saying 'Hi" when paddling out

I find this completely inaccurate... If I'm near someone and make eye contact I will nod, say good morning or whatever... I've never had someone become a problem because of it. They don't follow me or paddle for every set wave because of it.
A douche is going to be a douche whether you say hello or not.

I don't hoot, but some people do. I've never paddled out puffed up because someone hooted or acknowledged a good wave nor do I see anyone else do it. They may smile because they are psyched, but that's it.

If 9 out of 10 guys become a problem you surf with 90% a$$holes

 

Oh I'm friendly, believe me if you had access to my friends, some regulars on this forum they will tell you that. I don't believe in crowded lineups and other than paddling out to friends in an already crowded line up once or twice a year you'll never see me add to one. I always paddle away and avoid everyone, I do this for myself and also for them. I have gotten calls to meet at a particular secret spot, paddle a half mile across a river, walk a half mile to get to the break to find it "crowded" and refuse to add to it, turn and go all the way back. So for me anything that makes surfing a "crowd" event or makes surfing in a crowd more comfortable I'm against it. I know it's hard on the internet but don't read into what I posted. If you or anyone says hi to me I'm gonna smile and say how are you back to them and I'm gonna help them if they need it. I'm just not gonna reach out when I'm in the water unless it's needed. My wife says I'm a natural hermit, I think she's right.

 

We have lots of sharks here sometimes, so a few guys out is welcome, as long as there are more than one or two waves per set / one set every five minutes type of consistency. If it is really inconsistent, any one else in the water becomes a rival and an impediment to catching the next wave. Then it is time to move some where else, leave, or paddle battle for every scrap. It all depends on mood with me. Usually I opt for moving, but if I was there first, and I just got into an argument with my wife or some other land based hassle, then its on like donkey kong. I can have fun just being a pain in the a$$ if the waves suck. Enjoying the water and scenery. Talking to the pelicans.

 

Now sharks, I could be really friendly in a crowd if I saw sharks all around me, lol. And I will say that I was really friendly in El Salvador. Maybe that's what it is, out of your element = friendly, in your element on your home turf = distant. I prefer to use distant rather than unfriendly, seems to be a better description of the attitude.

 

all yall dudes should be aloha until someone is a doosh.. but this is me on the daily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4e53wnInX4

 

I'm one of those know it alls, so I just paddle out down the beach to the better spot since it has to be better 'cause well... I'm a know it all and I know my wave knowledge is better than those guys down there.

 

if you can't say hello to someone else in the water you are probably a complete ****

 

I just got back from surfing knee high mush. There was no one out but me and the man o war. No one to say hello to. No foreign German tourists to mean mug. No paddle battles with surf camp chipmunks running amok in the impact zone. No one handing out bibles and free surfboards on the beach. No benchoffs, no howling seagulls, no bettys on the jetty, no 23 foot barrels. No jet ski assisted pros wreaking havoc. No riots in the ghetto on the way home. It was still fun.

 

your liein with out bench offs on the beach and 23 foot waves surfing is never complete.

 

Just shot whiskey through the nose bro!

 

Or, if a person finds that 9 outta 10 people are a problem, perhaps the problem is not the 9 outta 10 people.

 

this.

though to be fair, this is more me:

[video=youtube;4Ba98kojKpc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ba98kojKpc[/video]

 

Couple of nimrods. That's Ben Stiller, but who's the other guy?

 

One of the malloy bros. I think dan.

Prob one of the best clips ever as well!

 

wait i take that back, its Donovan Frankenriter

 

This thread is great because most are being purely honest here. It's got mad laughs too and without anyone being a TC. I'd imagine an SI forum lineup in or out of the water would be awkwardly hilarious.

thanks to njsurfer42 for the immortal clip that thankfully seems to show up every month or two on here - it will never get old. Pretty cool posts from a number of cats here. Deep bro. Social dynamics on the water are certainly a sociological study with so many variables and just as many archetypes.

 

Indeed. Classic clip.

 

Made my day. "I piss on your cutback". Great stuff bro!

 

That clip is so awesome that when I talk to my dad, who does not surf and has never surfed, and he asks if I've gotten any good waves recently, it is inevitably followed up with "Spend some quality time in the green room?"

 

For some reason they edited it out of this version but the actual Fair Bits movie ben stiller goes on to tell him "you got a little d!ick", classic!