what's with the surfers giving double fingers up at mother ocean after they score a wave? How bad was your session that day? I've seen older guys to younger kids do it. I think I'll try sumtin different if that day approaches. Couple ideas i got, the italian hand roll under the chin (believe it's a F U move), going ol WWF style on the Suck It motion, or maybe the crotch grab then firing hand pistols in the air as i go fall down in the air...
What came to mind while reading your reply was the question of seeing others do something like that. No I see a bunch of people who are thinking they are competing to beat the ocean and they don't realize they are only being gifted the wave. Lack of understanding and appreciation.
Lately I'm seeing more stoke and less aggro... tbh. The dudes that have the biggest smiles seem to be the one on those foamies that are so popular right now. I mean... I don't get it, but they seem to be genuinely stoked on riding those things, and in both poor quality/small waves and in fairly good waves, too. I used to kind of laugh a little inside at those guys... but I'll tell you... they're really enjoying having fun with those things. I'd much rather see that in the lineup than some frustrated fool trying to rip the shit out of a 1 foot wave on a 5'8 thruster.
There is a core group of guys that I surf with at a spot here in Carlsbad that are all on foamies. They are hooting each other into waves, trying to do all kinds of stupid shit and just generally having a blast. Having a session in the same air space with those guys is very up-lifting. It's the polar opposite of the salty ass, semi agro dudes at Campgrounds.
Ha this thread is about the single dumbest thing I see in surfing.... The wave flip off. Always buy some guy who shreds but has poor style and lacks confidence in the right way. I don't have a foamnie but seems like this guy's are on to something. I find small log sessions are similar. No one cares everyone gets waves and it's not serious. Pretty fun
You're right. And this is something that I don't understand either. It's the "I beat the wave" mentality, which is not what this is all about. Without the wave, you don't surf. The wave is a partner, not an opponent. They should be doing prayer hands, virtual high fives or clapping for the wave, not telling it to eff off.
Depends on my mood... sometimes surfing all just stoke and fun and sunshine and smiles, sometimes it's contemplative therapy for the soul, sometimes it's to release some pent up aggression after a bad day. But even when it's the latter, it's about physical exertion, not so much "beat up the wave." As for regulating... that's a whole 'nother thread.
Surfing has become an incredibly frustrating endeavor over the past 15 years. The crowds of kooks even in the dead of winter is insane. I was shooting pics at the end of my street on Saturday morning and if I'd have paddled out there I probably would have gone postal. It was a total shit show. You even had an adult learner dropping in on a longboard going strait and nosediving his board and going over the handlebars while dropping in on other surfers. This idiot did this more than once. My anger levels were peaking just watching thru the camera lens. There needs to be regulating. You know its bad when two 14 year old rippers come in frustrated with the crowd cutting their sessions short and wanting to go elsewhere. It was fukking freezing out too.
I think this sentiment sounds great but is often a big part of the problem at crowded locations. I'm going to sound like a jaded tool for saying this, but surfing respectfully around others involves following rules and making sacrifices. Lots of sacrifices that often DON'T bring excitement. Having the most fun and being an excited surfer in the lineup are ok until frothing over every wave and getting so excited you arent paying any attention to what is going on around you becomes a nuisance or worse.
I think there needs to be education before regulation. A lot of times, the beginners just don't know any better, regardless of their age. Sometimes a quick explanation of proper etiquette results in a nice thank you and a change in behavior. When it doesn't then that's where the regulation comes in. I hate to see it, but I know sometimes it's necessary. What really bothers me is when a talented surfer gets regulated off a peak just because the bros have never seen him before. Now, if he paddles out and starts grabbing every set wave, then that's a different story. But if he's respectful and waits his turn, then let the dude be FFS.