Surf etiquette question

[skifishbum]

once upon a time i went to a Utah snow science workshop
for some weird reason the let maynerd g crebs and his gomer split board bro
to give a presentation about the backcountry culture and surfing
all I got from it is
irl Maynerd g Krebs is real similar to dipshit dofuss t-tips maynerd
and if you don't like bmf turns take your ass back to the daks and noodle farm your shit there with the rog
most people learn to surf and don't git much better
some places you need to spend a season keeping jerry's outta the parking lot so they cant even git to the break
supply the safety break nugs and wax boards for ya can even join the line up
so yeah bc skiings cultures way friendlier
and non of it has shit to do with avalaunches

[Ottime]

Mkay.

Yes. Dick move.

If you paddle for a wave, you return to the line up. Some guys don’t get it.

Cole would be an example. He paddles and missed today. I was grabbing the next one and he sits right u set me looking to go. I catch and drop just missing his tail. He proceeds to catch it behind/under me. Like were I wanted to go bitch. Then he flails or something and I hear yell for me to “go”. When I paddled back I explained he didn’t need to tell me to go cause I wasn’t looking back. Decent guy but he looks out too much.

OTOH, I sometimes sit under the peak and grab the waves the slip through the Jerry’s who prefer to take 15 strokes to try and scratch into the wave a foot further outside. Often these waves look unmakable to the kooks sitting on the inside bowl. I don’t really see those guys if that makes sense. I try to encourage them and hoot them into waves, but if I’m eyeing a bowl,, I look deeper than me and go.

It’s hard sometimes surfing in a mixed crowd. I surfed with 5 guys today and often would see waves go by cause I thought someone else had them. I try not to let too many slip through cause waves are limited.

[happytimefunbox]

I try not to let too many slip through cause waves are limited.

Pretty much what it all boils down to

[jackstraw]

I try not to let too many slip through cause waves are limited.

Says the guy in Santa Cruz. Ha! #surferfirstworldproblems

[Long duc dong]

Mkay.

Yes. Dick move.

If you paddle for a wave, you return to the line up. Some guys don’t get it.

.

I have a couple of buddies who will do this to each other. They are both competitive, and bicker from time to time. Either guy will miss a wave, then paddle back out and whip in behind the other one. This has to do with how they interact. Honestly they could have a head a head high Aframe in Newport with consistent sets to themselves and they would STILL find a way to get in each other's way. It is actually kind of funny.

I do think this maneuver is kind of lame if someone is lined up for a wave they are clearly going to catch. But yeah, there is some grey area.

I tend to be pretty nonconfrontational in the lineup, but even I have my limits.

[nortonwhis]

Im confused. The guy was inside you, paddled further out to catch the wave, caught the wave, you dropped in and somehow this isn't your fault? It doesn't matter if you started paddling before him on the shoulder, its his wave til he doesn't go.

If you are a self admitted kook, how can you be sure he wasn't gonna make the wave. It sounds like he did make the wave and wasn't too deep and you just dropped in from what i can tell...

[SumJongGuy]

Im confused. The guy was inside you, paddled further out to catch the wave, caught the wave, you dropped in and somehow this isn't your fault? It doesn't matter if you started paddling before him on the shoulder, its his wave til he doesn't go.

I think there was a line up and someone circled back and took the front of the line after a ride or miss instead of the back behind everyone else in the lineup.

[HellgateBasement]

I think there was a line up and someone circled back and took the front of the line after a ride or miss instead of the back behind everyone else in the lineup.

This.


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[Long duc dong]

Im confused. The guy was inside you, paddled further out to catch the wave, caught the wave, you dropped in and somehow this isn't your fault? It doesn't matter if you started paddling before him on the shoulder, its his wave til he doesn't go.

If you are a self admitted kook, how can you be sure he wasn't gonna make the wave. It sounds like he did make the wave and wasn't too deep and you just dropped in from what i can tell...

I think the guy was paddling back out after a missed wave. Not seeing it makes it tough to really evaluate.

