Stop the stoke, no more beginners!

[blindboy]

caspa, the current crop of locals are the product of the commercialisation and over promotion of surfing. If their behaviour is bad, that's a significant part of the cause. Look back at the record of drug addiction in the local surfing community over the last twenty five years, it is nothing to be proud about. I've lost count of the casualties, living and dead. We elected to become a commercial enterprise and sell our collective arse to the highest bidder, I am only lamenting that it might have been different....and better.

You want a Master...what about Midget? Great surfer, never sold his soul, always a gentleman. Mark Richards...much the same......Damien Hardman...out of a similar mould. And they are just the high profile figures, I've known many surfers who were great role models but whose influence was limited by the absence of any structures beyond the commercial and competitive.

Oh and sorry, but your list of reasons is just ridiculous, I really couldn't be bothered dealing with it!

[oldman]

I hate to put a dampener on the argument, but crowd levels on Sydney beaches are essentially unchanged since the mid-70's. The contributor who believes that it is multiple times more crowded now than in 1990 just wasn't there in 1989. It must have been a quiet day when he went down to the beach that year.

Here is your choice, and you know it. You work out how to get a wave when you're surfing in Sydney, or you only surf only when you go up/down the coast, or you drop your bottom lip and give up surfing, in which case there is one less problem.

I have never found it a problem getting a wave when there are a lot of learners in the water. If you think about it, it is second only to going out alone. The difficulty is when you are surfing with a lot of accomplished surfers.

And how many of you surfers who complain about the crowds REGULARLY go out on your own, i.e. no mates, no mobile phone calls to anyone, just straight in and doing it. I thought so.

Finally, surfing in summer in Sydney has to be considered a luxury. The surf is rarely good and the number of participants means you have to get up real early to get some quality time up. It's sad but true, summer isn't the best time for surfing. Ironic.

[blindboy]

Oh and I couldn't resist 2 Year Wait's thpoughts on the subject from the Surfline Forums:

Attention yea Southpark Faithfull, SURFING SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reverand Cartman Says:
Surfing sucks!!! The Surfing Sector of South Park has gotten too big. We are bothered by crowded lineups and fighting for waves. In order to not let this problem get out of hand we must DENOUNCE to any outsiders our surfing lifestyle. We must tell them how bad surfing sucks and how crowded the lineups are. We must tell them that what they see in the movies is make believe and untrue. We must tell them that surfing is hard work and not worth the one or two waves we catch every twenty minutes. When an outsider calls it surfing you must say "no, it is called paddleing for that is what is done most of the time" We must tell them the danger of sharks has scared us out of the water. We must tell them that the reefs will cut you up like a cheese grater. We must tell them that waves are too big, powerfull, and put our lives at risk. We must tell them that the water is too cold. Do whatever you must to persuade people to not cross over to our lifestyle. You can only share your stoke with current members and anyone whom has not surfed in 6 months may not be surfed with by any of you. Follow us to the promise land of less crowded lineups and fewer paddle battles. Hear my words and be faithfull for if not you will reap what you sow, a crowded lineup.

[roscoediboscoe]

Kooks in the water is a BIG problem - probably more so in the big smoke - not so much down the coast.

The biggest problem though is fat old pricks on 10 foot Mals.

I'd rather surf with a 100 kooks trying to pick up waves then 10 old f%#s taking off 100 metres further out - fading left, then throwing their 10 foot piece of shit into a big arc nearly cutting everyone in half.

Don't mind the boyfriends pushing their girls into 2 foot slop - good to see them pearl - go face first into the sand and then nearly get cleaned up by their wayward mini-mal, whilst trying to get their skimpy bikini back on.

Also don't mind the Jap chicks on their eskies "nice arses!!!!

Oh and STU - leave Kimmy alone - she's OK

[blindboy]

roscoediboscoe, just another dimension of the same basic problem. You look at those guys, most will be in their thirties or forties but to have started out on a mal you would really have to be close to fifty, so they're johnnycomelately blow ins who want to get more waves than their ability justifies...burn 'em and burn 'em hard!

[bumbaclot]

righto Blindboy, I'll hit the bid on your generous offer, my keeness to progress could only be matched by your patience.....but I'm sure I'm make a good Ralph Macchio to your Mr. Myagi.....ha ha ha

[blindboy]

Yeh I'm over the hill but I bet I can still out surf you grasshopper!

