🏄‍♀️ Surfing bigger waves can be done 🫰

👋 Happy Galentine’s & Valentine’s Day! 💛 No better week to dive into whether it’s better to be a guy or a girl in surfing. 😜

🏄‍♀️ Let’s surf:

• Surfing bigger waves can be done 🫰

• Step Into Liquid—the water’s fine 💧

• Better to be a surf dude or a dudette? 🧐

• You don’t need a perfect pop-up 🏄🏻‍♀️

• Willy Wonka’s Surf Emporium 🍫

• Surf news roundup 🗞️

^SURFODRAMA

😱 Surfing bigger waves can be done 🫰

Bigger waves. We’re not talking about “big waves,” just “little big waves.” You know—4ft+.

Why is it so hard to make the jump and take off on one of those, when in reality it’s only a tiny bit bigger than the beginner’s comfort zone of 2–3ft?

It’s frustrating. It stalls our progression. It makes us think we’re not real surfers.

You may be terrified of staring into the abyss, falling on the takeoff, wiping out in the shallows, or getting hit by your board. As there isn’t one single reason this happens, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

But just like Matt Damon going from growing potatoes in human poop on Mars to making it back to Earth—you can move from small surf to bigger conditions too. No matter how impossible it sounds right now.

👀 Staring into the abyss
You don’t have to suffer from vertigo or fear of heights to find bigger waves absolutely terrifying. The trick is not to look down.

Instead, do this. Eyes up, head follows. Look down the line and angle your takeoff. It automatically makes the wave feel smaller and less steep. Suddenly, your mind is focused only on the top 1–2ft of the wave.

And we like 1–2ft waves, don’t we?

🤺 The board attack
The fear of getting whacked in the head, losing consciousness and drowning, or experiencing the “fin meets face” scenario would put anyone off surfing bigger waves.

The solution? Ditch the board. For now.

Bodysurfing and boogie boarding are safer options if you want to explore bigger conditions. Yes, this means you should be a confident swimmer. But even when you’re surfing, you shouldn’t rely on the buoyancy of your board.

Plus, these two other flavors of surfing help you better understand how waves work. Warning: some surfers discover they prefer boogie boarding and never go back.

You can also wear a helmet to reduce the risk of getting whacked in the noggin.

🌗 Pick your tide, pick your energy, pick your wave type
If landing on rocks or reef scares you, the simplest solution is not to surf in the shallows. Pick conditions where there’s plenty of water to be thrown into.

As for being thrown violently around—less wave energy is your best friend. Try surfing taller but less powerful waves first.

A slow, rolling, sloping bigger wave is not the same as a fast, closing-out bigger wave. They may be harder to catch, but they are less likely to thrash you.

💛 Learn to love the wipeout
Coming off the board in small waves—not a problem. But when the conditions get bigger, there’s always a risk of getting pummeled.

More experienced surfers recommend breath-hold training or even freediving practice to reduce the fear of drowning.

Also, go out with a surf buddy. Someone who will look out for you when things get dicey. That extra peace of mind can make a real difference.

🧠 Trick the fear
Can you get rid of the fear of bigger waves? Yes—but only by actually doing it. It’s not the kind of fear you can fully train away on land or in tiny surf. Therapy didn’t work for us either.

It may help to realize it’s not the size itself—but the consequences your brain is reacting to. That’s why you might sometimes snag a bigger wave early in your surfing career, before you’re aware of all the things that could go wrong.

Try doing one thing at a time.

Can’t pop up consistently on smaller waves? Don’t try bigger ones yet.
Don’t know how to catch a wave at an angle? Don’t try bigger ones yet.
Only surfed in the tropics? Don’t try bigger cold-water waves yet.

You get the gist. Don’t rush it. Build confidence in smaller waves first. Then step up—and repeat—until the fear fades into background noise. Just barely audible.

^{SURF THRU HISTORY}

💧 Step Into Liquid—the water’s fine

I love Riding Giants. Who doesn’t?

The “other” surf documentary, Step Into Liquid (2003) actually preceded Riding Giants (2004) by about a year—even though people often mentally group them the other way around.

Both movies came out in the early 2000s, when big-wave surfing was entering mainstream awareness, and tow-in surfing had made it possible to ride waves previously considered “unsurfable”. Mavericks also became a cultural symbol—not just a surf spot.

🔄 Same era, different energy
If you’ve watched both, you’ll remember there’s an overlap in the big wave stories, involving both Laird Hamilton and Mavericks. But that’s where the similarities, at least for me, end.

