Yeah, there are a lot of people with bad attitudes in the surf these days. I accept it at high performance waves or spots with crowds, but some places it’s completely out of line, especially San Onofre. One day there was this lady out there who must have been close to sixty, with long dark hair, and was barking at everyone. So, I paddle up to her and say, “You know, this spot has over seventy years of history to it, and one of the classic traits is that people here share waves.”
This got her angrier for two reasons. 1. She HAD been surfing there since before I was born, and 2. She disagreed. She said, “no, no, no. I don’t think so.”
I said, “Well, then, I’ll make sure to avoid YOUR waves, but the ones I catch are open to anyone. I don’t care.”
And I don’t. I don’t mind sharing a wave, even when I shortboard. It’s FUN to ride with others, as long as you are a bit careful. The only time I get mad is when I shortboard and am moving VERY fast down the line, setting up a move, and then someone drops in. Even then, however, I usually either pass them by, watching them fall as they see are shocked that someone was actually on the wave. Or I crowd them so that they can’t enjoy the wave. But I only do that if it’s absolutely a blatant snake. If some beginner cuts me off, I simply cut out and let him have the wave. God knows he had enough trouble catching the thing. Took all his effort.
Waves are ripples on the water. There will be a lot more coming soon. So relax and have fun.
And stop complaining about crowds. It’s EASY to get a spot to yourself anywhere in the world. Everytime I go to Oahu, I leave Honolulu and drive ALL the way around the island to get to the North Shore, and I must stop a dozen times to get out he binoculars and marvel at a lone peak way out there.
There’s plenty of surf in this world.
It’s time to start riding together again.
Miki Dora, by the way, is the one to blame for this. He made films that got everyone stoked about surfing, then complained when the BU got too crowded. So he started shooting his board at people. I know he’s dead, and it’s not very polite to speak ill of the dead, but let’s be honest. He started the bad vibes in the water.
Although I’m sure it would have happened anyway.
Let’s not attack each other in the lineup. We have better things to do…
Like attack women and children in the Middle East.