Loads of people go surfing – have a few lessons, stand up, ride into the beach, in the frothy water, in a straight line. Completed it mate… not quite. This is the first step though and brilliant fun that it is, you’ve work to do before people will mistake you for Kelly Slater.

The next step is to go a little further out, to find those waves that aren’t yet broken. Known as ‘green’ waves and when you can catch those and even start to turn across the wave you’re doing good!

Those who are good and are ‘out back’ with their short and pointy boards are in the water all the time. There’s some truth in the talk about ‘feeling’ the ocean, being able to read what’s going on, which wave to go for (and not go for) is vital.

Practise, practise, practise.

You need to get in the water as much as possible, you need to be paddle (and pop up) fit and you’ve got to want it.

The HOFNAR experience along with our mates at KingSurf have a few weekends lined up for those who are keen to progress. The weekends will see just 8 guests surfing twice (maybe three) times a day. We’ll have the same instructor and kit all weekend and we’ll go out in the vans trying different beaches and surfing at the best time for the best waves. In the evenings we’ll look at video footage and get a few pointers of what we’re doing wrong.

These weekends are much more about the surfing than our normal trips – they are aimed at those who are taking on green waves and who are getting ‘out back’ – read more about it here

In the end you just need to be in the water… as much as possible. When we’re not going there are lifts to be had and different areas to explore with Facebook groups such as the London Surfers or there are various surf MeetUp groups to encourage you out into the waves.

Practise, practise, practise!