apology not accepted ...

[Clif]

I must say though the crowds have been unusually massive and arrogant this week ...

I agree totally. It has been a circus!!!! What is going on? 3 ft swells and everyone thinks they are bloody killing it and start hassling like crazy. Sending me around the twist (even further). My patience was truly tested this week.

Bring on some size and clear the gumbys please sir.

[steve shearer]

Rats in a cage.
Eventually order breaks down.
Happens here too.
I've seen violent solutions go pretty fcukin pear though.
Think of your kids.
Thats gotta be the lamest justification for a drop-in ever though.
Guy definitely deserved a smack in the chops for that.

[TMC]

It's funny how once someone mentions violence all of a sudden everyone comes out of the woodwork saying how they would bash his head in.

I am assuming most people here surf because they enjoy the sport? Now how does getting into a bit of biffo make you enjoy your surf? Surely you would be better off just grabbing your board paddling out and trying it all again, rather than getting agro?

[Karlos]

^^^ Hey I only believe in violence as a last resort, & in the case of surfing it's pretty bloody unneccesary unless you're defending yourself. But there's a few surfers I know who are just over all the ignorance out in the water & are surfing less & less as a result. When you get dropped in on by some idiot who all the while watches you paddle for, get to your feet & in Surfin's case even get barrelled, but still drops in & then has the gall to try to tell you the wave wasn't worth it so it really doesn't matter then shit ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

It's been said over & over again, but there is an etiquette out in the water that has to be abided by & it seems that unless you only picked up a board in the last 5 years or so, you learnt it & you abide by it. But what the f*ck is happening now? People just don't get it (are they not being told/taught?) & this is making surfing (in the city at least) more often than not, at times unenjoyable. I'll be f*cked paddling out on a weekend these days unless it's very bloody early in the morning, & mid-week certainly ain't what it used to be. The crowds are here to stay so the least we can do is observe the rules & have a little bit of RESPECT for those around you.

Respect. Now there's something that's gone amiss from most aspects of life these days. What a f*cking shame.

[RickyG]

Respect. Now there's something that's gone amiss from most aspects of life these days. What a f*cking shame.

Couldn't agree more Karlos. And most of the people who demand it are the least likely to show it :?

[diggerdickson]

I grew up surfing outside of the surfing culture I suppose, I just didnt want to conform to it. I started surfing late at the age of 14, would never have considered myself a local at any beach as no one can own a beach.

I was not a member of any surf club and never had the inclination to join one, loved surfing by myself espically when it was large and stormy and generally rejected the surf fashion and industry.

My point being is that even a misfit like me who was not taught the surf edicate ( sorry bout the spelling) from anyone understood what it was to know my place in the lineup, to understand that if you go to a empty beach and there is a perfect aframe on the beach with one guy on it, you find another bloody peak to yourself ( because your turn will always come and it does) and more often than not it will be just as good.

I dont beleive the problem is with not knowing any surf rules, I beleive its all about not knowing what respect is. I believe my old man taught me the so called surf rules and he did not even surf, they are to me, respect where respect is deserved. As a grommot respect your elders in the line up. Know how to look left or right.

People dont seem to understand this much at certain places, a shame but thats how it is these days.

[Revolution]

Surfin turf was 100% in the right imo.

Plus im 99% sure ive seen these people out where turfin is talkin about and they are complete wankers.

Should have belted him one.

[Trev]

I grew up surfing outside of the surfing culture I suppose, I just didnt want to conform to it. I started surfing late at the age of 14, would never have considered myself a local at any beach as no one can own a beach.

I was not a member of any surf club and never had the inclination to join one, loved surfing by myself espically when it was large and stormy and generally rejected the surf fashion and industry.

My point being is that even a misfit like me who was not taught the surf edicate ( sorry bout the spelling) from anyone understood what it was to know my place in the lineup, to understand that if you go to a empty beach and there is a perfect aframe on the beach with one guy on it, you find another bloody peak to yourself ( because your turn will always come and it does) and more often than not it will be just as good.

