It truly is a mental thing... Well done for reframing and getting out there!

Ah man... Totally feel your frustrations Graham. Realized early on that a massive part of surfing is managing expectations and disappointments. Some days easier than others of course. Surf reports and webcams are so deceiving at times as well... I think at time is will actually be better to not look at the reports and just arrive with the quiver packed in the car. 

I have also heard that dark colour are perhaps not the best because of the sun and the heat... Not sure if it was Clayton that said that though because from what I have seen... He uses colours on his boards quite a bit... Granted they not super dark colours.

I would say go more vertical with a tighter bottom turn... the board is quite far from you when you try to come back around. You loose control of it and your bodies forward momentum.  

I went down the same path and realised a cruiser is not really the ideal board - and on top of that it is waay short... Never mind though because you can change the trucks... Or get some waterborne surf skate adapters. I recommend the surf and rail fin system.

Did your hands slip off the board? Ouch!

Add a bit more compression and extension.

I would say more lean on the bottom turn, more nose to beach, and look back at the foam. You leave the best part of the wave behind.

You definitely more in the pocket on the first wave, also - and I am not sure if it's arm swinging back that causes this - you look up at the lip in wave 1, and your timing is a lot more in flow.

As noted... your difference in posture.

"and propels surfers across waves." Don't you mean up and down the waves...Close to the pocket... 😜

All jokes aside... Great info, thank you for sharing.