Wave Surfing Etiquette
by S.G.R.BIn surfing, no matter if you have become an expert in the sport, there are basic things you have to think of all the time. These are the five things that you should know as you go surf wave:
Always be cordial to the local surfers- Most of us are passionate about our hobby and love to spread the knowledge. This goes for any hobby but most especially for those with tight knit communities. A lot of surfers are willing to teach you on the ins and outs of the sport, the tides of the local beach, tips in paddling out into the water without being pounded to a sand bar and the courtesies involved in it. If you are new in the sport, ask for help.
Get yourself the right board for the area- if the area is only for small surf wave, don’t get yourself a short surf board. Short boards often plow through the water and makes it difficult to paddle fast in catching small waves. Small boards often feature the stomp pad found on the back which is used for tight maneuvers like cutbacks. When you are unsure about what board to get, you can ask for the help of the surf-shop employees of the shop found in your locality.
Make use of wax that’s suitable to your conditions- This is significant. One of the things to frustrate you is when you are out in the water and you start slipping off the surf board since you are using the wrong type of wax. There are two kinds of wax, typically. Cold water wax is said to be softer and more sticky than wax used for warm water. If this water is cold enough for this kind of wax not to melt, use it. Warm weather can pose a problem to the cold water wax because of its low melting point and it will run off the board which makes your fiberglass board slippery making you fall off the board every time you try to stand on it.
Surf the break outside- there are a number of new surfers who are surfing the shore break. This happens to be the most common mistake. These are not the waves for people who surf. If you ride these you sure are not to get any significant ride. You might also risk your surf board for getting damaged if you surf the shore break- the skeg or the stabilizing fin at the bottom of the surfboard might get caught in the sand and snap off sending you flying off to the sand. Look for the sand bars where the waves break away from shore. This enables you to surf wave on the deep enough water over the sand bar without breaking the surf board. It provides you the chance to maneuver.
If you live in a cold climate, do not go surfing in winter – It may be tempting, and the waves are often best in winter. Most surfers do go surfing during the winter but that is not a good thing to do. Surfing in cold water in winter can develop a condition called “surfer’s ear.” This is that growth in the ear that would let you lose an essential amount of hearing in that specific ear. It’s caused by cold water that gets into the ear canal. Surfing waves during winter is definitely not worth the risk.