#SeeaTipTimeTuesday
Tips on Etiquette!
As surfing continues to grow, so do the crowds! Finding our way around crowds and avoiding people while on a wave, is a bit like driving on the highway. Everyone is doing their own thing, but it’s dependent on what others are doing too.
Avoiding people while you are on a wave definitely has technique to it. Generally speaking, the goal is to never get in someone’s way while their on a wave. To do this, you usually paddle ‘towards the whitewater’ and not towards the open face — this way you leave the path of the wave open instead of paddling into the line of the surfer.
If you’re on a wave, and there’s a crowd of people in your way, do your best to focus on your path that you want to go, not the people! Just like in snowboarding, look where you want to go, don’t stare at the tree as you approach it, cause it will make you more likely to hit it! Same thing with surfing— focus on your line. But, if you identify that someone is paddling straight into your line, we always have to be ready to make adjustments — a bit like frogger!!
Most importantly, always pay attention to the people around you. Always check if there is someone paddling deeper (this one is a biggie, especially for beginners— this is called a Burn, and it’s not the best thing to do in a crowd!!).
Accidents can happen even with friends - be sure to always check and monitor your surroundings!
Surfer: @chel.bythe.sea (we love you!)
Footage: Rachel G.
Words: @leahloves