I have actually come close to running a guy over in that sort of situation. He was paddling back out after a wave, I was paddling towards the peak. I was not quite to the peak, I was paddling to my right and going to go left, but he had absolutely no business trying to take it from me. He was a good surfer, and I could see him thinking about spinning around and going behind me. Instead of going left, I went right, which surprised him, he had to scramble to get out of the way. We were not really all that close to colliding, but it pissed me off that he was trying to pull that. I had seen him do it to a couple of other people already that day. I went right, it shut down pretty quickly, I was essentially backdooring right. I wanted the left, but I was in a position where he was going to try to snake me if I went left, and I was not going to let that happen. He didn't try that with me again that day. The guy knew what he was doing, and he was being a fucking dick.

Like I said, there is lots of grey area with this. But lots of the people who do this kind of stuff know EXACTLY what they are doing. They are being greedy assholes and they know it.

[whitekingsalmon]

big time yawn

[HellgateBasement]

big time yawn

I mean, he did shove my board and splash me after, if that gets you excited.

[Ottime]

Don't worry about fish belly. He would get tooled any where he paddles out. All pose, no salt. Maybe he has a internet stock photo to post up to show us where is mind is wandering now. Gotta be getting lonely in his mom's Bishop basement.

[nortonwhis]

I mean, he did shove my board and splash me after, if that gets you excited.

Im still confused even though its been explained to me. Even though he snaked you, or paddled for a wave you thought was yours, you still dropped in on him. If you did that to me and dinged my board i would be pissed. Is behavior prior to, be that snaking or whatever is still second to the point.

[liv2ski]

i think waiting your turn/sharing the waves around (depending on your skills relative to the other surfers) should be just as important as simple "nearest-the-peak-gets-it" etiquette. personally, i'm an ok surfer and most of the time there are way better guys than me in the lineup. this being the case and if the best guys are just taking everything, i'll normally ask nicely, in the right tone, whether they'd mind sharing the odd wide one with the rest of us. on the rare occasions when i'm one of the better guys, i'd hope people would say that' the same holds. i guess no 2 lineups are ever the same, always different characters, what works well here might not go down so well elsewhere. its about using your judgement, being friendly, and if it still ain't happening for ya either stick it out or try somewhere else...

That is how I proceed these days. Paddle out, look around to see what is happening (see below rulz) and after awhile try to split a wave here and there. Most guys want to go right and I am happy to go left.

There are a variety of 'rules' - mix and match.

Deepest Guy Rule - who ever is deepest gets the wave. The problem with this rule is if you have assholes who are all agro to get deepest. Then you need to keep jockeying for position to stay deep. Generally, this rule creates mayhem from my experience.

Local's Rules ** - unless you are a local, you only get left overs. If you are not a local, find another spot. There is usually a wave just nearly as good around the corner.

Gentlemen's Rule - Take turns. You need to make your waves with the Gentlemen's Rule. You digger two waves in a row - find another peak. It does not matter how you ride, you just need to make that drop. When in effect, it is possible for 10-15 gentlemen to share a peak. Talk it out.

Ripper's Rule ** - Take turns. Unless you rip as strong as the crew out there, go some where else. If you drop in like a Barney, and surf like a Kook, you will be dropped in on. Be prepared to watch someone kill it in front of you as you hold on for dear life. You will not get a wave to your self. Even if you are deepest.

Free For All Rule - no real rules are followed. Often this happens at point breaks. Like the "I thought you were not going to make that section" drop ins. Or the "I did not see you" drop ins. Or the "fuck you, it is crowded out here" drop ins.

** I find these to be lame rules, but they do exist in many line ups. The Point/Slot area at Steamers Lane will usually have one of these two rules in effect.

I am kind of use to the "Free for all rules" but sometimes you get lucky and the crowd is more mellow and willing to share. This BS is why I like to ski more than surf. Dealing with assholes in the lineup is not what I am looking to do.

