Localism.

[chris fixxy]

Have you had personal experience of it before?

I mean i understand protecting dangerous spots, but is localism really called for?

[rich r]

Depends on the severity of it and the vibe.

Not letting people surf a spot, physical violence and slashing tires - uncalled for.

But having a group of locals who surf the same break all the time be somewhat given preference on waves, and given some respect... I see no problem. As long as the locals, when given respect, pay it back with some rides and maybe some friendship.

[PapaW]

Having seen a fair bit of everything over the years there are two distinctive types...

The stupid small minded localism (ie "I've never seen you before fleshin' off" etc etc..

Or the "What the fleshin' are you doing in the break zone floudering around getting in the way.... fleshin' off."


The latter being perfectly in anyones right to say if the offending perosn IS in the way/being a dickhead etc.

The former however there is a grey area where said new people may well be less respectful... they are after all at a new breakand if they paddle strightto eh peek/line up etc and if they start snakeing and droping in then thats just stupid...

Depends on every situation really. I've has to dish out a few small words now and then. Most of the time its for their own good as they are tottaly out of their depth at a break or are just being nobs. I opporate a 3 strikes system on dropin's / in the way etc..
1st accident.. it happens!
2nd, hummm whould have thought you would be more awear by now
3rd - Words.

When it comes to new people at a break the best thing and more respectfull thing is to take the shoulder, watch, nip off the odd one and work your way in. Simple as that.

[isaluteyou]

Im usually relativerly plassid in the water so if i see a newb floundering in the zone in everyones way. I wont tick them off i mean we hav all been there. Rather will point out that if they paddle away from that point they will get a better session and not be in everyones way.

However if someone knows what they are doing but is spoiling it for everyone words wil be exchanged.

If a non local comes along thinking they own the reef well a few of us will make it so they catch nothing that session. I.e we will block them from taking off.

Other than that everyones welcome local or not just show some respect for the other ocean goers and be mindfull of where you are.

[Ed McDead]

Not really experienced any localism as such and I've surfed most of the Atlanctic coast of Europe (other than Ireland - next autumn hopefully) as well as my North Sea home.

But generally I avoid the over hyped breaks and anywhere with a rep for localism -unless its mega sweet and then I'll go in early morning when it's less busy. But generally speaking there's just a good break 5 miles down the coast with almost no-one on it and friendly locals.

I'm never agressive, paddle out and wait out a set or 2 and let everyone see you're not a git. I learn the local language - say hello, smile and be cool. But i do also seek out the emptiest breaks at the emptiest times - I love surfing alone.

Here's my classic example of what not to do to avoid localism. I was in southern Portugal in late autumn last year, urban beach break slight rep nothing too heavy,solid 4 foot, steep fast take offs and clean faces, nice day for good surfers. I'm out with maybe 10 locals on three peaks, me and two locals sharing one peak. we weren't exactly best buddies but sharing waves with no BS. British guy paddles out with his girlfriend, doesn't acknowledge anyone. He's pretty good she's a learner and can't paddle into the waves. So he pushes her into a few , ok not ideal but everyone's gotta earn, but then he pushes her into a wave that one of the locals is already on. Literally drops his girlfriend in on local guy's head, and no apology, nada. Ok a mistake i can live with it. Then he does the same trick again everone gets FO'd and vibe ruined. Travelling surfers get bad rep at the spot, next learners may get some hassle in the water. The worst thing was the brit surfer was actually pretty good and should have effing well known better. Sorry rant over i'll chill now.

Actually the only time I've ever had agression in the the water it's been from other travelling surfers dropping in, madly paddling for every wave and generally acting like gits.

[^*^BATMAN^*^]

In my limited experiance, nothing. I have been dropped in on by people, though usually they realise what they did and kick out. Though I did almost punch my brother once....if I was on my board, I would be mad, but cus I was on his, (and he dinged his other board he was riding too) but I was riding the wave, he grabbed on to it after I was already up, and turned right into me....board on board, his road up ontop of mine and into my shin......hurt like hell. Though I couldnt hit my brother, and i just told him to watch what the eff he is doing.

Other then that, I have dropped in on guys just by not watching over my shoulder...i do it once, i go find them once they get back into the line up and appologise. They seem to have always had a mean look on their face till i go say sorry. People seem generally happy to find out you arnt doing it on purpose.

So lesson is, dont be a dick in the water. If you drop in on someone, kick out then appologise.

[Otter]

Localism used to be pretty severe in So Cal, especially during the '70's and early 80's. Lately, it's not so bad. There's always some arrogant a-hole who thinks they own the break, and it's sometimes difficult to deal with these people, overall, it's not at all bad.

[gdude335]

i consider myself a local here.
but i respect everyone equally, they have the same amount of waves as i do! anyways its usually not very crowded.

In bali though, almost all the locals where nice if you didnt tick em off.
for example: my leash came unstrapped (rental, leash to worn out and waves to painful) and the guy showed me where my board was.

one guy was a real ass.
So he drops in on me. Ok, it could have been a mistake, i didnt really care, he does it again! I let it pass. Then we are both around the same spot and we paddle for the same wave, i start paddling early on and get a better spot to take off. He then takes the wave before me and then just turns right infront of me. That guy had absolutely NO respect for me.
Because i do not speak his language, i just fought for the wave, didnt matter if i cut him off, he didnt care about me, why should i care about him??

so the moral of this story is:
Treat people equally unless they are asses and then you can treat them like they treat you.

[squid]

Have experienced it in parts of LA and SD. Honestly though, it's really nothing but a few guys who get their panties in a bunch when other surfers paddle out and start taking their waves. But that's the point really - if there's a respect of sharing waves and not going to a place to "dominate", then most of the locals while chuck over a smile and hoot you into one. But then again, there are just some real a**holes out there that are simply angry people and most likely have very low self esteem in general.

Generally, I think if you're cool when you travel around and not too arrogant or loud, but humble and respectful, the locals will treat you the same way.

[Africa Extrem]

my worst experience was in spain , even if i speak fluently there language and don't apear like a guiri as they call tourists :s not funny people of the peninsula and also canarians, but in general never had problems in the breaks abroad i have been to , and i'm a local of anchor point , never miss a good swell there welcome here many breaks still ampty :p