Learning how to Perform Turns in Surfing in Crete
Today's surf lesson started with an assessment. This is something that an ISA certified surf instructor and surf coach learns to do and does before every single surf course. How is the wave today? Where is the current? Are there any dangers in the water, i.e. rocks?
Surf coach Andy explained thoroughly the situation today at Kissamos bay to our participants: where the wave breaks (the peak), how we overcome the wave, where we paddle out (the channel) and how we circulate when the surf presents itself at Kissamos bay like it did today. For the dry runs on the beach, we went through paddling, the pop up and the turn. After that we did a warm up before paddling out. We paddled out all together with Andy through the channel where it is easy to approach the peak. There the surf coach showed reference points (the boye and points on land), so that our participants can orient themselves. In the first half of the course everyone caught waves under close guidance and in the second half they were able to find the peak on their own and catch waves on their own. This is an important step in surfing to learn and at the same time the most difficult, as every surfspot is different and conditions can vary each day. It is very motivating when you realise you accomplished catching a wave and surfing it on your own! In the second half of the course surf coach Andy could analyse the surfing of our participants by looking at them head on and each time they passed by while walking on the beach and doing the circle he could give tips for improvement. The wave today allowed us to start trying to go with the flow of the wave, performing a frontside or backside turn. It was a great experience feeling the power of the wave and how much speed you suddenly have. Spending lots of time out there slowly gives you more and more confidence in the water and you learn how to react.
