Because there currently is a very severe water crisis in Cape Town (which we wrote a blog about), you should minimalize the times you shower. Luckily, sea water has great benefits for hair and skin. So, you don’t only have fun in the water while surfing, but you can enjoy the benefits of the salt left on your body afterwards. Score!

To show that you don’t have to run into a shower every time you get out of the ocean, here are some great things the sea salt can do for you.

Soft and shiny skin
Sea salt is packed with healthy minerals, which has three major effects on the skin, which work together to leave your skin softer and shinier. The first thing is that the salt absorbs the toxins of the skin, such as acne-causing bacteria. That way, it treats infections and encourages the healing process. Secondly, the salt has moisture-reducing abilities, which help to regulate overproduction of oil that could lead to clogged pores. Finally, the minerals open pores for deep cleansing as well as encouraging the blood flow. Thanks to that, your skin can easier absorb skin treatments, such as moisturizer.

Mermaid hair, don’t care
Everyone is out there trying to get that beachy look using sea salt sprays and waxes and gels and what not. But let’s be honest, the only true way to get those mermaid waves is a dive into the ocean. The sea salt doesn’t just give you the perfect careless wave, it also helps lightening up your locks, leaving you looking like a true beach-babe or beach-boy.

Source: http://stylecaster.com/beauty/salt-water-beauty-benefits/

Seen this message popping up at restrooms around the city? Well this is to remind us of one of the many practical ways we can save water during the very serious water crisis Cape Town and its surrounding towns is dealing with. At Stoked School of Surf, we hope that everyone who stays in the Mother City teams up to save water like a local. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor to the city, we’re all in this together! So let’s get our rain dancing shoes on and get jiggy with it…or not…. 

The message that the City of Cape Town is sending out is that water usage PER PERSON must be reduced to 87 litres per day. 

Here are some quick tips to ‘save like a local’: 

• The 2 MINUTE POWER SHOWER: rinse, turn off tap, lather, rinse off as quickly as possible 
• Don’t leave the tap open while you are brushing your teeth, washing your hands or face etc 
• Collect water while you shower and use this water to flush the toilet/mop floors if you’re staying at a self-catering apartment/villa 
• When using tap water for cleaning vegetables/dishes etc think about what items are ‘cleanest’ and wash those first so the remaining water can be used for dirtier items 
• And of course: ‘If it’s yellow let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down’. 

​Here are some tips by the city of Cape Town on how to use 87 litres:

Wonder how to do a 2-minute shower? Virgin active shows how to power-shower:

The Right Fit

So you’ve completed the 4-surf lesson package, know where the best surfing spots are, and now you’re ready to buy your very own surfboard.  

But before you do, it is important to consider a surfboard that is a good fit for you and your body type. Your age, weight, and fitness level should also be considered, as well as the types of waves you surf, and your overall ability. 

Your surfboard is a mirror of you, so pick the one that is appropriate for the surfer you are now, and not the one you want to become.

So before you fork out the cash, consider these tips that will help you make the right decision:

Dings and Things That Go Bump

For those just starting out, it’s best to opt for something a little more ‘off the shelf’ because it’s likely to get bashed around and ruined within seconds. While you are learning to surf, you will probably ding your board regularly if you surf often, so it’s advisable to not spend a fortune on your first board. For this reason, consider a user-friendly, foam soft-top until you are skilled enough to move up to the standard epoxy and hand-shaped boards favoured by the pros.

The Longer, The Better

Every surfer should ideally start out on a longboard. Learning how to surf can be a frustrating process, and the frustration is only compounded when trying to learn on the wrong board. A longboard provides novice surfers with ample surface area that will catch waves with ease and feel stable on the takeoff. 

When our students ask us which board to buy, we generally recommend that the longer the board, the better. A board that will provide flotation and allows for easy paddling, and stands at least a foot taller than you, should be considered. 

Volume

Many people make the mistake of buying a surfboard that is too small (in length and volume) for their level of proficiency. 

The most important feature you should look for when buying your first surfboard is volume. A board with a larger volume is more buoyant, and therefore floats and paddles with relative ease. Choose a board that you can surf in rookie conditions, i.e mushy, onshore waves to waist-high offshore waves. For the first 3-6 months, you really shouldn’t worry about turning or doing manoeuvres anyway, so focus on catching as many waves as possible, improving your confidence and board control, and learn how to ‘turtle-roll’. 

