This is my interpretation of the Surfers Etiquette.
It’s not a hard and fast rule and exceptions can be made. I mean no-one is going to shout at you for dropping in if you have to get into shore quickly in an emergency, but for 99% of the time, you should try to follow these rules as closely as possible.
Dropping in – don’t do it
In my opinion this is the most important item on this list, not only is it common sense and polite – it’s an important safety rule.
Basically it goes like this: If someone is already on the wave, it’s theirs. Imagine if you’d caught a wave, started your ride and someone catches the same wave right in front of you. Firstly, it’s dangerous, you could collide and when there is surfing equipment involved (don’t forget it won’t just be fellow Boogers out there!) the results could be horrible. Getting whacked in the head with a board whilst a heavy 5ft wave is on the scene isn’t pretty. At the other end of this spectrum is the fact that the ride will be spoiled for the guy who worked hard to catch the wave in the first place. If more than one person is going for the wave – as will often happen – the person closest to the part where the wave is breaking has priority.
The general rule is: one rider per wave.
Paddling out
Another common sense rule here, if there are loads of people in the line-up or riding don’t paddle out in the middle of them! It’s like driving the wrong way up a one-way street. Dangerous and will piss everyone off. Try to use the channels off to the sides, or the rips if you’re confident enough and know what you’re doing. If there are no channels to use, common on beach breaks, just try to keep out of everyone’s way. Watch the wave sets; paddle out in the lulls between sets if possible. Not only will this make for an easier paddle, and less duck diving in big swells, but there is less chance of someone riding in.
Snakes on a wave
Not the sequel to a curious film starring Samuel L Jackson, but the action of a selfish surfer. Picture the scene, you’re out back, in the line-up patiently waiting for your wave and someone paddles around you and nicks the wave you’ve been waiting for. Yep, you’ve been snaked. Annoying, very annoying.
Board ditching
You will lose your board at some point, fact. When you do, get it back as soon as possible – that’s why you wearing a leash right? Don’t ditch your board on purpose, if you’re having trouble paddling out in big surf, learn to duck dive. If the conditions are too big for you, you shouldn’t be in the water. There’s no real excuse to ditch your board. As with most of these rules, it’s a safety thing. Getting clouted by a loose board isn’t a lot of fun.
Don’t be a wave hog
Fairly obvious this one, and needs little explanation. Just because you can catch every wave, doesn’t mean you should. This brings me neatly on to the next item…
Be polite and friendly
What’s wrong with saying “hello” to someone? You might be a uber, world class, top of the game Booger , but would it kill you to say hi to the newbie next to you? Also, if you mess up, break one of the rules listed above, is it really that much hassle to paddle over to the surfer you’ve wronged and say “Sorry mate, my mistake”. That would solve most issues out then and there and might avoid you going home with a black eye. It’s a respect thing after all.
Who really cares what you ride!
You’ll encounter some prejudice from the stand up types. It’ll happen. Don’t rise to it and frankly, don’t sink to their level. I mean you don’t see someone on a 6ft short board and think that there not a real surfer just because they’re riding something different, do you? Of course you don’t, but it doesn’t mean you have to take crap of someone who says something like that to you. What you do out of the water is your own affair, but if someone repeatedly Drops-in on you to make you feel uncomfortable, tell them!