does localism still exist

Not around here, not that I have found at least.

 

I think there is still localism up here. But it is usually by older guys AND their offspring, who believe they have rights by inheritance.
Strange but true.
But even that is dying out. The crowds are overwhelming the "localism" just by sheer numbers. They have been trying to go to more remotes spots, but they are soon discovered and then swamped.

 

I haven't encountered it here but 1) I mostly surf beach breaks with lots of peaks, not points and 2) I'm not surfing during the rare HH premium days. My guess is that if I were to go to certain points, there would be more because the waves are more of a limited resource.

Are foils a problem? I've only seen one a few times down in RI and he was just in the mix with everyone else. SUPs (with the inevitable gray haired lawyer with a potbelly on it) are a hassle and kayakers should be banned of course, but they're never trying to regulate anything.

Funny how I see plenty of women out surfing but never out on a SUP snaking waves.

 

it doesn't down here in S Carolina. i've heard, only heard, about it in the west coast and NJ/MD area. don't think localism is the best method for line up tho, would think it's positioning of wave's peak and direction. hasn't got to be "now more than ever", because it hasn't been that much of a consistent problem to me. eat a snickers

 

It's been a very long time since localism here was a factor in regulating the prime lineups during good days. A few guys still try to pretend, but it's impossible with cams, lawyers, and multiple generations of surf campers that are now amongst us.

 

Define localism. What level of regulation? Does 5 guys hogging a wave breaking off the south side of a jetty count as localism? They live there and have the ability to indiscreetly get every wave without resorting to any verbal or non verbal harassment. From Halloween to Memorial Day, they are pretty much alone at the break. Then they get invaded for the next 4 months and confined to certain breaks. Like someone said above, the sheer volume of people on various surfing craft make it all but impossible to regulate. That's why I only surf that town in the dead of winter.
My spot, one island south, is an open sandbar break, no jetties, so in the summer, I can spread out and the crowd is less bothersome.
I think the days of sending a "kook" to the beach are over. At least here.

 

Do to work, age, home obligations, other hobbies, etc, my surf time is limited. I'm damn well not going to let a horde of SUPs, kayakers, kite surfers, and guys half my weight on LBs, ruin my time in the water at a break I've surfed for over 25 years. But what can I do? Know the break, out maneuver, out surf.

 

If you a re a good surfer with good etiquette you can paddle out as an unknown into just aboot any lineup or peak and get waves without being threatened or assaulted. Used to be different, no mater how good you were, you'd get beef or worse. That's localism to me. When you are a good surfer, don't take off on the shoulder, wait for an uncontested peak, and still get the shaft.

 

Reminds me of a few summers back, during a moderate but really fun swell.

This little shredder who has grown up in Kitty Hawk was paddling all over the zone trying catch every wave. His dad is a well known (ESA dad) that I have surfed with over the last 30* years...shoot he and his buds where regulating back in the day.

Anyway, grom was just not playing by the rules and continued with a sense of entitlement. So, being old school and cognizant if ‘how To act’, I proceeded to burn him really bad on a wave. This kid is really nice in and out of the water and just needed a little time out to slow his roll!!!!

 

Yes, to a degree. The jetty is probably the only spot that's somewhat regulated, because the takeoff zone is fairly tight and the wave kinda calls for more experienced riders.

It usually starts in the rip, where guys will immediately sit in the peak with the pack. That's a big no no. Newcomers are reminded to go to the shoulder to wait their turn.

If you get pitched on the takeoff, you're judged whether you're a kook and may be told to paddle down the beach, where there is little to no regulation. If you're losing your board a lot and deemed a safety hazard, you will be asked to go down the beach. If it's a crowded day and 4 guys all paddle up in the rip, you will be told to move down the beach.

But like Unfurled said, if you're competent in the water, don't show up with a carload, wait your turn and you're in position, nobody says shit. There's a handful of visitors that are good surfers and get plenty of waves.

