Surfing
Red Bull delves into the watery world of etiquette in the lineup, in the latest edition of Surfing with Wings.
In a perfect surfing world, we’d up to our favourite spots, locate the break and tuck in for a smooth session unperturbed by other humans. In the real world, of course, there’s a fair chance that you’re not the only one with the same idea – depending on your spot in question, you’ll probably have to share that glory with a posse of other adrenaline-chasing hopefuls.
While surfing is a pure activity bound only by the limits of the ocean and one’s energy levels, there are a few unwritten ‘rules’ that need to be considered when leaping into the drink around other surfers. Think of it as a surfers’ code of conduct: basic guidelines on etiquette that’ll help you navigate the throngs, and minimise any issues you might come across along the way.
Surf Safety & Etiquette with the Surfing Sage
Speaking to us direct from Queensland’s golden Noosa Heads, Red Bull’s own Surfing Sage Craig Regan can attest to how difficult it is to get a decent wave when you’re surrounded by a forest of boards.
“It was just bizarre,” says Regan after his recent session: “You’ve got ten guys going up for one wave, boards everywhere, all cutting across – hectic stuff.”
This is the thing: good spots attract more surfers. What happens when there are too many on the dancefloor? Just like on the roads, there are rules in place to make sure things don’t get too chaotic on the water. ‘Right of way’ is an important convention: the rider who’s out the furthest and been waiting the longest has priority to take the wave. Next in the hierarchy is the rider closest to the breaking part of the wave, and if more than one rider is close, then it’s up to whoever gets on their feet first.
Al this is nice on paper, of course, but it doesn’t always work in reality. Though there wasn’t too much aggression in his session, Regan’s the first to admit that etiquette flies out the window when you’ve got 100 excited and thirsty surfers fending for the same thrill.
“It makes surfing really unenjoyable. I much prefer when there’s just five or six out there, and you’re just relaxing or enjoying the view, just picking off your waves as they come through.”
Local ownership: the ‘in-crews’ and ‘out-crews’
For all its freedom from the ‘human’ world, surfing is not immune to politics. Akin to most aspects of society, surfers can get a little territorial about their home turf. Given surf’s history and its ‘club’-based origins, locals can be particularly fierce about wave ownership: an extra layer of unwritten, and sometimes nebulous rules to navigate.
Say you’ve rocked up to a beach and there’s a bunch of locals out surfing. As a pleasantry it’s not a bad idea to show some basic respect – don’t simply butt in and rush your way out for the break. Observe if there’s an order or rhythm in place, and find your spot in it.
What if you cop aggression from the locals if you do try to get your way in? What if you’re waiting patiently for a ride that never comes?
“I think there’s two things at play here,” says Regan. “Locals can bunch up in a group and push out the ‘un-local’, and they hog the main take off point, and they push each other into the right spots so they take the wave – a lot of people wouldn’t know it goes on, unless you’re in the know. Then you’ve those who are really good, and whether they’re local or not, doesn’t matter. Because they know how to work the line-up. Depends on how much nous you’ve got.”
Sounds a bit like prison.
“Yeah, it’s a bit of an expose on human behaviour and how people react under conditions that are a little bit pressured. There’s a lot of screaming and yelling at times, people yelling at people ‘get off my wave’ and all that.”
In the end, says Regan, if you’re going to challenge the locals, it pays to be good, and to have some nerve.
“If you know how to surf, you get their respect and they let you go. Earn your respect, and you’ll be considered. But jeez, you’ve got to be good.”
Sage words for Surf Safety
If all that sounds a bit dramatic, especially if you’re a novice or still learning how to ride, consider seeking your comfort zone elsewhere.
“Best bet is to find yourself another spot to surf. Otherwise you’re going to just have to be respectful, or wait for a wave where you’re in the right position, and then you probably won’t get too many waves.”
Find somewhere calmer, without the congestion, and have a smoother time.
It’s worth adding here that all this totally depends on the ‘type’ of break you’re dealing with. If you happen to be on a point break, for example, it’ll be more difficult if it’s busy – a point break is a repetitive situation where the breaks are going to come in pretty much the same spot off the point. That one take off position can become very congested if there are 20 riders all vying for it.
Compare this with a beach break, where you can sit up and down the beach, and one set break might have four or five different take offs – a far better scenario if it’s clogged with riders.
At the end of that day, whatever your break, show some basic respect, but be realistic too. Never drop in on other riders, don’t hog the take off point, and in general, don’t be a douche. If you do happen to transgress any of these rules – even if they’re not perfect to begin with – make sure to apologise – most riders have probably transgressed the rules themselves, and will appreciate the communication.
Bit before all that, choose the right spot – especially if you’re just starting out.
“If was a beginner I wouldn’t be surfing a point break unless I was one of two riders out there,” says Regan. “Hit the beaches – find some spot where there are a few more options … or bring a really big guy to beat off the others!”
Main Takeaways of Surfing Etiquette:
- The surfer who’s out the furthest and been waiting the longest has priority to take the wave.
- The surfer closest to the breaking part of the wave has next right-of-way, and if more than one rider is close, then it’s up to whoever gets on their feet first.
- Earn your respect from the local riders.
- Find a spot that suits your level of surfing – not only will you have a lot more fun and catch more waves, you'll keep yourself and those around you safe.
- If you're a beginner, think about staying away from the point breaks.
- Never drop in on other riders.
- Don’t hog the take off point
- Have fun!
We hope you’ve been digging our Surfing With Wings series – speaking of breaks, we’ll be tackling that next session, with a deeper look at beach, reef and point breaks, and how to navigate each one like a master.
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