Byron Bay Carnage

[matt...]

... Divided, we have fallen it seems.

united we must be! mmmmmmmmm...! [in my best YODA voice]

[Clif]

I was once run over by Lee. He has been surfing for 20 plus years. Fin shop to my thigh Then, another time my board sprung back and took out my eye. Surgery required One time Steve (who is the best surfer at my local) let his board go and it splatted me on the head. Fibreglass was in the cut. It hurt to take out. Another time in the Mentawaii with only five of us out Scat who I have surfed with all my life wiped out and his board speared me in the arm. I had to sit out two days

[Beanpole]

This comes up every summer. I just have found from experience when it does it just ends up being an excuse for some hot heads to abuse anyone who isn't a "local". Thats why I said traveller and thats why vigilantees suck big time.

Presumably up and down the coast apart from Sydney most locals are either at work or on holidays in which case theyre probably travellers themselves. Unless they are unemployed beach bums who resent anyone having a surf at "their" beach. The idea that a "representative" may enforce "the rules" might work on sunday or saturday but places like the Pass are past it. I reckon if you go out you know what to expect. Its just unfair for little kids who don't know any better.

If the surfs good and theres a tight pack of locals then theres no issue but if its two foot, goat boats and SUPS everywhere as well as learners etc theres little point or effect in "policing" surf rules. Thats not the same as having a word to someone if they screw up.

Presumably were all travellers some time.

[boardscape avalon]

I am very glad that this topic has come up , the kid in question is the son of a very close mate of mine, i have not read the article but i can let you know 1st hand that the grommet has had 5 metal plates inserted in his skull the doctors have the opinion that he has not had any permanent brain damage. He is a 100% innocent victum of PURE kookery.I would also like to point out that the level of care shown by the byron,tweed and brisbane emergency sectors of these respective hospitals has been first rate and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.
I gotta also tell you of the extreme anger and anxiety i and a few others have been dealing with in relation to this event, i wont name names but we are not happy and have purposefully stayed away from the beach .talk is cheap i know , and i choose to not allow my anger to get the better of me!
TAKE CARE real surfers and if you see dangerous stuff happening DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP...

[Surfin Turf]

Firstly ... what a horror story , only 11 years old and hurt that bad just being a kid having some fun ... I feel for his parents as well who must've been beside themselvess ... any parent hates it when their kid kicks their toe let alone being hurt to that extent ...

Perhaps there is something to be said for the best surfers in the lineup keeping everyone else in check.

You can do this without being violent. It's pretty much the standard on most Sydney beaches..

sounds a bit like the olden days when I was a grom, it was a case of the older more experienced surfers excersising the "fit in , or f'k off" rule ... but back then it was done through humiliation of grommets and violence towards non conformers ...

a great idea in theory I suppose but I just can't see it happening these days ... I reckon most people in the surf would look at you cross eyed if you started trying to the explain the guidelines of fair play and how to avoid injurying people ... most people who drop in and snake these days would rather argue their point than accept they were in the wrong anyway, so it just doesn't seem worth raising the point anyway ...

if everyone gave up surfing the problem would probably go away ... this is the movement that needs to be started ...

[boardscape avalon]

i cannot find the article.

[Beanpole]

I just read it on the "in byron today" webpage. The links on the Real Surf Homepage.

[turtle]

Maybe the local boardriders clubs need to step up here. Identify themselves in the line-up (coloured/marked rashies or something?) and enforce a code of safety and general conduct. Ideally a national code, well publicised and taught at the surf schools. Things like paddling to the whitewater as mentioned in another post.

No disrespect to NC and others who have suggested having the 'elders' do this informally but I just think that'll be ineffective. The nature of those offending almost by definition means they won't recognise their authority. Someone we see as an 'elder' might to them just seem like some crusty aggrieved surfing bum who resents their presence in the water. The 40 year old lawyer in the line-up mentioned by another poster is a great example of this.

I know the boardriders idea is open to abuse of authority and I cringe a little suggesting it, but at least it'd be surfers regulating surfers. Local surfers too, who hopefully have a real interest in their own backyard functioning right. And if they were clearly identified, then the surf schools could tell their students to look for them in the line-up, listen to what they say, and to ask advise from them if ever they were in doubt about something (which learners are a lot of the time - I suspect they'd love to be able to ask advice out there).

