Flat water paddling is deceptively easy. It's standup. You paddle. At first that's all there is to know.

The days are a bit short at the moment but in a couple of months if you live by the bay you will be able to get out for morning and/or evening paddles if you can get up early enough. In summer it will need to be morning paddles because the sea breezes are about the same as what you get in Perth.

The waves are way harder to do properly. Skill increases steadily but quite slowly. The wave riding is easy enough but getting the board into position and not tripping over your paddle is an acquired skill. You can still have a nice time missing waves and paddling about reefs and catching the odd ripple.

Melbourne is 1-2 hours from the various surf breaks (depending on where you live and which break you go to) so unless you are super flexible in your time you will only have weekends and days off to get into the surf.

I bought my board as soon as I could because I wanted to get out and get SUPing. I've only been at it for 4 weeks and I've had a good selection of flat water and wave sessions. I've only felt a little bit like a nong in a fairly well populated break. Most of the time if feel like Gorgo-King-of-the-Ocean striding across my watery domain! If you're keen buy a board now and get out and do it.

See if you can get out for a paddle on the starboard 11'2'', as greeny would say, "it's got soul!!"
I reckon this is a great board for the flat and surf. Its nice and stable at 30'' wide and we have them out in the waves and they are great fun. I wouldn't buy a board for your current beginner level as with time you are going to improve and then out grow it and want to progress to something else. Demo a 11'2'' you'll love it!!

If you don't mind a longer learning curve get a smaller board if you are just in it for cruising get a 11 foot plus board.

My question is with really only weekends to spare and pretty new to the sport and Melbourne, how much access to the flat stuff or surfy stuff am I likely to get.

Welcome Northern Monkey, I'll look forward to seeing you out and about. You could get out every weekend in Melbourne if the last few months are a guide. Access to the bay and surf depend where you live. From Melbourne it's about 10-15 mins to the bay and about 1.5 hours to the surf. Every so often we head out for a night paddle down the yarra which is kind of fun.

As for buying one you should see if you can demo a few first first and look around, no need to worry about getting a board across the Nullabor then.

Cheers guys,

you all sound pretty cool and I am much happier about my move now in the knowledge there is an accessible group of legends i could hook up for a paddle with.

mick

The monkeys tree house was in Barnsley south yorkshire, before he moved " dar sarth " to the sunshine coast in sussex about 10 yrs ago.