How To Bodyboard

How To Bodyboard
Since bodyboarding on a beach holiday near Newquay in Cornwall I've been looking for some definitive instructions on how to bodyboard aimed at beginners.

Bodyboarding is great fun and, unlike surfing, is quite easy to get started with some basic kit.

Here it is in a nutshell:

How beginners can learn how to ride a wave on a bodyboard.

Step 1 - Bodyboarding Kit
1 bodyboard with leash
1 wetsuit short or long
Optional rash guard
1 pair of fins
1 pair of fin socks

Step 2 - Getting ready
Get dressed in your bodyboarding gear.
Attach the bodyboard leash to your upper arm.
At the water's edge put your fins and attach the fin tethers to your ankles. The tethers stop your fins being ripped off by a wave – it can happen!

Step 3 - Paddle out
Walk into the water until it's knee deep lifting your feet up high with each step to avoid tripping on your fins. Alternatively walk backwards. Lay on your bodyboard and start paddling.
Lye on your board with the tail on your lower belly area.
Hold the nose with both hands and start kicking with your feet. As you kick, keep your fins below the surface to optimise your propulsion through the water.
To paddle out with your arms, position yourself so your weight is right in the centre of the board with the nose an inch or two above the water. Paddle with your arms just like if you were swimming.
Look for a spot and paddle out to it. White water waves coming straight into the beach are ideal.

Step 4 – Duck diving
You may have noticed people disapperaing under the waves – this is duck diving to get beyond the breaking waves.
As a breaking or broken wave approaches you, hold the bodyboard near its nose, head on to the wave, and push it under the water, at the same time pressing your knee down on the tail. Keep the nose pointed down and dive with your board under the wave as deep as you can go. Continue to kick until the wave has passed over and it's safe to surface.

Step 5 - Catching a wave
Stay away from waves that are too big for your level of bodyboarding experience.
When you spot a good wave approaching, turn towards the beach and start to kick your feet. If you keep up a good speed you should feel yourself being picked up by the wave.
To pick up extra speed, press down very slightly on the nose of the board… but not too hard or you could flip right over the top of the wave.

Step 6 - Riding the wave
You've probably seen the experts riding the waves at angles. This is called running a trim line. If you're going to the left, grab the side of the board or 'rail' with your left hand and keep your right hand on the nose. If you're going to the right, do it vice-versa.
Now pull your body up over the front of the board and arch your back and hold your head high.
As you ride, pull up the rail of the board with the hand that's to the side, causing the wave-side of the board to dig into the wave.

SAFETY WARNING
You need to be a good swimmer and only bodyboard where there's a Lifeguard on duty. Most of the beaches around Newquay and Padstow have Lifeguards on them during the day. And never get into the water if you're unsure about the sea conditions.

BBC iPlayer on BT Vision

Can I get the BBC iPlayer on BT Vision?
A question I was wondering. Apparently no, not at the moment. Many of the BBC's recent TV shows are available from the BT Vision On Demand service.
A Mac Mini attached to your HD Ready TV with a wireless keyboard would enable you to access the internet and play the BBC iPlayer with all its features.