Fast forward to the Twentieth Century: Paris has the Eiffel Tower, berets, and French toast while surfing in the South Pacific has stayed basically the same. Then, in 1926, George Freeth cut his surfboard in half, moved to California and became the first professional surfer. In that same year, Tom Blake created the first hollow board, essentially boring hundreds of thin holes in his redwood board, then applying a thin veneer of hardwood, thereby cutting the weight down to “just” one hundred pounds. Hawaiian riders ridiculed him at first, christening his invention the “cigar board,” until they witnessed how fast it was. Blake began the first mass manufacturing of surfboards in 1930. He also created the first “fixed” fin in 1935. Three years prior to that, in 1932, balsa was being imported from South America to the U.S. and surfers were using the lighter wood as a core for their boards, with a veneer of redwood on the outside for durability. This cut the weight down again, this time to about thirty to forty pounds. And, in 1934, Wally Froiseth started shaving and molding the tails of his boards to give them more maneuverability with a technique dubbed the “hot curl.”
After World War II, fiberglass and Styrofoam, both developed by military scientists for the war, hit the surf scene in a big way. Pete Peterson was the first person to make fiberglass surfboards. His original model, in 1946, had a redwood “stringer” through its core. Joe Quigg and Bob Simmons were two surfers who began travelling up and down the California coastline in the early Fifties, selling their new foam boards. In 1953, Dale Velzy set up the first surf shop with his buddy Hap Jacobs. Hobie Alter lived in Ontario and Laguna Beach, California, setting up his shop in 1954 and revolutionized surfboard production, mass producing two hundred and fifty a week and making it affordable as a luxury item, a plaything. He also schooled a new generation of board shapers, including Dewey Weber, Mickey Munoz, and Corky Carrol.
Shortboards and twin fins became popular in the Sixties, specifically the designs of Dick Brewer, a pioneer in making boards shorter: he reduced the size from ten feet to just six. And with that, the race was on to create boards that were faster and more stable and maneuverable in the water, with innovations in rail shapes, tails, and bottom contour.
Experimentation became the new game, but very few new ideas have persevered. The aluminum board came and went as if it never existed at all. The newest idea out there that has caught my eye is a board with a valve to control the inner pressure of the board to coincide with outside temperature and barometric pressure. What will they think of next? Let’s wait and see!

Jim Parisi and Jose Chopite

A vocal duet named Jan and Dean had a half-dozen or so popular songs, but it was really The Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson in particular, who gave lyrics to the music, gained longevity for the style, and gave credibility to this new genre called surf music, catapulting it into the limelight and keeping it there. The band members consisted of three Wilson brothers, their cousin, and a couple of friends. Dennis Wilson was the only serious surfer in the band. He would relay his experiences on the waves to his brother, Brian, who would find a way to wrap lyrics and a tune around the tale and call it a song. And it was Brian who became serious about vocal harmonies and recording techniques, the crescendo being “Pet Sounds” a landmark album on any level. Even the Beatles later admitted the influence that album had on them to become more creative in the studio.

In the Eighties, popular bands like The Pixies, The Go-Go’s, and the aforementioned Ramones definitely exhibited the influence surf music had on their own. One of my favorite bands from that era was the lesser known Surf Punks. Surfers always carry a bit of machismo with them, and the band reflected it with the tongue-in-cheek song “My Wave” (“this is my wave, this is my beach, those are my chicks, that’s my sand…”). One of the two members of The Surf Punks is the younger brother of Darrel Dragon, the “Captain” of The Captain and Tennille. What a weird household that must have been to grow up in.

Rolling into the Nineties and the Twenty-First Century, the surf torch has been carried by Man or Astro-man? and The Mermen. A faction of surf music has always retained that garage sound, as reflected by modern surf bands Monsters From Mars, The Aqua Velvets, and VonRippers. Now, in the second decade of this century, upstart surf bands ala Banana Seat and The Bitch Boys continue a tradition that started nearly half a century ago. As long as there are waves, there will be a soundtrack to accompany them. Surf music rules!