[buzzy]

I surf Bondi all the time. Lots of the time you get heaps of waves because most can't surf. The bigger problem is people dropping in because they have no idea of the rules. But they have fun. There's a group of young girls who I've noticed out a bit lately, I'd guess they are about 12, who all surf and yell and carry on. Most of them aren't any good, but they are enthusiastic and will be good. The little guys are also mostly pretty cool. Even the backpackers are mostly cool. Give 'em a smile and they're happy to chat. Explain the rules and they're happy to comply. They don't want a fight.

Anyways, I have no problem with surf schools. Just maybe they should teach etiquette a little. Surfings changed. It won't ever be the early 70's again. I think it's us who need to adapt.

[blindboy]

bumbaclot, you don't have to take that too literally, the point is that most people who take up surfing just head straight from the surf school into the line up and they just do not have the paddling power to compete with the crowd. If you're serious about developing your surfing you really need to do some extra paddling. If you're on a shortboard it can be a bit of a strain but even longboard paddling, over distance, helps. I'd also suggest you hit the pool for some sprint swimming, 25-30 metres, 10 reps, something like that, but going hard as you can.

Fun, fun, fun? If that's your only motivation go to the water slides! Sorry but surfing is more than that.

[bumbaclot]

you backing down blindboy! Serioulsy I do all of that already, so hopefully I should make some progress. And yes I understand what surfing means to me, thats why I'm putting in the hard yards.

[KLXracer]

Blindboy said "If I could go back in time I would try to set up surfing the same way martial arts are organised……you start at the bottom, do what you’re told and respect the masters! So grasshopper, paddle point to point for a month, spend another hour a day just sitting on the beach watching and then, maybe, you’ll be worthy to ride a wave, otherwise you’re just another kook, just part of the floating debris to be dodged…forever!"

Or perhaps you've just watched The North Shore a few too many times Blindboy?

Ya know, it is amusing to watch this discussion - I am a surfer who can stand up and turn and thats about it, but enjoy it nonetheless. Outside of surfing I race motocross and supercross, and there are plenty of beginners that are allowed into these sports! You want to complain about health hazards, wait till some beginner moto rider tries to clear a big double, loses it on the landing and takes you out with 100kg of steel.

Too many "pro's" out there it seems, and blindboy if you have been on tour then full kudos to you, I respect that big time, but try to remember you were a beginner once and I would be willing to bet that you have dropped in, paddled across, or got in the way of someone more experienced in your day - its just the way it is.

[NezQuik]

HAHAHAHAH!!!! Lets cull all these kooks!! Shoot!!!if they can do it in the streets of Sao Paolo with the thousands of orphaned, homeless kids!!!! Why the Heck not aye!!!!

[NezQuik]

I reckon itll be great BlindBoy!!! we could go get us a mp-64 sniper rifle and pick em off one by one!!!! Then itll be all over the news, everyone will be scared to go in!!!! think about it!!!! we could really do this!!!! a free line up!!! the whole summer!!! we could score all the 1 foot slop we want!!!

[Billwha]

hey blindboy . . . i've only been surfing about 4/5 years . . . started after i turned 20 . . . . and I WILL be at that level one day, who gives a shit what you say. i been in the water all my life, you ever tell me to get out cause my moves aren't there yet i'll laugh in your face and paddle for the next wave.

[NezQuik]

Hey Im speaking to Blind Boy!!!!!!wait your turn......HEY!! maybe youll like to join me!!??

[Billwha]

it's actually not a bad idea . . . . mmmmm . . . . i think we'd both be suspects though don'tcha reckon? if we're the only ones out? maybe we should lobby the council for a large iron gate at the beach. charge $100 entry proceeds to go towards making the gate bigger. i'll borrow from the bank and surf for a year declare bankrupcy, head to costa rica and marry a spanish princess who wants to learn to surf. i think this whole discussion is getting pretty silly!

[NezQuik]

But REALLY now!!!!.....I hate crowds....I hate clueless people in the way, but really!!! Im not trying to hide in rubbish bins with my best friends because the Sao Paolo police culling squad are doing a raid!!! Its not like im trying to fight off some other kid to get the best "spot" in the sewer mains(cause the most filthiest of places is the best places to hide)....Its not like ive been doing this for years, and ive got "kooky" kids trying to help them find food in a "saturated", "over populated" city of orphans!!!.....IF youve got complaining to do BlindBoy!!!!!!.....tell someone who cares!!!....I sure dont!!!