Explorer Amy thinks we’re all taking this outdoors business a bit seriously. Countless wipeouts have made her realise that being bad at our hobbies teaches us more than nailing them the first time around.

I’ve never been naturally sporty, but I’ll give anything a crack: cycling, rock climbing, trail running, you name it. I’ve got into a lot of outdoor sports as an adult, so I’m happy being bad at most of them, but surfing was different. I didn’t grow up near the ocean, hated swimming lessons, and had no clue where to start. A recipe for a great surfer, right? Surfing seemed so impressive and elegant – a hobby I desperately wanted to be good at.

Read more: Surfing Slang 101

 

One Facebook Marketplace surfboard later…

 

My intro to surfing seems to be a pretty common one – my friends took me out in waves that were too big for me and I was anxious to keep up with them. I felt like a liability, terrified my friends would ditch me the second I wiped out. All I wanted was to glide down waves like a cool surfer girl. Instead, I was coughing up water on the beach.

The anxiety around being perceived as a bad surfer was brutal. I’d paddle out, swallow litres of seawater, then ride the whitewash back in, too embarrassed to even try for a real wave.  I’d somehow convinced myself I was supposed to be good by now, as if there was an invisible deadline on learning.

Read more: Chasing Waves: What I Learnt From 31 Days of Surfing (Regardless of the Conditions)

Didn’t catch any waves

but at least I have some funny pics

After a few months of land-lubbing, I decided to book in for a surf lesson. I missed the euphoric feeling of the rare times I actually caught a wave. I was nervous when I pulled up in the car park – would the other people in the class be way better than me? Would I look stupid if I missed a wave?

Thankfully, this group was refreshingly full of people who didn’t care about looking silly, who cheered each other on when we wiped out, and were just stoked to be out there. I threw out my invisible timeline, forgot about impressing anyone, and just had a good time.

 

Scenes from surf lessons on the Victorian coastline

And here’s the thing, I made the biggest improvements when I was just surfing for fun. Turns out, you learn more when you’re not paralysed by perfectionism (who knew?). That one lesson did more for my surfing than a year of trying to fake knowing it all. Not just because of the technical tips (though those helped), but because of the good energy, the fun, and the people.

It reminded me that hobbies are meant to be joyful, not performative.

That mindset has helped me with everything else – hiking, climbing, cycling. Sure, I still worry about looking dumb sometimes, but I’ve realised that most people (even the super duper skilled ones) feel that way too.

The ability to continuously try and fail at something – and look silly doing it – is one of the most valuable things you can learn as a beginner. It’s hard, but something you get better at, and the more times you can wipe out and come up laughing instead of crying, the more you’re winning.

 

Ready to shred the baby waves at Wilsons Prom, Victoria

My Tips for Adventure Sport Beginners

  • Find people at your level to practice with – Search Instagram for a group or ask friends of friends! If you can’t find anyone, see below:
  • Book in for a lesson and talk, really talk, to the others there. They’ll usually make you feel much more comfortable at your level.
  • Talk to someone who’s an expert – They might give you useful advice and help you realise they’re not some God-like figure. They used to be exactly where you are now!
  • Write down your thoughts – Often when negative thoughts are down on paper, you’ll realise how silly they are. No one is really paying as much attention to you as you think they are.

At the end of the day, you’re the one who’s getting out there and trying something fun and new. Remember: it’s not that deep!

Find Your Next Surf Spot to Practice

At We Are Explorers we take great pride in presenting content that is fact checked, well-researched, and based on both real world experience and reliable sources. As a B-Corp we uphold high ethical standards and strive to create content that is inclusive, with an an increased focus on underserved communities, Indigenous Australians, and threats to our environment. You can read all about it in our Editorial Standards.