Question
When its crowded at OB and you are on a wave,are the surfers paddling out obliged to get out of your way?
I surf Ok but its hard to weave through all the people sometimes.
When I am in their position, I duck dive -get the hell out of the way -I get frustrated when people just sit here when you are bearing down on them
Usually the burden of responsibility is on the person on a wave since they should have "control" over where they are going.
But when it gets crowded, use your discretion if you think you can play minesweeper safely. On super crowded days I'll sometimes pass on waves since it's not worth taking my chances on the inside.
People paddling out should make every effort to stay out of the way. Sometimes this means paddling towards whitewater rather than the shoulder of an oncoming wave to avoid being in the way of the surfer riding that wave. Sometimes it's hard to do this, though: Rips can pull you one way or another, or bad timing could leave paddlers with nowhere to go. When paddlers are in the way, the surfer should do his part and avoid hitting them.
In summary: When the wave breaks here, don't be there, or you're gonna get drilled.
When paddling out, the person riding the wave alway has the "right of way". If you're paddling out, get out of the way or do your best to do so. One shouldn't be paddling out in the surf zone anyway. If you do find yourself in the way while paddling out, go the opposite direction of the person riding the wave.
You Stoker's and new surfers who even need to ask this question have to understand that the above comment is misinformation. If you are paddling out and are in someones way it is YOUR OBLIGATION TO GTFO!!! If this means paddling for the whitewater or even towards the beach, pay your dues, the person riding the wave has paid theirs. Learn where to be, and where not to be, and you will be in the way less. But remember, you are ENTITLED TO NOTHING in the ocean, and our beach loves to remind us of that every time we paddle out.
And stop yelling or waving your arms when you are in the way, we see you, you're right in the way. Make a clear decision which direction you are going to paddle to get out of the way as soon as possible.
Here's an old post of mine. Points 8 and 13 are most germane here (although other posters' advice is essentially correct:
From: http://stokereport.com/rant/my-bad-no-wait-your-bad
This should be posted full-time. (Well, first a decent graphic designer should re-do it, but then, it should be posted full-time.)
1. It's A's wave. The only way B should drop in is with permission.
2. It's A's wave and if B drops in, B deserves a verbal thrashing.
3. It's A's wave, but it's ok if B drops in, as long as B doesn't interfere with A, or try to call him/her off. (Which B usually does because B is a dick.) NOTE: What B is doing is known as "snaking." It's frowned upon. But, from a purely technical standpoint, it can be tolerated.
4. Same as 3.
5. Same as 3/4, but this looks like a lower-stress situation.
6. WTF is going on here? Is A paddling out? Ripping a hard bottom turn? So far behind the foam that B doesn't see him/her? Comedy is about to ensue.
7. Uh, ok.
8. Remember kids: Jesus Says: Paddle Around The Break. (But it should be noted that B appears to be trying to Do The Right Thing here, which is - take some whitewater on the cabeza in order to preserve A's ride.)
9. Yay!
10. B can call A off, but B best make it. If B blows this deal once, A has the right to ignore him/her the second time.
11. Yay!
12. Welcome to Thunderdome. TWO MEN ENTER. ONE MAN LEAVE.
13. Again, B is *trying* to do the right thing, but A would still be saying "Paddle faster, B, you freakin' dick. (Unless you're taking a picture of my too-pretty self, in which case, remember to get my good side.)"
Go Fred!
Paddle back into the whitewater, please. If you are afraid to take a set wave on the head, then you shouldn't be in the water that day. The surfer on a wave should never have to adjust his line to get out of the way of a paddler.
If you don't already know this, then you are a kook. Look at yourself and say, "I am a kook."
NOTE: Fred is correct...but so is Broseidon. If you're up-and-riding, it's your responsibility not to run people over. Someone could get killed. Even worse, you could ding your board. ;-)
HOWEVER - if you're the donkey paddling out through the surf zone, you best be prepared to move heaven and earth not to screw up Fred's ride. Or mine. I #*$ing HATE people paddling through the surf zone.
Say it with me, kids: "Paddle AROUND The Break."
i have been "bracketed" by people trying to catch the same wave... (see 9 or 10 above) and then found myself having taken the proper beating getting some tool yelling at me as if I had anywhere to paddle... and as if I did not head for the only spot available to get out of the way...
so don't yell... explain if necessary and listen sometimes people actually have a good reason why...
I always thought if you were paddling out you should shoot your board into the hands of the surfer riding the wave and then he/she can carry it out for you. #thumbnail
Unless you are sure you can paddle out of the way over the shoulder paddle for the whitewater, BUT, make you intentions clear, don't paddle one way then the other.
if you are up and riding always look at where you WANT to go. Don't stare at what you are trying avoid, you'll run right into it most of the time. It's called target fixation, can be deadly on a motorcycle. Aim for the hole!
Oh yeah, point break, easy to paddle around. Beachbreak not as simple sometimes. What if I ride a wave, and then I have to paddle straight out again? Sometimes there is no "around the break" at OB. Or am I just being a lazy kook?
