Internet, phones and crowds

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Headlander
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Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Headlander » Mon May 17, 2010 8:38 pm

This is my first post on these forums and what I've got to say will probably get my shot down in flames by you lot but here goes anyhow.
I've been surfing at my local Nth Coast point since I was a grommet and am now in my forties and over that time I've seen a lot of changes crowd wise, all bad. Lately though (last 5years) it has gotten beyond a joke with this last weekend an absolute nightmare and I put it down to internet forcasts and mobile phones.
Unfortunatly we have living in our area one of the internet forcasters (blow-in surf forcaster or BSF as we call him) who was only too happy to stop the Search comp due to it bringing crowds but then sells us out on the internet surf forcast, pictures and all. Car loads of bunnies then drive down in just under an hour, then get on the mobile and ring for the reserves.What happened to going surfing for youself or just with a good mate. We used to go for a surf and when asked where, you'd be real cagey about telling anyone so you might get another day before anybody else would cotton on. BSF then rags on surf comps but then does a report on the Quicky and Bells. Where is your bread buttered, got be in one camp or the other, so you don't look hypocritical by my way of thinking.
Before the internet we used to rely on our trusty paper weather charts and actually having a look outside at the conditions and making a educated guess on where the surf would be. Now though, a week out and it's 'oh the points going to be good Saturday at 8.45am don't miss it' and I'll be fcuked if there is not people lining up to jump off at said time. (bit of poetic licence with times there but you know what I mean). Christ allmighty if it's already crowded FFS go somewhere else, don't go "should be able to hassle a few waves of the locals hey dude". Thats how the agro starts happening and turns what should be a fun session into a nightmare of biblical proportions.
So what I'm trying to say is if you have to report the surf just do in a general way with possible swell and wind, not with photos, points will be firing on Saturday and such. Let the punters have to make their own opinions on where to head. And for fcuks sake don't ring everyone on the east coast of Australia if you happen to find some waves cause you are going to piss alot of locals off when you all turn up at once and then whinge when we start burning you to get our fair share.

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Natho » Mon May 17, 2010 9:00 pm

Gotta say I completely understand where you are coming from.

My local has also become beyond a joke with kooks, mals, SUPs and blow ins. Its to the point that the place has become rather dangerous. In fact I hear that one poor fella was sent to hospital yesterday to get 26 stitches in his head thanks to some kook on a silly fish taking off through a crowd when he could hardly surf. Now sure everyone has the right to surf where they want...but please...if you are going to paddle out in a crowded spot make sure you understand the rules and show some bloody respect for other surfers. If you are not skilled enough to turn your board in time to avoid a collision then you should not be surfing in the middle of a crowd. Examples of what Im talking about:

- Mal riders who think it is their goddam given right to paddle right out the back beyond everyone else and take every set wave (and they now do it in packs of 3 or more).
- The same mal riders who paddle for every wave, think they can try and burn you coz they are on a longer board, and then when they realise you are going they pull back but leave the nose of their board sticking into the face of the wave right where you want to smash the lip.
- SUPs surfing through a crowd period.
- People who can hardly even turn their board taking off right through the middle of a crowd out of control then letting their board go.
- blow ins who paddle inside everyone else every time and think they can just take the next wave that comes.
- the same blow ins thinking they can paddle out from the beach, swing around and take the first wave that comes even though there are others who have been waiting in the line up far longer than them and who are also in position.
Blah blah blah blah

Yeh its getting worse than ever from what I can see.

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Donweather » Mon May 17, 2010 9:10 pm

Headlander wrote:So what I'm trying to say is if you have to report the surf just do in a general way with possible swell and wind, not with photos, points will be firing on Saturday and such. Let the punters have to make their own opinions on where to head.
I have to agree here with this one. That same website also published pretty well guided directions to all SE Qlders reading the weekend Cooly surf report on where to head to get the best of this swell.

I think you'll find that this same website was supposedly issuing guidelines to their daily reporters on how to provide a more general report, rather than direct specifics on what locations where, however I'm yet to see it put into practice.

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Donweather » Mon May 17, 2010 9:18 pm

Headlander wrote:Lately though (last 5years) it has gotten beyond a joke with this last weekend an absolute nightmare and I put it down to internet forcasts.
And this is where I have to disagree. I believe a certain local forecaster predicted a mid week swell last week some 5 days in advance with plenty of notice to the punters and I can recall that certain local forecaster scoring perfect uncrowded local beachies that day. So I don't believe internet surf forecasting is creating more over-crowding. I actually believe it's giving people a greater choice to choose days based on their abilities and conditions forecast.

