Travel

Surf contest is one of the best recreational sports and an activity that is healthy, fun, and thrilling. Surfing is an activity that can be enjoyed by all. So, what type surfboard, surfing product or accessories will give you a day of fun and enjoyment? What do you need to go surfing?

Waves are the most important thing you need for surfing. You may ask, what type waves do I need? The answer to this question is simple; any wave that is available to you. There are all types and sizes of waves from rippling little ones to the giant waves of Hawaii. Recreational surfers need and prefer the little waves. However, you need the proper surf products and accessories for all conditions.

In order to enjoy the waves, you need to be prepared. This means that you may need several different surfboard types and surfing devices along with the necessary accessories to ride the waves that are available for you to surf on any given day. Every day is different and the conditions will dictate that you need a different type surfboard or surfing device to take advantage of the waves at your local beach break.

Here’s a list of surfing products and surfing devices for you to consider:

• Swimfins
• Bodyboard
• Skimboard
• Wakeboard
• Soft surfboard
• Short surfboard
• Long surfboard
• SUP

On some days, the waves will be perfect little peelers for bodysurfing. In order to really take advantage of the waves, you need to have a pair of good fitting swimfins. Fins will allow you swim faster and to get into the wave earlier, which will allow you to ride the shoulder of the wave just like the board surfers and boogie board riders do. You want to get on the corner of the wave and ride the green water out of the soup. This is a thrill and you need swimfins to catch the waves and stay with it. The fins will allow you to also ride the bigger waves as you get more proficient. Bodysurfing is a great way to have fun with your friends. Getting your group together and going to a spot that is suited for bodysurfing is really fun.

Body boarding, or boogie boarding as I like to call it after my friend Tom Morey who invented the little board, is something you can do under almost any surf condition. It is especially fun in little waves, which allow little kids, those who are beginning surfers and senior citizens to ride and enjoy the sensation of riding waves. You can ride the foam and the little waves right up onto the sand. As you get more experienced, you will want to ride the shoulders of the waves like the surfboard riders. Eventually if you are experienced and good in the water, you can ride the bigger waves as some do in Hawaii and other select surfing spots throughout the world.

Skimboarding is another surfing sport that does not require large waves and is done right near the shoreline, typically in smaller waves or even no waves at all. Some kids even skim on wet grass where there are little knolls. Another thing you can do when there is no surf is to ride your wakeboard. Wakeboarding is done behind a boat and can be done on wakeboards made especially for being towed behind a boat or you can ride your short, long, soft and hard surfboards. Some surfers, when they get proficient, let go of the rope and surf the waves generated by the wake of the boat. Don’t let the fact that there are no waves to surf at your chosen surf spot keep you from enjoying the water and riding the surfboard or other surfing device that will make your day a fun filled experience.

You really need to have at least one surfboard type that you can use for most surfing conditions. It’s better if you have more than one, but stay with what you can afford. Selecting a surfboard or surfboards is a fun process, but selecting the right one is very important. You ask yourself, should I buy a soft surfboard or a hard surfboard? What length board should I buy? What are the surfing conditions where I will be surfing the most? Is it shore break, point break, big, average or small type surf? What is my experience level that will justify the surfboard type that I choose? All of these questions need to be addressed. The surfboard type and design that you choose should be suitable for the normal conditions of the waves you will be surfing most.

If you live on a lake, bay, lagoon, river, or an ocean where there are calm surf conditions, you will probably want to have a SUP, which is also known as a Standup Paddleboard. SUPs have become one of the most popular surfing devices because they are large, stable and the fact that they are also very easy to learn to paddle and ride. Persons of all ages can ride them and the SUP has become a board that all members of a family can own and ride. SUPing has become a terrific group and family activity, which requires no surf and can be done on almost any calm body of water.

How about surfing accessories? What accessories do you need? Here’s a list of the more essential ones:

• Wetsuit(s)
• Rash guard
• Wax
• Surfboard leash
• Variety of fins and fin key
• Travel bags
• Surfboard rack for your car
• Plastic container for wetsuits and changing
• Large towel
• Board shorts; more than one pair
• Sunscreen
• Hide-a-key
• Carry bag
• Money
• Water
• Swimfins

Surfing is a sport that is conducted away from home. I recommend that you have all of these accessory items listed above to meet the conditions of the water and the surf activity of the day. You will need different items on different days, but on some days you will use all of them. Plan ahead and you will have success and fun on your surfing days.

