Surfing Waves

i think i saw this topic before but i cant find it.....


just out of curiosity.. when i paddle in and there are people around me.. should i say hi... because its kind of akward... or would people perfer that i keep quiet.

i always give a nod just to let people know i acknoledge their existence

No talking. Surfers are much too cool to talk to anyone else. Surfers need to maintain their coolness by cultivating an air of aloofness, and even a touch of suppressed rage at the tougher breaks.

This is an inviolate rule, and to break this rule deems the 'line up chatter' a kook, or even worse 'not one of us'. Break this rule and spend eternity in the whitewater.















...which is why surfers have no friends and the crowded line up is such a goddam miserable place

Most of this attitute comes from the fact that 14 year old boys (or grown men that should know better) think that aloof and grumpy is cool and interesting...


Every other sport/lifestyle, you're happy to meet like-minded individuals, and have a chat. But surfers are too cool.

Chat, people, chat.

depends on the situation really. you wouldnt have a big chat wiyth someone at a high profile crowded break. smile and a nod when you paddle out etc works fine. you dont have to be completely silent all the time but dont force the issue. if no one is talking then its probly for a reason.

having said all that ive had some good chats with locals sometimes.

I say hi at a minimum, usually. Other times I'm really focused and don't say much, but I do say hi back. Other times its the same guys out, and I enjoy their chatting. I often get tips about what I'm doing wrong, too.

So, it varies. But I've met a lot of people in the water and I enjoy that.

Talking is best left for the car park or beach imo.

Just a cursory nod or hi out backs enough.

I would like to talk to a lot surfers, but their facial expressions are usually angry so I just decided to leave everybody alone.

I find it helps ease tension a little, a quick 'hi' where you from?
Somtimes 'we' can be a bunch of proper miserable sods!
I was at Cayton Bay last week and two guys completly blanked me when I said 'hi' and they were on there way back to the car park!
I don't really want to be sharing life stories or anything when a bigger set comes through but why shouldn't we talk? It there's only a couple of guys out a bit rude not to?
Considering I used to do 'full contact' Karate and shared meals and drinks with opponents after fights after knocking the hell out of each other!

just wanted to know.. because i dont want to say hi and have people ignoring me and thinking im a retard or something... Like i really want to say hi but im thinking that if they want to talk then they would have said something first... it sucks because i want to make new friends and maybe ones that can help me.

just say hi
then they hav the option to ignore u or just say hi back or to start a conersation

depends if its angllsey or hells mouth,hells mouth i find,is full of good freindlly people,real pleasure to go there.and then there's the other.....................still go,just its less of a pleasure

well all the places i surf people are friendly and i usualy hav a bit of a chat between sets

For a long time if it was at all crowded, I would tell people "Hello. I have no idea what I am doing, so please yell at me if I get in your way."

just a "how ya doin", nothing worse than someone trying to tell ya there life story and your concentratiing or thinking to yourself

Im a noob and was also wondering about this...I tend to keep quite when the waves are frequent but while we are all waiting for something to come in and its been four or five minutes i ended up giving little fingers crossed and such signals to the guys next to me..seemed to make us laugh and lighten the intense "waiting" air.

the other time I talk is either after I have done something wrong and feel the need to apologise or again in infrequent wave where I will ask people which way they intend to ride so I can steer clear as a newbie.
wouldnt want to ruin anyone elses ride by getting in there way.

I'll chat, but I don't go out there wanting to fill some hole of loneliness that I need friends.

A 'hi' is sufficient for most people. People I know, I chat with. People I don't know, depends on if I think they're a freak or not when they start talking to me. Some just come across so needy... I just try to ignore them or blow them off.

I'll try to help newbies, though half the the time they don't listen, anyway.

One thing - i have missed waves because I've been having a conversation. It's distracting to talk when you're looking for waves. So, one of the reasons people tend to not chat so much.

talk.. laugh.. sing and dance if you're good enough...
couldn't care less what people think of me out there but met some cool people out there and saved some petrol money by getting on with surfers out there who later tell you where is or isn't working.

often head out with a few mates who rip the p**s out of each other mercilessly, and anyone else in the line up... almost always creates a better buzz... the grumpier you are the worse a slaggin you're bound to get... so best to just take it on the chin and have a laugh.

not quite so bad when there's only one or two of us... but still a bit of it there.

Talk to myself alot, does that count?

PapaW wrote:Talk to myself alot, does that count?

hahaha i do that to

essex sucks wrote:

PapaW wrote:Talk to myself alot, does that count?

hahaha i do that to

also talking to the waves is pretty relaxing