[Ottime]

I just surfed a thumping 3’ OH to DOH ledge that you needed to descend a 50’ cliff to access. Surfed with 8 guys. No issues sharing waves.

Just a quarter mile away 35 guys were out at a deep water break that was for sure breaking longer than the ledge. I’m sure it was pretty fun when you got one. But almost every wave had two people on it to start and a whole line up to negotiate.

Meanwhile, we were going one at time and hooting each other in. And these offered up some insane pits.

I don’t know if I could be a surfer in SoCal. I occasionally surf the point and slot at the lane. But most days I avoid that dealio and surf else where. Could not do that daily.

[jackstraw]

Pretty sure I know where you were and yeah that descent keeps many away.

[Ottime]

As well as the thickness.

There is another slab a 1/4 mile hike under the cliffs north of the creek. That peak has three surfing it.

Access and lack of distinct channel keep most away from there as well.

[carpathian]

... now imagine the trepidation in trying to figure out the 'rules of the break' as a kook haole on a SUP!

First thought is if there are other sups out in the line up you are good to go. Until the day I was watching this break and the only sup guy came out and he was the classic leather brown haole who had been on island for 25 years. First thing he chastised me for parking with tire on the white line on the road. Then proceeded to tell me the only reason he could sup there was because he'd put in his time otherwise... ok buddy. in general the rule still applies .

So I try to be over respective of not pissing people off. Which usually means avoiding busy breaks.

One time I was at Kukio and there were just two locals taking turns. I kept hanging back, hanging back, just watching from the shoulder until they called me in... new best friends!

Closest to actually getting ass kicked?

I'd been surfing/supping at the Lahaina break wall most every day all winter. As it turns out that is the off season for south side swell on the islands. Lots of waist high to shoulder with the occasional over head set once a week type thing.

Then the first south swell of the season hit in early May. I rolled to the parking lot early got all baked and jumped in the water. To my astonishment there was like 100 people in the water. Not one paddle boarder. Whatever I thought as I literally bee lined out about 50 feet past the deepest guys. This is where the wave break so this is where I am going seems logical right?

It was a nice day, perfect glass and these waves had serious meat to them unlike the waves that had been coming through all winter. Then I noticed the silence. And then I looked around and realized these dudes were all tatted locals . No tourists to be seen. Then I saw a couple guys looking at me as one whispered and pointed at me.

Ah shoot, I know what is going on now. At least I was as tanned as could be but that only gets you so far...

I tucked tail before even trying for a wave and went on the inside where the inside breaks were surprisingly good! I caught 7 or 8 maybe but kept looking longingly to the sweet overhead glassy walls on the outside.

This was my last surf session of the year and was getting on plane back to Alaska the next day. Fuck this if I'm gonna sit in here picking up scraps on the best day of the season! I slowly made my way back out through the line up ignoring the stink eye. Right as I was near the front of the line up I could see a rogue set on the hazy horizon.

I saw it before everyone and just stated digging! Then they all were but I was in the lead. It was a 1,2,3 set with the tallest looming in the rear with the first of the three being bigger than anything else of the day anyway. I made it over the first one easy, barely made it over the second one. I figured that cleaned everyone one out but when I looked back I saw 8 or 10 dudes all smashing the water behind me . OMG they want to kill me! I thought as the monster wave stood tall. I had to muster all the skill in me to turn the board 180 deg as the face picked me up and right at the top of the lip I was in position and made the drop!

Now I was staightlining though the crowd that was duck diving. made one heel side bottom turn to the left and saw that 4 or 5 other guys snake my wave!

* pause* this is the point of the story about who has right of way, technically I do because I dropped in the deepest but I broke a bunch of rules to get there *unpause*

The wave basically smashed everyone to oblivion as I had to stayed on my feet and got in front of the huge pile of white water and rode straight to the beach. I double stepped to the parking lot fully expecting to get chased down for a beat down. Hopped in the van and drove away. That was my last wave in Maui.

