SUMMER OF SURF
WORDS Kim Newth PHOTOS Sarah Rowlands
Learn to Surf instructor Aaron Lock, aka ‘Lockie’ hauls a load of wetsuits from the back of his surf van as he prepares for an afternoon in the waves with a bunch of beginners. It is a brisk sort of day on The Esplanade beside Sumner Beach with the mercury in the low teens and a strong onshore wind blowing salty fresh air in our faces.
“It’s going to be a bit choppy,” says Aaron cheerfully, as he gathers a group of excited Rangi Ruru student surfers together.
Aaron is a lifelong surfer and a bodyboarding champion who has been teaching others how to catch waves for 25 years now. This beach truly is in his blood: he grew up in Sumner, and this is where he first got on a board as a kid.
“I got into it in the first place because I wanted to be at the beach all the time and as time has gone by it has progressed to sharing the fun of surf with other people…This is one of the best places in the world to learn to surf as the waves are gentle and well-suited to longboard surfing.”
Two hours is all it takes to learn the basics and apparently it really doesn’t matter whether or not you fit the stereotype of a young surfer dude in the making. Aaron says he teaches 8-year-olds through to people in their 70s. Retired couples sometimes rock up to beginner classes, as do parents whose children are learning to surf.
“Most people find that it’s a good way to escape and forget about the worries of the world for a few hours. Surfing, internationally, is having a boom this year due to COVID-19 because it’s an individual sport with social distancing. We’ve had a lot of locals here suddenly deciding to do it too. This Covid year has sprung them into action, so we’re going to be busy this summer.”
All equipment is supplied, including wetsuits that keep people warm in the water even on cold days. Participants just need togs, towel and sunscreen, (plus water, snacks, and a change of warm clothes). A lot of first timers learn how to stand on the board in their very first lesson, although as Aaron points out, there are plenty of thrills to be gained simply by lying or kneeling on it.
“There’s this saying that the best surfer is the one having the most fun! You don’t need to be a strong swimmer to learn the basics, and we can start off small in knee-deep water if necessary.”
Once the basics have been acquired, people can carry on building their surf skills with more lessons until they feel confident enough to go out independently. “We have a surf rental machine so people can surf after hours if they want to.”
Learn to Surf is open year-round with the main season being September to May. Aaron used to spend his winters surfing in Bali but has instead surfed around New Zealand this year.
“I’ve had a lot of trips to the West Coast and Kaikōura – there’s an amazing point break called Mangamaunu just north of Kaikoura – and my daughter and I also travelled to Ahipara, north of Kaitaia.”