Surf Etiquette
If you’re planning on venturing out into
the surf on your stand up paddle board (which is
highly recommended – you’ll have a blast
and likely it will be a transforming experience),
it is imperative to understand that you are joining
the surfing community. Unless you are a seasoned
surfer, it is imperative that you understand and
respect the fact that you are not only a newcomer
(like any new surfer), but that you are a newcomer
on a new type of board. It is imperative that you
educate yourself on surf etiquette. Don’t
be one of the oblivious SUPers that give the sport
a bad rep with the surfing community. In this community,
the motto is you need to give respect to get respect.
I repeat... Don’t
be one of the oblivious SUPers!
Surf Etiquette
This below is an abstract of a more comprehensive
bill of rights and lefts that is the original work
of Surfline and Surfology.
Click
here for the full piece on surf etiquette
.
Pick the right spot for your level
Pretty straightforward. If you’re a beginner,
learn to surf on the uncrowded breaks (which are
worse of course). If you’re an advanced surfer,
go where you’re skills can be utilized…
and if you’re surfing in a beginner break
don’t get agitated by the beginners as you’re
in their “training ground”.
Don’t drop in or snake
A reef break breaks first at a point called the
peak and then breaks in a direction away from the
peak (towards the “shoulder” of the
wave). The best place to catch the wave is at the
peak and then you get the longest ride. The surfer
closest to the peak has the right of way. If you’re
out on the shoulder of the wave and try to catch
the same wave as someone who’s better positioned
“inside” (closer to the peak than you)
that stands up on the wave, then you’re said
to be “dropping in” on them. The term
snaking is a sort of exploitation of the “no
dropping in rule”. It involves quickly moving
inside (closer to the peak) a surfer that is about
to catch a wave and dropping in. Thus it appears
that you dropped in on them (instead of what really
happened). Both are faux paus. The take away here
is that you always need to look inside of you to
see if there is a surfer better positioned who’s
going after the same wave. If so, yield. And if
you happen to inadvertently drop-in on someone,
exit the wave quickly when you realize it and maybe
even apologize to them later. Give respect to others
and they’ll likely return the favor later.
Paddle out wide of the break
Go way out on the shoulder of the wave, out of the
way. For one, it’s easier to paddle outside
of all of the turbulence, but the idea here is to
avoid getting in the path of incoming surfers. If
you happen to get caught inside the whitewater,
ride out the set in the whitewater instead of paddling
towards the shoulder during the set as you’ll
get in the way. Ideally, you kind of surf in down
the wave and naturally go out the shoulder of the
wave. Then you paddle straight out (now wide of
the break). Once you’re out past the breaking
waves, you paddle across over to the back of the
line-up (queue of surfers waiting for the next wave
– with the front of the queue closest to the
expected peak area).
Take turns
Initially you need to assess if there is a line-up,
and if so try to follow suit. Don’t just paddle
out and jump the line-up and chase every wave. In
some places there really isn’t any formal
line-up that is perceivable, but you still kind
of want to take turns. Surfing is meant to be a
relaxed sport. There’s no hurry!
Assess the vibe
Assess the feeling of the surfers in a particular
location and follow suit or go elsewhere. If it’s
a bunch of laid back surfers just having fun and
not being that competitive, follow suit. If you’re
on a highly sought after break with a bunch of competitive
surfers who are competing to get as many waves as
possible in, then pay attention and don’t
miss waves when it’s your turn.
Always aid another surfer in trouble
You got their back, they got your back. The environment
of the ocean and the waves can be a dangerous place.
You’ve usually only got each other.
Respect the locals
This is where the whole notion of giving respect
to get respect comes into play. If you’re
a visitor or a newcomer to an area, respect and
defer to the locals. If there are four locals surfing
in a spot, don’t bring six of your friends
out and take the place over. Be gracious and understand
you’re a guest. Act as such.
Don’t use your surfing advantages
to abuse other surfers
This is the idea of that, “With great power
comes great responsibility.” In surfing, there
are varying advantages in terms of board length,
local knowledge, surfing skill, age/experience,
and physical size. Part of the ethos of surfing
is that of a community. As such you need to be aware
of your advantages, and then not use them to monopolize
the waves. For example, if you have a long board
don’t just camp out deeper than all of the
short boarders and steal every wave because you
can. Likewise, if you’re an experienced surfer
don’t just snake every wave from the novices
because you can. If they’re getting in your
way, perhaps you should pick a spot that better
matches your ability. If you’re surfing in
an area flush with beginners, you have to give them
their due and chance to catch waves too. This whole
idea is imperative to avoid crowded surfing spots
becoming competitive rat races with strained relations
amongst the participants. Surfing is a laid back
sport. Enjoy. Don’t create havoc.
Don’t throw your board
You are supposed to keep a hold of your board and
not let it dangle behind you 10 feet by your lease
in the waves. It can be a danger to other surfers
wildly swinging and bouncing around, and if the
lease breaks it becomes an unpredictable surfboard
shaped torpedo. Dangling your board off your leash
increases the chance of a leash breaking. You need
to be able to operate and keep your board with you
in the surf. If you can’t, try smaller surf
until your skills improve.
Be fun, have fun
Have a positive, deliberately friendly attitude
towards your fellow surfers. At the heart of it,
you are like-minded individuals. Surfing is about
relaxing, having fun, and enjoying the ocean.
Some corollaries for stand up paddle surfers
Don’t hog the waves
You have the ultimate long board, boat like even,
that allows you to catch waves way outside of regular
surfers. Don’t use this surfing advantage
to hog the waves. Just let a set go by every now
and then.
Stay out of the pack
Unless you’re a highly skilled surfer and
waterman in general, you shouldn’t be stand
up paddle boarding in the busy, popular surf breaks
at all. Even in the less crowded breaks, it’s
best to stay clear of the pack. SUP surf on the
fringes – you can catch anything anyways.
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