Before you go surfing, you should check the local surf report from an online source like Surfline.com. What is the water temperature? Do you need a wetsuit? If so, what thickness suit do you need? Do you need booties or a hood to keep you warm? Maybe all you need is a spring wetsuit or maybe the water is warm enough to wear only your swim suit. The choices are many. Some of the wetsuits have short sleeves and or short legs or combinations of long legs and short sleeves or vice versa. I would suggest that in moderate climates you have a spring suit and a full suit. The spring suit should be 2.0 and the full suit should probably be 4/3 or 3/2 depending on the prevailing water temps. Rash guards should be worn under wetsuits to prevent chaffing. You may also want to wear one on a sunny day to prevent sunburn. These items will be worn for all types of surfing.

Don’t forget to bring wax and a leash for your board. It seems that surfers forget this item or lose it in the water and are always looking around for some. You need specific wax for the water temperature conditions. Ask the surf shop people what kind you need or read the labels and use the type you need based on the surf report. A handy tip is to keep your surfboard waxed and ready to surf at all times. It’s no fun not to have any wax and go out into the surf with a slippery deck surface. You’ll be slipping and sliding and falling off your board and end up not having a good surf. The other thing you need is a leash, especially if you have a long paddle out, rough surf, or if you are surfing in a rocky area. Loosing you board and having to swim back in is no fun. If your surfboard is damaged in the rocks, that makes it all the worse and will ruin your day fast.

The rest of the items on the list are self explanatory. Make a check list and make sure you check your accessory items before you leave to go surfing. There is no use leaving something behind that will cause you to have a bad day.

With all of these thoughts in mind, get the right surfboard type products and go Surf Life! It’s a blast!!

Oak Street Surf was founded by Chuck Herpick, a Stanford graduate and former Naval Aviator, an accomplished surfer who has spent his lifetime in or near the ocean surfing most of the California and Hawaii breaks over the many years.

Oak Street Surf, [http://www.oakstreetsurf.com], is an online surf shop representing the latest surfboard products and accessories. You can get a good review of top of the line surfboard types and designs including bodyboards, skimboards, Custom SUPs, longboards, and shortboards.

Chuck believes that surfing, whether it is bodysurfing, boogie boarding, board surfing, skimboarding or riding a Standup Paddleboard (SUP) will change your life forever. You will be able to apply the love you will obtain from surfing to everything you do and will learn how to Surf Life! What a joy!!

Visit Oak Street Surf at [http://www.oakstreetsurf.com], the one-stop online surfboard and surfing equipment store, to find out more about surfboards, surfing, Standup Paddleboards, and what types and designs of water sports products are available. You will be able to talk to the experts with over 70 years of surfing experience. Visit the site now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Chuck_Herpick/1477936

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If you are a water person, a day with no waves to surf opens up whole new horizons for water activities. Sometimes it is a blessing, kind of like a reprieve. Do you ever get tired of surfing every day? Don’t answer that question! Consider all of the possibilities that are available to you if there are no waves to surf. Surfcomp.net app can host live surfing events, view videos, athlete rankings and more from the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves.

Here are some Surfboard Types for a no surf day:

• SUP
• Skimboard
• Wakeboard
• Paddleboard
• Wave Pool Surfboard

You have some real good alternatives. You can take your SUP to the ocean or to the nearest body of water and go for a leisure cruise or a great physical workout. It seems that more surfers are adding a SUP to their quiver. Many families are adding one or two SUPs or even more so that everyone in the family can get in the water. If they do not have a SUP, they go down to their local surf shop or water sports rental shop and rent one for the day for a very nominal amount.

As I have mentioned in prior articles, standup paddling has become a very popular activity for individuals and for families. It has become a great way to have fun while getting a good physical workout, cruising by yourself in a waterway, joining your local group of friends or a SUP club and turning your SUP experience into a social affair. Consider adding a SUP to your quiver of surfboards.