Step Into Liquid was written and directed by Dana Brown, son of The Endless Summer’s Bruce Brown. According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing and The Surfer’s Journal, it was—quote—“undeniably an Endless Summer derivative, but also marvelous in its own right and for its own reasons.”

The movie took three years to make and cost $2.5 million. According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, it made $20 million. According to Wikipedia, it made just over $3 million. The internet can’t agree. If it’s any consolation, it can’t agree on how much Riding Giants made either. So let’s just move on, shall we.

✨ Where it shines
The more fun fact is that it was originally supposed to be called The Endless Summer III. And honestly, it would’ve worked just fine.

Because where Step Into Liquid really shines isn’t the big-wave surfing or footage of Taj Burrow, Layne Beachley, and Laird defying gravity. It’s the quieter, stranger stories.

Dale Webster surfing consecutively for 14,642 days (a few less at the time of filming). Texans surfing oil-tanker waves in the Gulf of Mexico. Yes—the Gulf of Mexico. Always. Even the genuinely corny Malloy brothers choosing Ireland as their surfing destination. It’s cute. Cozy.

While Riding Giants is a great primer on surfing and surf culture—fascinated with very big waves—Step Into Liquid keeps asking a different question: how many different ways are there to surf?

And that makes it fantastic viewing. Watch it.

^{SURFODRAMA #2}

🧐 Is it better to be a surf dude or a dudette?

Is it better to be a guy or a girl in surfing? We really wanted to say, “the answer will surprise you.” It’s not that—but it’s still worth taking a moment to think about.

This story is split into two parts. Part 1 deals with “the uncomfortable” and last year’s events that ended up in court. Therefore—a trigger warning.

Part 2 is safe to read. No warnings.

👉 Read Part 1 (includes link to Part 2)
👉 Read Part 2 only

^{GIRL WHO CHOSE TO PADDLE ANYWAY}

🏄🏻‍♀️ You don’t need a perfect pop-up, Jen

Meet Jen, who: a) is in the water 5 mornings a week, b) didn’t start until she was 55, c) found waaaay more than just the joy of surfing in the lineup.

This is a must-read story for anyone who’s obsessing over their pop-up.

👉 Read the full story

^{ALL THINGS SURF DIRECTORY}

🍫📍 Welcome to Willy Wonka’s Surf Emporium (okay, not quite)

We very much like to think about the All Things Surf Directory as Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory—but for surf stuff. Even if it’s still early days.

You’ve all found a Golden Ticket and can now proceed to explore the upcoming surf retreats featured in the directory.

Sri Lanka with The Sevana in February and March
Nicaragua with Surfin Fire
South Africa with Honeybush Swell in April
El Salvador with Shred Sisters in April
Portugal with Surf n’ Zouk in May

👉 Explore all the surf retreats

All Things Surf Directory is not just for surf retreats. It’s for all things surf. And anyone can contribute (it’s totally free)!

^{THE WIPEOUT WEEKLY SURF NEWS ROUNDUP}

🗞️ Heavy surf. Marine rescues. Big wave injuries, and more.

🚤 Boat capsizes in Steamer Lane lineup
A boat sped through the Steamer Lane surf zone in heavy conditions, flipped in the whitewater, and surfers in the lineup helped rescue all six occupants before authorities arrived.

🚁 Search suspended for two Santa Cruz surfers
The Coast Guard halted a large multi-agency search near the Santa Cruz lighthouse after no missing persons reports matched the distress call and no surfers were located.

🏥 Justine Dupont injured at Todos Santos event
Big wave charger Justine Dupont suffered an L1 vertebral fracture during the Thriller at Killers competition but is expected to recover and return to surfing.

🏅 USA Surfing names new commissioner
Todd Kline has been appointed USA Surfing’s new Surf Athlete Commissioner to represent competitors and help steer Olympic pathway decisions toward the 2028 LA Games.

🎬 £10,000 Women of the Sea film fund opens
The Women of the Sea Film Fund is now accepting submissions and will award a £10,000 grant to a women-led surf film premiering at the 2026 London Surf / Film Festival.

👉 Read the full news roundup

^{ALL THINGS THE WIPEOUT WEEKLY}

_{The Wipeout Weekly—our home and digital magazine.
The Wee Surf Shoppe—explore useful, cute, and sometimes simply outrageous surf “stuffs”.
The Wipeout Weekly podcast—daily surf stories and weekly* guests.
All Things Surf Directory—launching soon, but check out a selection of surf retreats today.
Girls Who Can’t Surf Good—an 86k-member-strong private group on Facebook.}
Feedback—we do want to hear from you! Whatever is on your mind, drop us a line.

⬆️ Aaaaaaand that was the last wave of the week!
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