the moment he extends his reach, he leads with a high elbow. Keeping your elbows high will increase the effectiveness of each stoke, by keeping your hand and forearm in the vertical position from the start of the stroke. Essentially, it will allow you to move more quickly with less effort.

9. Drag your thumbs

This tip goes hand in hand with the previous tip of keeping your elbows high. If you keep your elbows high, your hands will naturally be low. The idea here is to not bring your hands too far out of the water. When your hand exits the water, it should almost drag on the surface next to you as you bring it forward for the next stroke. By dragging, or nearly dragging, your thumbs in the water as you bring your hands forward for each stroke, you save energy by not engaging your traps. This will allow you to paddle harder for longer and prevent you from burning out due to soreness.

10. Keep your legs and feet in control

While it may be instinctual to kick and try to propel yourself forward, it will actually slow you down. Instead, keep your feet together with your ankles side by side as you paddle. While kicking your feet might help shift your weight forward to actually catch a wave you’re paddling for, when you’re paddling out you do not want your weight too far forward. So, keep those feet still!

11. Keep Your Head Still

Again, if you watch world champ surfer Kelly Slater paddle, his head is still. This may seem inconsequential, but it has a tremendous effect on speed and efficiency in the water. Any swimmer will tell you that keeping your head still will keep your weight centered, not moving it from side to side, reducing drag and increasing speed. The same principle obviously applies to surfing. If your head moves to you right, your body will follow, taking you off your trajectory, digging your rail into the water, and ultimately slowing you down.

12. Your spine is your fulcrum

Similarly, to swimming when you paddle, your spine acts as a fulcrum as your body moves ever so slightly from side to side with each stroke. This slight movement is not intentional, but a byproduct of the reach. To ensure you’re moving correctly, it is best to envision you are moving with a metal rod going through your body from head to tailbone. As stated previously, your head should stay still while you reach out each stroke.

13. Spot the wave and react

The final step to a good paddle out is a proper duck dive or turtle roll. As you paddle out, constantly look out to sea for oncoming waves. When you spot a wave headed your direction, whether it is whitewater or a cresting wave, you’ll want to initiate your duck dive or turtle roll approximately 2 meters from the breaking wave.

Video how to paddle on a surfboard

Just like with any aspect of surfing, practice makes perfect. The best exercise for increased paddle strength and efficiency is paddling out to surf as often as possible. Now that you’ve learned how to perfect your paddle technique, take the next step in progression and learn to properly duck dive and turtle roll by checking out our blog on paddling out!

This article on how to paddle on a surfboard is part of the surf technique series for beginners.
Other articles in this series are:

• SURF TECHNIQUE: HOW TO DUCK DIVE AND TURTLE ROLL
• SURF TECHNIQUE: THE POP UP
• SURF ETIQUETTE: THE GOLDEN RULES
• SURF TECHNIQUE: CHOOSING THE RIGHT SURFBOARD
• BEST BEGINNER SURFBOARDS

More info on external websites about how to paddle on a surfboard:

Paddle like Kelly Slater

Interested in learning all the essentials of surfing in an action packed water sport holiday in the Caribbean? Have a look at the surf holiday packages we offer, inlcluding our 1 week learn to surf holiday