Surfing can be one of the most rewarding and exhilarating sports to learn. However it can also be the most challenging. Once you have your board and wetsuit, it’s best to learn the pop up before you start paddling out to catch your first wave. Learning the pop-up now, before you head out to sea, can save you hours of disappointed failures. To learn the pop-up, first place your board on the sand and lie down on your stomach. It will be the same position you would be in when you are paddling out at sea. Be sure that you feet are touching the end of the board. Next take a good notice of how the nose of the board is angled. It needs to be level, this helps to show you your weight distribution for the type of board you are on. If your nose is pointed up you need to move further up on the surfboard. If you nose is pointed down into the sand, you need move further back. Once the nose is level make a quick mental not about where you are on the surfboard. This is absolutely vital and will save you hours of trail and error out on the water. The majority of newbies find it very difficult to stand up on the water because they are already laying on their board in a unstable position. Once you have figured out the best position to be on the board, place your arms palms down near the sides of the board directly under your shoulders. It should feel as if you are about to do a actual push up.

Next, be sure your feet are pointed down and are touching the surfboard. With one motion, push yourself up all the while swinging you feet forward one in front of the other. Your front foot should land near the center of the board, or the foot you are most comfortable with being in front. Your back foot should should fall in line naturally behind it, as if in a regular standing position. Crouching down will also help to keep your center of gravity low, and help keep you from tipping over. Practice, practice, and practice this move until it becomes natural, smooth, and easy. Doing this now, not on the water, will save you hours of disappointment. Once you have mastered this move it’s time to take it to the water. Once you are in the water, again note the nose of the board. This can help make your pop-up much easier. The nose should be roughly an inch or two above water once you begin to paddle. Remember, as you paddle out to the waves, you want to paddle directly into oncoming waves to keep you from falling off. The faster you paddle the easier it is to get through oncoming waves.

As you look to catch your first wave, it is important to note that most waves come in sets. This can help give you time to turn your board around and face land and prepare yourself. When the wave begins to approach you, it’s time to get into paddle position and begin paddling. Once the wave is directly underneath you, try to match your speed with the wave. Once you feel the wave to start to propel the surfboard it’s time to pop-up. Hopefully, you will stand on your first attempt. If not, get back out there and try, try again.

A few things that may help you is to start with the small waves as difficult to get a feel for what it’s like to balance on water. If you have mastered the pop-up on land the only thing you will have to learn is getting your balance on water. It shouldn’t take you too long. Once you master you first pop up on a wave you will have a good idea about what it takes and can move on to bigger and better waves. Enjoy Surfing and remember the more mistakes you make the faster you will succeed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Stock

By: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

The Maldives is a location for travelers who want to completely escape the regularity of everyday life and sink in to a leisurely period where the world slows down enabling you to enjoy everything from a hot cup of tea to a morning on the beach. The perfectly golden beaches of these islands offers perfect places where travellers can just jump into their swimwear and soak up the sun while sipping on a heavenly king coconut. The popular local delicacies found here are also worth sampling as they are based mainly on seafood which is an abundant commodity in this part of the world. From king size lobsters to tiny oyster snacks, Maldives is the place for you if you’re in love with seafood.

Ranked as one of the hottest surfing destinations in the world, Maldives attracts many foreigners to its beaches who are looking for nothing more than waves to catch and rip curls to ride. While some of the surfers who grace these shores are true legends in their own right, beginners too have perfect stretches of beaches where the waves are attractive yet tame enough for those of us who are yet to master the art of surfing.

While there are many beaches in the Maldives that facilitate surfing, travellers have become accustomed to visiting preferred locations that have acquired the recognition of seasoned surfers from around the world. The popular stretch of beach which is known simply as Chickens is located along the eastern reef of North Male Atoll. This gorgeous beach which was named after the poultry farm located on the island is known to produce magnificent waves that would prove to be unavoidable if you’re a fan of surfing. Cokes is another popular location where unbelievable tubes are created enabling surfers ride short yet very steep curls that makes for an adrenaline pumping experience second to none.

When considering lodging options regarding Maldives travel, few are able to match the outstanding facilities which are offered by John Keells Hotels Group. Known as one of the leading names with regard to Maldives hotels, feel relaxed as John Keells Hotels Group makes your stay in the Maldives a memorable one.

About the Author

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

(ArticlesBase SC #1759760)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Surfing in Maldives- an exhilarating experience

All levels will also receive instruction on reading surf reports, which is necessary into planning you next surf trip.