A good average size board for a novice surfer would be around 7 feet long and 19-21 inches wide and at least 2-3 inches thick.

Making Headway

Once you have mastered the art of riding an unbroken wave to the left and the right, it might be time to move on to the next suitable board. 

If you started on a longboard, consider a minimal (7.4 – 8.0ft). If you started out on a minimal, consider progressing to a hybrid/funboard (6.10-7.2ft). These boards usually have a wide nose, making it easy to get into the flatter, softer waves and once you’re on your feet, they are more responsive and manoeuvrable than a longboard. 

Funboards are a good cross between a long and shortboard. They are easier to turn than a longboard but are much more buoyant than a shortboard making it fairly easy to catch a wave.

Short and Sweet

Once you have mastered the minimal/hybrid, you may be ready for the next step to a shortboard (6.10ft or shorter). Usually recognized for having a pointed nose and three fins, the shortboard packs a punch with its ability to cut through waves seamlessly with tight turns and vertical mobility.  

Whilst a shortboard makes it easier to duck and dive in bigger surf, it requires a lot more stamina to gain enough speed to get into the breaks. 

By the time you are ready to move on to a shortboard, your paddle fitness should be at an advanced level, or you might end up frustrated not being able to get into the action. 

If it Feels Right, it is Right

Buying a surfboard is really down to personal choice. This is only a guide and the progression that we at Stoked School of Surf have followed naturally.

Some of you may feel that longboarding is the kind of surfing you enjoy most and rather than moving onto a shorter board, you may opt to progress your longboarding style i.e. learn to ‘sidestep’ and ‘hang ten’. 

Whilst some of you may want to surf in more critical parts of the wave, pulling off big turns and floaters, others might want to progress to a shorter board with a lot more flexibility.  We would recommend that the day your board starts to feel unresponsive, sluggish and is no longer ‘working’ for you, it may be time to upgrade to a new board.

All Shapes and Sizes

Before you buy your first board, head down to a beach where you can hire boards and test several lengths and volumes. Once you have decided on what it is that you want, we recommend forming a good relationship with a local shaper who can guide you to choose the correct board as your surfing progresses. 

Spend time chatting to your shaper, discussing what kind of waves you like to surf, showing him pictures or even better, video footage of how you surf so that he/she can understand what board you need. 

Finding the board that ‘works’ for you can make a substantial difference to your surfing. So before you make that investment, make sure you have been correctly advised.

Thanks to Dave of DVG Shapes for letting us take photos in his factory.

I have always been hesitant to write a blog post about sharks and surfing in South Africa due to how controversial the issue has become of late. However, in light of the recent shark attack in Muizenberg (the first attack there in 11 years), which took place on Friday 1st August 2014, I feel compelled to put some thoughts and facts on ‘paper’.

The international media has in my opinion, instilled an irrational fear of sharks into the minds of many visitors to South Africa. Read this article on the Shark Savers website for similar sentiments. We are often faced with the question ‘so what about sharks?’ when we get enquiries for surf lessons. There seems to be this misconception that by putting your big toe into the ocean in South Africa, a shark is going to come and hunt you down (Jaws theme music and visions of a Great White mouth wide open come into play).

The TRUTH is: there ARE sharks in the waters of South Africa. The FACT is: they are NOT prowling the ocean in search of humans. It has been said that shark attacks on humans are generally mistaken identity. If we had to consider the sheer number of ocean users on any given day vs. the number of shark-human interactions the statistics are considerably low when compared to your chances of being crushed by a vending machine, or even having a coconut fall on your head. See the info graphic below below:

There is a vast selection of tales, that have been told and embraced along our coast, but through it all, one can piece together the stories of various South African legends.

These legends, will go on to transform the sport of surfing in South Africa and all over the world…

From the unassuming beginnings of SA Surfing in Muizenberg, which took place in 1919 when Heather Price became the first recorder stand up surfer on our shores.

To the leaps taken by the Three Arcadians in board shaping and design.

All the way to recent years, when South Africans helped to shape the sport into the extraordinary spectacle it is today.

On our recent learn to surf trip along the Southern Cape, we had fun using our mobile phone to capture some of the special moments of this trip. The images below show that these surf trips are more than just learning to surf…they are about embracing the spirit of adventure, getting off the beaten track and experiencing the highlights of this area from an alternative, local perspective.