If you are looking for something super fun to do on New Years Eve check out our fun surf & BBQ day!
EVENT INFO:
Our day begins by going to the beach for an awesome 2 hour surf session. After the surf everyone is invited to our after surf kiwi barbecue and drinks / live music with local kiwi surfers. Located at either one of our beautiful local beaches / one of Wellingtons most amazing ocean viewing spots on Karaka Bay hill with stunning sea views.
For those wanting to explore the Wellington night life on New Years Eve in a group will be hitting Wellingtons most popular bars and also watching the fire works together!
Barbecue $10 per person – Includes food and beverages
Surf Lessons $75 each for x2 hours
Free surf session – Just bring your own board and wetsuit and have fun in a group!
Join through our facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/1945108525518209/
We recommend to begin with, rather than paddling straight out the back into the line up, it’s best to catch a few broken whitewater waves in shallower water. You should have your ideal trim/paddling position at this stage, so have your board pointing directly towards the beach and as the whitewater approaches paddle towards shore. The wave should pick you up and push you forward which is an unmistakable feeling, however if your board pearls or nosedives you have set off positioned too far forward on the board, likewise if the wave passes under you are positioned too far back on the board.
It’s fun to catch and ride a few to the beach whilst still laying down to get the feeling of the wave, after that it’s time to stand up which we will go onto in the next section. Once you have the hang of catching white water it’s time to use those paddling skills and get out into the lineup to catch the unbroken waves which is what surfing is all about. Once in the lineup, past where the waves are breaking, sit up and straddle your board (you might want to practice the art of sitting on your board as it takes a little time to find your balance). Always face out to sea until you are ready to catch a wave. Practice swinging the nose of the board left or right so that you can easily turn around to catch an oncoming wave. Pick a wave that has not broken and be sure to sit far enough out among the sloping swells, not where the waves are standing up straight.
As a wave approaches, turn the nose of your board toward the beach, lay down and begin paddling. As you feel the wave lift you and your board, paddle as hard as you can and lean your weight forward. The natural tendency is to lean back to keep the nose from going under water, but that will only slow your momentum which in not conducive to wave-catching.
Lean forward but raise your chest so that your weight is just above the centre of the board. You should now be sliding down into the trough of the wave. The first phase of surfing will entail that you wait until you are in the flat water in front of the wave before you stand up. However, the ideal is to begin standing just as you feel the pull of the wave. Now you are ready to work on standing.
If you would like to speed up the process of learning to surf we offer a full range of lessons at Wellington Surf Lessons from beginner to advance
If you are new to surfing, have no worries! We offer a range of courses right from introductory courses to learn about safety of surfing to general riding lessons which help you learn basic skills and get initiated to the sports. Our advanced courses are for the students to learn new tricks and amp up their game.
Standing up on a surfboard can look very easy but once you place that surfboard on a moving, pitching, surge of swirling water where you must simultaneously leap from a prone position while weighting and unweighting left, right, front, and back just to keep from diving face forward, you’ll soon realise a lot of practice will be needed! The place to start to stand is on the beach. Firstly you will need to know which foot will feel most natural to you in the forward position. The left foot forward is called natural stance and the right foot forward is a goofy foot stance. The way to find out which way you swing (!) is to stand up straight, close your eyes and ask a friend to gently nudge you forward, the foot that goes out first to steady yourself is your leading foot!
The motion from prone to standing is called the pop-up, which is basically a quick push up to your feet. Lie the board on the sand (watch the fins) and do a push-up, once your arms are at full extension, pull both knees toward your stomach and hop to your feet. If you practice this regularly it will help when in the water.
The next step is to get out there and do it. It will be best to start in the whitewater:
Step 1—Paddle for a wave and just as you feel the momentum of the surfboard flow faster than your paddling speed, you are ready to hop up.
Step 2—With your hands firmly grasping each rail push up quickly.
Step 3—Simultaneously, extend your arms completely and pull your knees quickly up to your chest. Be sure to keep your weight centred with just a little slant forward.
Step 4—Place your feet firmly on your board, one foot near the tail and one foot just above the midpoint of the board.
Step 5—Don’t stand up completely erect. Keep a low centre of gravity by crouching down and focusing your weight on the midpoint of the board. Keep your arms out, your eyes looking forward and balance.
