Mangaluru: “If everybody had an ocean, Across the Karnataka, Then everybody’d be surfin’, Like Mangaluru. You’d see ’em wearing their baggies,Huarachi sandals too, A bushy bushy blond hairdo, Surfin’ Mangaluru! We’ll all be planning out a route, We’re gonna take real soon, We’re waxing down our surfboards, We can’t wait for June, We’ll all be gone for the summer, We’re on surfari to stay,Tell the teacher we’re surfin’- Everybody’s gone surfin’ , Surfin’ Mangaluru!”–these are my modified lyrics of the original “Surfin’ USA” lyrics by the Beach Boys.
With the cancellation and postponement of the First Ever National-Level Surfing Festival” which was suppose to be held from 29 May till 31 May at Panambur Beach, has left the organizers, surfers, public, and most of all, International Surfing Association Instructor-Jamo Borthwick from Australia very much disappointed. But still, Jamo made it a point to visit Panambur Beach on Saturday, 30th may, along with a bunch of surfers belonging to Mantra Surfing Club in Mulki ( associated with Surfing federation of India) to interact with the media personal, organized by Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project, under the directorships of Yathish Baikampady and Isaac Vas.
Yathish Baikampady welcoming the media persons said that pretty soon for the first time in Karnataka, also could be India, Surf Life Saving India (SLSI) will be launched at Panambur Beach/other beaches around here, to promote water safety. The main purpose of forming SLSI is to promote surf life saving clubs and also add more manpower. Although we have our team of Life Guards at Panambur Beach and elsewhere, who have saved many people from drowning, with the addition of SLSI it would be an added benefit. The official logo launching ceremony will be arranged soon pertaining to SLSI. Kishore Kumar- President of Surfing Federation of India in Mulky said, ” We would soon announce the formation of Surf Life Saving India once we get all the formalities done. We would work in association with Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), which is an Australian Non-profit organization that promotes safety at beaches, and also train rescue teams. The formation of SLSI could start probably after monsoon”.
International surfer and surf instructor, Jamo Borthwick addressing the media persons said, ” Panambur Beach is indeed a nice beach, and has the potential to develop surfing events. With proper facilities and good training, the local surfers could benefit a lot here. Once the SLSI is formed I will train surfers in life-saving techniques and other guidelines required by the rescue surfers. There will be intensive training on knowledge of sea/ocean, swirls, waves etc required for surf life saving. With so many drowning accidents taking place, forming a strong and trained SLSI team will definitely prevent further beach accidents/deaths. I am looking forward for the launching of SLSI in the nearest future”.
Surfing, according to The Wikipidia, is a surface water sport in which the wave rider, referred to as a surfer, rides on the forward or deep face of a moving wave, which is usually carrying the surfer toward the shore. Waves suitable for surfing are primarily found in the ocean, but can also be found in lakes or in rivers in the form of a standing wave or tidal bore. However, surfers can also utilize artificial waves such as those from boat wakes and the waves created in artificial wave pools.
The term surfing refers to the act of riding a wave, regardless of whether the wave is ridden with a board or without a board, and regardless of the stance used. The modern-day definition of surfing, however, most often refers to a surfer riding a wave standing up on a surfboard; this is also referred to as stand-up surfing.
One variety of stand-up surfing is paddle boarding. Another prominent form of surfing is body boarding, when a surfer rides a wave on a body-board, either lying on their belly, drop knee, or sometimes even standing up on a body board. Other types of surfing include knee boarding, surf matting (riding inflatable mats), and using foils. Body surfing, where the wave is surfed without a board, using the surfer’s own body to catch and ride the wave, is very common and is considered by some to be the purest form of surfing. Three major subdivisions within standing-up surfing are long boarding, short boarding, and stand up paddle surfing (SUP), and these three have several major differences, including the board design and length, the riding style, and the kind of wave that is ridden.
Following are the excerpts from the interview with Jamo Borthwick:
Q : How did you get your start with surfing? At what point did you realize you had a passion for it?
