The Basics of Surfing Etiquette: Things Every Beginner Surfer Should Know
Watching a professional surfer performing tricky wave riding maneuvers may seem easy. But guess what: achieving excellence in surfing requires proper training and consistent effort. To be able to carry out classy wave riding stunts, you must take a few surf lessons from a reputed surfing school in your locality and practice a lot. And yes… you must have a thorough understanding of dos and don’ts of surfing- that also goes by the name ‘surf etiquette’.
Surf Etiquette: An Overview
If it is to be put in a nutshell, surf etiquette is basically a set of unwritten rules that guard the realm of surfing- about which every surfer should be aware of. And if you want to indulge in surfing- the very first thing that you need to do is to learn about these rules from a fellow surfer. You can also make use of the internet- if it comes to that. All you have to do is to Google ‘Surfing Etiquette’ and you will get all the information you need to improve your knowledge about the topic.
#1- Respect local community
The first rule of surfing says local community of a surf spot should never be disrespected. As a surfer riding waves in a distant location away from your homeland, you should respect the local people and their tradition. And yes… learn about their culture and society as much as possible. This knowledge will help you build positive ties with local fellows- which in-turn help you peacefully indulge in fun surfing activities.
#2- Respect fellow surfers
Being an extreme sport, surfing has claimed lives of many surfers. To have a safe surfing experience you should respect fellow surfers- especially if you are in a crowded line up. Communicate with others about your intention before making any move. If it occurs to you that one of your teammates is in danger and in need of immediate help- please reach out to him. Similarly if you are in need of help, don’t hesitate to ask for help.
This is yet another important rule that every surfer must follow. Because if you fail to adhere to this surfing protocol, you may end up colliding with a fellow surfer. Here’s what this protocol says- the surfer closest to the peak of a wave should be allowed to ride it. If a fellow surfer is ahead of you- in a close proximity to the peak- you should let him to ride the wave. If you decide to compete with the fellow surfer and start chasing him, you may end up with a deadly collision.
#4- ‘Drop in’ strictly prohibited
This is yet another protocol that every surfer should follow to enjoy safe surfing- particularly in crowded surfing spots. As we’ve discussed in the above point, surfer closest to the peak should be allowed to ride the wave. ‘Drop in’ clause of surfing etiquette prohibits two fellow surfers from riding one wave in same direction. The reason why drop ins are prohibited is that when a surfer (name A) tries to cut in front of a fellow surfer (name B), they are bound to collide.
#5- ‘Snaking’ is a big no-no
The term ‘snaking’ in surfing can be defined as the attempts made by surfers to get close to the peak of the wave by competing against each other. It is neither ethical nor safe… plus it is a violation of ‘right of way’ clause of surf etiquette. If you don’t want to put your life in danger- don’t get indulged in such unethical activities.
#6- Don’t let your board hit another surfer
There are instances where surfers have died by getting hit by surfboards. So if you don’t want one of your fellow surfers to meet the same fate, make sure that your surfboard doesn’t strike him by mistake. You can simply use a surfboard leash to keep your board close to you.
Surfing is a great recreational activity… But it also comes under extreme sport category. So if you are planning to learn surfing, it is important that you learn everything there is to know about its protocols a.k.a. surfing etiquette. Some of the prominent surfing etiquette clauses have been discussed in this blog post.
