The correct angle at your freestyle catch. There is a lot of talk amongst swimmers and swimming coaches these days in regard to the correct angle at freestyle catch, which is now referred to as “early vertical forearm”. This subject can easily be found via web searches. Watching the majority of swimmers underwater (I’d say 99%), the common problem is the dropping of elbow, this is a result from a number of things - like lack of strength, or trying to pull the arms back throug

School sport program (advanced program)

This is easier than it looks, and I find it a lot more exhilarating than normal body surfing, however this technique is recommended for experienced body surfers only (see warning below). Catch a green breaking wave as you normally would, then on last stroke dip your head underwater as you pull your arms back by your side in one powerful motion with a swift butterfly kick. Like a breaststroke start for those who have swam before. Here’s the difficult part, tilt your head down

A consistent sandbank, although the waves are larger out the back the sandbank is void of any deeper areas, so no rips and all the water pus

Many people have been in a rip but not known it as they find themselves in deeper water and quickly end up on the sandbank with the flow of the rip. If you can’t float comfortably – do not swim in the surf anywhere except patrolled beaches in between the “red & yellow flags” (see surf tip 1) because rips will take you out of your depth. If you can float/swim and get caught in a rip - you should allow the rip to take you off the beach - then take time to feel which way the cur

Rips move off the beach quite fast, but the velocity of the rip heading off the beach depends on the velocity of water that has come in from the waves on the sandbanks. If there are no breaking waves there should be no rips, the larger the surf - the bigger & faster the rips move. My conservative figure of 90% of rips will not take you beyond the surf break. Instead, these rips will move off the shoreline and then travel toward a sand bank within the surf break, mainly in a

You'll find rips in between the sand banks - mainly indicated by a deeper, darker section of water. These will be easier to identify at low tide, as the sandbanks on either sides of the rip (where the waves are breaking) become shallower and the differences in colour shades will be more obvious. There will be no breaking waves or consistent white water in the main part of the rip, any waves that reach this area will be affected by the deeper water and an immediate transformat

Most of our coastline is not patrolled, particularly outside of summer months, so you may not find a surf patrol and swimming flags at the beach you are attending. If this is the case, please read our other blogs to better understand what dangers to look for on our beaches, and understand that you are taking a risk. The red and yellow swimming flags on Australian beaches are designed to indicate the safest place to swim at the beach, away from hazards. However this does not

There are two main functions to paddling a surfboard or racing board lying down: Positioning on the board Good posture Every board is a different size so you need to position yourself so that the board lies flat in the water. If you are too far forward, your nose will push under the water. You don’t want this. You will need to see the nose of the board just out of the water. If you are too far back, the nose of the board will be sticking up and you will not be able to move th

Your positioning in the surf break is one of the most important elements of learning to surf and practising to catch a wave in control, is the best way up-skill. Once you have mastered this, you are ready to try standing up. Firstly you need to ensure that your board is racing down the wave before you prepare to stand up. Place your hands on the side of the board to either adjust your weight back to avoid nose diving, or with the same hand position, hold the rails to jump up

With school holidays coming up, its important that families prepare their coastal trip in advance, although some beaches may be patrolled, always be aware of potential dangers. Here is a story that should encourage us to take care on the beach Right Place Right Time – Two young lives saved By Craig Riddington 22 April 2019 Crescent Head (Killick) Beach Its mid-afternoon in Crescent Head, the north easterly onshore wind has arrived with some cloud cover, seeing most beach goer

As on a surfboard - you need to pick the right wave at the right time. Swim with your head down looking under your armpit at the wave. As the wave reaches you, you will need to make the next and last stroke a big one - to force your momentum down the wave. If the wave is smaller, you will stretch out like you would body surf a broken wave, however if the wave is larger, you need to hold your self back from racing down the wave, and instead - spill down the wave with the white

Its all about standing up right? I don't think so. Its all about catching the wave. So, this is part you have to get right to really begin a lifelong love of surfing. The knowledge of the ocean and the waves is important, as are the rips and sandbanks. Being able to use the variations in the wave area and position yourself correctly is the first step. Once you choose your wave, ensure you commit. No one likes to be dumped and hesitating is a sure fire way of face planting in

Body Surfing can be great fun if learnt correctly. There are 2 types of techniques you can use to catch a wave body surfing. You are either standing on a shallow sandbank or swimming in deeper water. The first technique of standing on a sandbank in shallow water is the easiest to learn and first step you should attempt when learning to body surf. To catch the wave you need to be standing upright. However, if the water is above your hips this technique wont work. Wait for the

The Project 291- Surf Awareness Program was delivered via a collaborative water safety approach and minimal government funding. Programs like these will contribute to drowning reduction Project 291 is a surf awareness community partnership program, that taught children from the Bellambi local area essential skills to help them survive in the water. https://vimeo.com/130161998 The children involved in this project come from low income families and most live in the public hous

Surfing is not all about learning how to stand, it is about understanding the ocean....

Looking for Safe Surfing Lessons for Kids and Families? Below are our top five tips on what to look for in a surf school. 1. Carefully select the venue If you are wanting find a safe surf school for kids along Australia's east coast, it is important to find one that is situated at a protected southern corner. These pockets are predominantly away from intense surfing areas, large southerly swells, cold winds from the south and dangerous surf breaks. Any outward flowing current

How SEA Australia keeps safe in a rip! Misconceptions about rips and waves • People have been told and continue to be told that rips go "out to sea" meaning that a swimmer caught in a rip will stop at nothing to get back to the beach, including swimming against a rip until drowning occurs. Rips go off the beach not "out to sea", approximately 90% circulate within the surf break returning swiftly to a sandbank. Only10% of rips go out past the surf break, these usually in large

SEA Australia's guide. How to Survive a rip • Float, do whatever you have to stay afloat • Don't panic, don't fight the rip, allow the rip to take you in most cases to the sandbank (where the waves are breaking) where you will reach safety • If you are near others wave arm and yell for help, if you are alone conserve energy • Do not decide to try and swim out of a rip! Move with the current at an easy pace to conserve energy. Follow the rip to where the waves are breaking and

Most surf schools teach surfing lessons by lining 10ft long boards on the beach, showing you how to jump to your feet on the sand, then taking you into the broken waves just meters off the shoreline. Surfing lessons for kids should be taught on smaller boards, particularly those that are allowed to be used near or in the above locations. Large boards are impossible for kids to manoeuvre themselves, especially within the surf break. They are difficult to turn or pivot and once