letting another person catch a wave

[55funsurf]

This is a hotly contested issue in crowded conditions, but worth a mention...

Letting someone else catch a wave is not only limited to 'dont drop in'.

It also means, let the person who has made the commitment at the peak to actually take off without any interference....Interference comes in many forms, too many to list here...

One part of me has to accept the reality that drop ins and interference are as much a part of surfing as anything else, but a great attitude includes being able to appreciate watching another surfer show their stuff and let it rip.....

Letting another person catch a wave, without any interference is a sure fire way of contributing to healthy behaviour within a line up...

It follows that if you let someone else catch a wave, and without interference, your chances are pretty good that they will return the favour.....Sometimes it doesnt work out that way, but a good attitude means staying positive irrespective of what conditions prevail, including attitudes of other surfers....

Rossa (aka WAL)

[jwoz]

I agree and I found as a beginner if you let someone else catch a wave that is clearly yours it shows the seasoned guys you are making the attempt to not jam up the whole line up with being a novice.

[hit_the_lip]

I disagree with your assertion 55. I will paddle for the wave and sometimes drop, and I look behind me and if the person made the wave, I exit over the shoulder. Whether or not i drop depends on the skill level of the surfers around me. If i know its kooky, and lesser skilled surfers are around me, very high probability of them falling down. But if im surfing an advanced spot, mistakes are less likely. Here in SoCal certain spots get very crowded, every little advantage helps.

[pandarturo]

I agree with htl, we call it insurance here on Oahu.

[BaNZ]

I think it depends on the people around you. I surf at a very crowded beach, there is around 30-40 people around me. If I see others start paddling for wave, I'll usually just sit out and wait for the next one. But I find that the other surfers will just think you can't catch any wave so they will take every single one of them. We also have a regular surfer here who will snake behind you and start paddling for the wave so you will have to get out of his way. Once we were all waiting in line, he was on the right of me before I turned around. I dropped down the wave and saw no one was infront of me so I continue on, but I didn't realise he snake around me and then started yelling at me to get off the wave. I see him doing that all the time and I don't understand why the other surfers are not pissed at him, instead he is quite popular just because he surfs well.

[IB_Surfer]

Let me know where you surf, I would not mind getting more waves...

[jaffa1949]

Let me know where you surf, I would not mind getting more waves...

Paddle WSW from you surf IB make landfall in Taiwan

[peazz]

I find alot of surfers are either ignorant, they look at you already on the peak and still drop in or they just neglect to check left or right and still drop in.

Even when they are in the wrong they still try to start a fight in the water, i suppose its the downside of being addicted to such an adrenaline filled sport

[BaNZ]

We don't have a good surfing etiquette at my local beach. Have seen videos of people getting into heated arguments and fights on the beach.

What I do now is apologise before saying anything or even if it wasn't my fault. Most of the time, they will also apologise back!

[peazz]

BaNZ you got the right idea, Respect goes both ways.

But at beaches like bondi and popular cali beaches i dont think etiquette comes into please

[55funsurf]

Just want to clarify in light of posts that I don't mean just sit there and let everyone surf the hell out of a break and you do nothing

No doubt we have to compete and get position etc