It's an etiquette that's stood for generations. I had to play the game and sit on the shoulder for the first couple of years after arriving here. In fact I still have to let some go in deference to guys that have been here longer.

If there were no rules, it would be like monkeys flinging poo. Or Malibu.

It's about respect. Ya gotta earn it.

 

I think that guys that should be regulating things are not anymore due to fear of getting in trouble with the law or maybe they just don't feel like wasting energy on the entitled masses that swarm their breaks?

 

It's the swarms. One cannot police dozens of surfers around you.

 

Maybe I should get a RC one.

 

Saw localism in Barbado @ Freights. Saw it in Hawaii. Saw it at Cap Breton, France. Not to me personally, but there was stuff happening between locals & turistas. Not unjustified, the turustas were being assclowns for the most part.

Haven't seen it at TPTSNBN. There's a longtime (30 yrs) crew from Berlin who are friendly, happy fellas. Everyone gets along, even the SUP guys call outside sets for us on occasion.

Well, then again, there is The Albino. But everyone@ TPTSNBN hates that drop in douche canoe.

 

out here, it's the law. There was the meanest crustiest regulator for over 25 years that punched some guy out about 8 or 10 years ago. Went to court, represented himself after firing his attorney (now the Mayor lol) and lost his ass in court.

The younger locals who all got hassled by him years ago still talk about it. Although they hated him when they were groms, they learned their lessons from him and emulate him to a point. They will ask or tell you nicely but firmly.
Some idiots will try to chirp back, but eventually wind up down the beach.

I have yet to see a fist fight. Just like a You Tube video, the furthest it goes has been a lot of yelling and splashing. You'd be amazed at how well behaved the lineup can get lol.

 

It's still alive to some degree in New England. I've never dealt with it, partially bc I'm not an idiot and also bc I practice common courtesy and follow the rules.

If there's a defined takeoff zone and any degree of consequence at the respective spot there should be some regulation. People are fkn idiots, just look at highway driving behaviour. Many parallels to riding waves.

I'm no local. But my closest wave is a hollow fast and shallow wave best suited to boogs and sb's. One morning it's just me and my boy, first guys out, and two fags(determined by behavior not vessel choice) on SUPs show up. Misbehaving and messing up our morning. I had zero qualms about suggesting they should leave and find a wave more suited to there choice of craft, or at the very least head down the beach a bit.

 

#behaviour

 

Nothing like what it used to be in NJ... especially up here in the North. Used to be really bad... or good, depending upon how you see it. Some factors that changed it are...

1. Today's societal propensity to call the cops and/or sue you.

2. The ACOE's work, forcing the area's growing surfing population into a shrinking resource base. (See BC's post)

3. The shift in the culture of surfing from "outside the norms of society" to firmly within them.

The only real localism that exists around here relates to those individuals who know the break well, and are more fit and experienced... they end up surfing circles around those who are not. Those are they guys that just get all the waves... pure and simple.

 

If you mean localism as in, if you're not a known entity or with someone who is, you won't get any respect or many waves on a a super-good day..yes. Still exists. If you mean localism as in, you can't surf outside of your home breaks, not really anymore. Although there sure are a lot of internet locals who'll school your ass digitally.

The blue-collar guys used to bully unknowns off of peaks and generally make an effort to ensure non-locals felt unwelcomed. They'd fight, too. I've seen more than one punch a motherfucker right in the jaw right there in the water. Those guys are a dying breed though. Literally and figuratively. It's kind of a self-selecting situation playing out. If you're the type of guy who'd put your hands on someone over surfing, you probably also never earned much money or had access to an education and you've been priced out of your home and moved inland or someplace remote down south or PR, and the ones that are left have realized that with every person with the ability (and willingness) to call 911 at their fingertips, that payback for wounded ego is maybe not worth a felony charge. I'll be honest though, I kind of miss those days. I think it made people more situationally aware in the water.