When the sun comes out, and you have checked your daily surf forecasts, you want nothing more than to be in your wetsuit catching a wave or ten on a beautiful beach somewhere.
That feeling... Wow, there is nothing else like it in the world. Although the UK has a huge coastline, the surf beaches aren’t always close to the ever growing population of surfers. We travel from all over the country for our favourite past-time, some of us travelling hours to get to our nearest surf beach.
But we have other life commitments as well, plus the cost of fuel has skyrocketed, so it’s not always possible to get to the beach for a surf.
So, what can you do when you have that overwhelming feeling of FOMO, when your Instagram feed is full of people catching waves, barbecuing on the dunes afterwards and showing off their perfect pics? Gahhh.
It’s important to be mindful of this and to make sure you find happiness in other past times. Just being near water can often help reduce this “surfxiety” and there are many waterways all over the UK that could be easier to get to for you than a surf beach.
Alternative wild water fixes
SUP
Or paddle board, sessions have become way more popular since the pandemic hit. Sales of paddle boards went up massively as people looked for isolated outdoor activities to do with the family to relieve the boredom. Many lakes, rivers, and marinas now offer SUP lessons with equipment hire if you wanted to try it for the first time. Paddle boarding is great for improving your balance, reduces stress levels (from missing surfing!), exercises your whole body, helps you lose weight and offers a great environment for meditation!
Kayaking
Again, really popular, with hire available in many places around the UK. Inflatable kayak sales also went up massively over the past few years and it has become a really popular past-time. It is easy to do and paddling down a river or on calm seas is fun, it’s exhilarating, it’s a workout and you can enjoy it with the kids whilst enjoying the views. Take a picnic, explore some of the countryside around where you live. Nature is a wonderful tonic and a great distraction from life (and not being able to surf!).
Wake surfing
This is awesome. Not to be confused with wake boarding, also awesome. Wake surfing is where you let go of the short tow line from a boat that tows you and literally surf on the wave created by the boat that has launched you. If you are close to a lake this could be a great fix away from the beach. Still getting your surf on! Look out for places that offer wake surfing near you.
Lake swimming
There are dedicated lakes where open water swimming is safe and regulated. Many triathletes train in these lakes and the advisable way to do this safely is to wear your wetsuit, wear a brightly covered swim hat to be visible and make sure the lake you are swimming in is suitable for swimmers. Some lakes are not suitable to swim in and could contain bacteria or algae that can be harmful, so before jumping into an unknown body of water, do some research online and read the signs. To find some safe open water swimming venues go to https://www.swimming.org/openwater/open-water-swimming-venues/. Look out for joining clubs where you will have a coach and hang out with like-minded swimmers. It’s a safe and fun way to get out in the water and socialise.
So, when you can’t get away to surf, all is not lost! Rather than scrolling through your Insta feed on a weekend feeling flat and envious, get back out in nature. Try something new and accessible. You will probably end up going back time and time again when it’s not possible to surf. We won’t lie, it won’t be the same as surfing as the surf buzz is hard to replace, but, as they say, variety is the spice of life and happiness comes from many different places, and nature is a huge source of positivity and mindfulness.
Let’s face it, we are water lovers and adventurers so we can find joy in many things. Here at Kosin we are inspired by nature and escapism – wanting to enjoy the great outdoors and UK coastline as often as our busy lives allow us to! Our collection of 100% cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies has the whole family covered for your next outdoor adventure. Check out our collection HERE.