I dont beleive the problem is with not knowing any surf rules, I beleive its all about not knowing what respect is. I believe my old man taught me the so called surf rules and he did not even surf, they are to me, respect where respect is deserved. As a grommot respect your elders in the line up. Know how to look left or right.

People dont seem to understand this much at certain places, a shame but thats how it is these days.

Digger, you're right.
And the same applies to life in general, not just surfing. The people who don't observe surf etiquette would also be the noisy neighbours, inconsiderate drivers and general community arseholes.

[daryl]

That thread of Nick Carrolls where we remembered learning to surf, and mostly our mistakes at the time. I was very embarrassed , and still am , to say that it took me at least a couple of years to understand that when someone's got a good long ride, it's not suddenly your turn on that wave when they get near you. They really don't know why you've got right of way. They're kooks .

[otway1949]

Give them a full run down of how right of wave works. verbally and nicely first then the other later.

[oldman]

Arguments and heat in the water just ruin a surf for me. Learned that a long time ago. I haven't had an argument in the surf for years, not even a sideways look really.

I just keep moving when kooks move in, and I don't surf in places where there is only one take-off area, unless it's only me and mates in the water. I'm more patient and smarter than most other surfers in the water, although many are much better surfers, I've just modified my approach so that those situations are extremely unlikely.

But I'll also call for a wave if it is clearly mine and won't back down.

I don't know ST, maybe you have just been getting so many waves for so long that you expect more than I do, in fact I'm sure of that. There is something about you that attracts them it seems.

Also, where I surf I am very rarely competing with boogie boarders, or longboarders for that matter. Believe it or not, there aren't that many of either on the eastern suburbs beaches (not counting Bondi, if you surf there you deserve everything you get).

'bra is a pretty peaceful place mostly from my experience of recent times. Maybe the 'bra boy threat keeps everyone polite, and the boogers away.

[Surfin Turf]

I don't know ST, maybe you have just been getting so many waves for so long that you expect more than I do, in fact I'm sure of that. There is something about you that attracts them it seems..

I believe I get waves because simply the years of experience teach us how to ... such as how the read the surf, where to sit, ability to take off on certain waves etc... I am not at all a greedy surfer and always take turns, and try to show others that I am clearly sharing waves with them ... rather than attracting the knob heads I think that there are just an incredible amount of them, and so few people who are courtious to others and respectful of the "rules" ... I also try to avoid crowds which is why I surf at dawn ( no , it's not 'cause I'm a hard arse and not afraid of sharks ... ) ... glorious surf this morning with little bro and a mate ... early and cold is a perfect recipe to de-knobify the surf ...

[oldman]

I believe I get waves because simply the years of experience teach us how to ... such as how the read the surf, where to sit, ability to take off on certain waves etc...

No offence intended ST. I'm always working on those principles, and learning to surf at north maroubra gives you some ideas on how to avoid confontation and find a wave. I have good days and I have bad days. Sometimes the waves follow me sometimes I can paddle to the exact point where they are not going to break.

Definitely agree with you on courtesy out there though. It's a jungle man, sometimes I wonder how I keep from going under.............

Just hate the confrontation though, just spoils everything for me.

I reckon you should work on not feeling bad about it.

[Surfin Turf]

no offence taken ... I need to work on my use of emoticons to ensure that post are taken to context ...

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[Surfin Turf]

My wife wasn't so impressed, she thinks I'm a dickhead.

that's my wife on a good day ...

Maybe I should've called him off, but I'd like to think you shouldn't have to.

kn oaf ... agree, no one ever has to call me off a wave ... you should be able to surf expecting fairness and polite behavior rather than having to sit there and expect that everyone else out there is an arrogant pr!ck who is constantly scheming and planning his next drop-in ...

it ain't that f'king hard to manage, even when completely p!ssed most people manage to cue in a somewhat orderly fashion at a bar and wait there turn to be served ... but so many people are so incompetent in the surf ... :?