[kootenayskier]

On my first morning in El Salvador this Spring. I’m based out of a more mellow zone, but La Libertad is apparently going off, and my host is selling it hard and offers a ride, so I figured I’d check it out. It’s 6’-8’ glassy perfection, at least 70 guys out, and several pro level performers demolishing the sets. I hang out on the far inside, picking up scraps and trying to get my groove back after 6 months out of the water. I eventually decide to paddle towards the main peak for a closer look, casually making my way through the line-up. Still well short of the take-off zone a heavily tattooed, shaved headed, gangster vibe local is having none of it and calls my lily white ass out in the most aggressive way possible. We both know how this is going to play out. I’m the tourist here and accept my humiliation with as much grace as circumstances allow.

[robnow]

Yeah, my time in El Salvador was not a positive one either. Spent a month in La Libertad after my buddy Dom (he manages the Canadian surf team) convinced us to go. There really weren't too many tourists (it was us 3, a group of older Americans, a few pro girls, a few others) surfing Punta Roca, pretty much all locals. The first weekend on the arrival of a big swell, a bunch of chatter started up amongst the locals by about 9 am...turns out one of the local gang leaders was macheted to death on his way to the surf. Then later in the trip, when the American group was leaving, they gave the local kids a bunch of swag like leashes and t-shirts and so immediately after the kids came to our room after asking for stuff. We told them we would leave some gear when we were leaving and they started yelling at us "Malo, Malo, Malo", "bad-bad-bad". The next morning in the lineup we were getting bad treatment from the older locals after the kids told them what happened. My two buddies left early so I was alone for a week and kept to my absolute best behaviour...but I was scared.

Dom had multiple stories from previous trips when they would be in the water at Punta Roca while gun battles occurred on shore. On my flight home I stayed overnight in Houston so on the hotel bus these two women were chatting, one El Salvadorian and one American. The American women was on her way to El Sal so the El Sal woman was telling her how great her country was and what a great time she would have. When we got off the bus I started talking to the American and told her I just came back from there. She told me she was just being polite to the El Sal woman and how she was actually going there trying to get her money out of the country from when her husband used to run a company and was murdered 20 years previous.

Its funny when I talk to other people I know that have gone and they say what a great time they had...but they ONLY spend time in the touristy spots (EL Zonte) and have never done La Libertad.

Carpathian, I think you made at least 3 mistakes:
1. You SUPped
2. You SUPped in Hawaii
3. You aren't Laird, Jerry, or Kai SUPping in Hawaii

MY experience with wave SUPs is limited but we would run into Jerry Lopez a few times in Pacific City in the early SUP days. I think you have to spend time ingratiating the locals, sit out back FOREVER and warn of every approaching set, and in your particular example yelled out how many waves were approaching and that you were catching the last one...and then quickly setup the barbecue on the beach and have a lobster and beer ready for everyone

[Long duc dong]

I don’t know if I could be a surfer in SoCal. I occasionally surf the point and slot at the lane. But most days I avoid that dealio and surf else where. Could not do that daily.

My guess is that lots of the town spots in Santa Cruz are worse than the OC beach breaks. Obviously the peaks right by the HB pier or right off a Newport jetty are competitive, but HB and Newport is something like 12 miles from Bolsa Chica to the Wedge, so there are LOTS of peaks to choose from. Even on crowded days one can usually find a peak which is not all that bad. It gets packed for sure, but a beach with many peaks can spread things out. socal is crowded, but if you are willing to surf a B level sandbar one can usually deal. That is what sucks about some of the upper jetties in Newport now, the sandbars don't seem to be as good unless you are right at the jetty, which is always a hassle. I have been surfing the lower jetties in Newport or HB more recently, occasionally paddling out at the upper Newport streets, like 68th. I used to love surfing near the 56th street jetty, but I rarely surf there anymore because the only good peak is usually right at the jetty.

I could be wrong, I have literally never surfed in the town of Santa Cruz, but it seems like mostly points and reefs in the area. That would be tough, as there are far fewer takeoff zones than you have with areas like HB, Newport and San Clemente if you leave out Lowers. That would wear on me after a while.