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Paddleboard Surfing: Safety for Beginners

Sup Surf Safety

The smartest thing you can do when it comes to safety is taking a class or visiting a week-long SUP Surf coaching clinic. The items you learn in the water with a coach are unmeasurable. SUPSurf safety for beginners isn’t something you can master on youtube.

Without a coach, you might end up learning the hard way. SUPSurfing can have you injured and not wanting to continue the sport or have you frowned upon by other surfers and not wanting to continue the sport. 

 

Do Your Part to Stay Safe

While we can’t prevent an injury if we are not there, we can say we don’t take stinky-eyes too seriously. If you are reading this E-Book, you are already doing your part to try and not be a Kook.

With any adventure activity, safety for you and others should always be first in mind. Once you get the safety measures in place, they will eventually feel like second-nature, and you won’t be overthinking them in the water. Here are the basics of SUPSurf safety for beginners as you begin your SUPSurfing career.

 

Know Ocean Conditions 

  • If you play in the ocean, you will realize soon that it is a lifelong learning experience to understand the ocean. Very few are experts or close to being experts, and you should never act like one. Be humbled by the ocean and do everything you can to understand what you can. This will include storm conditions, wind speed & direction, tides, rip currents, pollution, unpleasant marine life, and knowledge that things can change. We use the app magicseaweed.com for updates on the conditions. Here you will find and learn the different conditions that affect surfing conditions. 

Sunscreen

  • Not much needs to be said here as most should know why sunscreen is necessary. If you are going out often, it probably doesn’t hurt to use some zinc oxide on the nose. Your packing list for any adventure outdoors should include Sunscreen.

Passing board over a wave 

  • When a lock is going to break, you can put the nose in the direction of the wave, pressure down on the back of the board, so the nose lifts over the whitewater coming towards you. This allows your board to go up and over the wave.

 

Never be between breaking waves and boards 

  • One of the quickest ways to end your surfing career is to get caught between a breaking wave and your board. If you are struggling to get out and feel a wave is coming quickly and can not pass your board over the wave, you want your board to be between you and the beach.

 

Paddle Correctly 

  • Another way to end your career or put it on pause is not paddling correctly. Work with a coach and video footage to make sure you are protecting your shoulders. Paddling can be very harmful to your shoulders if you already suffer from bad shoulders and your form is not done correctly. SUPSurf coaches will adapt your paddling technique to work with your body type and any injuries you might have.

 

Give up on wave or Learn to wipe-out 

  • One of the first things you need to learn how to do is either give up on a wave or learn to wipe-out. Too many people skip this process when trying to learn on their own. You will quickly understand the simple techniques to protect yourself and wipe-out like a pro with a coach. 

 

Bend your knees 

  • We find many people that lock their knees or keep them too stiff. The ocean is continually changing, and your knees should be bent, allowing them to adjust more smoothly to the changes. Locked knees over a long period can be damaging.

 

If tired, call it a day 

  • One of the hardest things to deal with in safety is calling it a day. Tell the ocean gods you will be back soon and lay in the sand and drink a coconut.

Common Injuries

  • Shoulders, foot cuts, and sprains. In the last chapter, you will talk about exercises to prevent different injuries.

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POC Camp

The POC camp is an extension of the POC lodge and while the POC Lodge is located with vast views of the Pacuare River Canyon the POC Camp is down on the river’s edge. While it might not have the view of the POC Lodge it sits on one of the calmest sections of the river making the POC Camp home to one of the river Pacuare’s best spots for taking a swim and relaxing on the river’s edge.

POCsito is a favorite among so many of our guests. It is a glamping experience with some of the important comforts of home.

POC Lodge

Started in 2011 is the POC lodge. If you haven’t figured it out by now POC lodge is our own lodge and what we like to call the “baby” of the P.O.C. Adventure Company. We wanted a lodge on our favorite part of Costa Rica which is the Pacuare River and with the help of locally harvested supplies and labor, the POC Lodge was born.

 

This is a 180-acre property that runs over 1 mile of the Pacuare River. Our goal has always been to offer as much comfort as possible without steering too far away from our roots of just roughing it on the river’s edge. Our lodge has hot water, a splash of luxury in the rooms, and 5-Star service and attention to our guests.

Our favorite part about the lodge is that we built a short hike up from the river’s edge. We know we have the best views of the Pacuare River canyon and unfortunately pictures don’t even do it justice.

Arenal Paraiso, Arenal

Have you ever wanted to stay the night at the base of an active volcano? Well here is your chance. The Arenal Paraiso is located at the base of the Arenal Volcano with breath-taking views of the perfectly cone-shaped volcano.

Here at Arenal Paraiso’s, you will enjoy the beautiful property which offers much more than just a view. The property has numerous bungalows that offer a splash of luxury while surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. After a day of adventure, you will love making your way back to relax or hang out in the pool at Arenal Paraiso.

Shawandha, Caribbean 

Located at the edge of the white sandy beaches of Costa Rica sits the Shawandha lodge.  A perfect blend of eco-style luxury along with the sounds of the ocean and vibrant ambiance of the rainforest.

Shawandha lodge is set up with individual bungalows made out of local wood. You will be sure to wake up to the sound of the local residents such as the howler monkeys and green macaws. After your day of adventure, you will have a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful swimming pool at the Shawandha Lodge.

Hotel Villa Florencia, Turrialba

Located in the valley of Turrialba surrounded by sugar-cane plantations and views of the smoking Turrialba Volcano sits an old plantation home that has been renovated into a beautiful small hotel named Villa Florencia.

This is a great hotel with a beautiful pool and plenty of space to take long morning or afternoon hikes. The Villa Florencia hotel is a chance to enjoy luxury while feeling like you stook back in time. While you are in the valley don’t forget to look up as the Turrialba Volcano can often be seen doing small eruptions from across the valley.

Casa Turire, Turrialba

Casa Turire has been one of our favorites since we started. The grounds are some of the lushest you will find anywhere in Costa Rica. Casa Turire sits in the valley of Turrialba surrounded by mountains and the beautiful Turrialba Volcano. The most amazing part about Casa Turire other than its great restaurant and home-made sugar cane ice cream is that it sits on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Angostura offering great morning hikes, birding, or SUPing around the lake.