This is Sparta! Surfing in Crete
Our Greek surf instructor Andy calls conditions like today Sparta! Meaning only the strong survive. Today we saw the first signs of a massive swell (we might call it that) arriving on the island of Crete. We hurried up and had our surf lesson as early in the morning as possible because later today and tomorrow our surf spot in Kissamos will be unsurfable. The waves were already big and were just getting bigger and bigger.
Our participants gave their trust to surf instructor Andy today to safely navigate the oncoming waves and being able to catch a couple of waves. Andy started with a thorough theory regarding safety. Safety is more important than ever on a day like today. How do we react when we nosedive, how do we react when we fall in deep waters, where is it safe to enter and exit the water, surfing etiquette & priority and very important: the circle of a surfspot, meaning we paddle back out in an area where we do not block the surfing surfers, so we can avoid much dreaded collisions. The behaviour in the water of all participants was exemplary and Andy was super proud. Everyone was navigating safely and holding their own grounds. These are valuable experiences for moving further on in your surf journey! While one half of the group paddled out right away to catch waves further out the other half stayed closer inside to train first in the white water and gain confidence. Towards the end we were all out in the line up and got a taste of the big waves. Sadly Caroline became a rock star at the very end - but it happens to the best, especially when tired towards the end of the lesson mishaps can happen. You can call yourself a Spartan now. Get well soon!