If you are younger, or a person with a lot of energy, you can go skimboarding. A skimboard is a small surfboard made to skim or slide in very shallow water with you standing on it. You can skim in water as shallow as 1/8th of an inch or less. In order to skim, you run as fast as you can carrying your skimboard, building up speed and momentum, drop your skimboard in the shallow water or wet surface, jump on it and then skim and slide for long distances. As you build your skill level, you can do spins, turns, jumps, and ride forward and backward. Be very careful when you are learning because you can lose control and land on your butt on the hard sand.

You can skim on lakes, rivers, and shorelines of just about any body of water of even on a wet lawn as long as there are no rocks or debris to inhibit your skim. Some of the kids riding skimboards ride them on grass hills in parks or on golf courses. You can also tow a rider on his or her skimboard behind a boat or even pulled by a car in an aqueduct. Skimboarding is a fun event and has turned into a small professional sport, with more and more companies making them. Most of the skimboards are hardboards made from fiberglass or wood, but there are also soft skimboards on the market called “the ONE” designed by Tom Morey the inventor of the Morey Boogie Board.

Wakeboards are another possibility, but you need a boat to tow you. You can ride behind the board as if you are water skiing or you can ride the wake of the boat letting go of the rope as if you are surfing. As a special note, Hobie Alter rode the wake behind a motor boat from Long Beach, CA to Catalina Island, which is approximately 26 miles and in the Guinness Book of World Records. You can also buy a wakeboard specifically designed for wakeboarding or you can use your surfboard, SUP or skimboard. Most surfers, engaging in this sport, will use their surfboards, either long or short.

Paddleboarding is another great way to spend time on the water. Paddleboards have been around for a long time and were made popular in Hawaii by Tom Blake back in the early 1900’s. A paddleboard is paddled in the prone position or on your knees. However, you can sit on the board and leisurely paddle around checking out the underwater foliage, fish or cruising around enjoying the fresh air and the view. You can also paddle your surfboard to keep yourself in paddling shape. There is a small group of individuals that race paddleboards. The most famous race is the annual Molokai to Diamond Head Race in Hawaii. It is a rough open ocean race where paddlers in the past have lost their lives.

Surfing a man made wave is another venue that has become somewhat popular. There are wave parks with simulated ocean waves some as big as 4 to 6 feet. There are also Standing Wave Machines where water is pushed under force up a wall simulating a wave. Special little surfboards are used and provided by the operators of the standing wave machines. The wave pools, wave parks, and standing wave machines are few and far between. Some are pretty good, but most are mediocre at best.

If you really need a break from surfing and don’t feel like riding one of the boards mentioned above, forget the couch and TV. Go to the gym and do some cardio, abs, and lift some weights. You can get a great workout preparing yourself for your next surf session and walk out of the gym feeling great because you have accomplished something for yourself. In a future article, I will be talking about a physical conditioning routine that all surfers should follow. I will also tell you about healthy eating, which is a big part of your physical well being, which will also help you improve your surfing.

So my friends, don’t let a day with no surf get you down. Make the most of it by having the proper surfboard types in your quiver that will make it possible for you to diversify your water experience. This is all a part of learning how to Surf Life. Enjoy the water, surf or no surf! It’s a blast!

Oak Street Surf was founded by Chuck Herpick, a Stanford graduate and former Naval Aviator, an accomplished surfer who has spent his lifetime in or near the ocean surfing most of the California and Hawaii breaks over the many years.

Chuck has been a friend and associate with legendary surfer Tom Morey who invented the Morey Boogie Board. Together, he and Tom have designed and made many different types of soft and hard surfboards and other surfing products.

Oak Street Surf, [http://www.oakstreetsurf.com], is an online surf shop representing the latest surfboard products. You can get a good review of top of the line surfboard types and designs. You can talk with Chuck to discuss in detail the various options for you to ensure that you select the proper surfboard type and design that will bring you surfing fun and success.

