We did something recently that was so awesome we can’t believe we hadn’t done it already. What we did was take the A train out almost as far as it goes to Beach 67 early one morning to surf. We were heading to our first surf lesson and as the train rolled past Broad Channel, we looked out at the water and questioned starting such a hobby in the middle of winter.
We shouldn’t have worried though because when we arrived at the beach, the first thing our instructors did was get us into full wetsuits. We then spent the first part of the lesson on land learning how to position ourselves and what to do with the long foam board we’d eventually be surfing with. While a foam board doesn’t look as cool as a “real” surfboard (which is covered with epoxy or fiberglass), it’s ideal for beginners because of how light and soft it is—making it a bit easier to handle and less likely to cause bodily harm (we were grateful for this each time we surfaced after a wipeout).
After we got the hang of our boards and learned how to paddle and pop-up (think a pushup with some extra pizzazz to help pull your feet under you so you can stand up), we headed for the water. Our instructors helped us paddle past the breaking waves where we could rest a bit and enjoy the view of the horizon. When we were ready, we swam over to an instructor who was keeping an eye on the oncoming waves. When a good one came along, he’d tell us to paddle, give us a push and then yell “pop-up!” This took a few tries but we were able to get up after a few attempts. And let us tell you—there is really nothing like riding a wave, no matter how ungraceful the ride. We are absolutely hooked.
Here’s how to do it: We took our lesson with Locals Surf School as part of a retreat hosted by Outdoorfest. New York Surf School also offers lessons in the winter. Each shop hosts group lessons that run for about $80 per person (depending on how many people are in your group) or you can take a private lesson for around $100. Boards and wetsuits are included with each lesson but you can also rent them if you’re ready to ride solo (we’ll be taking at least a few more lessons before exercising this option).
Trip Tip: Stay warmThe key to enjoying this activity is all in what you wear and what you should wear is a good wetsuit. We wore a 4/3 mm suit that we borrowed from our instructors (they had a bunch in different sizes) and it fit like a glove which is also key. Loose suits will keep you from getting warm and suits that are too tight will restrict your movement and make paddling out against the waves harder than it already is. Our wetsuit had an attached hood and we also had booties and gloves (the same fitting principles apply to those as well). While it’s been a balmy winter so far, we were sure we’d feel some sort of shock from the cold when we eventually ran into the waves. But we did not! This meant we could focus on getting ourselves back on that large foam board and out past the breaking waves where we could rest a bit before trying to catch a wave again. This video of surfers at Rockaway Beach (via the New Yorker) was filmed about a year after Hurricane Sandy and follows Rockaway Beach Surf Club co-owner Brandon d’Leo one morning as he hits the waves. |
