Stop the stoke, no more beginners!

[admin]

I got a note from a chap named Sebastian today and it got me thinking... here's what he said:

Don can you please stop encouraging all these imbeciles to start
surfing. Its already way to crowded, too dangerous and too f'ing
cliched, "oh i want to learn to surf it looks sooo cool". I will make one
exception though, ie: 9.5/10 plus, girls wearing bikinis. Otherwise you
and ya mates pull ya heads in.

I guess I encouraged people when I noted with approval the obvious stoke being experienced by some of the people who'd come along to the Go and Surf Social day in Manly on Sat the 7th. My 8-year-old daughter and her pal were among them. Matt Grainger and his crew were conducting the lessons in their usual professional fashion.

Anyway, standing on the beach and watching people go from apprehensive to totally stoked in conditions that most of us wouldn't even think of bothering with, really made an impression on me. I know that most of these folks won't become surfers, but from now on, they're on side with us. And they have a much better idea of why our sport is so exceptional.

Is it bad? I can't see how it can be. City beaches wouldn't miraculously become less crowded if all the surf schools were shut down. Competence in the water wouldn't improve over night.

We all have to start surfing at some point. Why should we resent it if others follow our example?

Anyway, I suspect some of you may have contrary views...

[nubby]

spot on fletch.......if crew just out of the surf school are competion for you then YOU SHOULD BE IN THE SURF SCHOOL not hassling don with dumbass moans........and the whole "but its sooooo crowded now its cool" argument is a laugh cause the surf in sydney has ALWAYS BEEN CROWDED......these idiots goin round thinkin that the late 80's early 90's were some kind of secret spot shangrilah in sydney should get off the acid and smell the coffee. and anyhow, when its 6ft and spitting, you wont find any surf schoolers anywhere but on the cliff hooting.

[spotty]

The worst thing is when you get those wankers who take their new girlfriends out at your local peak. Usually the chick is a total glamour but they are totally clueless. He does'nt take her down the beach out of harms way cause he would'nt want to miss the opportunity to catch a few himself and show off his limited surfing prowess close up. Meanwhile "Bambi", floats sideways in the impact zone giggling, and apologizing. If you really want to do your girl, and the wider surfing community a favour, ---- off up the coast to a deserted beach please.

[kaz]

I am a chick who is new to the sport. I do appreciate that those who have been surfing longer do get annoyed to see beginners trying to get out, stand up, paddle etc etc. but with a bit of mutual respect won't that beginner get better at what they are doing and progress from the 'learner' label? From my perspective, the mix of beginners and experienced surfers in the water allows you to appreciate some better surfing and learn more.
And I don't agree that all girls surfing are out there to look cool, pose in a bikini, to join the boyfriend. Yes - there are some girls that do those things for the glamour and popularity etc but not all girls are the same! Some of us enjoy it for what it is, not what it brings.

[random]

crowds on small days... pfft. they are days to go out with your mates and have a hoot. (something that is really lacking from the northern beaches of late)

like someone already said, on the big days it certainly seperates the men from the boys.

[cheza]

SIgh - I should be working but I just can't help posting . . ..

Learners, well we all started once upon a time its true, but its a bit of a free for all these days.

I started surfing about 12 after some time on a surfo. Surfers were people who were often 'fringe' people. Folk who didn't quite enjoy the same status as golfers. I'm not saying this was good but most surfers could actually swim at that time. Grommets looked up to the older guys, wouldn't give too much lip and went up to the shop to get food for their elders. Grommets bought their boards after saving $ for ages and often they were second hand models that big brothers or other guys sold or handed on to them.

There was a pecking order and apart from all the stuff that goes with a heirarchy - it was all ok. I guess this makes me an old fart (one of my boards is 9'1")

these days

Who ever heard of giving someone who can't drive a car and sending them out on the freeway?

