Australia ranks among the best surfing destinations in the world and surfing is a cornerstone of Australian culture. The sport was brought to Australia in 1915 by Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku when he surfed waves in Sydney’s Freshwater beach in front of a large crowd. Since that date, surfing has grown to become a main sport while encapsulating a laid-back lifestyle famous in this country. Unlike American beaches, surfing is allowed on all Australian beaches and it is typical to see the popular places crowded with surfers of all ages. All coastal cities offer fantastic surfing destinations, except for northern Australia where the water is full of jellyfish and the waves are tamed by the reef. The laid-back surfing culture is reflected in many brands of clothing and bands local to Australia. As surfing grew during the mid-20th century, many innovative Australians influenced the sport with new board designs. In fact, two of the most popular surf brands – Billabong and Quicksilver – were started in Australia. Many of the world’s top surfers are Australian and it continues to be a dominant pastime for people of all ages.
To encourage the growth of the sport and give tourists a taste of Australian culture, many companies offer surf lessons at the main beaches in Sydney. For example, several companies operate daily surf lessons or board rentals at Bondi, Maroubra, and Manly beach. Many of the surf schools in Sydney are renowned worldwide, probably because of the prevalent surf culture and the abundance of consistently great waves. I was fortunate enough to take three 2 hour lessons with Let’s Go Surfing at their Bondi Beach location. The beginning of the first lesson was spent getting comfortable to the board on the sand. We practiced standing up, paddling, and balancing on the board before taking to the water. In this first lesson, the instructors also explained to us how to identify good surf conditions, how to recognize dangerous rip currents, and proper surf etiquette. This is extremely important to learn especially if you plan on going off on your own. Surf etiquette is important not only to keep you safe in the waves, but to respect the experienced locals who have been surfing for years. After running through these warm ups and building our knowledge of surfing, we hopped in the water. The rest of the first lesson was spent practicing catching waves in the white wash, which happens after the waves break and is easier to catch. By the end of the first lesson I was able to shakily stand up and ride these broken waves into the shore. The next lesson I practiced catching waves before they broke, and properly riding the rip current out behind the wave breaks. Although I fell a lot more in this lesson, I was able to build some confidence and take a few waves all the way in. By my third lesson I was confident in the basics and moved onto turning and speed control. This is very difficult as it is hard to maintain balance while trying to turn. After falling over a few times, the instructor showed me how to adjust my weight slightly on the board to turn or control my speed. At the end of my third and final lesson I was standing up and riding waves in. I walked away feeling proud and excited by this new skill. I recommend taking a few surfing lessons while in Sydney. It is an extremely rewarding activity and a great workout. Here is the link to the Let’s Go Surfing website where you can book lessons: https://letsgosurfing.com.au . Additionally, a few of my friends went on a weekend trip to surf camp. This two-day camp is organized by the study abroad program and offers students the opportunity to learn how to surf.
Eager to improve my new skill and go off on my own, I purchased a board and wet suit from Gumtree. Gumtree is the Australian equivalent to Ebay or Craiglist, and based on recommendations from the instructors at Let’s Go Surfing, it is the best way to get a used board for a beginner like myself. Gumtree allows the user to filter by board size, type, and location. I was able to find a reasonably price board in decent condition that came with a leash and was the right size for me. I also recommend buying a wetsuit especially if you plan on spending a lot of time in the water. Although I am used to the cold waters of New England, it is easy to get cold if you spend a lot of time waiting for waves. Since buying the board I have taken a few trips to Bondi and Maroubra beach. Maroubra proved to be more difficult than Bondi as the wave break prevents clean white-water waves like I the ones I was used to at Bondi. I often found myself stuck in the rip or battling big waves when I went to Maroubra. However, I persevered and was able to catch a few waves.
No doubt living in Australia has opened up various outlets for creative expression for me, surfing being one of them. The feeling of the waves crashing beneath my board give me a sense of excitement that I have come to love. Not only is surfing a great way to stay in shape, it allows me to experience the famous beach culture of Australia and get in touch with the locals. However, it is a daunting and tough pastime nonetheless. As the famous Jack Kerouac once said, “My witness is the empty sky,” and the empty sky is undoubtedly present when I am out there enjoying nature, unrestrained. I am proud that I took up surfing while studying in Sydney, exposing myself to a significant part of the local culture. I hope to bring this skill back home.
