this swell so far

1. No you dont. Not if you live in PA
2. yes we can

 

Please don't misunderstand... It really has nothing to do with where you're from, or what you ride, because those things don't inherently make someone a kook. But they do, generally (yes there are exceptions) speak to someone's skill level and familiarity with the break, etiquette, and local pecking order.( Like it or not, there is a pecking order. Maybe you have a place in it, Rob... I don't know. And I'm not saying it's a good thing or a bad thing... that's another thread, and the topic's been done to death.)

My comment was referring to a specific person and incident at my local over the weekend. A set wave comes, I spin around to take it, and there's a kid, eyes popping out of his head, belly down on his NSP, arms and legs straight out to the sides spread eagle, slapping and kicking the water in a spastic attempt to flail himself out of my way. It's a scene I play over and over in my head, and get a little laugh each time.

I have some very good friends from PA who surf, who have more aloha and soul... and are flat out better surfers... than some of the local kids who don't have a clue.

 

oh man something similar happened to me the swell before this last one.

Kid must have just gotten a winter suit so he was out there. I drop in backside grab rail on this right, see a barrel section starting so I drag butt and tuck in. Instead of waiting until I pass and go behind me this kid tries to duck dive right in front of me.

Problem is, he can't duck dive! So he ditches his board (basically throws it right into my path) where I run it over. You know what happens when your board stops immediately and you don't. Yes, face first into the water.

I tried to keep my mouth shut but somehow it opened and it was like I tried to drink from a fire hose. Big gulp of saltwater and I come up, check my fins, huge gash in my nicest fins (not sure the name) the ones that are injected with foam and come with firewires. I just had to laugh and paddle back out. Kid had no idea he did anything wrong.

The end.

 

LBCrew speaks the truth! This hints at one of my favorite sayings "stereotypes: based on reality" I try to be tolerant of out of state plates as much as possible, as I like to travel. Maybe its the fact that I know how these guys are SUPPOSED to act in the lineup that wears on my tolerance...

If I head down to the banks, do I show up at motels or S-turns? Hell no. There are so many uncrowded breaks down there in the smaller towns like Waves and Salvo. If I do, for whatever reason, surf one of those localized spots, I stay off of the main peak, at least at first. If its a real sharing and caring vibe I might move in on it, if not I take the hint. No harm no foul. Down there the locals are hungry, and they appreciate the space when a good swell does come.

I guess, PSA for out of towners- if you are an unfamiliar face, please stay off of the main peak of (whatever spot) on bigger, more crowded days. Thank you, Local crews united.

SIDENOTE: im glad this thread went here. No one is being particularly nasty, that dude did call out ROB, but hey, you CAN always tell. At some spots its as easy as "hey, do you know that guy" "Nope, F**king tourist" or "nope, he surfs though". Sad but true, instant judgement.

 

Yo rob doesnt matter if your from PA or not. Sounds like you charge it and are just as stoked as I am you made it out same amount of days as I did last week!! Thought you went to Southern Jersey? Why the change up.. Seems like the SJ boys have been coming up more lately any way Lee hit up a good point I like to surf the best spots as much as anyone I want to get the best waves I can during a swell but now a days they are being over run by kooks not just rippers (in march)I usually bail when a pack of four or as in saturdays case 6 guys come out together and take over the peak thats f-up but not going to enjoy the rest of my session when this happens so I usually bail either move over or drive to another spot on Sunday this worked in my favor..
Oh well as it has been pionted out there are miles and miles of beach so no reason to get pissy this time of year gonna have to do a littel more exploring next time my spots have a crowd just thought since it is still March that I would be able to squeeze a few sessions and the better more known beaches before the masses.. Oh well come on weekeday swells from now till June I dont work a 2nd shift for nothing!!!

 

It happens all the time, when you're out all alone on a fun day, then during a lull, you notice a kid starts walking down the dunes, and you watch him closely, hoping for the worst, sure enough you see another head pop out after him, and another, and another, next thing you know his entire graduating class is with him paddling out to you and your day is ruined.

 

haha!

once I was surfing alone and this guy paddled out, hung out just off the main peak not getting much, I waved him over and told him it was breaking and lining up off the rocks. He said "Thanks for sharing the peak!" I was like "What are you talking about?! You think you can't surf the place where it's breaking the best because I was here first?"

we took turns for the rest of that afternoon and to my suprise he was actually pretty good.

Now if there was already 6-8 guys on that break, it would have been different and I wouldn't have been there anyway.

 

Saturday morning, me and my one buddy out, 2 other buddies came as I was leaving.

 

i travel around jerz and long island a lot so i'm always an out of town plate and i've found the key to getting along and getting waves is to not be so noticeably wave hungry. take the scraps, don't call people off waves too loudly, don't aggressively paddle to inside position, give up a few to the locals. and if you do get a good one, don't mess it up!

 

I agree man, if youre out at a spot that you arent familiar with or even if its a spot you surf all the time and theres a pack of dudes ripping sitting at the peak just lineup down the line a little and pick up the ones that swing wide or no one goes on.

I usually go out of my way to surf uncrowded spots in NJ even if its not breaking as good. Sometimes you just cant avoid it though and in that case I respect the local rippers but still take my place above any obvious kooks that are out and are gonna just blow waves.

This Saturday I got out at dawn but by 10 the place was packed, I was sitting at the next peak down from the jetty where guys were getting shacked wave after wave. I had the peak to myself for a while then a few guys came out who would paddle for every wave but either not be able to get into it or just go over the falls. I gave them a fair chance but then when I saw that they were just wasting the waves I would take off on the ones I was in position for instead of just letting them go to waste.

I know Im not a local and I make sure to respect the guys who rip, but at the same time I take my place in the pecking order above some others that are out there. I guess what Im trying to say is that there are kooks everywhere, regardless of where they are from (PA, NJ or wherever) and while I know Im not a local, being from PA doesnt mean Im a kook...

I have no problem being an outsider, I never have problems out in the water since I show respect and have a positive attitude. The only times I get vibed are when Im changing by my car or pull up with PA plates but I guess thats just how it goes sometimes.