Was he right?

[CARBr6]

The real problems arise at places like Polzeath, with....BODY BOARDERS!!
They have no concept of 'rules' or 'rights of way' or general surf etiquette or even a modicum of common sense.
They stand around chatting with their backs to the waves, if they like the look of a wave they will jump for it regardless as to whether or not someone is already riding it.
I'm not good enough yet to go all the way out the back, I get a bit further out and they seem to follow me.
(Sorry, I know it's not really relevant to the discussion but the talk of rules and etiquette reminded me about them and I got angry! I'm okay now )

[dtc]

The real problems arise at places like Polzeath, with....BODY BOARDERS!!
They have no concept of 'rules' or 'rights of way' or general surf etiquette or even a modicum of common sense.
They stand around chatting with their backs to the waves, if they like the look of a wave they will jump for it regardless as to whether or not someone is already riding it.
I'm not good enough yet to go all the way out the back, I get a bit further out and they seem to follow me.
(Sorry, I know it's not really relevant to the discussion but the talk of rules and etiquette reminded me about them and I got angry! I'm okay now )

I hate them too - well, not proper bodyboarders but holiday bodyboarders (and body surfers and general hangers around) who need to stand up on the sand, so always are hanging around just where you will fall (if you fall). I just feel like saying 'mate, if you stand there right in front of me, you are going to get a board to the head when I fall, because I will fall and the board could go anywhere'.

On patrolled beaches obviously the surfers and the swimmers are separated, and often the holiday body boarders hang out between the flags, but other beaches are a free for all.

When I body board I'm out there amongst the shortboarders so dont get in the way (well, probably but in a different way)

[jaffa1949]

CARBr6
As you travel you find beaches that are quite rideable on a board but the beach is almost exclusively a bodyboard beach, not by any regulation but just by the majority rule.
Some countries have an excessive predominance of body boarders.
HMMMMM
OK, best policy is to avoid those beaches, they often try to use numbers as a tactic of intimidation, so let them have their beach.
Let's face it too if a surf spot is benign and the weather hot you will get all sorts of levels of surfing and craft jus for the keeping cool factor.
If the crowd or anything is not good for where you are in your surfing, why not choose somewhere else
I personally hate surfing near someone who is having a pottymouth spew about how awful things are, ( my thoughts if it's that awful go in, I sometimes ask them to do just that)
Similarly there are beaches that suit the various sorts of boards, a good call is to surf something similar if you wish to get in the water.

Worst surfing venues for chaos and lack of etiquette, all tourist promoted beaches where learners are encouraged to go, Bondi, Manly Bryon Bay , Surfers' Paradise ( It ain't).
Beaches in developing surf nations e.g. Taiwan, Hong Kong and popular beaches in Japan. Sheer weight of clueless people in the water. Surfing is seen a social activity, the more the merrier.
Resort surf spots, Kuta beach but get out before the drunks awake and you might have a chance.
Premium well promoted surf breaks that become bucket list icons. Uluwatu, Byron Bay, Noosa, Malibu, where the hapless head out and are pilloried by the more skilled.
These spots have the etiquette problem of releasing hundreds of "intermediate" ( so they think) surfers on a much more experienced track.
Think a whole lot of volkswagen beetles in the hands of intermediate drives driving onto a Formula One race track whilst a race is in session.

One more thing if you take a bad attitude of entitlement with you all of these beaches have different ways of showing you the error of your ways.

[CARBr6]

It would seem that I have sparked another conversation.
So as to not completely hijack this thread I will start another and all you experienced guys n gals can tell me where the non-crowded beaches are!

[jaffa1949]

Not hijacked at all just another thread in the tapestry of surfing behaviours!

[greg2935]

That position of being in the impact zone with an early wipeout happens to all of us. Your strategy is usually the only way and most times the surfer behind understands your position and can be cool about, staying still so they can draw their line around you and then you can move to give more room is great. You also summed it up in it being what you hoped other surfers do for you.
Only one caveat, on being further out and further inside, it mostly confers right of way UNLESS, you have just paddled back from a wave, then a little turn taking and calling guys onto a wave you might have be able to take lowers the aggression rate remarkably.
I often say if I have been sharing or letting a few go, "I'm taking this one, I've been waiting a while." Two things though, I the have to catch it and surf it well, kook out and that call won't work again.

IMG_1169.jpg

This was an uncrowded day eight guys out, it didn't need to happen, a little talking would have sorted it. Guy on right had a longer board was further out and first to his feet, middle guy is closer to the take off point, and the guy on the left of photo was screaming "I'm inside mine mine mine. " but had paddled back inside repeatedly and took every wave he could. Ended arguing in the carpark and feeling bad.

Hey Jaffa,

Had to laugh at your post; that happens so often its just stupid!

Greg

[BaNZ]

Only 8? Wow I envy you guys.

This is our beach during summer.

[gd6]

I live in Los Angeles and I have only seen it as crowded as your picture once. It was on Nov 29th (Black Friday) at a local break called Sunset Blvd. I forgot that people would be off work for the holidays. After seeing that crowd I drove right past and went up to Malibu, and there was literally only 2 people there (only one of the three breaks was working due to high tide, but there were great 4 foot waves that were consistent). It really didn't make any sense why Malibu was empty, but I wasn't complaining!

I do avoid the weekends completely as I really don't enjoy crowds in the water, and am just glad that my jobs are super flexible so I can go whatever weekdays the waves look good.

[oldmansurfer]

WOW! There must be over 300 surfers out there. To think I hated it at Hanalei with 60 guys out. I assume it is mostly beginners there? Well I had to surf with eight guys out the last time I went, still managed to catch a few in my allotted 30 minutes.

[BaNZ]

Every summer weekend it is like that, the better surfers are usually there at 5 in the morning and leave before 7. Yes it is mostly beginners during that time. Now there is only about a dozen. Water temperature is around 20C so it is too cold for most people.

[CARBr6]

This is Polzeath during the summer at the end of the day when it is quiet.
Next time I will be pushing myself a bit and I'll get a bit further out the back where it is quieter.

[jaffa1949]

Another video showing why it is dumb to consider dropping in, and on the side if you are going to make a turn near somebody you better be able to turn
OUCH

http://instagram.com/p/j_LqiTHgkn/#

[CARBr6]

Seconded! OUCH!!!