Learn to Surf in Hawaii

We want to demonstrate you what the surfer existence style is all concerning! organism into contact inclusive of nature, training rigid also keeping your body also intellect in balance. Yoga classes that are designed to help improve surfing performance, hiking also highland bike trails that will remove your breath absent, perspective seeing that will puff your intellect. We craving to fetch you into touch inclusive of yourself also with mother scenery. different activities are also available upon request: whale watching, stand upwards paddling lessons, horseback riding also trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center are some of the alternatives.

Our surf camp takes location into a attractive also stylish beach façade home in the country fragment of Oahu, located only 15 minutes since Haleiwa downtown. Wake up to the sounds of the ocean, relax active the deck while watching the whales also the waves. get ready to surf, explore the body of land also enjoy the spirit of aloha.

Our polar Shore surf home accommodates small groups of 4 to 8 surfers, in private otherwise shared rooms. A fully equipped gourmet kitchen, immense living area also external lanai will make you feel at home. Wireless internet is available of course (otherwise else how could we examine the surf forecast?) and tons of surfing DVDs will inspire you for the next lesson.

Why go anywhere else? Place yourself into the tropical waters of the Pacific sea with some of the friendliest locals known to mankind.

Learn to Surf in the Philippines

An profitability of marine life awaits you under the waters; while above the waters, expect to situate the freshest provisions also many more recreational activities to explore while you spend your era now! To occupy additional era, activities such as: caving, diving, profound-ocean fishing, kayaking, jumping waterfalls, etc. are wholly available in a day’s visit. Siargao is rapidly growing into its popularity all the meantime inclusive of a reputation that can endure lonely! Be ready to experience a accurate surfing haven for any smooth. We guarantee to help you grasp that primary wave, or to locate that brandish you have only dreamt regarding conquering!

The most consistent era of the year starts August up to March. still throughout inactive season, you are bound to locate a break that’s looking intended a small good surfers to approach out moreover play.

Learn To Surf At Mazatlan

To the north is the Zona Dorado, which means “Golden Zone”, also it is definitely this and lives up to its name, inclusive of several of the large resorts, lots of restaurants (ranging seeing as taco to Italian cuisine), shops, bars and nightclubs. Mazatlans Zona Dorado is like a small town with in a municipality, inclusive of just about anything you find inclusive of in 10 minutes stroll.

Costa Rica

But besides having “great people” and “great beaches” Costa Rica also has a few surprises in store considering its geographic location in the heart of Central America. This isn’t a part of the world that’s noted for democracy and a high regard for human rights, but unlike its troubled neighbours to the north and south Costa Rica boasts a long democratic tradition, has had no standing army since 1948, and is so environmentally-enlightened that 25 per cent of its territory is made up of national parks and nature reserves.

A country no bigger than Wales, it has some of the most varied landscapes and wildlife on Earth. For our visit we were based on the Caribbean coast at the small town of Puerto Viejo, close to the border with Panama. The scenery is all it should be – palms sway above turquoise waters and golden sands, monkeys howl from the tree tops and birds as bright as costume jewellery flit by as you wander through the jungle from your hotel to the beach, although the culture doesn’t have the Latin touch you might expect. The largely Afro-Caribbean residents of this part of the country are descendants of Jamaicans and Barbadians who came to Costa Rica at the turn of the century to work on the banana plantations and railways, and their language, style and Rasta culture mark this everywhere, from the bars and streets to the beaches where cool Rasta surfers cruise the powerful waves cracking across the offshore reefs.

Travelling to Puerto Viejo from the capital San Jose is a full morning’s drive even though the distance is little more than 120 miles – severely pot-holed roads, truck drivers from hell only two inches behind your rear bumper, and steep climbs up through the rain forest all make it a journey to remember – in fact the locals know the road as the ‘Highway to Heaven’, as much on account of the potential hazards as the fact that it’s often shrouded in mist.

From San Jose you climb steadily up over the continental divide with Volcan Barva on your left and Volcan Irazu – still active – on your right. Below them impenetrable forest, the white spray of cataracts tumbling through the greenery across distant hillsides, titanium-bright blue morpho butterflies bobbing past you, then downhill to cross rivers that provide some of the best white water rafting south of the USA before you arrive at the earthquake-beaten town of Puerto Limon and the coastal plain, where endless banana plantations run inland and the Caribbean waves boom onto empty beaches.