^^ you may be onto something ether. local boardriders members wearing easily identifiable geAR.
kinda like have marshalls at the beach, directing not enforcing.


anyone else got a better idea???

[Trev]

... Divided, we have fallen it seems.

united we must be! mmmmmmmmm...! [in my best YODA voice]

What did you do with the "quote" button, Matt?
I didn't say that.
It' spart of Dug's post which included a quote by me but not that bit.

This is how it should have been. Or, have I missed something

the idea of "elders" advising in the lineup would not work if there was only one or two elders out there

There definitely seemed to be more "elders" here 20 - 25 years ago. I can think ............ etc etc............. - seldom backed up by others. Divided, we have fallen it seems.

[turtle]

another option would be, JUST DONT SURF CROWDED SPOTS. its not that hard


example: nice bowly left, good 100mtrs 3/6ft. 15punters on it, lucky if 2 in position per set. play the odds.

if its under 4ft bloody nice to get wet and have some fun.

personally have never had problem with crowds in 35yrs.

[turtle]

Jesus H Fcuken Crispy Christ.

Marshalls !!!

Look it may even work in some places...

BUT

So will declaring the entire coastline a nanny state where admittance is granted only upon the successful completion of a stringent three month OH & S course.

What the fcuk did people fight wars for you mindless cunce? Freedom. Among other things relating to civil liberties. Very fine line between directing and enforcing...too fine for most.

Dead

Set

Joke

couldn't think of a better word than marshalls, feel stoopid


elders? mentors? trustees? gangsters? i dont know




friends?

[Ned Flanders]

Here are a couple of links to some more articles:

http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/20 ... oard-boys/

http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/20 ... ir-sights/

I am not a good surfer by any means and I greatly appreciate any and all guideance/words of wisdom from any other surfers whilst out in the surf. I love spending time in the ocean and have spent a long number of years on a lid before I decided to evolve, so to speak.

Frankly I have no idea why some learner type surfers feel the need to sit in the middle of a pack and proceed to cause havoc.

I'm all for the more experienced surfers having a word in the ear of others. People should speak up.....

[turtle]

here's another thought, if i do something "risky" or put myself in harms way then that is my decision.


it would be a sad day if we lost the right to risk

[turtle]

Here are a couple of links to some more articles:

http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/20 ... oard-boys/

http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/20 ... ir-sights/

I am not a good surfer by any means and I greatly appreciate any and all guideance/words of wisdom from any other surfers whilst out in the surf. I love spending time in the ocean and have spent a long number of years on a lid before I decided to evolve, so to speak.

Frankly I have no idea why some learner type surfers feel the need to sit in the middle of a pack and proceed to cause havoc.

I'm all for the more experienced surfers having a word in the ear of others. People should speak up.....

^^ mostly inexperience i think
lack of knowledge regards sand banks, troughs, peeling/rolling waves, rips and personal surf abilities.
reefs(rock,coral) all sorts of things that just come with time in the water.



im 42 and joined nippers at 4 and have never left the ocean since.
i respect how difficult it must be to coordinate all this stuff later in life/adult.

[Trev]

here's another thought, if i do something "risky" or put myself in harms way then that is my decision.


it would be a sad day if we lost the right to risk

True Turtle. Very true.
But, we don't have the right to take others out with our stupidity.

[Kunji]

There is no easy solution. Best way, and maybe the simplest is to send in people who are seen to be struggling. Young, old whatever.

[Chillin]

Iv been hit by surfboards on several occasions, once when an 'experienced' local decided that even though i was on the inside, these were his waves so he just cut back and flicked his board at me. A different issue i know, but one just as high in the surfers list of issues to deal with, and one that is just as likely to go unresloved. Surely you are not going to tell me that the wave at the pass is a 'black run, experienced surfers only'? Hundreds and hundreds of surfers surf together every day sometimes crowded and sometimes less so and there are few incidents of real note. I feel sorry for the young fellow and his family, as i feel sorry for the guy who died at my local of a broken neck when he got dumped in a fast shorey. He was an experienced surfer from interstate. I seem to recall at the time that some local rags were looking for some kind of warning system to alert for surfers of potential dangers, as if we didn't know. How about a little common sense.

[turtle]

yeah mate i agree.
i can only sort my space out.

if im up on a juicy section and kooky pops up, they have no worries cos i aint dinging my board on anyone but myself or the rocks.


board control board control im sure they cover a little in the surf schools and you know what they say, "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"