The Marker....

[Big H]

Went for an afternoon surf like usual....conditions weren't that great, on shores, double ups, windswell all pushed together....so I was alone in my little section I staked out....until a newb paddled out and set up right next to me.....beach I was at had several peaks, all were empty save for mine and one two peaks down with 3 people in surf camp jerseys....I paddle down and away from the newb, but he's pretty persistent and stays close....he isn't paddling for waves so I call to him in bahasa and have him come sit next to me....I help him with a couple of waves, positioning and telling him when to paddle...nice to have a little company though the peace prior was nice as well....anyway, he would not go for a wave unless I helped him, so I realised that in these shifty and messy seas where positioning can be difficult, I had a bouy marker....hahahahahaha......I would take a wave, and paddle back out and he'd be sitting right on the spot save for current drift which I'd correct and he'd come join again....I would help him with a wave, most of the time he'd miss and come back to the spot and I'd take a wave....he saved me some effort and I got a lot of waves.....

[IB_Surfer]

Many newbs have no idea where to surf, so they look for other surfers to show them the way. I've had to shift a couple of times while surfing because I have a high wave count and people around me think it's my position and not the fact that I catch a lot of waves.

[oldmansurfer]

That's nice. I guess the big benefit of surfing with others is they can keep the lineup spot marked.

[waikikikichan]

Some may not like it, but I like surfing around beginners. Not only using them as "Markers" but as "Blocks". If I know the beginner (or kook can only go one way) is going to go straight, I line up on the outside of him/her even if there's someone deeper in the pit. When he/she drops in and goes straight, I don't have to worry about someone behind me, because they take the other surf out. domo arigato !

[oldmansurfer]

Generally I look for waves that no one is riding so even if there are good surfers out I will lineup diffferent from them.

[jaffa1949]

Some may not like it, but I like surfing around beginners. Not only using them as "Markers" but as "Blocks". If I know the beginner (or kook can only go one way) is going to go straight, I line up on the outside of him/her even if there's someone deeper in the pit. When he/she drops in and goes straight, I don't have to worry about someone behind me, because they take the other surf out. domo arigato !

The secret Musashi San technique of getting waves.
Two sword technique, one blocking stroke and one cutting stroke.