Surfing (Hawaiian: he'e nalu, "wave-sliding") is an increasingly popular recreational activity in which individuals paddle into a waves, jump to their feet, and are propelled across the water by the force of the wave. Surfing can be done on various pieces of equipment, including surfboards, bodyboards, wave skis, kneeboards and surf mats.Surfing's appeal probably derives from an unusual confluence of elements: adrenaline, skill, and high paced maneuvering are set against a naturally unpredictable backdrop-an organic environment that is, by turns, graceful and serene, violent and formidable.
Surfing involves eyeing a rideable wave on the horizon and matching its speed by paddling. A common problem for beginners is not being able to catch the wave in the first place. Once the wave has started to push the surfer forward, the surfer must then jump to his or her feet and ride down the face of the wave. This involves a difficult process where everything happens simultaneously.
A bodyboard is an instrument of wave riding consisting of a small roughly rectangular piece of foam, shaped to a hydrodynamic form. The bodyboard is ridden predominantly lying down, (or 'prone'). It can also be ridden in a half-standing stance (known as 'dropknee') or can even be ridden standing up. The vast majority of bodyboarders usually wear swimfins on both feet to aid in paddling out and taking off.
Bodyboarding is arguably the earliest form of surfing, and is ultimately derived from the ancient Hawaiian Paipo board, which was ridden lying down. The modern invention of the bodyboard is credited to Tom Morey, who sold very basic bodyboards, (known then as Boogie Boards) by mail order. They were very crude by today's standard, but were easy to ride and became popular
A kneeboard is a surfboard ridden on the knees, considered by some to be the purest form of surfing.
Kneeboarders generally wear swim fins and catch the wave by paddling and kicking. Advantages to kneeboarding include an extremely low center of gravity, less wind resistance, and the ability to ride higher and farther back in the tube. As well as taking off on a steeper part of the wave. The coolest sport on the Water!
Skurf or Skurfing is a word most commonly used for a mix of "wake boarding" and "surfing", in which the aim is using the wake of a boat to glide along freshly created surf without the aid of a tow cable. Some call it Skurfing because of its heavy similarity to both water-skiing and surfing.
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