SUre their are surf schools but many surf schools say nothing about surf etiquette, about paying dues, about respect, about dropping in, about creating tension, about the fact that their $40 lesson does not include right of way on all waves for ever more

The focus iof many schools iss getting people on their feet, taking over a section of the beach and if possible getting the students photographed so the punters can be sold a souvenir.

Those that can make to their feet at the end of the lesson ususally go to their knees in the process. If they can do that they are turned loose with all the bravado of Sinbad the sailor. the result - well you know the result at your end. For me its bruised shins, broken nose and a iberally dinged quiver.

Fancy tatoos, attitude posturing and all the rest of the palava is now the norm rather than the exception. Actually controlling a surf board is an optional extra. Have you been out a Bondi in the last 5 years or Byron, or Manly or . . .

Don't get me wrong, I positively smile when i see a group of kids in the shore dump on soft boards. Who wouldn't?

I don't know what the answer is but the whole thing is a bit of a bother if you ask me. I'm not saying ban learners or relegate them to 'beginner slopes' but all the escalating hassle is really not sustainable.

FIrst step might be for the surf schools to spend 5 mins giving students the mail on how its all supposed to work. At least if that starts I won't have to swallow the pain and disregard the dings and patiently explain the rules of the road to some pommy backpacker who thinks they are in the middle of a sponsored Australian Wonderland moment.

[zzz]

In the same way its hard to picture what it feels like to be cold in the middle of a hot summer day or how miserable it is to be sick when you are well, it is easy to forget each year, when we're at the end of summer and the crowds have cottoned onto the fact that its fun in the water and all finally bought surfboards and are out there in force, that it will all get better again in a few months when daylight savings ends. The cold winter southerlies will start coming through. The mornings will be dark, the crowds will dissappear and the surf will improve. A small percentage of the beginners will still hang around and go on to become surfers, the rest will go back into the city or out west to dwell in pubs or on footy fields.
There will be a heavy 4 foot closeout inside protecting the clean outside 6+' break from any incompetents that wander out and all will be well again ... except at the bower where it will be bedlam .... go the beachbreaks in winter - reward for effort

[dogstar]

If you can surf you can get all the waves you like if the majority of people are learners- you are the one with the wave sense, the fitness and the ability to paddle quickly.

As one friendly learner told me yesterday, it doesn't feel crowded in the learner groups because none of them actually catch the waves that come through! Millions of people have had lessons at Manly, they don't all hang around and buy boards and start thrashing around the line-up...

Surfing is difficult. If you have the tenacity to keep paddling out after a good hammering, when your arms are burning, your lungs are labouring and your legs are bruised with fin cuts, then good on you!

That said, I have been out with a bunch of texan learners at Ollie's Point in Costa Rica... talk about out of your depth!

[mnunes]

Mate, you can't prevent people from wanting to try out our fantastic sport, regardless of their initial reason. One thing is for sure, surfing for a beginner is an extremely hard and it will take months before they feel comfortable on a board. Many give up and they are the ones that did it because it is cool. The ones that persist are worthy of joining our culture and become more aware of the environment and issues associated with polution and protecting our shores. Let's face it, city beaches cannot get any more crowded!!! I have just been surfing in Portugal and Lisbon city beaches are more crowded and poluted than Bondi beach on a sunday afternoon. I believe one thing that should be done is to educate beginners on the rules of surfing. Every school, surf shop or anyone that sell, lends or hires a surfboard to a novice should have a small brochure on the rules and guidelines of surfing, just like the ones you see at lifeguard towers.
There's no point tell them off on the line up nor getting upset if they don't know what they did wrong! Instead, education is the key towards their development and our well being in the surf!

[stuey]

If ya see a learner, drop in on the bastard. Cos, sure as eggs are eggs ya'II be on the inside pullin in and the kook will go over the falls on ta ya. And as for the chicks, hehehhe run 'em over. Chicks are kooks forever, love ta blame their upper body appendages for their lack of balance, not their huge arses! Unfortunately, there is no end in sight to the commercialism of surfin, so all ya can do is hassle as many of the bastards as ya can, unless of course, they are ya mates. hahahahhahha

[blindboy]

Some good points but you'll never convert me to the view that this explosion of kooks is a good thing or should be tolerated in the interests of our egalitarian (ha ha ha) society. Cheza knows the truth.....you used to have to work at it!