Agreed, agreed, agreed. The only other piece of info I would add (and it is kinda mentioned in Fred paragraph two):
First of all, shit happens and in a big long beachbreak like OB, the "Break" is not so easily defined- especially on crowded days where people spread to thin out the crowd. If you find yourself paddling out and you are in the wrong place, make a quick decision (yes, completely sacrifice yourself for the rider's ride) and commit to that decision. The rider bearing down on a deer in the headlights or someone changing directions will likely bail and yell. A hard paddling committed self sacraficing effort is easier for the rider to avoid and will at least get you Kudos for trying...
While sometimes it is harder to find the channel at a beachbreak - sometimes it's flat impossible - do make an effort. See the bubbles and foam? Go away from that. Did you end up in the next surf-zone over? Maybe head in, re-focus, wait for a lull, then head back out.*
*No one does this. More people should.
One more to add.
It doesn't matter what kind of board you are riding, when an outside set rolls through everybody and it's crowded, HOLD ONTO YOUR BOARD. No ditching.
Broseidon, you've got it backwards. People paddling out need to stay out of the way, eat shit if necessary, AND hold on to their boards. On 'no-channel' days, there is no reason for you not to see someone coming down the line, if that's the case, you stay put and take a deep breath. The rest is up to you, you can be the biggest kook on the wave, as long as you make the drop. That's surfing. Style is optional.
Ha! I've been through #12 before at LM A few months back, with some butch chick on a longboard at the other end. She had the nerve to yell at me for "dropping in" when in fact, I was up and running long before she got up on her end and headed my direction. Ah well, one of the shittier days at Linda Mar.
@waggy, I left stuff out hoping people would read between the lines. It's just like defensive driving, don't be the dumbass dilly dallying around making people guess where you are going, paddle/drive with confidence and you'll be fine.
"Dive deep my friends, dive deep." -the least intrusive man in the lineup
Or
"I don't always get caught inside, but when I do, I dive deep" -LIML
Ok...I have an etiquette question. I had a situation similar to image 4, I was closer to the peak but the other guy was getting forward momentum before I was in. He was maybe 5 feet farther outside and down the line. I was making the drop when he slams into me from the side hitting me with his board. He clearly did it on purpose since he must have veered hard left and we went over the falls together. Afterwards I was like that was crazy but let it go since while I was deeper he was kinda in it and I felt I had some fault in the situation. The dude went ape sh!t on me and got in my face, threatening me while I was trying to calm him down. I even apologized to him but he wanted to fight me and since I am not an aggro spaz I ended up having to paddle down to the next break with my tail between my legs.
I've come to accept that there are people like that, but was I completely in the wrong? Was he? Shared blame?
At the next peak over I was surfing with a guy that totally picked my spirits back up and my faith in surfers, he was like you want this wave bro, go for it on the first set that came thru.
A drop-in, burned...no question, his fault. Period. In a contest sitch=interference.
I spear fools. Get outta my way kook! Spear you, son! Spear you! Wait...what was the question? Oh yeah, i spear fools!
We have fins for a reason...runnin muther fuckers over. We're still talkin about kooks in the way, right?
Now that i read the question ...let me understand this correctly...are you dropping in and going down the line? And bro's are paddling out in your eay? And you dont have the skill to weave around them? And..you're wonering if they are in your way? Dude, how important is that three foot wave you're on? Is it so importantant that you spear some other kook? That this wave was "the one" ? That three foot wave that is mind bending and life altering? Because, if it's crowded as you say...then we know it's three foot. And no bullshit experience such as a three foot wave is even worth potentially hurting some other soul. When it's big...it's spread..and there ain't no one in your way. Take your three foot bullshit to the bar and tell people how kooks were in your way. That wave aint worth two shits of a conversation. You stare the face, look that idiot in the eye...and pull back dude. Is there any other etiquette than be a genuine human? Have i gone mad, or is this the new generation ofthree foot surf folk we face? Get over dude...Daly city is still un-crowded. Find your own peak if you cant handle OB crowds. Has everyone gone fuckin mad? Are we still talkin about this? Jesus h fuckin holy christopher didnt dicover america colombus! Btw, i still got the keys to my phone/computer and i just witnessed pablo hit three dingers live!
@unfocused - outstanding observation and conclusion. I'm still a little kookie myself (only been surfing a few years, maybe ~100 sessions under my belt) and I'm usually on those three foot waves, with plenty of snakes, droppers-in, and kooks all around, and none of those little waves are worth injuring anyone. If somebody's surfing toward me at my favorite beach break, I'll paddle like hell to get out of his way - and if I need a little more room, he damn well better steer around me or I'm going to give him the broad side of my board and meet him up on the beach to discuss it.
"Has everyone gone fuckin mad? Are we still talkin about this? "
This site has a steady influx of new users so it's okay to still be talking about this. I see no problem with this topic being revisited over and over again for those who are either new to the sport or new to this site. Consider it to be a public education service that benefits everyone.
@wavecraver- i have very little memory of my post last night. however, i do stick to my words. if surfing education needs to be learned on the internet and not through trial, error, and good ole' common sense...then so be it. it is a little flattering too, when folks quote my mindless banter :)
keep fightin the good fight, brutha
@unfocused- well at least your core feelings persist through focused or unfocused conditions. The sign of a strong intellect as far as I can tell. Anyway education is usually part theory and part practical experience, its all good, as they say. Have fun tonight.
I think the site mod should post a static page with a link on the front page about surfing etiquette. Then the topic will not have to be brought up so often.
