LEARNING HOW TO SURF
SURFING IN FUERTEVENTURA
Fuerteventura is a paradise for surfers or for those who want to approach or are approaching this sport and lifestyle. One thing you'll once on the island, are the numerous schools and surf shops, as well as how almost anyone who has a surfboard hooked on their car. Many are the beaches perfect for every level, not to mention the ideal weather conditions that allow you to practice this sport all year round. Now, you can not leave Fuerteventura without having experienced at least once the adrenaline that this sport offers, and do not worry if you have never picked up a board, there are numerous surf camps (for those who want to live and eat surf), schools, from group lessons to individual suitable for your level.
I think the first time I saw and heard about surfing was from the 90s movie 'Point Break' with Keanu Revees and since then I have been fascinated by it, leaving aside the questionable lifestyle...
Living in a place where surfing was something very far away I never got to get close to it personally. Skipping forward several years, I decided to get an idea about this sport, watching and reading as much material as possible. A few years later in 2020 with a trip to Portugal, it was finally time to see if I had what it took to realize this desire. Needless to say, my first encounter with a board and the ocean was more one-side; with zero experience I found myself in the middle of an angry ocean trying to ride waves beyond my reach. From here I also understood the importance of relying on real professionals in the sector and not on anyone. In short, my first one-day experience was quite traumatic and discouraging, but I was intent on a rematch.
In Fuerteventura, I relied on a school, La Wave Surf, with 'Charlie Brown', with three surf sessions, each of 2 - 3 hours spent in the water. Together we started from the basics of surfing, from catching and feeling comfortable with white waves before moving on the green waves. My experience with La Wave has been fantastic, and Charlie makes sure that he is always close and that you ride as many waves as possible in the correct shape and helps you improve where it is needed. I started, from falling continuously to being able to catch many waves, when I stopped thinking about every single thing and every single movement it was as if there had been a change of attitude that allowed me to ride different waves.
Surfing is not a simple sport, it is a continuous moving, swimming, falling, being swept away by the waves, standing up, and paddling; but also adrenaline, when you finally manage to ride the wave and you find yourself sliding with the board on the surface of the water; alternating with moments of absolute calm, waiting for the next right wave. It's just you, your board, and the ocean, you don't have room to think about anything else, and I think that's the thing I love most about surfing. Obviously, 3 days are absolutely not enough to master this sport but now I am more motivated than ever to continue and improve. If you are looking for some surf lessons yourself you can also check here.