SURFING ETIQUETTE

THIS IS A SUBJECT I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN STOKED TO SPEND SOME WELL-EARNED TIME IN THE WAVES ONLY TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME ALONG AND RAIN ON YOUR PARADE?
WHENEVER THIS HAPPENS TO ME I GET REALLY BUMMED. WAVES ARE HARD TO FIND IN GREECE AND SO WHEN GOOD ONES COME ALONG IT’S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO RESPECT EACH OTHER’S SPACE.

FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE SEA DOESN’T BELONG TO ANY OF US, AND SO WE HAVE TO SHARE!
WE SHOULD RESPECT EACH OTHER’S ABILITIES, AND BEING COMFORTABLE WITH OUR OWN LEVEL IS A PART OF THAT.
THERE IS NO SHAME IN BEING A BEGINNER, STICKING TO WAVES THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE AND ASKING FOR HELP OR TIPS FROM MORE EXPERIENCED SURFERS WHEN YOU NEED THEM.

WE ARE ALL IN THIS FOR THE SPORT AND WE ARE ALL TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR GAME, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MADE TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE WHEN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE TAKE OVER THE BREAK. THIS IS ESPECIALLY UNACCEPTABLE, I THINK, WHEN SURFING SOMEWHERE ABROAD. IT’S TERRIBLE WHEN LOCAL SURFERS AREN’T RESPECTED OR GIVEN PRIORITY SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON THEIR TRAINING.

FOR THIS REASON, WHENEVER I GO SOMEPLACE NEW, I TRY TO AVOID SNAKING AND BEING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SURF. IN OTHER WORDS, I TRY TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE UNTIL I’VE MET A FEW PEOPLE AND I’VE A GOT A BIT OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPOT. I PERSONALLY DON’T THINK THERE IS ANY NEED TO GET UPSET AT OTHER SURFERS OR TO CREATE A NEGATIVE SURF ENVIRONMENT BY SELFISHLY HOARDING ALL THE GOOD WAVES TO MYSELF.
WHAT’S THE POINT OF SURFING IF YOU DON’T MAKE ANY FRIENDS AND IT ISN’T ANY FUN?
SURFING SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT POSITIVE ENERGY – KEEP IT COMING!