Surf Lesson!!

     Saturday Nicole, Emy, Dallas, and I made a trip to Byron Bay to learn how to surf!  All week the forecast for the weather was nice.  When we pulled up just before 12 Saturday, clouds rolled in and the wind picked up.  We got on the bus with the surf instructors and they said right away that they didn't know if we would be able to go out since the wind was pretty strong and there were some pretty big swells.  We drove to Lennox Head which was about a 20 minute drive.  There we got out to assess the water.  They decided that it would not be safe because of the wind and the large swells.  On the bus we went.  Time to check option two.  We arrived at the next beach and they said it wasn't ideal for learning to surf and the beach we too crowded.  Two down, one option left.  Finally we arrived at the final destination.  After an assessment of the ocean, the head instructor decided that we could make this beach work.
     We all got into our wetties and got our boards, then we headed down to the beach.  The lesson began with a warm up to stretch our muscles and get our bodies ready.  After the warm up it was time to learn about the ocean and places to avoid when in the water and what to do if you are not able to make it back to the beach.  Finally it was time to learn the fundamentals of surfing.  We practiced paddling, locating the wave, and getting up on the board.  On land, this is all very easy.  However, on the moving ocean, it is all much easier said then done.
      With the wind and such an active ocean, they explained that this was probably the hardest day to learn how to surf.  On the positive side we decided that next time we try, we will find surfing rather easy :)  There were two instructors and probably 10 beginners so it was pretty easy to have some one-on-one time.  My first go I actually stood up and did pretty well.  It was heaps of fun.  I only got up a couple times, but it was fun just to be out there learning something new.  Eventually the waves started getting too big and it was no longer safe for us to be out there.  We headed back to the bus.  Before we took off though, a few of us ran across the street to a lake.  Along the bank, there are many tea trees so the water literally looked like coca-cola.  We had a quick dip in the lake to clean off the salt and sand from the ocean.  Apparently the water is very good for the skin and hair.
      Surfing was not as hard as we thought it was going to be. I was imagining what it was like to learn how to snowboard so I was expecting to be pretty sore.  However, none of us were very sore.  I guess the ocean is a little more forgiving than a mountain.
      We were going to stay the night in Byron and just bum around the beach on Sunday, but decided it would be cheaper to head back to Lismore that night.  Before we headed out we went to a couple shops just to look around.  Being in the sun and ocean all day took a toll on us and we all called it an early night.