Surfing Lessons -- Learn to Ride the Waves
Want to learn to surf but don't know where to start? Surfing lessons are all about taking your surfing to the next level regardless of how much experience -- or lack thereof -- you may have. It's all about conquering fear, learning water safety, expanding your ocean and wave knowledge, and returning to the true essence of surfing -- fun and relaxation!
You're never too old to learn to surf. People of all ages are drawn to the majesty of our beautiful oceans. If you feel the call of the sun and surf pumping through your veins, it's time to find an instructor!
Learning to Surf -- Finding an Instructor
The internet is a great place to find instructors and research their backgrounds and qualifications. Regardless of your reason for seeking out a surfing instructor there are a few things that you should consider mandatory: A long history of surfing (preferably professionally to some extent), up-to-date first aid certification, proven (preferably certified) surf rescue experience, and a thorough knowledge of wave, weather and wind conditions (which should be commensurate with the instructor's experience, i.e. The more time that they've been spent in the water, the greater their understanding of the ocean and weather conditions).
There are many excellent surfing instructors throughout the world. Many have been involved in competitive surfing of some description or have at least spent enough time in the water to have a sound knowledge of the demands of the sport.
If you're on holidays at the seaside and just want to experience surfing as a holiday activity then you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a local surfer or local surf school that can give you a quick rundown of the basics and give you a quick ride or two on a board. In some of the more renowned surfing spots you'll likely even be able to find a pro surfer to guide you to your first wave.
If you're a little more serious about your surfing, or want the complete surfing experience in the hands of a true professional, there are many professional/ex-professional surfers who can guide your development as a surfer and help you to get the most out of your surfing experience.
Surfing greats such as Nancy Emerson, Corky Carroll and Frieda Zamba offer surfing lessons at some of the world's most beautiful beaches. Whether you're a beginner and very wet behind the ears, or a professional surfer in your own right, these experienced professionals can help you hone your skills and develop your style, giving you more confidence in the water and in your ability to navigate waves and the surf zone.
Depending on how serious you are about the sport, you'll be able to choose from surfing lessons of a couple of hours at a time to surfing clinics and camps for more intensive training. You can learn to stand on a board and catch a small wave in a day, or work on form, style and ocean awareness with surfing legends over the space of several days to a week or more.
Going It Alone?
You may be fired up and ready to surf, but don't jump the gun. It might be tempting -- especially in a beachside location or if you have friends that surf -- to just grab a surfboard and go for it.
This is a bad idea for two reasons: One, it's much easier to learn the right way to do things initially than to rectify bad habits and, two, you don't want to spend your hard earned money on surfing gear (and, in particular, on a surfboard) before you've had some training and experience, because you won't know what board best suits your style of surfing.
Many surf schools will provide equipment for you to learn with. If you come across one that doesn't then it's usually possible to hire the necessary equipment from a surf shop. Have a couple of lessons first, maybe try a few different surfboards of various shapes and sizes (on hire from the surf shops), and then think a little more about what board is best for you. Your instructor should also be happy to give you some advice about where to start.
Another good reason to not go it alone initially is because surfing, like any sport, can be dangerous for the uninitiated. The awesome power of the ocean doesn't discriminate according to experience and even small breaks can have dangerous rips and currents. It's far safer at all times to only swim and surf in the company of fellow beach goers. That warning stands for both new and experienced surfers -- an unknown break is always potentially dangerous.
Any surf instructor worth their salt will make sure that you only surf in conditions that are safe for your level of experience. Aside from the possibility that a serious spill might put you off surfing for good, big water surfing without the necessary experience is irresponsible at best, suicidal at worst -- never surf in conditions you aren't ready for, and only experiment under the watchful eye of a professional surfer or an experienced buddy!
Most surfers will tell you that surfing is more than just a sport; it's an existential experience, the ultimate rush, and it can be addictive. So get yourself an instructor, suit up, grab a board and hit the beach!
Resources
Written by Sara Schell.
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Experience the exhilaration of riding the most awesome power on Earth - contact Nancy Emerson and book your surfing lesson, clinic, or course in beautiful Hawai'i! http://www.surfclinics.com.