I started to surf because my family and friends surfed- we live on the coast and our ocean is our playground, our amazing aquatic playground. Surfing was a way of life in our small beach side town, and it was so natural for me to pick up the water sports they were playing. My family members were really into their surfing and I wanted to be there with them down the beach, so eventually they taught me to surf.
When your dream is something you are truly passionate about nothing can get in your way or slow you down. If you want to achieve your goal as I do with my surfing, the focus is naturally there and you are trying to figure out how you can continue to improve. Surfing just picked me in the end while I was growing up that I concentrated fully on that sport.
Q : How can a person develop a life-long obsession with surfing?
Start surfing and get the feel and love of riding a wave and the thrill of challenging yourself to improve progress and ride more and bigger waves and improve technique and do bigger manoeuvres
Q : Has surfing brought you closer to locals or the local culture of the place you were traveling?
Yes I think so that we share the love of the ocean and waves. I am lucky in that I seem to get along with almost everyone almost all of the time. For surfing, many times you have to trek to remote places. This has meant that I come in contact with a lot of locals and consequently have spent a lot of time hanging out with them. It’s fun to meet new people and learn new culture. I love the Indian culture here, the food is excellent, people are friendly with unbelievable hospitality.
Q : How do you compare surfing in surfing cultures, say in Australia versus non-surfing cultures like India or City like Mangaluru?
One is a well established industry while here it is a new expanding developing and growing industry so it is very exciting but also filled with many challenges. In countries with a large percentage of surfers, everything seems to revolve around surfing, so much so, that it can be annoying. It attracts not only considerate surfers, but also the arrogant and selfish crowd. In a place like India, you meet independent travelers that have come to surf and they tend to be much more open minded.
Q: Where are some surf destinations that are at the top of your list for the future? How about your favorite places to revisit?
I love travelling and love seeing new places so anywhere with surf and not crowded waves will be somewhere I will love to travel to, especially if it involves a bit of adventure and scouting out new places. India will always be a favourite and I love every chance I get to come back.
Q : Does Mangaluru has the potential to have a Surfing Training Club? What’s your opinion on the surfers of coastal Karnataka?
Yes for sure. There is already a surf club a short distance out of Mangaluru, at Mulky, and I think another one soon to open will be in the city. As long as it is run professionally with high quality ISA qualified instructors and high standards maintained a surf club should be successful wherever it is located if conditions and the environment are suitable.
As with all of the surfing areas I have seen, the local crew have a very good natural talent
Q : What do you have to say about Surfing in India or Coastal Karnataka?
Very good and very exciting that there is so much still to develop and grow and so much to find and search for.
Q : How long does it take for a starter to be a good surfer? Can anyone learn surfing?
Yes, anyone can learn surfing. There is no specific period- The longer you do it, the more consistently you do it the faster someone will improve and progress. Some people will progress faster than others and develop to higher levels due to natural basic skills and abilities as with all sports.
Q : Do you think Panambur Beach would be an ideal place for surf training? What needs to be done/what is lacking here etc?
Yes, I think there is lots of potential at Panambur Beach. I would like to see it under more conditions and more than a short morning before going into more detail here but definitely there could be good potential for the Mangaluru beaches.
Q : Any tips for our readers who would like to try surfing, but they’re afraid? Any tips on preparing for the water?
I cannot stress enough for those wanting to surf and to learn go to a professional qualified instructor or surf club. These can be found online and from the Surfing Federation of India. Learning the right way from a properly qualified ISA instructor will give you the best opportunity to maximise your learning, your enjoyment and your progress but importantly your safety when you are learning as these ISA instructors have been professionally trained to international standards.
When in the water stay relaxed, stay with your board, listen to your instructors, learn with a fully qualified professional ISA surf instructor and have a heap of fun. You should always be able to comfortably stand when you are learning as you should be in shallow water.
Australian Surf Instructor Jamo Borthwick- A Elaborate Profile:
