Thou shalt
learn to take turns. Hey, let's
face it: Surfers are greedy creatures. We all want it for ourselves.
But we're not alone on this planet, which means sharing the wave-catching
opportunities during any given surf session.
The etiquette of break-sharing can be seen at almost
any surf spot ridden by two or more people at a time, and depends
very much on the nature of the spot and the skills and attitude
of the riders.
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At a reefbreak with a consistent set-wave takeoff
zone, the ideal situation is for everyone to simply take turns.
This is most easily accomplished when the lineup is largely composed
of surfers who know each other, but can be achieved at any spot
under reasonable crowd conditions. In the classic turn-taking model,
an informal "line" of surfers springs into being, with
the surfer whose turn it is sitting deepest and in the logical takeoff
spot for the wave he or she wants to ride.
Etiquette permits some leeway here. For instance,
the best surfer's skills may earn him or her an occasional extra
wave, or a wider opportunity to choose the precise wave he or she
wants. If surfers are taking turns with set waves and Surfer A drifts
down the line out of the primary takeoff zone, the other surfers
may choose to allow A to catch some of the smaller waves, but in
doing so A will lose rights to really good set waves that break
further outside. Remember, in a taking-turns surf environment, it's
your responsibility to be in a good position to catch the wave when
it's your turn.
At a pointbreak with two or three sections, groups
will form at the beginning of each section and take turns as at
a reef, with one proviso: if a surfer is riding down from a section
up the line and looks likely to make the wave, other surfers should
make every effort to permit him or her a clean shot. The most common
breach of etiquette here is pre-emptive paddling: Surfer A is hurtling
down the line from a long way back, and Surfer B - figuring A won't
make the section - begins to paddle into the wave. As A approaches,
B pulls back, but his paddling efforts cause the wave to crumble
and break down in front of A. Result: A wipes out or is caught behind,
and the wave peels off unridden. Bad move, B.
Point and reef break etiquette can begin to break
down if one or more surfers are taking off too deep and out of position,
thus wasting the sections and forcing other surfers who are waiting
in line to watch wave go unridden. This almost always leads to dropping
in, and at the least it'll lead to pre-emptive paddling, as surfers
begin to anticipate each other's failures and chase each other's
waves from the shoulder.
Beachbreaks tend to feature a shifting wave environment.
The takeoff zones - plural, not singular - are spread out, with
more waves for everyone. This can break a beach up into several
different mini-spots, each with its own turn-taking routine in place.
If you're surfing one mini-spot at a beachbreak, keep in mind that
if you move to another mini-spot on the same beach, you're entering
another mini-society, and should be prepared to go to the end of
the wave-sharing line.
Beachbreaks, along with some reef breaks, also lead
to the need for peak etiquette. If you are in position for a really
good two-way peak with another surfer, you should choose to split
the peak - that is, you go one way off the peak, he or she goes
the other. In splitting the peak, communication is the key. You
might both prefer to go the opposite way, or one of you might want
to be sure he or she isn't about to commit a drop-in. The only way
you'll find out is to ask each other- and then make the choice
quickly!
Backdoor entry: Surf spots of all three types can
sometimes feature a method of lineup entry - jumping off rocks,
perhaps, or paddling from behind a point - that provides immediate
access to the inside takeoff position. In such cases, you should
NOT use that artificial inside positioning to jump the turn-taking
rotation. Doing this is bad etiquette and will lead to bad feeling
among your fellow surfers. Instead, either let the surfers already
sitting and waiting to take the waves they want until the lineup's
clear, or paddle wide to the outside and move into position along
with everyone else.
Sometimes there are just too many people in the lineup,
without enough waves for everyone. In such cases, even with all the
goodwill in the world, turn-taking can fall apart, the lineup tends
to become a free-for-all, and the drop-in rule is just about the
last thing left standing. In that situation, be prepared to adjust
your attitude to what's happening. If you can't, it might be best
to find another spot.
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