Stop the hate and just love the ocean and each other

Pretty much what I do too.

 

We're all out there for the same reason, we just enjoy waves in different ways. Some spongers can and do stand up surf. The spot I was at last Sunday is far from the ideal stand up wave...beachbreak, heavy barrels, steep drops. 85% of the stand up guys were eating **** and going over the falls, while most of the spongers were making it and getting pitted. Of the 3 stand up guys that stood out, I hooted for them every time they pulled in, and I missed several waves b/c I pulled back for standup guys that were probly gonna miss the wave or eat more **** if they actually caught it. My point: a/we should all get along; b/I think most of this hostility is limited to the internet; c/ I think a more appropriate analogy would be like comparing Jujitsu to Muay Thai, not the whole skiing snowboarding thing. Back to work.

 

drop in on me and I keep going. Screaming and shouting the whole way. If we collide, I give you the bunker speech from point break after we resurface. Usually said kook is creaped out and goes away for a while. Go back to the valley, man.

 

The last three days I've surfed 3 different breaks. Each time it wasn't crowed but there were Logs, shorts, Boogers, and an SUP. No issues. Everybody knew what they were doing and were doing it right. The SUP kept his distance and the Booger made sure he was not sitting right in front of us on the inside. All had their fair share of waves. Maybe no one was out because everyone has been on the internet debating peace and love versus being a big bad meanie in the line up yet again.
As EROCK and Pump already stated, if you do not know what you are doing, thus becoming a DANGER to others and yourself, you need to be told (politely at first) what you are doing wrong. if you do not take this advice, that's when confrontations occur. It's a shame it gets to that point sometimes, but it is reality.

 

honest question, don't mean to flame

if you travel, don't you think that's what locals of the break you're traveling to think? not sure why it gets you all bent....if people are dropping in or generally acting like pricks, it's one thing. if people are being cordial, don't see what the issue is.

 

Rollerbladers Dominate.

 

"Ok, I know. This is where you tell me all about how locals rule and yuppie insects like me shouldn't be surfin the break and all that. Right?"

"Nope."

"That would be a waste of time. We're just gonna f*** you up."

 

Your right to have a good time when it comes into conflict with someone elses.

 

Its a valid question and the answer is yes - Zippy is right. i wouldnt travel to some place new and sit right in a pack of local friends who know each other and obviously surf that spot all the time. Would you go to a public park and sit in the middle of a family picnic just because that shady spot looked a bit nicer than the empty shade under the other tree? Do you have the right to? Sure. But why do it?

 

surfing can be a source for relaxation, happiness and sanctuary but an over crowded line up takes that away.
I was on it pre dawn yesterday with just a handful of people. no hassles, everyone got set waves. 1 hour later there was 30 to 40 guys fighting for the same waves. santuary quickly turned to chaos.

I don't get the mentality of paddling out to a spot that has reached capacity. Just watch the break for a few minutes before you decide to paddle out. If there are 5 wave sets every ten minutes and more than 5 surfers sharing that peak. Don't paddle out there, go find another peak! It's like a deer hunter setting up a tree stand on the same tree that another hunter has been sitting in for an hour.

 

Not sure I get what you're saying, but I think I agree w/ ya...do your own thing w/out screwing up anyone else's? Agree 100%...not sure how I implied I wanted to interfere w/ someone else's good time, I go out of my way not to. The way I see it, it's kinda like driving, and we have to deal w/ so many morons on the road we should all be courteous to each other in the water.

 

fair point

I'm more disagreeing with the notion that there can be no visitors at all to a spot, which if you listen to some people here, would be their desire.

 

yep, thats it. i think way too many people (especially new surfers) think they can just do what they want in the water but they don't realize that things they do incorrectly affect others in the line up. Erock hit it perfectly with his method which I call the 'Dalton Method' ( from Road House--Be nice until its time to not be nice). I can say that in my 32 years of surfing, i have rarely seen anybody get aggro for no reason, and especially not on the east coast.

 

Yeah well if anyone said that, then good luck with that. There are always going to be visitors, everyone will at some time BE a visitor themselves, which is all the more reason to do so respectfully.

 

Agree wholeheartedly, especially considering things can go from fun to dangerous when people act stupid. I don't have that much time in yet, but I've never really seen unwarranted hostility or bad vibes. Granted I haven't had the opportunity to surf outside of New England, but in my experience you give respect and you'll get it in return. Had my post-session meal last Sunday w/ a random longboarder I'd never seen, we knew we just both got out of the water, so we chilled and had a nice conversation. To me, that's what it's all about. For some strange reason we're drawn to waves(and situations most people would be deterred from), we all love and feel a connection to the ocean(I hope), one that regular people just don't get.

 

No ones bent here. Whether your a prick or jesus himself you don't belong in the middle of a group of my friends with 20 miles of beach break to choose from. I'm not a big traveller but when I do I take a lessor wave on the fringes and avoid paddling into the middle of a group of people that clearly have their own dynamic worked out, it's common courtesy IMO .