Besides noticing the scenery en route you’ll also notice how you’ve gone from the decidedly cool, damp climate of the cloud forest to the typically hot and steamy atmosphere of the coast. The altitude rises in places from sea level to 3500 m over a distance of only 150 km’s, with temperatures varying from 35 C to below freezing. The wildlife is adapted to these climatic changes every step of the way, and the altitude range, plus Costa Rica’s position as a ‘land bridge’ between the temperate climatic zone to the north and the tropics to the south are the reasons why the country boasts five per cent of the world’s total biodiversity.

Walking through coastal jungle after an afternoon on the beach, for example, we encountered howler monkeys, vividly-coloured poison dart frogs, spiders big enough to take you on at arm wrestling (fortunately non-poisonous) and the bizarre sloth, a creature that truly lives up to its name. Despite all this wildlife, in a country where the animal inventory includes jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, crocodiles and Technicolor creatures such as toucans, quetzals and sea snakes you could easily become almost blasé about spotting a mere sloth or shiny red frog.

Admittedly, it’s highly unlikely that you’d see all of the above on any one visit, but the fact that they’re there – and you might – is the major attraction of Costa Rica for many visitors. Another big attraction is the people. Friendly, easy-going and always ready to stop and talk or provide advice, even though compared to most visitors many of them live a frugal existence to say the least.

Take Tony, for example, a young Rasta who led us on a surfing expedition down towards the Panama border. When we asked him how he lived he replied: “I fish, there’s fruit and game in the forest, and I take surfers out to the reefs (for which we’d paid $15 each) in me boat – as long as I’ve got enough for me little daughter I don’t need no more, man”. The same applied to his colleague Bobby, who did building work here and there and hunted for wild boar and iguana if food was a bit scarce.

However, as with the rest of the world, things are changing fast on this idyllic coastline. The road to Manzanillo, the last settlement before your reach Panama and just a few kilometres from Puerto Viejo, was only completed in 1984 – before that it was just a muddy trail – but all along the way from Puerto Viejo tourist accommodation is springing up. Thankfully there are no high-rise apartments and everything appears to blend in with the surroundings, from the higher-priced hotels to the budget traveller’s hostels, giving the place the feel of Bali in the early 80’s.  The Pacific coastline of Costa Rica is also developing in a positive manner and is certainly the place to be heading for in the future. One can only hope that the combination of an enlightened approach by the Costa Rican Government towards ‘eco-tourism’, and the spirit of the kind of visitors they’re actively encouraging will help ensure that tourism doesn’t yet again wreck the very thing it came to see.

Words by Alf Alderson

COSTA RICA FACT FILE
Xoxxi – Offers the best and safest way to travel to Costa Rica as a surfer from the UK, they have operated a huge surf travel programme to the country since 2008 and are very experienced in the region, on call 24 hours a day which is handy and offer both coastlines for the surfer (Pacific and Caribbean).  They offer packages for singles, couples, groups of surf friends and families with children.  You can visit them at www.Xoxxisurf.com to find our more information.

The islands position, only ninety miles from the coast of Africa, means that it has a year round warm climate; winters are mild with average air temperatures in the low seventies whilst summers are hot with temperatures regularly touching ninety. The prevailing trade winds sweep off the Sahara bringing dry warm air and rainfall is low; the north easterlies blow offshore grooming consistent well-spaced swells from the North Atlantic.

Lanzarote

From a surfers point of view the main place to head for on the island is the stretch between La Caleta(Famara beach) and La Santa. The coast here is perfectly orientated to deal with all swell directions and wind conditions.

Arriving in La Caleta is always an awe-inspiring moment whether you arrive at night or in daylight. The view down to the coast from Lanzarote’s central volcanic range in day time is breathtaking, the Atlantic seems to form a bowl rimmed by the towering cliff of an old volcanic caldera, at night it appears you are staring out into the abyss with only the speckled lights of La Caleta village as distant guides to your destination.

La Caleta itself is a typical whitewashed Canarian fishing village, a few pleasant restaurants and a couple of coffee and cake shops sit around the dusty village centre. Inland only volcanic cones break the rocky volcanic desert. La Caleta lies on the divide between the huge sweep of Famara beach beneath towering cliffs and the volcanic ledges and reefs that Lanzarote is famous for.

The beach itself is the ideal training ground for all levels of surfers. If you’re there for the first time then the mellow waves and warm water allow you to get to your feet in incredible surroundings. Those surfers who aren’t quite ready for the reefs but are competent will also find some good waves on the beach, the mile plus of sand offers peaks and sizes for all abilities and can handle a variety of winds.

