By Laura Shelton
If like me you’ve always loved the idea of surfing but have never had the opportunity to try it (landlocked anyone?) you may want to look into a surf camp to get you started!
My surf journey began when I’d finally had enough of thinking ‘if only’ and realized nothing was actually stopping me from trying it. A new sport and in a sunny setting I’d never been to before? The makings of a perfect holiday! My flights to Morocco were booked and I’d signed up for a week long beginner’s surf package at Surf Star.
Well, after 2 days I’d extended that week to 10 days! The first couple of days is wobbly fun in the white water, trying to get used to balancing on a big piece of foam on the moving water! There’s no quick way to do this, you just have to put the time in until your body learns how it feels. But there is one piece of advice I can give: relax! You won’t get anywhere all tensed up. The time flies by and you realize you’ve been in the water for hours and it’s time to get out and rest (even if you do want just one more wave!)
Having the constant advice and encouragement from the excellent surf instructors is obviously a huge part of progressing in the early days! Feeling safe and knowing you’re with local surf gurus gives you confidence in situations you’ve never been in before – like doing your first (and 2nd, and 3rd, and 15th!) eskimo roll to get past the big breaking waves. But when you realize you’re ‘out the back’ catching green waves after only a few days of surfing, you know you can feel proud. You might never have believed you could do it, but your instructor did! They know exactly when to push you through your comfort zone, to take you to the next stage, and onto those waves!
And that’s what it’s all about… feeling the push of the wave as it lifts your board up and carries you forward, then you’re standing and racing with the wave, feeling the wind rush over your face; that’s surfing! And it makes all the hard work, the mouthfuls of salt water, the tired arms from paddling, the occasional dunking and beating from the sea, all completely irrelevant! It’s all worth it, just for that feeling.
So what are you waiting for? Morocco really is a wonderful place to learn to surf; warm water, clear sandy beach breaks, no sharks! There’s nothing to worry about, apart from which wave you’re going to go for. Joining a camp is the ideal way to get the most from your time, sharing the learning with other exciting people from all over the world. You’ll make fast friends and unforgettable memories.
