Why You CAN’T Teach Your Partner How To Surf
Picture it now…. Traveling to a premier surf destination on the other side of the world with your significant other, and they’re JUST AS STOKED as you are! Say goodbye to the days of a resentful, sunburned girlfriend / boyfriend who just spent the last 5 hours baking in the sun while you’re “just catching one more”… In this dream scenario, both you and your partner are bona fide shredders, eager to spend your hard earned cash on the ultimate reward, a surf trip.
Couples sharing a common passion for surfing is fairly uncommon. Generally speaking, it’s just one person with saltwater coursing through their veins as the other person looks on dumbfounded. “You’re going to wake up at what time?” “The water is how cold!?”
Surfing can feel like it takes priority over everything. Today is Valentine’s Day and I’m sure there are lots of surfers (literally right now) blowing off their romantic lunch plans or sunset cocktails for the chance to score some waves. Surely you’ve asked yourself, “Wouldn’t it be easier if we both surfed?” The problem is, teaching your partner how to surf is harder than you think. I mean…sometimes picking your next binge series on Netflix can be an agonizing experience.
When it comes to teaching your girlfriend or boyfriend to surf, here are the reasons why you CAN’T.
They feel comfortable complaining
The longer you’re in a relationship, the more transparent you and your partner become. In the beginning of a relationship, nothing is worth arguing over and the goal is to maintain the peace of a budding romance. As time passes, this changes (LOL). We stop biting our tongues and have less reservations about truly speaking our mind. So when you attempt to teach your partner the art of surfing, be prepared for your 1-star review immediately afterwards.
They blame their failures on you
Didn’t stand up on the first try? Instructor’s fault..
Waves are too big? Instructor’s fault..
Waves are too small? Instructor’s fault..
Wind turned onshore? Instructor’s fault..
Epic nosedive in the shore break? Instructor’s fault..
You see where this is going.
They give up early
If your partner reserves a formal 2-hour lesson with an instructor, chances are they’re going to milk those 2-hours for all it’s worth. Even when their shoulders feel like noodles after using their virgin paddling arms, there is an underlying motivation to keep surfing until the end of their lesson. On the other hand, the casualness of a couple’s surf lesson allows your partner to call it quits prematurely.
You become a drill sergeant instructor
The desire to turn your partner into a bona fide shredder may be so strong that you (as the instructor) are too critical of your student. We’ve all seen the overly intense parents yelling at the umpire at their 6-year old’s Little League game… Surfing is so enjoyable because it’s an ESCAPE from the real world stress. Even if you do carry your daily baggage into the ocean, floating on your board, paddling through the waves, and staring at the horizon can usually resolve many of life’s problems. Understandably, you want your partner to succeed, but when you turn into the drill sergeant surf instructor, you are ruining everything that’s enjoyable about surfing.
Most likely, you’re not a surf instructor
They say practice makes perfect. This is true for the student as well as the instructor. If you haven’t given many surf lessons in your life, you may skip over key safety tips or overlook the importance of a perfect pop-up. Learning proper fundamentals (and not getting traumatized) is crucial to developing a passion for surfing. So instead of winging it on what could be the first day of the rest of your surfing lives together, let a seasoned surf instructor take the reins. At Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, our surf instructors have individually taught 1,000’s of lessons (maybe even 10’s of thousands) for the greatest chance at success.
Thanks for reading! If you and your significant other would like to plan a surf trip to Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, please contact us at 1-888-318-7873. We have surf programs for all levels so you can score World Class Waves on our advanced guided tours while your partner participates in the beginner surf school.
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