I use surf ears, basically year round. Most people I know do. Except for some very rare windless and warm days. And usually even then.

Context: the Netherlands. Water down to 4 °C and below freezing air temperature in winter. Summer water temperature is about about 20 °C

How's the deck on your smoothstar? Would the Carver trucks fit?

I bought myself a three euro selfie stick that also works as a tripod at Action. Has helped me to get more reliable footage.

Brian Park it all starts with awareness of what the wave is doing. There is no single right answer that will help you on every wave. Here's a clip of Kelly surfing J-Bay, famously a very fast wave. Look at the wave that starts at the 36 second mark and how he starts to change his lines depending on if the wave is running quickly or slowing down. If the wave runs, you may need to run. If the wave breaks more slowly you can more easily do top to bottom surfing. Etc.

https://youtu.be/ty6Ofpd7HWA?si=2Lx0I__SrsWQg52o

Libby Stano Si is right, the positioning of the boxes is somewhat different. But then again, there's nothing to stop you from having a go just to see how it feels. On a 5 fin I would probably opt for the outermost boxes to try that. But you can experiment with that too. It's your board.

More information in the get the right board course of course.

You may not like this answer, but: nobody will give you a chance. You need to create that chance yourself. Unless you're in a very atypical lineup it's not line drawing a number at a store.

Simply put, the surfer at the peak has priority. It is up to you to put yourself in that position. Now that can mean sortof moving up the queue when that surfer takes the wave. Of you then do not move towards the peak, there's nothing stopping someone else from taking that position.

Short version: it's up to you to be active and take the peak.

That also applies when you're surfing a shifty beach break. But you're paying the price for being new because haven't got your eye in yet. Very experienced surfers will know where the peak is going to much sooner and will have an easier time getting in position.

It's probably better to train where to look, rather than to think "don't look down". It's sort of like "don't think of a pink elephant".

Nevermind what anyone thinks. How did it feel?!

Also: Nice!

And of course I found it 30 seconds later. This is what I was referring to: https://train.ombe.co/programs/surf-progression-why-its-taking-you-so-long-3a33ab