And to be quite honest, there is so much information available on the net these days, that even without surf forecasters, one can make a well educated decision on which days are going to be good. So in today's modern world of the internet, I truly believe that even without surf forecasters, surf breaks will become more crowded. It's the fact of living in the modern world in a modern city. And as for this weekend just gone, it's fair to say that locations south of Seal rocks probably saw one of the biggest swells so far this year, so of course every man and his dog is going to be frothin to get some of that action, particularly at a well known Nth NSW point, where in fact the swell heights were more in line with the average punters surfing ability (as opposed to those macking conditions received further south).

Headlander
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Headlander » Mon May 17, 2010 9:38 pm

Yep your examples of blow-in 1 and 2 are two of my pet hates. Nothing pisses me off worse that when you sit and wait, yes thats right wait, your turn and some cnut paddles up your inside and thinks his next wave. I give them the benefit of the doubt once but if it happens again, as I'm dopping down in front of them on the next good one,I just say wait your fcuking turn next time cnut and hope they have the hide to say something when they get back out.
I just don't get it why it's turned out this way these days. We could all still have fun if there was a few manners in the surf and a bit of respect when you go to someone elses break. I know a lot of the locals here are talking up vigalante tactics to any greedy touros who can't take their time and try and fit in.I know a couple of blokes got punched out last weekend for being wankers and that is the call from a fair few of the crew from now on.Unfortunatly it's come to this, cause personally I surf for fun like most people but I also believe you do have to stick up for youself and your local crew.
Donny, yeah that swell was more from the east so the beaches were more of an option as most places had swell and it also was during the week so of course it's going to be less crowded.What i'm saying is don't give away too much info and don't take photos and post them at 6am so every man and his dog can get on the net have a look and go crowd some place out. Make them work for it and some wouldn't even bother, hence a few less in the water.

Headlander
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Headlander » Mon May 17, 2010 9:42 pm

Oh and another thing how did you know a certain forecaster got good waves? Cause he got on the net and fcuking told everybody thereby selling us out again. Thats what I'm on about, let the punters have to work for it.

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by the trout » Mon May 17, 2010 10:07 pm

Headlander wrote:Oh and another thing how did you know a certain forecaster got good waves? Cause he got on the net and fcuking told everybody thereby selling us out again. Thats what I'm on about, let the punters have to work for it.
stick it up em your not alone.

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Grooter » Tue May 18, 2010 9:16 am

I reckon over time more and more people that want surfing to be a big part of their life are going to be abandoning places like Sydney and SE QLD.

I'm glad I live in Victoria, just don't get those kinds of crowds - or the aggro
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Clif
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Clif » Tue May 18, 2010 9:21 am

Things will never be as they were, headlander. Mobile phones, surf-reporting and the innerwebs are here to stay. A few years ago I curled up and rocked back and forth in the shower in the fetal position, naked. The pitter patter of water droplets on my baby-like skin helped, a little. It is time to pack the saddle and ride off into the sunset. South Australia, perhaps?

The horse has bolted.

The cat is out of the bag.

The train has run-a-way.

Alas.

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PeepeelaPew
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by PeepeelaPew » Tue May 18, 2010 9:44 am

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Last edited by PeepeelaPew on Sun Jan 22, 2012 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

alakaboo
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by alakaboo » Tue May 18, 2010 10:29 am

hey headlander. i'm too young to remember the good old days, so can i come and live in your fantasy land?
is it true the swell is always from the right angle, it's offshore till 2pm, and there are only ever the same number of people as there are waves in a set? :lol:

that said, do have to agree with headlander on some points. i know they aren't going away, but i reckon forecasts and reports are way too detailed these days. lifted from somewhere today:
"Try mid to Sth Bondi or Nth Maroubra."
NO :!:
how about: "the swell is from x direction, the wind is doing y, the tide is z"
if you can't figure out from that where to surf, you're a muppet.
probably won't generate enough hits for the ads though... :evil:

and while i'm visiting headlander in fantasy land, i also don't reckon that surf reports should be posted before 8am.
Toby wrote:I thought it was a standing rule that if you're on a mobile phone telling your mates how it is
don't get this? can't understand why i would ever invite more people to a break, unless it was sharky and i was alone
Headlander wrote: got be in one camp or the other, so you don't look hypocritical by my way of thinking.
you don't see any irony at all in getting onto an internet surf discussion forum to complain about the internet ruining your surf?

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PeepeelaPew
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by PeepeelaPew » Tue May 18, 2010 10:37 am

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oldman
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by oldman » Tue May 18, 2010 10:54 am

Headlander, my local is Maroubra, so your worst nightmare is my everyday experience!

Respectfully, I think the biggest problem the north coast of NSW has is that they built a very nice road from SE Qld to Byron and surrounds.

