Surfing etiquette: How should we behave in the line-up?
When you go surfing, you are often not the only one in the water. To ensure that everyone can enjoy the waves as much as possible, there are a number of surfing rules. What is expected of you in the water and who has the right of way on a wave?
Rule 1: Don't let go of your board
It is very important that you always try to keep your surfboard with you and do not let go. You can imagine that if you have a three-meter longboard and a three-meter long leash, your board could bump into someone else six meters away from you. Many people let go of it before diving under a wave and do not look to see if anyone is behind them.. In a situation like that, you can better hold on to your board and be washed, unless you are sure that no one is behind you. Always look extensively around you before letting go of your surfboard.
Rule 2: Don't skip ahead of the que
The person closest to the peak of the wave has priority. If you are not closest to the peak, you are expected to pull back and not catch the wave. If that person does not catch the wave, then the next closest to the peak may catch the wave and so on. It is sometimes debatable whether the one closest to the peak has priority or the one who stands up first. Basically it is the one who stands up first, but if the same people are always standing up first, while you are closest to the wave, they should also allow you to catch a wave.. Everyone should have their turn.
Rule 3: Don't Snake (PADDLE TO THE PRIORITY POSITION IF IT'S NOT YOUR TURN)
If you are closest to the peak and are allowed to catch the wave, you should not immediately paddle back to the peak and catch the next wave. We call this snaking and therefore skipping ahead in the queue. The rule is that you join the back of the queue until you are back at the peak and then you can catch another wave. In practice, it is sometimes difficult to estimate where you are in the que, because you often lie in the water with many people who are at different heights and depths in the line-up. Sometimes there are several peaks on a surfspot and it is not always easy to see who is on the peak. In that scenario it’s difficult to estimate whether you are skipping the que or not. Try to pay attention to this as much as possible.
Rule 4: Indicate which way you are going
If you are on an “a frame” (split peak) where the wave breaks in two directions, indicate which way you want to go. This way someone else can also catch the wave and surf the other way. So always look around you to see who is going to paddle for the wave. You can then indicate which way you are going by paddling a bit to the right or left while paddling, or you can also say it. This is useful if you paddle to the right, for example, but still plan to make a drop to the left. This ensures that the atmosphere in the water remains nice.
Rule 5: Don't drop in (catching a wave someone is already surfing on)
Dropping in is one of the most frustrating events in the water. This means that you are catching a wave while someone else is already on the wave. This puts you in the way for the person who is entitled to the wave and who cannot surf the wave. Many novice surfers make this mistake and are unsure what to do when they are half-scolded. It is then the smartest thing to find your own place with people who are also not very good at it. Then you can do your thing quietly and no one will be bothered by each other. If you don't know exactly where the waves are breaking, it is useful to lie down in the water at the same depth as other surfers. Then you are not in the way and other surfers can just surf around you.
Rule 6: Paddle out without getting in the way of other surfers
To make sure you don't get in the way of someone surfing a wave, there are a few things to keep in mind. If you see a peak from the beach where people surf left and right, walk 50 to 100 meters to the left or right before entering the water. This is also a spot where a rip current can be located, a current that takes you backwards. This way you are not in the way of someone catching a wave and you can easily get behind the surf. Even if you've caught a wave and want to paddle back, paddle around a bit. That may not be the fastest route, but it is the most social route.
It could happen that you accidentally paddle in front of someone and that someone surfs right at you. In that case, always paddle towards the foam. That sounds a bit contradictory, because paddling towards the foam isn't what you want. But if you paddle towards the foam someone can surf that wave and if you paddle towards the open face then they have to swerve on the wave. When paddling towards the foam you can duckdive or turtleroll under the foam. Learn more about how to paddle out by reading this article: “How to paddle past the breaking waves?”
If you do get in the way of someone just say sorry. It sometimes happens that people get very angry, but that is more due to their frustration than your surfing skills. If we all adhere to these rules in the water, it all becomes much safer and there is a much nicer atmosphere in the water. That way we can all enjoy the waves!
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