Week No 27 - Surfing Activities in Crete
Surfing lessons from 5 to 11 July 2021
On Monday we started our surfing week with a group of only girls and women. We at Kalo Surf strive to provide a safe and fun surfing experience for everyone. Surfing can seem quite male dominated and empowering women, with custom equipment for example, is dear to our hearts! In the first half of the course surf coach Andy covered safety rules and instructed the warm up. In the water the goal was to learn and practice catching waves on their own. After the break we did the dry runs for the pop up and in the water everyone of our participants managed to have a ride and enjoy the unique feeling.
On Tuesday we had a great morning surf session on an empty (only the early bird!) beach of Falassarna. There is an extra blog entry for this day!
On Wednesday was the so called changing day, when the swell direction turns and it takes some time for the new swell to arrive.
On Thursday we continued our surfing lessons with - finally - the long awaited Northern Swell. Northern Swell comes with North Wind, the best is far out at sea and usually cools down our hot summer months!
In the morning surf coach Andy introduced our first time surfer to board handling and catching waves on their own. Catching waves is the most important part of surfing after all. Without being able to spot the right wave and get the timing right, the pop up and everything that follows can not happen. The ones who have surfed before were working on their pop up and stalling and trimming, while at the same time practicing positioning in the water, spotting waves and the take off.
On Thursday afternoon it was the final surf lesson of our "Super Truppe". They paddled out in the bay of Kissamos to catch big waves, make turns and have fun. The vibe was exceptional and for sure something we will remember.
On Friday, 9 July the morning session belonged to the advanced beginners/intermediates. Surf Coach Andy explained thoroughly the correct paddling technique in order to gain maximum speed for the take-off as well as the trick of lifting your upper body and pushing it down into the wave. The guys paddled and gave it their all.
In the afternoon the beginner surf lesson took place in the white water. The waves were big enough to break further out and roll to the beach. This allows us to learn the correct technique without struggling against the wave and doing as many repetitions as possible.
Saturday, 10 July had again great waves in Kissamos. This time the beginners learned the basics or refreshed their knowledge in the white water in the morning - while the advanced beginners paddled out to unbroken glassy waves later in the afternoon. Daniel had the longest ride probably of his life!
Sunday was Funday in Kissamos! The waves were just the right size and power for our courses - glassy with hardly any wind, medium sized to bigger sets. Both the morning and afternoon lesson went through all kinds of exercises and received a lot of tips from our surf coach. Catching waves closer to the beach, paddling further out, finding the right position on the board, trying to stand up on the surfboard. Lots and lots of repetitions of the same movement pattern helps with a fast progress.
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