Went south coast recently for a weekend. While it was glorious weather and nice waves, the crowds weren't that much less than Sydney.

'Off the beaten track' is a lot further away these days.
Headlander wrote:I've been surfing at my local Nth Coast point since I was a grommet and am now in my forties and over that time I've seen a lot of changes crowd wise
So you should be able to suss out all the local spots that the tourists don't know about. It must be one of the most wave-rich/option-rich surf areas on the planet.
Headlander wrote:Unfortunatly we have living in our area one of the internet forcasters (blow-in surf forcaster or BSF as we call him)
Interesting that the said reporter only rates as a 'blow-in'. :mrgreen:
Headlander wrote:BSF then rags on surf comps but then does a report on the Quicky and Bells.
Thus helping to divert attention away from your break. Surely there are less surfers at your break because the search didn't happen there. A lot of publicity was foregone, and the 3 surfers in Australia who didn't know about your local would have found out about it.
Headlander wrote:Thats how the agro starts ...... you are going to piss alot of locals off when you all turn up at once and then whinge when we start burning you to get our fair share.
'Localism' is just as big a problem as no-respect bogans. Just being local doesn't automatically confer rights.

Have to agree about people paddling up on your inside then claiming waves, particularly mals. Whether you're a local or not isn't relevant.

Good luck with getting around the problem headlander, I have no solutions.
Lucky Al wrote:You could call your elbows borogoves, and your knees bandersnatches, and go whiffling through the tulgey woods north of narrabeen, burbling as you came.

Headlander
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Headlander » Tue May 18, 2010 12:27 pm

alakaboo, fantasy land it was maybe years ago but you agreed with the too detailed report and why would you invite more people to the breaks which what is happening all the time courtersy of the reports and phones. The irony is not lost on me as I hoped by bringing it to some peoples attention that just maybe the reports might become more generalised and surfers may get back to surfing for their own sake and not in the carloads to impress their mates.
Oldman, yes the freeway was a part of the end and localism can be ugly at times but don't you think if we don't try to stamp some sort of athuority, it would become a free for all bunfight. You'd know about localism if your from the 'Bra and surely that does at times help thin the crowds. Sure we get times when we can surf elsewhere but when the swell is from a certain direction and size we don't need someone saying the points are the only option and post photos to prove it at 6.30am. Let them work it out for themselves. Blow-in, well I guess when you have only lived in a town for a relatively short time, you get that.

Anyhow I knew I wouldn't get away without some burning responses and sure I like to have an idea whats going on swellwise too but think about your own local beach and how you'd cope with crowds every time the swell gets forecast days in advance so the highway surfers know where and when to hit it. Make them work for it I say! Be a lot more general with reports and don't keep ringing all your mates, impress yourself not them.

We can keep it fun if we have a few manners and show some respect but that is what the whole of society needs not just surfing.Gotta go polish my bowls now, due on the green shortly.

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Damage
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by Damage » Tue May 18, 2010 12:28 pm

It's the price you pay for being able to watch an 18 year old chick get their gear off for the webcam. :|

You win some, you lose some.

:D

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by carvin marvin » Tue May 18, 2010 12:45 pm

Internet technology is good for the planet, less searching for waves means less petrol consumed.

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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by alakaboo » Tue May 18, 2010 12:46 pm

Headlander wrote: alakaboo, fantasy land it was maybe years ago but you agreed with the too detailed report and why would you invite more people to the breaks
yep. i think most people on here would agree with most of what you've said.
Headlander wrote:I hoped by bringing it to some peoples attention that just maybe the reports might become more generalised
how about sitting down with the man you don't wish to name and having a chat?
direct approach is often the best. a calm direct approach...
Headlander wrote:Anyhow I knew I wouldn't get away without some burning responses

you really haven't been here long, if you reckon they were harsh responses :lol:
Headlander wrote:Gotta go polish my bowls now, due on the green shortly.
i think you'll get on quite well with the man, you seem to share his sensibilities

and if you're playing bowls midweek while the highway warriors are working, you can't complain too much. if you're stuck in a deskjob all week, you're champing for a wave on the weekend. chances of a decent swell hitting within those 2 days to the extent of limiting options to a single arena are pretty low.
you'll get your fill.

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jimmy
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Re: Internet, phones and crowds

Post by jimmy » Tue May 18, 2010 1:09 pm

^^^^^^^^ BSF!!!!!
Hatchnam wrote:
Thu Sep 12, 2019 1:13 pm
How about tame down the scatter gun must consecutively post on every thread behaviour you compulsive mongoloid.
swvic wrote:
Mon Feb 01, 2021 11:54 pm
Actually, that’s interesting. Take note, beanpole

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