follow the leader

"First person in the water determines where the crowd will be"
Original from sage Barry Cuda.

 

LMAO! That pretty much sums it up.

Reminds me of the time my wife and daughter and I went to a surf contest in Cocoa Beach, NKF Labor Day at Lori Wilson Park, we stayed at the Holiday Inn right next to the park. She was bodysurfing while I was on the beach with the little one, and she was picking off one ride after another in the shore break. Then a couple of groms paddled right next to her, getting way too close with their boards. She shot me "The Look".

I had to tell my daughter to stay on the beach, while I had to paddle out and harass the offenders to the point they felt very uncomfortable being near me (and my wife). They moved back to their original spot, 30 yards south, which was breaking identical to the peak they invaded.

 

#johny Utah's

 

Lol Good thread start. I don't have that problem, parking is plentiful and is short a walk to see water and beach is empty. So I can't relate. But that's sucks.

 

Groms can be the worst. Happened to me today. One guy out. I paddle out but give him 100 yards or so. We kept our distances. A dad brings four up loaded for bear, and they paddle out. I ended up catching waves around, through, in front and behind them and no matter where I paddled, mostly away from them, they would follow until I paddled outside of their comfort zones. (away from said DAD). Slowly they started coming my way as I'm waiting for the next and I hear one kid say to the others,"stay over here because he's over there" or something like that. He got it and it gave me a LITTLE hope for the next generation...temporarily...

 

That sounds funny, until your the dude being persued by the lazy frothers, then it's friggin annoying. Particularly with my old truck, I'd have to park in low key spots, or guaranteed insta crowd.
My mind has been blown over and over with the number of times people have followed me up and down the lineup. I'll make a lot of space for myself sometimes cuz it's the same gig up and down the beach, then people see me get a good one, and reposition themselves right up my a$$. Then I paddle away, and they see me get a good one and they follow, on and on, and on.
Lazy frother types also like shoulder hopping, because they don't feel like waiting their turn or doing the work for the peak.

 

Lance nails it yet againe

 

So, a few yrs ago I decide to make the haul to the Crystal Coast to see what's up. Nvr been there. Solo strike. FUcast was ok, not great, butt I just wanted to do some surf trekkin.'

6 hrs. approx 400 miles later I roll into Wilmington. Off season, vry early spring, got a good deal on a place named the Shell Island Resort. Was ok, not really my style, a bit huffypuffy, maybe the Blockade Rnner better location butt whatever. A rack is a rack.

Next morning bright & early I head up the line to check the surf - - figured I'd start up there & move along until I saw something that looked decent, then paddle out.

I'm driving up the road, think it was Rt 17 or 210, something like that, and I notice a 4wd in my mirror. Two dudes inside. Nobody else really out & about, it's the wknd, it's early.

I stop for coffee & a snack. As I'm leaving the joint, these guys appear in my mirror againe. At this point, I'm like, ok, these guys are for sure trailing me. No boarts visible, they look kinda aggro Lefty (lol), I'm starting to wonder. Did I bang one of their sisters....? Nah. Couldn't be.

Rolling along. 20 minutes. There they are. Like a shadow. Still in the mirror. I make the turn into this place named Topsail Island. These 2 guys in the 4wd still behind me. About 30-50 yds back. Nvr too close, but nvr fading out of sight, either.

I pull into a parking spot near the pier up there at Topsail. These guys pull in about 50' away. I get out, go to the back of the FJ. Grab my equalizer, which in this case is a baseball bat. Standing there. Waiting for the next move. Waiting for it to go down. WTF. Can't believe this is happening at effing 630 in the effing morning, and I'm likely gonna spend the wknd in a North Carolina jail cell.

Here they come, slouching, ambling, hands jammed in pockets, staring hard at me. I spin, square up, ready to rock n roll, they're like whoaaaaaaa dude! stumbling backwards.... I say wtf are you following me for you mutherfockers.

They say well we're from South Carolina & we saw you had boarts on your roof & we were figuring you knew where to go.

Turned out to be pretty funny guys. Once they cleaned out their shorts.

 

Ha Ha, good stuff Yank

 

Concealed weapon permit dude. Funny though

 

Lmao Now that's funny!

 

NH is now a "constitutional state"...no permit required for carrying or even concealing.
Have I bought a gun yet? No. Will I?? I need to become a bit more intolerant before doing so.....

 

If you carry a baseball bat for protection, you need to make sure you have a glove and a ball. Throw some cleats in there too. Otherwise, you may as well carry a sword in the eyes of the law.

 

Good advice. "Intent" is often misconstrued......

 

People are sheep here. They follow the herd. Typically in summer when no one knows how to make there own decisions. But it's usually super easy to get away.

If there's any drift, most don't know to paddle against it and use a marker on the beach to line yourself up. They just drift off the peak and away they go.

Or if the main/better peak is crowded already..... They all go there. So you just go to the next peak. I'll be alone on a peak by myself as the hordes walk right past me and into the zoo. I must not know what I'm doing because everyone else is on that peak.... right? Although in this situation when i see people walk by ill try my best to not catch a wave to not entice anyone. But sometimes that's not possible if a good one is coming in

 

I was cleaning out my vehicle during winter, found a beanie, gloves, duct tape, I'm thinking, not a good look.

 

What about a Q-ball in a sweat sock? That's what I carry in my truck. I wield it like a medieval mace.

 

Especially if you're driving a white windowless van.