Bush Message Could Be Messy For Saints
The New Orleans Saints felt it received a gift from God when USC tailback Reggie Bush fell to them with the second pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
The Saints grabbed Bush immediately after the Houston Texans decided to select DE Mario Williams out of NC State with the top overall choice. Texans owner Bob McNair and ousted GM Charlie Casserly proceeded to sign Williams to a six year, 54 million dollar contract.
New Orleans fans, looking to celebrate anything after Hurricane Katrina, rejoiced on the air during draft day and went out and rewarded owner Tom Benson and the Saints with a sellout of all season tickets.
The Bush era began in a positive way, but now, things aren't looking so good. Bush told ESPN.com in a recent interview that the Saints need to be open at the negotiating table. "We have to have a fair offer. One that meets with our expectations." The 'we' and 'our' meaning Bush and his agent Joel Segal.
The word was not mentioned but the meaning and implication were obvious - if Bush didn't get the offer he wanted then a holdout is possible. What does he want? A contract similar to or slightly better than the one Williams got from Houston. Maybe that's why the Texans passed on him?
And while it's too early for New Orleans to push the panic button just yet, a holdout is something the franchise, the city and Bush for that matter, do not need.
Benson, a notoriously frugal owner, has been trying to get out of New Orleans for a decade. He may not be willing to give in to Bush's demands. The city and its inhabitants need someone or something to look up to. The football fans seemed to have found it in the USC product. But what will the reaction be to Bush if he does holdout.
Bush will be hurting his career if he has a protracted holdout and misses significant camp time. Everyone who has ever done so has suffered for it in their rookie season. The NFL is faster, more explosive and more dynamic than college. A holdout has to go through a steep learning curve to get into a groove.
A recent example is Chicago running back Cedric Benson. The Texas star was absent for most of training camp and suffered for it. He failed to remove Thomas Jones as the starter and when he started to come on by the middle of the season, he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
This may be all smoke and mirrors just to get a big contract. Unfortunately, this is an all-too common occurrence in the modern NFL. Guys who haven't played a down are getting eight and nine million dollars a year with huge signing bonuses. The agents have to because there is no guaranteed contracts in the National Football League, so the signing bonus was created. It's up-front money that's guaranteed.
Still, I long for the days when a rookie would sign a reasonable contract, get into camp and learn the system and then earn a big contract out on the field. Believe me. If he's good, he'll eventually get the big bucks, through an extension or free agency.
Just sign and get into camp - perform on the field - the money will follow. Because you never know. Bush may be the next Sayers like everyone says or he could end up being the next KiJana Carter. Nothing is certain until he proves it on the gridiron, not at the negotiating table.


The Joy of Bass Fishing in Spring
There is nothing quite like bass fishing in spring. The calm air, the warmth, the light breezes, and being one with nature is a feeling like no other and if you enjoy bass fishing like I do, then you'll enjoy bass fishing in spring. I can remember many a day spent with my family bass fishing throughout the year, but the freshness of spring always stood out for me as some of our best experiences. I highly recommend trying bass fishing, especially in the spring season, with your family.
The thing to remember about bass fishing in spring is that the water temperatures are beginning to rise from the winter cold. The fish are starting to become more active as their metabolic rate rises with the rising heat, and this means that the bass move out of the deeper water in search of food after a long winter. Normally, bass can be found in fairly shallow areas searching for food in the bounty of the waters and finding them can be a treat for the fisherman.
Spawning in Spring
Spring is known as the "prespawn season". There isn't a specific time that the prespawning activities of bass will take place, though and they will basically occur at all sorts of different times and in different temperatures throughout the season. The prespawn season is categorized by the changes in the bass as they tend to be a lot less cautious in their ravenous search for food, companionship, and a spawning partner.
The bass move back and forth from the shallower waters a few times a day to feed, so finding them in the shallow portions can be generally easy. Bass eat high energy foods in the spring like crawdads and other smaller fish that help give them the protein they need to accomplish all the goals they have in the spawning season. Making yourself familiar with the location of the shallower portions of the body of water in which you are fishing is always a good strategy for catching that giant haul of bass.
Also, become familiar with the foods in the lake and hide out there. Staking out the good crawdad areas is a surefire way to locate large pools of bass. Look for trees, stumps, rock piles or other debris that run from shallow to deep and troll that area. A good angler also becomes familiar with the size of the bass food of choice and lures his or her rod accordingly to try and slip one past the fish.
Bass fishing in spring requires you to do a little research, but in the end it is one of the most rewarding seasons for fishing and a great way to spend time with the family, learn about nature, and explore lakes and other bodies of water.

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