The idea of surfing alone can be very alluring.
Freedom, peace, quiet, and a time to be alone, a time to be selfish and do your own thing – without answering to anyone.
There are a lot of benefits to surfing alone that’s for sure, but there are some downsides too.
We’ll be covering it all in this post.
Keep reading to find out more.
PRO’S OF SURFING ALONE
NO COMPROMISE
How often is it that you call up a friend for a surf and you’re given conditions – “I’ll be ready in about an hour”, “let’s not surf there, let’s surf here instead”…
There’s always a compromise.
Surfing alone eradicates all of this.
Your call, your time frame, your choice – every time.
LESS CROWDS
Surfing with friends is fun don’t get me wrong, but that means sharing out the waves with them too – which equals less waves for you.
Surfing alone allows you to be selfish, and take all the waves for yourself.
PEACE AND QUIET
Surfing with friends comes with a certain amount of chat.
Great for the beach, but often unwanted in the surf.
Surfing solo gives you that bit of me-time, that time alone, just you immersed in the ocean.
And it’s not often you get that time nowadays.
CONS OF SURFING ALONE
SAFETY
Surfing alone means that no ones got your back, if anything happens, you’re on your own.
Snap your leash, get cramp, injure yourself, it’s on you.
Nobody is coming to rescue you.
That’s why surfing alone should only be done if you’re very experienced.
SHARE THE STOKE
Have you ever got a tube, done a turn, or had a sick wave – and done it all in front of your mate?
There’s no better feeling.
In fact, I’d go as far as to say it makes things easily 33% better just having the witness.
I know it’s all just massaging the ego, but hey, we’re all human right?
When you surf alone you miss this ego boosting opportunity.
Shallow, granted, but true nonetheless.
STORIES
Sharing an epic surf with friends stays with you for years, something you can reminisce and reflect back on for a lifetime.
Surfing by yourself robs you of all that joy, and all the shared stories that go alone with it.
MORE EXPENSIVE
If you have to travel to surf, surfing with a friend will help to share the costs of transport.
Surfing alone however means the buck falls with you, and can soon burn a hole in your wallet.
NO PEER PRESSURE
Peer pressure gets a bat wrap nowadays, but it definitely has it’s time and place.
Surfing with friends will encourage you to take a few extra risks, maybe to take off on a wave you wouldn’t usually, or surf when it’s out of your comfort zone.
All this comes from surfing with other people, and it’s something that gets missed surfing alone.
CONCLUSION
Is it better to surf alone, or is it better to surf with friends.
There’s a time and a place to surf solo, don’t get me wrong, but I think surfing with friends trumps it all.
Life is better when shared with others, even if it does come with some downsides.
Embrace it all, and just get in the water more regardless.
Yew!
Rowan 
ROWAN CLIFFORD
Rowan is the technical nerd behind the scenes. A lover of everything entrepreneurial, and living a minimal, simple life. Surf, Travel, Create.
