There are many great surface water sports such as water skiing and wakeboarding. However, the most thrilling and timeless sport has got to be surfing. Imagine the bright hot sun, the cool large waves, and the white soft sand. True adventurers seek nirvana within the tube of a large ocean wave, where they feel one with Mother Nature!

In surfing, the surfer is carried along the face of a breaking wave as it approaches shore, usually on a surfboard. In addition to surfboards, surfers make use of kneeboards, body boards (also known as boogie boards), kayaks, surf skis, and their own bodies.

Surfing-related sports, such as paddle boarding and sea kayaking, do not require waves. Other derivative sports such as kite surfing and windsurfing rely on wind for power. Two major classifications within the sport reflect diversity in surfboard design: long boarding and short boarding.

In terms of safety, most surfboards have an ankle strap to ensure you do not lose your board in the ocean if you were to “wipe-out” (fall off your board). However, in some cases, if the strap does not break, and the fall is quite bad, the board could hit your body or worse, your head, and cause a fatal accident.

Always make sure you have a surfing buddy to look out for you, and never try to brave a wave unless you are properly trained by a professional! For more resources on where to train, the best places to surf, and other information on surfing, go to the Traveller Trail's Travelogues and Directory for great sources on surfing!