Give surfing a go

If you'd told me that the Friday before Christmas would see me wriggling somewhat ungraciously into my tatty secondhand wetsuit to go surfing, I would have laughed it off with an impolite throw-away comment. One that isn't printable, but "not very likely" gives you the general idea.

Yet there I was, pulling into a parking spot at Waikuku Beach. Already pre-wriggled into the bottoms, because the skin-tight suit had definitely shrunk a size or two while lurking lazily for months in the cupboard, and there was no way I was doing the required wriggle in public.

Then I was shaking hands with Waikuku local, Tammi Martin, who runs Surfwise with her husband Matt, and meeting the lovely ladies who regularly surf with Tammi on Friday mornings.

The wind was up, but the waves looked promising. Tammi gathered everyone on top of a dune to point out the best places to catch a wave and covered some basic surf etiquette for my benefit.

After a short warm-up, Tammi gave instructions to do 12 pop-ups and catch at least 12 waves in the spirit of 12 days of Christmas. Then we carried the boards to the water.

Pop-ups start with a push-up-type movement. Once your torso is clear of the board you nimbly lift your hips and land your feet, one in front of the other, along the centre-line of the board, and stand up. Admission: nimble is a work-in-progress, even on dry land.

While I was figuring how to plop-up (I've just coined a new surfing term for pop-ups done by beginners) on land the wind changed to southerly making conditions a little more challenging but provided a marvellous opportunity to learn to control the board in windy conditions.

Tammi guided me through getting the board out into the beginner's patch, which is near the shore and about waist deep. It wasn't long before I was paddling, trying to remember to keep my feet together and chest up, to ride with my first wave on a surfboard.

Next up, was raising my chest and riding the wave in an on-the-knees press-up position. And then the half plop-up, the on-my-knees-not-my-feet pop-up, and the fall-off.

I had a lot of fun, swallowed more than my share of seawater, and got a taste of the addictive qualities of sea, fresh air, a warm-hearted teacher and supportive group environment that keeps these surfer ladies coming back for more. And yes, it does make you feel young again.

All ladies in the group commented on the incredible teaching from Tammi and supportive nature of the group, and a few jokingly called it their post-divorce therapy or their divorce prevention therapy.

"Joining Surfwise's Friday morning Mamas Group is one of the best decisions I've made. You can't beat the feeling of being in the ocean and catching a wave; I can't recommend it enough," says local Oxford resident Andrea Howland.

"Tammi is a gem, and a fabulous teacher and the group of Mums are first-class good people. Surfing has become a tool for well-being for me. A board is provided, so no worries there, and age is no barrier. Give it a Go!"

If you'd like to give surfing a go, contact Tammi on 027 532 4238 or search for Surfwise Waikuku on Facebook. There is another ladies group on Sundays, and there are all sorts of classes for Mums, Dads, kids, and families.

This article by Shaz was published in the January 2020 edition of The Oxford Observer.