What board is right for you?

Learning to surf or improving your surfing is always best achieved when you are using a surfboard that suits your skills and ability but how do you choose?

When you first start surf lessons you need a really big board - long, wide and thick - this makes building your basic skills easy and makes it easier to paddle, catch waves and stable enough to stand.  It is also very forgiving so if you make a small error or mistime a wave you can generally get away with it.

As you improve you want to reduce your board size to be able to turn faster, sharper and push your surfing but if you make a jump too fast it can work against you.  The overall volume of your surfboard is a very important factor too, more important than just looking at the length.  If you need help choosing a surfboard as a surf coach and pay for a coaching session as they can see how you surf and how your current surfboard works.  They can then make the best judgement on board improvements.  Some guys in surf shops are great to chat to as well but there are some that just want to sell you a board as they want to get rid of it - whether it is suitable or not! 

Wave etiquette

Wave etiquette!

Learning to surf is a lot like anything you want to learn.  You need to understand the rules to play the game and enjoy the experience, however learning to surf, there are no written rules to follow only the surfers code.  This is a code to make sure everyone stays safe in the water, surf lesson newbies know how to conduct themselves and there is peace and tranquillity throughout the land, well, water.

So how does this work and what should you do to stay in the right side of learning to surf and not end up injured or injuring others?  Keep reading for your step by step rule book to learning to surf and surfing...

1) Always respect other surfers to gain respect in return.  Be courteous in the water and make sure you share the waves.  Especially if you are not from the local area as sometimes locals can not take nicely to those who do not follow this rule.  (Read 'Bustin' down the Door' for examples)

2) Paddle out around the peak not through it.  To enter the water to surf or learn to surf, you should look at where the waves are breaking and where the rips are to understand the line up.  Paddling around the peak, through the rip if generally best practice as you will then not get in anyone's way.  If you find yourself in the way when paddling out, don't try and paddle wide towards the shoulder (outside area) as you will generally be run over if there is a surfer on the wave, instead try to paddle into the breaking wave to avoid the surfer.  They will give you more respect for this as you have let them surf the wave.  If you can not duck dive, you quite possibly should learn this before going out any further than white water! (Join our Next Level Surf Coaching for full details!)

3) When catching a wave, the surfer closest to the peak (part of the wave that breaks first) has the right of way.  If you are further out from the peak, wait your turn.  Do not 'snake' people (paddle hard to get on their inside or outside to steal their wave)  Do not 'drop in' either (take off on the wav when someone else if already on it)

4) Be verbal when catching a wave if you are in the right spot of you are paddling for an 'A' frame peak (wave that breaks left and right)  Say 'my wave' or 'going right/ left' so other people know you are committed.  There is nothing worse that someone looking like they are going to catch it and pulling back and not saying anything.

5) Have fun, be cool and don't litter.  Respect the beach, each other  and Mother Nature.  If you follow this, the surf gods may reward you!

Any questions on this, please join our learn to surf lessons, surf tours or surf coaching clinics for a full understanding.

Stay safe and enjoy the surf.

Holiday Activities this Easter

Finding fun things to do in Easter can be tricky but we might have just the plans for you!  Torquay offers heaps of activities.  With Surf World on our door step, the surf school can take a step inside the surf lesson and learn all about its 100 year old history. There are features on famous surfers and every budding surfer can learn how surf lessons in Torquay originated.

For week two of the holidays we have a holiday learn to surf program running in Torquay called VEGEMITE SurfGroms.  Taking children through beach safety, ocean awareness and surf skills this surf lesson package is the perfect option.

2hrs per day for 4 days starting Wednesday 8th April, spaces are limited so book early to save disappointment.

Telstra Business Awards finalists 2013

Great Ocean Road Surf Tours have once again been recognized for their learn to surf tours and lessons through the Telstra Business Awards 2013.

The multi-award winning ecotourism company have wowed judges with their high levels of professionalism, customer service and business delivery to secure a finalist position in the high profile awards.

The winners will be announced in a gala dinner at the Crown in Melbourne on Tuesday 2nd July.

"We are thrilled to be recognized as finalists in the Telstra Business Awards 2013.  Owner Alistair Lawson said.  "It is a very prestigious award and all businesses involved are of a very high caliber."

100% Carbon Neutral by 2014

As a business that relies on the gifts of Mother Nature to inspire and enjoy. We would like our learn to surf surf school to be 100% carbon neutral by 2014. We use a carbon calculator to help work out our business emission on an ongoing basis to help monitor them. From this we have implemented ways of reducing our carbon footprint. By joining Carbon Neutral's planet a tree program to offset them we are bringing our surf tours down to be completely carbon neutral.
At this stage we have all our vehicles carbon neutral and plan to take the business to 100% by 2014.
For more information on Carbon Neutral visit their website www.carbonneutral.com.au

Great Ocean Road Surf Tours New Trees Project

Multi-award winning Great Ocean Road Surf Tours continue to raise the bar on their learn to surf business. We have just purchased over 100 trees to be planted for re vegetation areas. By aiding the Carbon Neutral project we are helping to decrease our own carbon footprint and aid a valuable cause.

We can breathe easy knowing we are doing our bit to help bring our business to a more environmentally friendly one.

Being Australia's first surf school to be certified under Ecotourism Australia, it is important for us to lead so others can follow.

April - Best month for Surfing

April is one of the best months of the year to learn to surf or improve your skills. We have quality swells which produce some fantastic waves throughout this part of the season with offshore winds making conditions glassy.
Water temp is still around 19 degrees and crowds are minimal!
Take the plunge and call us today for your learn to surf adventure!

NEW SHOP NOW OPEN!

Great Ocean Road Surf Tours have moved our award winning learn to surf tours to new premises.
If you want to join the best surf school to learn to surf and join a surf lesson this Easter, come and see us at 106 Surf Coast Highway, Torquay.

Last week term 1 Vegemite SurfGroms

We are now in the final week of our term 1 Torquay Vegemite SurfGroms learn to surf program.
Thank you to everyone for getting involved, it has been a fantastic term with heaps of surfing, beach games and ocean awareness.
Easter Intensive learn to surf Vegemite SurfGroms programs now open and term 2 coming soon.

New swell this weekend

A new swell looks like hitting this weekend. Great waves around Torquay for our learn to surf lessons and surf tours from Melbourne.
Spaces still left for Sunday if you want to join us.

Staff member Sam wins Victorian longboard title

Sam wins the Victorian state longboard ing title which continues her roll after winning in New Zealand last month.
Teaching our learn to surf programs and Vegemite SurfGrom programs over the summer, Sam now heads to Queensland for the Noosa Surf Fest. Good luck Sam.