For me a lot of it comes down to what's real and what's not, that is where did the impulse to actually surf come from? Until recently most surfers were people who grew up near the beach and it was watching the local waves and the local surfers that drew them to it. Mass media images of surfing were non-existent and surfing films and magazines were few and small scale. Now the majority of people paddling out are carrying all these false images generated by the constant promotion of the activity beyond any real measure of its worth.

They are seeking an experience, nothing more. A few posts have said wait until winter, they all go away and it's true for the worst of the kooks but the same processes that created them have created a huge number of marginally competent surfers who wait for the quality days and paddle out. The standard of surfing, even in mid-winter, is shit. I would estimate that the percentage of good surfers most days is less than 10% and much less than that when it is sunny and offshore. You might say that's purely subjective but it's not; a good surfer being someone who can quickly accelerate their board to planing speed and execute a standard turn, cutback, reo sequence with 80-90% reliability.

I would maintain that even 10 years ago the percentage was more like 20 and before that even higher.......we're headed to dogtown, kooksville, McWavetown and we're in a hurry!

[blindboy]

More like what happened to the kooris when the eurpeans arrived....hey, this looks good we'll have a big slice of that!

[bumbaclot]

Guys,

This debate is never ending and although I acknowledge the points raised to date, none of them are offering any solutions to the current situation. A situation which will continue to develop as better/more experienced surfers concerns grow with the amount of new comers to the sport.
I am a less than average surfer as I've only been surfing for a short time, but by giving things ago, different breaks, bigger surf etc etc, my surfing is steadily improving. I surf everyday if there is a wave and can't wait to get better.
I have skied, representing my country and played golf professionally and anyone who knows anything about these sports knows that this level of achievement does not come easily. This said, surfing is by far an away the hardest thing I've learned.
Skiing went through a similar growth phase back in the early 80's and all of sudden the slopes were full of kooks, beginner classes all over the place causing carnage where ever they went. This said, you'd never see a group of beginners staring down the top of a double diamond black run, or mogul field. Equally with golf, I never played against anyone in competition that wasn't off scratch. You generally don't get many handicappers playing tour qualifiers or county comps.
I guess my point is, you don't get many/if any beginners in the water when the waves are overhead/double overhead etc etc. The surroundings rule them out, there not fit enough, there not ready for it, whatever! For anyone of accomplishment, whinging about the small percentage (normally 0) out on a big winters swell......get the f@ck over it. If you can't pick the waves you want from a novice, you shouldn't be out there yourself.
Ask for Blinboy's comment on the technical ability of what someone does on a wave, its all part of learning. If the dudes got out the back on a 5ft+ day and beats you to a wave, good on him......fair enough you could have racked up countless reos/floaters etc etc......but you ain't doing nothing if someone else right of way.
Hey, I could hit 160 yard, fades with a little back spin all day long in my prime, doesn't stop some f@cker firing one right in the can........and I'd be even more stocked than they were!
For any experienced surfers out there, just think about the last time you took a good mate out that was either learning or wasn't so hot.......How stoked were you for him/her when they caught a wave/stood up/got there first barrel/floater/etc etc...

[blindboy]

bumbaclot, did you ever have to play fifty f..wits at once anyone of whom can grab the spot. As for the winter stuff, well any idiot in the world can get out at a lot of the breaks eg Bower, DY Point, Palmy etc and even at those that require some fitness, the relationship between fitness and skill these days isn't that great.

Oh and surfing being hard, yep, I can only recall about two people who started after the age of eighteen ever actually reaching the standard i was talking about.....of course lots think they did!

Mid-summer about 80% should be in the wave pool at Australia's Wonderland!