Point Break vs Beach Break; which one is better for Surfing?

 

There is something so peaceful and freeing about riding waves. Each time I go out, it's a different experience.  When I was a beginner, learning to surf, beach breaks were fun because I could go during low tide and ride the white wash.  This helped build my stamina, learn the correct way to hold my board, sit on, practice turns, grab the board quickly when wiping out and learn more about the properties of the Ocean. 

When I ready to be in the line-up to ride more quality waves, I couldn't figure out why I was not progressing. It became a very stressful experience trying to pop up on my surfboard fast enough to ride the waves. Sometimes, it worked, sometimes it didn't. The amount of wipeouts I would have on steeper surf days were irritating. I got a couple of black eyes, dislocated my shoulder from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also noticing that my friends who were all short boarders would have the best time catching waves.

Then one day, I got invited with another group of surfers to a Point break which is a rocky bottom beach. Although I had to go buy surf booties to protect my feet against sharper edged rocks and paddle out further requiring a lot more stamina, I noticed right away how the rolling wave wrapped around my 9ft board better, riding down the line for almost a whole minute. That was pretty dope! Although a point break requires a lot more skill and precision to get the full experience of surfing at a point break, the journey of learning is worth it.  It's a style, a dance and a personality to the way you walk up and down your longboard. I like to call it Zen movements.

Whereas Shortboarders is all about power moves. You can do more maneuvers and aerials like skateboarders.  I didn't have the same maneuverability on steeper, shallow waves as they had with my longboard. Most of the time my ride would be pop up, ride a little of the white wash, then done. It all started to make sense then my surfing abilities progressed.. 

Having fewer wipeouts at point breaks and more People who practiced surf etiquette, gave me the ability to relax and select better waves then just going for every single one of them. So when I go surfing now, depending on what beach I'm hanging out at, I know the difference in my expectations. 

However, a beach break on smaller surf days can offer a smoother ride. Every surfboard doesn't always work at every beach. I know that shortboarders never like hanging out with me at most pointbreaks unless it's a really big day. That provides them with a steeper drop. But if I go with them to their favorite spots when the waves are big and steep at a sandy bottom beach that breaks closer to the shoreline, my board has the potential to get damaged or broken in addition to me being at risk for injuries.

With that said, learning the characteristics of the waves you like riding and where your surfboard performs the best is the key to progression. Of course, any seasoned surfer will tell you all boards work at all breaks, it's just knowing where you need to be on the wave.