In Famara itself there are a couple of reefs, the harbour left occasionally works on big swells; you can guarantee that it will be crowded with locals when it is on though. Just west of town is one of Lanzarote’s best reef breaks at San Juan, the long hollow lefthander and shorter right offer a fast performance wave. There was a time when San Juan was one of the most localised spots on the Island, in fact Lanzarote for years was known as much for it’s localism as it was for its waves. Thankfully this fearsome reputation is now unfounded, today many of the locals have surf related businesses and whilst the utmost respect should be shown in the line up and the rules of surfing should be followed there is little chance of seeing any trouble.

West of San Juan there is a stretch of barren inaccessible coastline, rumours abound about what lies on the edge of the lava fields but in reality the answer is not much until you reach the little village of Caleta de Cabello. Here you’ll find lefts in front of the village and a peak just to the east known as Ghost Town, both good waves.
A mile west is the imposing structure of the La Santa sports centre, a base for winter training for many athletes due to the mild dry weather. La Santa village itself is a pleasant fishing village, which has grown into a small holiday centre. It has numerous restaurants, bars and cafes and a couple of supermarkets. Of course La Santa is also the centre for the Islands surfing community with its three most famous waves all out front. El Quemao is the best known, often described as the Pipeline of the Atlantic, it is a hollow lefthander with the occasional day of rights. It’s an unforgiving wave, shallow and with an end section that if you misjudge it you’re likely to enjoy a rough ride across an urchin infested reef. For the more experienced surfer it is a joy and real test of your ability.

Crowds fluctuate, on the best day of the winter it will be busy but many good days see it go only lightly ridden. Village left is the best wave on the Island, also called The Slab by foreigners the heavy left and rights are truly world class. Its reputation however guarantees a crowd and the fact that it is also very consistent means that getting this wave with few people out is rare and on classic days getting just one wave from the hungry locals is tricky. Just across the channel from village left is Morro Negro a long sweeping right-hander that handles serious size. The point as it is often referred too is a quality wave for anyone from an Intermediate surfer all the way up to a pro. At three foot it’s a dream on a longboard or a shortboard with long walls to play with, at six foot it’s challenging but enjoyable with a few hollow sections, above this and it starts to get serious and can hold almost anything with a big outside Sunset style peak offering heart-pounding drops.

There are many other waves on the island, the east coast has plenty to offer when the swell is big and just offshore is the wave haven of Isla Graciosa, but it is the stretch from Famara to La Santa, which is richest and offers so many options for so many standards of surfers.

Away from the surf and Lanzarote is probably famed for three things, the seafood, the volcanoes and the beach/nightlife of the southern resorts. The food is out of this world, fresh caught fish is a treat and the little local restaurants in La Caleta and La Santa are both reasonable in price and high in standards.

On down days in the surf an essential visit is Timanfaya National Park. The park is a huge volcanic field devoid of human touch, it was created only centuries ago when a series of volcanic eruptions in the 1730’s and again in the 1820’s created this breathtaking scenery. It is also a site of scientific interest and there is a visitor’s centre and laboratory focusing on the diversity of plant species that are colonising the lava fields. There are also geysers to visit and one restaurant that grill its meat over a thermal vent, its 600 degrees centigrade only ten metres below the surface!

For those surfers who are looking for a more lively time then Puerto Del Carmen is worth a look. A typical package holiday resort the town is full of pubs and clubs and all the usual trappings associated with this sort of development.

Lanzarote at first glance looks like a barren place but dig a little deeper below the surface and it is a vibrant diverse island with something for every taste and more importantly for surfers it has waves for every standard in a very small area. There aren’t many places on earth where you could be surfing a pipeline like wave and ten minutes away there is a mellow beach break full of beginners, add the consistently good weather to this and it’s not difficult to see why Lanzarote is a surfer’s paradise.

Travel Information:

For the best surfing trips to the Canaries then Xoxxi is really your only sensible choice, they offer the best accommodation, best surf clinic and you can rely on them, plus they are Atol bonded for your financial protection!

Visit http://www.xoxxisurf.com/learn-to-surf/surf-school-in-lanzarote.html for your surf holiday to Lanzarote or for other world-wide holidays.  Cheap flights can be found from http://www.traveljungle.co.uk and http://www.ba.com