Summer people and "boogie boarding"

[Spongah]

Today was a beautiful day. Went out at low tide - just me a few longboarders chatting, sharing little glassy rollers, working on our "face tans" for a few hours LOL.

Then the summer people started showing up. Here's a list I came up with for the summer folks to help them acclimate. Feel free to share:

1. Anything that you bought in Mal-Wart, a craft store or the drugstore down the block is not a "bodyboard", especially when it's called a "Spice Stick". Please don't call my beloved No. 6 "goofy looking".

2. No, I am not in the surfer's way. There is a big difference between being in the line-up with a bodyboard (see above) and standing at the shore with your ass sticking out, waiting for whitewater to jump into. We are not doing the same thing.

3. No, my board was not on sale for $5.99!

4. Yes, the fins help and yes, I like the fact that they are lime green, so stop asking me.

5. I'm wearing a wetsuit because the water is 63 degrees. I think you're a moron because you're wearing nothing but trunks.

6. Yes, the wetsuit is necessary. Yes, I am aware it's not flattering. Thank you for telling me.

7. I do not want to babysit your children. And no, they can't play with my board...it's too big and the leash is too big for them to be safe.

8. Be careful if you decide to swim out to where people are lined up.....if you see us dropping into waves, please don't jump onto the shoulder yelling WHEE! - you can get hurt that way.

9. No, I can't get rid of the seaweed. If you hate it that much, go to the pool.

10. If you insist on bringing water in plastic bottles to the beach, please dispose of it in the proper containers. Carrying it to the water and dumping it is unacceptable. The same goes for dirty diapers, plastic bags, broken toys, empty sunscreen bottles or whatever else. If I ask you politely to not throw trash in the ocean, cursing is uncalled for.

[ExtremeSpongerChicks]

Wow Spongah, LOL couldnt have said it better than that. We are REALLY starting to miss the winter surf for more reasons than the swells!

[Spongah]

I can't lie, I do love the summer. Good weather, long days, warm water, marathon sessions without a frostbitten face.

I do, however, *treasure* the Spring and Fall when the water is still warm enough for a lighter wetsuit (I don't mind my 4/3), but cold enough that it scares the summer people away. Oh, and the swells. LOL.

Winter swells are awesome, winter weather makes me cry! Boo hoo!

[Scarecrow]

My local beach is relatively uncrowded, even in the summer, and I go early in the morning in summer also. I seldom interact with any of the tourists, and I do my best to steer clear of them. It's annoying the way all the little kids scream at the sight of a wave, makes me keep looking over my shoulder wondering if it's a tsumani or something. Of course, I was out there screaming like a little girl myself the other day--there were creatures in the water bumping against my legs. A couple of jellyfish, something else that felt like a fish with a hard, bony head, and I stepped on a couple of crabs.

The tourists and their trash piss me off, too. Cigarette butts, fishing line, empty bait containers, the list goes on and on. When we first moved down here, the DH and I used to take a 3 mile walk on the beach in the mornings (before surfing) and fill up bags with trash left behind by tourists. I've got foot problems now (fallen arches) so we only clean up the immediate area around where we're surfing now.

Last fall, there was an onshore flow for a few days, and all of the cigarette butts left behind all summer got washed up on the beach all at once. It was appalling. A group of local volunteers got together and picked them all up, fortunately.

But hey, the water's 80 degrees down here now, so even if the surf forecast calls for ankle high surf, I'll be out there.

I dunno, I think the wetsuit's kind of flattering, actually. But I'm not looking forward to wearing it again.

[ExtremeSpongerChicks]

WOW...that is what we would call bath water...you have it pretty good Scarecrow!

[Spongah]

My local beach is relatively uncrowded, even in the summer, and I go early in the morning in summer also. I seldom interact with any of the tourists, and I do my best to steer clear of them. It's annoying the way all the little kids scream at the sight of a wave, makes me keep looking over my shoulder wondering if it's a tsumani or something. Of course, I was out there screaming like a little girl myself the other day--there were creatures in the water bumping against my legs. A couple of jellyfish, something else that felt like a fish with a hard, bony head, and I stepped on a couple of crabs.

The tourists and their trash piss me off, too. Cigarette butts, fishing line, empty bait containers, the list goes on and on. When we first moved down here, the DH and I used to take a 3 mile walk on the beach in the mornings (before surfing) and fill up bags with trash left behind by tourists. I've got foot problems now (fallen arches) so we only clean up the immediate area around where we're surfing now.

Last fall, there was an onshore flow for a few days, and all of the cigarette butts left behind all summer got washed up on the beach all at once. It was appalling. A group of local volunteers got together and picked them all up, fortunately.

But hey, the water's 80 degrees down here now, so even if the surf forecast calls for ankle high surf, I'll be out there.

I dunno, I think the wetsuit's kind of flattering, actually. But I'm not looking forward to wearing it again.

Screaming/squealing and smoking are the three things that could actually make me consider poking my eyes out with a spoon.

I always try to walk up and down as far as I can picking up crap. I am very grateful for the volunteers and the beach cleanup efforts but I feel like if I do it everytime I am down there then I will make more of an impact.

Last year I was leaving the beach around 0930, I had gotten there around 0530, just in time to see this dude burying a doody diaper in the sand. I alerted a lifeguard, who walked over the to guy and was like "we don't do that here". The guy got really angry, but I didn't know WTF his problem was - there was a garbage can like 50 feet away from him. I guess getting up and WALKING was too much effort, and they were the type of people who had 2 of those stupid plastic wagons chock full of stuff for one little baby who looked very unhappy to be out in the hot sun. Poor kid.

Morons!

[ExtremeSpongerChicks]

Good Morning! In terms of trash--huge issue for me. I grew up in Michigan where we were pretty environmentally conscious. When I moved to NJ, I was appalled at the amount of trash EVERYWHERE. I am constantly picking up trash up and around our development--bags and bags that just blow off from the closest highway I have to say that I've been impressed with our locals beaches though. The AM combing/clean-up crews do a great job and the bennies use the trash receptacles for the most part but VERY glad to hear you all are pitching in!

[Scarecrow]

WOW...that is what we would call bath water...you have it pretty good Scarecrow!

Yep, 80 degree bath water, with an air temp in the 80s this morning. And there was a guy out there on a surfboard wearing a wetsuit. A full wetsuit. Unbelievable.

[ExtremeSpongerChicks]

Yep, 80 degree bath water, with an air temp in the 80s this morning. And there was a guy out there on a surfboard wearing a wetsuit. A full wetsuit. Unbelievable.

Well, hopefully the guy doesn't end up with heat stroke! I can't imagine wearing a wet suit in those conditions! Enjoy! No surf this past weekend for us...it was pretty much a LAKE!

[Spongah]

Well, hopefully the guy doesn't end up with heat stroke! I can't imagine wearing a wet suit in those conditions! Enjoy! No surf this past weekend for us...it was pretty much a LAKE!

Quitcher *****in' there, ESC - there's almost something around low tide. Throw on your fins and swim - flatness is no excuse to get out of shape!!

Hee hee.

Next time we get a run of West winds, I'm coming to the Dirty to hang out.