Posts Tagged ‘Adventure Sport’

The Quick & Dirty Guide to Surfing in Portugal

Thursday, July 15th, 2010
surfboard
Groshan Fabiola asked:

Surfing or Wellenreiten as we call it in the German language is one of the oldest adventure sports known to man. Historians have dated surfing as early as 3000 years ago, but the modern form of the sport as we know it today was developed in Hawaii couple of centuries ago. The sport came to Portugal much later, but now it’s a major sport for amateur surfers because of friendly waves that help a beginner.

For surfing, it’s not just enough have a surfboard and a thrill-seeking heart, one must also be in a good location where the waves are high and good for surfing. Over the years many exciting Wellenreiten locations have been discovered worldwide, some of them cherished for the high waves and the dangers. Many of the famous spots like supertubos and the beaches of Praia de Areia Branca gather the most skilled surfers from around the world.

But Wellenreiten in Portugal is not just for the pros. Beginners can have surfing fun too and Portugal beaches have a lot to offer to them. A beginner needs friendly waves that you can ride even if you are newbie, good instructors and places where you can rent surfing gear. Portugal has it all.

The beaches of Portugal are long and sandy, and the water of the sea is clear and warm even when the weather is cooler. You can spend your time lounging around the beachside on a chair, sipping from a cocktail, and when you’re ready for another round of Wellenreiten fun, you can don your wet-suit, grab your surfboard and wade right in.

If you are seeking a surfing holiday, there are many organizations in Portugal that can offer you packaged holidays that include learning sessions, and Wellenreiten practice with pros. They will guide you through the nitty-gritties of surfing, and help you master tricks that you can show-off back home.

Remember that Wellenreiten is an adventure sport, so there’s a slight amount of risk involved as well. You should not go for surfing if you don’t know swimming. When the surfboard overturns (as it does often even for pros), you need to be an energetic swimmer to get back to safety. Luckily, the surfing schools of Portugal are professional, and will tell you about all the safety precautions you need to take before you can begin surfing.

For the first few times that you go out to surf, it will be a great idea to use a soft-longboard so that you will not injure yourself or one of the other surfers in the waves. Most surfing-spots in Portugal have all this gear available on rent, so you don’t need to bring your own gear or buy expensive stuff if all you want is a few days of Wellenreiten fun.

Having fun together promotes bonding, and strengthens relationships. So it will be a great idea to go for a Wellenreiten holiday with your friends and family, and there’s no better spot for that than Portugal. Contrary to what some people believe, Wellenreiten is not just for young college-goers. Even if you’re older, or younger, you can still have fun with surfing.

So if you’re looking for a sporty, fun holiday. Go for Wellenreiten. Go to Portugal.

For more resources about Wellenreiten or even about Portugal please review this web page http://www.portugal-surf.de

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Surfing: Seas, Surfs & an Experience

Monday, April 19th, 2010
surfing
Dev Saras asked:

Surfing is an amazing adventure sport. This is not the sport for everybody, but for the people who can handle the thick waves of the beach. The surfboard can be of any size – from less than three feet surfboards to 11 ft surfboards are available today. However, the size of the surfboard is no match to the skill and technique of the surfers. To stay afloat over the tides is the one important thing of surfing. Being able to catch the right tide (or wave), engaging at the right moment, staying at the right position and staying cleared of barriers like reefs or floating materials, etc are all desirable surfing skills.

It is not just about riding a wave, but also executing various manoeuvres. A good surfer is made only when he or she is able to catch the difficult waves, staying clear of dangers and performing tricks before finishing the ride. Not being hit by the wave. Tube riding is the dream of all surfers. It is about riding inside the wave, without the wave touching you down. It is quite amusing to see the wave curling over you and you are moving ahead of the wave, without letting the wave strike you down. It is the most difficult thing to achieve in surfing.

Turning and carving, cutback, off the lip, floater, etc are some skills surfers will be achieving pretty quickly. These skills are not learned from the land. You can learn these only after you get in the water, riding the waves. You can also get surfing lessons from experienced surfers, who will give you one-on-one lessons.

Not all the beaches and surf breaks are ideal for beginners. Only experienced surfers can attempt the risky surfs. The training is given only at areas of consistent wave activity and winds. Otherwise, it will become difficult. After getting the lessons at breaks that have more or less stable surfing conditions, you can go to more challenging areas.

Once you get into the groove, it is one great passion. You will enjoy the surfing so much and you will be willing to experiment with various types of surfboards, techniques and locations. Some surfers are so passionate about the local surf breaks, that they don't let tourists in and even threaten physical assault, when their territory is violated. Not all locations are like that and you can see surf breaks around the world, where you get warm welcome.

The safety guidelines to all kinds of water sports apply to surfing too. You need to be able to manage the tides without the board and you should be careful not to go near rocks, reefs or dangerous creatures like jelly fish, sharks, etc.

You get into surfing for once and you can experience the all consuming passion associated with the sport. Beach holidays or vacations can also include surfing as an option – although not all beaches for suited for surfing. OK, if you have this passion to surfing, it is good time you have, with your riding at great speeds over the waves.

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