[Lip_Ripper]

Now i'm very calm in the surf and never have any problems but in the last few weeks there is 2 absolute fwits that have really caught my attention.....bear in mind ive not had direct contact with either of them but i'm waiting...
-Fwit 1 North Curly
This guy ( kid ) he's a solid little Fwit but i reckon he'd be about 17 years old, rides a mal and really thinks he's the sh't. Paddles around snaking people and dropping in and mouthing off to his mates in a loud and annoying voice.
So the other day he drops in on this guy ( not local ) about 30 years old and the guy has a go at him quite rightly. The Fwit 1 child, blows up like he's mike tyson and starts with the " dont ever say anything to me again, i'll smash you ect" the older guy remains calm and tells the kid to fck off. The kid, he paddles over all pumped up as if he's going to throw a punch!!??... now for whatever reason the older guy backs down and the child is a hero in front of all his mates.
Now i would suggest as a public service someone needs to punch the living sh't out of this child in front of all of his mates because i'm telling you by the time he's 20 he'll be unbearable. Why a grown man would back down from this child is beyond me...

Fwit 2 D Y
Now this guy is a right royal clown... Ive seen him multiple times paddle out with his Fwit mates into a crowded lineup all hooting and hollering like its pipeline and he's the local legend... Just his vocalness is enough to ruin everyone elses surf alone. He's got a real big mouth and someone will shut it for him one day.
So the other day (one of the good days ) him and his mates are blocking for each other and generally carrying on like dickheads and as each set would come through, on the rare occaision that someone other than he or his mates would be in position, he's yelling at the top of his voice " someone fkin burn him! " like actually calling his mates to drop in on other people trying to just have a surf...Now i dont care if Fwit 2's mum spat this clown out on the steps of the DY surfclub, no one has the right to be such a blatant Fwit in the surf or anywhere else in my opinion..

[Cpt.Caveman]

I think that sometimes it a good thing to get angry and aggressive to someone whos clearly being a selfish, disrespectful, etiquette breaking, shite face.

I've noticed that sometimes it gives them the message that - no you can't get away with behaving like that all the time and with everyone, and you will get repercussions if you try it on some people, therefore pull your head in.

I've never been physical with anyone in the water, but anytime I've gotten angry at someone its usually stopped them from dropping in again. I'm not a big guy either, average height, average build.

Example 1 - North Curly, some Brazilian guy who dropped in on me 3 waves in a row. I gotta admit, the first two I was a bit deep inside, but the third was just blatant. I lost it and started swearing my head off at him saying "you fucken idiot, thats three times!!!!" *holding up three fingers aggressively and shaking them*. He freaked out and paddled off the other direction saying sorry in broken english. He never dropped in again - he learned that he couldn't get away with it, and he will have to deal with people getting angry at him.

Example 2 - Winki, some teenage stand-up who could surf pretty well. He blatantly dropped in on me right next to me. I felll when he cut me off, and started fuming when I surfaced. I waited in the channel for him to paddle back to the takeoff, and as he was paddling past:
me: "what the f### was that?" *said firmly, but not angrily*

arrogant prick: "oh I thought you were going left" *smirking*.

me: "you're a f###in comedian too are ya?!" *said in a confident and slightly more angry voice*

arrogant prick: *smirk dissapears and he starts to look a little scared, and he paddles off never to snake me or drop in on me again* - He learned that he can't get away with dropping in on me (I said something the first time), and I'll just get more angry if he behaves like a smart-ass (I pushed again when he decided to show that he didn't care).


Then again, some people do it because they are intentionally looking for a fight. Those are the ones that I usually back off on. They usually go somewhere else to find someone that they can actually stir up, and I can carry on with my surf.