First Trip to the Coast

There's a moment every inland rider knows: I want the real thing. I want to feel a wave decide.

First Trip to the Coast is the planner that turns that moment into a trip that actually works — written for a first-timer heading from lake water to salt water.

• Choosing your coast: break types, honest regional guidance, seasons, and where to stay
• Reading a surf forecast before you can read a wave — the four numbers that matter
• Rent or bring? The board question answered, plus exactly what to rent
• The five-system packing method, including the wetsuit temperature guide
• Safety first: rip currents, your board as flotation, the buddy rule — learned at the kitchen table, not in the water
• The beginner's craft: paddling, the pop-up, getting out, falling well
• Lineup etiquette, reading the water on day one, a full seven-day trip template, a budget worksheet, and a seven-day trip log to fill in as you go

24 pages. Digital PDF download from Carve My Waves™.