Paddling for a wave that’s barely cresting, I crouch down and pump my legs in search of the ocean energy below. The unbreaking swell line arrives as the deep ocean power pulses through my equipment. I make the necessary adjustments for take off. The world goes silent, time slows and my vision focuses as I rise out of the water and begin to soar down the line. The magic carpet ride begins, and the joyous feeling of foil surfing overtakes me as another amazing foil session ensues. This is foil surfing, and it’s the latest addiction of water loving athletes around the world.

After 15 years of kite surfing, professional SUP racing and surfing, foiling is the latest way I have found to enjoy the gifts of the ocean. A synergistic combination of surfing, stand up paddling and flying combine to make foil surfing one of the most diverse and exciting ways to spend time on the water. From downwind foiling with hours of endless glides, to finding excitement in ankle high waves that don’t even break, to tow foiling giant rolling mounds of raw power, foil surfing is the ultimate tool to harness the energy of the ocean for pure fun and stoke. Foiling is assuming a position amidst a line of tools for fun and to which water lovers seem to inevitably be drawn, like moths to a porch light.

When I entered the world of water sports, my main motivation was to have this fun and to progress. The challenge and process of learning a new sport is exhilarating. Each session provides both physical and mental learning opportunities both physically and mentally. Since my early kite surfing days of getting thrashed through the water, sinus enemas and ego-altering surf beatings, I’ve been in search of new challenges and ways to maximize fun and flow on the water.

In 2017, after I began to wind down my sup racing career, I had an opportunity to take over Blue Zone SUP surf camps in Nosara, Costa Rica. With amazingly consistent surf and miles of empty lineups, living in Costa Rica allows me to enjoy and share world-class SUP surf and foil surfing conditions with clients. With the addition of Blue Zone Foil Surf Camps, I’m now sharing the foiling stoke as well.

Foil surfing is an amazing compliment to SUP surfing for those who are dedicated wave riders. If you’re new to sup surfing, you’ll want to get to a confident intermediate surfing level before considering foil surfing in the waves. This means you should be consistently surfing front-side, back-side, turning and easily selecting the right waves. Foil surfing is fun, but can also be dangerous if not approached with the correct safety equipment, conditions and coaching.

Starting behind a boat with a helmet and impact vest is by far the best and safest way to begin your foil surfing journey. Do not go straight to the waves before attempting behind a boat first. Taking your foil straight to the surf is like running with scissors before you’ve learned to walk.

Once you’re confidently flying behind a boat, you can journey into the surf with a helmet and impact vest. A critical element of your foil surfing success will be the wave conditions you choose to go out in. Beginner to advanced foil surfers excel in what could be described as terrible surfing conditions. Fat, small, mushy waves that barely break are the most ideal conditions for foil surf learning and fun.

The beauty of foil surfing is that the efficiency of the foil allows a rider to maximize the ocean’s energy through an enhanced lack of drag. Small, mushy waves allow a foiler to tap into the ocean’s power without the consequence of a heaving barrel, close-outs or high risk of injury. So the smaller and mushier the wave, especially when learning, the better!

Do not attempt your first ocean sessions in waves over waist high or waves that are powerful and dumping close to the beach. Remember, fat, mushy and barely breaking surf is beautiful for foil surfing. It should also go without saying that foilers should never foil near other people in the water.

Once you’ve set yourself up for success by starting behind a boat with proper safety equipment, attempting your first waves in small, mushy, uncrowded surf, you’re on the path to foil freedom.

The silent hum of the foil as you tap into pure wave energy will likely ignite a new water sport addiction in you. Soon you’ll be chasing perfect, unbreaking, mushy foil waves that would otherwise go unnoticed by a ‘regular’ surfer’s eyes. Prepare yourself for a whole new perspective on life as a water sport enthusiast that’s sure to keep you excited for countless sessions to come.

The search for new foil waves with the eyes of a wave-hungry foiler is one of my favorite aspects of this sport. While on a recent Blue Zone Foil Surf camp exploration trip in Costa Rica, I was able to foil for a second time what I believe is one of the best foil waves in the world. I’ve had my sights on this region since I first learned to foil. Imagine a 1km wave that surfers have basically ignored for decades because of its mushy, slow, rolling qualities. This is a perfect foil wave lying dormant, waiting for a rider with the tool of frictionless flight to fully enjoy its beauty! It’s a wave that is mostly unsurfable by the usual drag-heavy surfboards, unless the South Pacific pumps out a monster swell aimed in just the right direction.

Local and visiting surfers to this area largely ignore this wave.They are seeing the wave, like many non-foilers see great foil waves, with the eyes of someone eternally stuck on one side of a river not knowing how to build a bridge to get to the other side. With my foil mounted for flight, I crossed the bridge and was ready to experience the full potential of this spot with a proper swell in the water.

My first time foiling this wave was in 2019. The swell was small and not quite wrapping in to maximize the spot's potential. Despite the knee high swell, I had a ton of fun and knew that with even a slightly bigger swell, the wave would likely come alive. When I returned to the spot in the summer of 2020 with a large swell in the water, I was eager to fly. Pulling up to the point, I could see long lines of swell energy wrapping in and continuing out of sight. My secret foil paradise was pumping out perfect, chest to head high lines as far as I could see.

The only problem with a long foil wave is that you have to paddle or pump back out after a ride. When rides are routinely over 1 minute, this can become quite the physical challenge. When rides approach 4 minutes, you don’t paddle or pump, you walk back. That’s just what I did on this summer day in foil surf heaven. I had been riding some amazing waves on the first point for about 30 minutes when I caught a head high set wave on the outside. Instead of making my usual exit off the wave after about a minute of flying and carving, I decided to make the connection to the 2nd point, then to the 3rd and finally went full commitment to the 4th point, nearly 4 minutes of flying later. Legs shaking from countless turns and focused trimming, I smiled incredulously as I ended the wave in awe of the fun and joy of foiling.

Looking back toward the horizon, my car parked next to the first point appeared like a tiny white speck, barely distinguishable from the whitewater nearby. I began to paddle back when I realized it would take me at least 30 minutes just to get there. I found my way onto the beach flanked by dense, green jungle, and with parrots squawking I began my long walk back. I couldn’t stop grinning. I took it all in and hurried back to the first point, ready for another magic carpet ride of foil bliss.

If you’re looking for fun and coaching on your foil surfing or sup surfing journey, you can access our free tutorial libraries at bluezonefoilsurf.com and bluezonesup.com. You can also visit us in Costa Rica for an all-inclusive week of foil surf or sup surf coaching, guiding and progression.