I headed out to the surf this morning with a friend and fellow L-4 (Open Water) instructor for some time in very big wave conditions. The surfers were out — at least the good or stupid ones — and it was a day for advanced skills. It’s been a while since I’ve been worked so much just paddling out. When you have a four-foot wall of whitewater coming at you that causes a stern endo, you get lots of practice with rolling and bracing! I think we did more rolling and bracing than riding. Some of them were just too big to ride without breaking something as they were large, dumping waves.
This wasn’t a day for beginners, or even new intermediate paddlers, but it’s a perfect example of the conditions we get in Virginia Beach for sea kayak surfing and managing challenging surf zones. If you want to learn how to paddle out through the waves, surf them in, handle large breaking surf and beach launches and landings, get in touch. I provide custom sea kayak instruction / coaching for small groups and individuals, and fall is a great time for the surf zone.