Many of Roopt's share houses are located in coastal areas of Miyagi Prefecture, offering opportunities to enjoy not only fresh seafood but also a wide variety of marine activities. We hope that all Roopt residents and guests will also enjoy the marine activities that Miyagi has to offer.
Following our sea kayaking and SUP episodes, this time we bring you our surfing episode! We took a surfing lesson from 'Carlsbad', a company that provides marine activity lesson programs mainly in Ishinomaki City, Higashimatsushima City, and Onagawa Town.
I'm sure you all know what surfing is, but it often has the image of being "difficult" or "hard to get into." I had the same image as someone who had never surfed before, but Carlsbad's surfing lessons will change that perception. They are more affordable than you might think, and they teach you how to stand on a surfboard in just one lesson. I hope that as you read this article, some of you will think, "I want to try surfing too!"
Carlsbad is a long-established board shop run by Kunihiro Okawa. They offer marine activities such as surfing and SUP along the coast of Ishinomaki City, Higashimatsushima City, and Onagawa Town in the summer, and winter sports in the Kurikoma Mountains in northern Miyagi Prefecture in the winter, providing activities tailored to the environment and climate. Boards, apparel, and other items can also be purchased at their store in Ishinomaki City.
Furthermore, they are well-versed in marine activities along the Miyagi Prefecture coast, and have even established an association to improve safety, serving as its representative, thus promoting the importance of enjoying marine activities safely. This board shop truly deserves to be called "the king of marine sports in Ishinomaki."
This surfing lesson was held at Watanoha Beach, about a 10-minute drive from Ishinomaki Station. The beach is located east of the Ishinomaki Fish Market, which is recognized by Guinness World Records as the "world's longest fish market" at 875.47 meters.
Watanoha Beach is said to have calm waves due to its location and wind direction, making it suitable for beginner surfers to practice. Mr. Okawa will carefully explain the reasons why the waves are calm, so be sure to listen if you participate in a surfing lesson at Carlsbad.
Furthermore, there's a tsunami evacuation tower right behind the beach, so you can rest assured that you can escape immediately if a tsunami occurs.
We chatted while changing into our wetsuits, and once we arrived at the beach and finished our warm-up exercises, the lesson began! Enjoy reading about how I, a surfer for the very first time in my life, learned to ride the waves in just one lesson.
First, we practice "paddling," which is the technique of propelling yourself through the water with your hands.
It may look like you're just paddling through the water, but it's surprisingly difficult. Even if you try to go straight towards your target, you'll quickly veer off course due to shifts in your center of gravity or the amount of force you're using to paddle. You have to keep practicing until you can go straight.
Next is what's known as "preparation before standing on the surfboard." From a prone position, we practiced moving our weight back and forth by extending our arms as if doing push-ups. When you can arch your back and move your weight forward properly, you get the feeling of gliding forward with the power of the waves.
We then returned to the beach to practice the movements involved in standing on a surfboard. We were taught the timing for doing push-ups in STEP 2, the timing and position of moving the left and right feet, and the timing for standing up.
It was only about five minutes, but I went up onto the beach and practiced relentlessly. I was on the baseball team in high school, and it reminded me of the steady practice I did back then. It was a steady, but strangely enough, practice becomes enjoyable when you understand its meaning.
However, things didn't go well from the start, and I kept falling into the water. I could shift my weight without any trouble, but I struggled to get the timing right for standing up.
After repeatedly falling in like this, I finally caught my first wave! The feeling of being propelled forward by the power of the wave was exhilarating.
After that, I started to understand the timing of standing on the surfboard, and I was able to catch waves repeatedly. Obviously, surfing is more fun when you can stand up.
And so, my first ever surfing lesson came to an end. The instructor taught me the basics thoroughly in calm waters, allowing me to ride the waves even though it was my first time. It was a lesson that made me want to try it again.
Incidentally, there was one other person taking the lesson besides me, and their lesson was a bit more advanced than mine, focusing on "waiting for a wave, then paddling and standing on the board at their own timing." Because they tailor the lessons to each individual's level, I recommend this surfing lesson regardless of your experience level.
During the lessons, before the lessons, and while waiting for waves, I was able to learn about the fun and depth of surfing.
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