Surf and yoga retreats offer an irresistible combination, if you are a free spirit who love surfing and yoga. That is why we offer our guests the freedom of a flexible schedule at our surf and yoga retreat near Galle.
Here is our guide to catching your first wave in Sri Lanka.
Getting Ready For Your First Surf in Sri Lanka
When you first start, choose small and close waves. You should look for small waves that break. Until you get the hang of surfing, avoid massive waves you have to fight off. Make sure that you hold the surfboard at an arm’s length. Place your hands on each rail. Walk out onto the area where white water rolls toward the shore. Make sure that you are not in anyone else’s path. Safety should come first.
Once you are at a comfortable depth, place the surfboard on your side with the nose directed towards the beach. Wait for a wave that can carry you ashore. When the wave is just about to reach you, push your board towards the shore and simultaneously pull yourself on to the board. Paddle with your arms while the wave chases you from behind. Keep paddling when you feel the wave begin to pick you up. You should be able to feel the surfboard rise in the water and then your speed too will increase. If you are lucky, you would catch your first wave.
Practice catching waves until you automatically learn timing to get up on the board. When you keep paddling on small waves, you’ll learn to sense when a wave picks you up.
You are bound to experience a few wipeouts (being thrown off the board). But you won’t get into trouble where the waves are not too high.
Helpful Tips from our surf and yoga retreat instructors
If you experience too many wipeouts, lie a little further back on the board. When the wave picks you up, arch your back and put weight on your legs.
If you cannot seem to catch any of the waves that pass you by, you are probably lying too far back on the surfboard. If this is the case, remember that you only need to keep the board’s nose an inch or two out of water. Start paddling earlier and do it faster. Don’t stop until the wave passes. At Nirbana, we offer our guests the chance to learn to surf and get in tune with salty, sensual waves.
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