Surfing vs Scuba Diving Thrill / Experience

[circusoflife]

Are there any divers here who also surf?

I'm a certified scuba diver with about 60 dives in various parts of the world. I've experienced many thrilling high adrenaline dives. Far more variety than the # of dives that I actually have (See profile for list of locations). Many more places I still want to scuba dive, but I've been thinking.....about surfing too.

I tried to learn how to surf a couple of times on my own when I lived in Southern California, but with no success. I'm thinking of taking a formal class in Costa Rica, or some other place in the world.

So my question is - how do you compare the thrill / adrenaline rush of surfing vs scuba diving?

Assuming that you are proficient at each, and ideally that you have traveled around the world to do one or the other at any particular time.

 

[Bill51]

The only time I get a rush out of scuba diving similar to surfing is when I really screw up badly. I try not to do that very often.

Two completely different sports with different objectives.

 

[cudachaser]

Yes...I surf and dive, Cocoa Beach is a major surfing community...I mostly dive though, surfing is too much work, plus it's really become very crowded with a lots of kooks out there

 

[james croft]

It is all about the toys. I own a couple of surfboards. Other than a leash on them and wondering what wax to use, or who has the coolest surfboard racks, there is not much to do with them than ride em. Now dive gear, on the otherhand, lets you configure, maintain, argue if something's DIR, and spend as much time fussing with the gear as you do diving it.

 

[pakman]

For me, I find they are two very different sports. Whereas surfing is a big adrenaline rush (probably more to do with my spending most of my time crashing under the foam...) and diving to be so peaceful (or least the kind of diving I do...) I'm sure the tech diving dudes with tell you about the rush when they're pushing the envelope... Once in awhile (for us "recreational" divers), you'll find a fast drift dive that's got you whooping thru your reg...

I have to agree with Joe on the crowd issue with surfing... None of that territorial bs and fighting for the waves... I guess u get some of that with some of the more popular dive sites and some territorial photographers who will hoard a shot underwater... "back off haolie, this is my pigmie horsefish, go back to the mainland dude"

And as for equipment, you can't complain about the simplicity of surfing... this is coming from an ex-windsurfer who'll sit their tooling his rig for 1/2 hr, get out on the water, then have to change sails as the wind changes... then I look at the growing pile of scuba and u/w photo gear I'm starting to amass...

Unfortunately, where I dive in Asia the surf and diving don't mix (conditions wise) with maybe the exception of Bali... One of these days I'll have to check out the surfing scene in the Philippines...

PS just took a look at your profile. How was the surf in the maldives...? I hear its nice, but most of my friends were there for the diving.

 

[circusoflife]

For me, I find they are two very different sports. Whereas surfing is a big adrenaline rush (probably more to do with my spending most of my time crashing under the foam...) and diving to be so peaceful (or least the kind of diving I do...) I'm sure the tech diving dudes with tell you about the rush when they're pushing the envelope... Once in awhile (for us "recreational" divers), you'll find a fast drift dive that's got you whooping thru your reg...

PS just took a look at your profile. How was the surf in the maldives...? I hear its nice, but most of my friends were there for the diving.

Thanks for the thoughts on that. I've done a good amount of drift diving, so definitely more adrenaline involved. Lots of drift diving in the Maldives. I wrote a report on it ..search for UNDERWHELMED IN THE MALDIVES. It's in the Asia forum.

Also..diving with big creatures helps in the adrenaline department. I haven't hit any of the biggies yet like S. Africa, Galapagos, etc...but I have done Blue Corner in Palau. That was high adrenaline.

I didn't really take note of the surf in the Maldives on the coastal areas - mostly on a liveaboard. There were some very large waves upon surfacing from some dives though. Let's just say surface markers are the norm. Happy I carried a Dive Alert too. That helped a couple of times.

 

[Divesherpa]

Another surfer and diver here.

I don't get much adrenaline out of either sport. I'm much more centered while doing both than almost anything else (maybe snowboarding could fit in there too). Surfing in the US is OK, but Costa is much better. If you are adventurous, you can find some great breaks in Costa without anyone else on them.

Couple of hints: start with a longboard and gain proficiency paddling before you even try to catch a wave.

Cheers,
Jamie

 

[wet]

I pass on diving when the waves are hot...usually, for us on the West Coast of Florida that means bad diving weather anyway with hurricanes/tropical storms.

All in all, I love them both equally and always plan diving/surfing vacations together.

 

[Hank49]

If my favorite surf break was 6-8 feet, glassy and no one out vs my favorite dive site with a low tide coming high...(unreal conditions for current and sharks and just fricken good) I would still choose to surf. I'd probably get pounded nowadays but there is NOTHING in the world like paddling out over glassy swells watching them peel down the line.....dropping in, turning an hitting the lip.....yeah man... well, one thing compares....at least that's what I have to tell her....haha

 

[Gary D.]

Sharks like surfers more than divers so I guess if there is a shark following the board it would be an adrenaline rush.

Gary D.