Chuck believes that surfing, whether it is bodysurfing, boogie boarding, board surfing, skimboarding or riding a Standup Paddleboard (SUP) will change your life forever. You will be able to apply the love you will obtain from surfing to everything you do and will learn how to Surf Life! What a joy!!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Chuck_Herpick/1477936

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Travel is a beautiful adventure. You can go wherever you want to. You will always find something new things to see and do when you travel. The tips below will help you manifest your travel dreams.

Keep notes of key information if you are traveling abroad. This is your first point of contact if you need it. They can help with problems that occur.

When it comes to planning your trip, taking a digital camera that fits your trip is a good idea. If you are going on an outdoor trip, for example, a camera with a rechargeable battery probably won’t work for you. You also want a camera you can turn off and on quickly and that focuses fast.

When traveling around other countries, you should be aware of the taxi companies in the city. You should make an effort to ensure that you are using a legitimate taxi service.

If you are driving to a port city before leaving on a cruise,drive there the night before and stay at a hotel that has free parking. Ask the staff at the hotel where you stay about parking deals.

Research as much as you can before booking anything. Look for review websites that have opinions on places you are interested in visiting. Ask other people that have traveled there before.This will give you to anticipate everything that you will encounter.

Take some clothespins along the next time you on your trips. These are not typical travel items, but they do come in handy.

Keep travel essentials stored in one place. Don’t have the hassle of time scouring your home for travel essentials for every trip. Buy a cheap “travel” bin that will let you store all necessary items there. A container that you can keep under your bed can keep thing stored away but ready to be take out for storing many different objects.

The price per unit for these small products is disproportionate compared to the amount of space that you save. Try simple folding and packing tricks to expand your clothes in innovative ways that will take up less space. These minimizing tricks will help you to pack more in your bag.

You surely do not want to deal with the sound of construction workers everywhere when you are trying to relax.

Try avoiding rush hour when planning a road trip. If you must travel during rush hour, use rush hour time to take a break. This can be the optimal time to go grab a snack or let your children run around for awhile.

These sheets will be for the kids to play cards on or color in coloring books on.

You might not need the extra insurance even though rental car agents may try to sell you more. Vehicle insurance policies often have basic third party liability coverage.

Always take bottled water when going overseas.Drinking water in most other countries is usually not purified and can make you very ill. Use bottled water any time you need water such as when you brush your teeth with.You can also become ill from using the tap water.

Try not to exchange currency when you are in a new country. There are better ways to get your foreign currency. You can obtain foreign currency from an ATM at a bank ATM. These machines will usually offer better exchange rate available.

Try to get a room that is on a upper floor. You should also avoid staying in rooms with sliding doors whenever possible. Rooms with these are much easier to get into.

Give your travel itinerary to someone you know. Include the names of the places that you are going, along with the addresses and phone numbers.

Make sure you create copies of all your important documents when you leave. Keep these copies of passports, your insurance information, and any other important documents in a safe place.

Don’t be so tight with your time on a road trip, especially if another person needs a bathroom break. Your trip won’t be ruined if you allow 10 minutes stops occasionally. This will help ease any tension on whining.

Pack snacks when traveling with kids. You might want to pack more that you thought you would. This keeps them happy and busy. Even a little junk food won’t hurt this time.

Contact lenses should be in a useful container for traveling. These items are great for carrying gels and lotions if you only need a small amounts of liquids.

Invite friends along on your trip next time. You can often get group rates at many destinations. You can save a great deal of money on everything from dining to airfare when using group rate. See if friends or family want to go.

You can travel via bus to save on baggage fees.While you will encounter some minor fees with a bus with large or heavy bags, they’ve got a higher baggage allowance versus the airlines. You can bring on your travel baggage if you go by bus.

These will allow you to use your computer to the television provided in your room.

Label all cords when traveling. It can prove difficult to remember which cord goes with many different electronic cords when traveling. Label each with what is for what. You can also create a list that you use for the items.

Make sure you understand the current status of social and political events and occurrences in the foreign country you’ll be visiting. The travel.state.gov website provides real-time information about affairs that could be dangerous for foreign travelers. This will help you want avoid any trouble.

Clearly, traveling is an excellent pastime for many travel enthusiasts. There are so many different places to travel to in the world. Every destination that you visit will be unique. When you use the ideas and advice of this article, then you can maximize your travel.