Surfing Etiquette

[RinkyDink]

The other day I was about to take off on a wave that I thought was unoccupied when I heard this other guy express a very friendly I'm-so-stoked-to-be-surfing-on-this-wave whoop and so I looked to my left and, to my surprise, there was another surfer with priority coming down the line at me. I pulled back and thought that that was the best way to make your priority on the wave known. If you're a newbie, I recommend listening for the stoke when you're out in a lineup and know that it's not just an expression of enthusiasm, but a way to say, "Don't drop in on me." Just a tip.

[jaffa1949]

Absolutely right a good happy hoot communication of I'm already on it! You can both enjoy the wave, much better than a first off aggro cuss!

[oldmansurfer]

When I got the deepest tube ride of my life I came out to see 5 guys about to drop in on me. I screamed WHOOOOOOHOOOOO! Partly to warn them since I was so deep I am sure they didn't know I was still on the wave and partly from stoke because it was the best tube ride of my life and the first 4 guys pulled back but the fifth guy went ahead and dropped in on me. This remains the only wave I ever rode and felt compelled to yell on. I am pretty sure I would have yelled even if they weren't dropping in on me.