I was on a road trip recently with my family, and out of necessity, I surfed two waves that I have never surfed before. Both of them were good waves, and both of them had locals, and I was out of my comfort zone. I had no choice but to proceed with caution, with my wife and young kids watching on. I didn’t want to get into a biff, and probably lose, in front of my family. This is how I did it.
I didn't arrive with a crew. There is nothing worse than a bunch of guys arriving at a new spot in a car piled high with surfboards. You are going to anger local surfers this way, and whether you mean to or not, you are going to look arrogant. A low-key approach is much better. Arrive by yourself, or with your little non-surfboard bearing family. This way your impact is lessened, and people will be cool with it all.
Don’t bring cameras or photographers. Even if it is not a world-class surf spot, there is no need to haul out a camera or a video camera and start blasting off shots at the waves, your mates, the location and the cars in the car park. Keep cameras away at first. Then slowly start introducing your phone to shoot a few selfies and shots of the kids for the grandparents, before you start on the line-up shots.
Similarly, do not bring out the mobile phones immediately and start phoning through surf conditions. To anyone. Doesn’t matter if you’re telling your friends in another part of the world what the waves are like. If locals hear they’ll get pissed and this might result in your expensive iPhone going for a swim. It happens.
Take it slow. Sit back and watch for a while. I hung on the beach and played with the kids, all the while keeping a lazy eye on the sets and the surfers paddling out. I greeted a few guys in between kicking a ball around on the sand with my boy. Only after a while of hanging did I go and fetch the wetsuit and board.
Follow a local surfer. Not creepy, but watch and observe. Check where he or she jumps off; watch his or her paddling route to the backline. See if there are rocks to dodge or rips to avoid. Watch him or her all the way to the take off spot and then base your paddle out on the same route.
If there is a crowd in the water, then sit back and wait your turn. Slowly assimilate yourself into the crew by sitting on the edges of the pack and moving with everyone. Don’t go to the inside, and don’t go and sit way outside waiting for a big set. You’ll be noticed, when all you want to do is blend in. Just sit with everyone else.
Find out who the main dudes are in the water. There is always going to be one or two main guys who dominate a break. They are the ones to watch when the sets come. While they might catch all the waves, and for that very reason seem selfish, they will also have the wave completely wired. They will know exactly which waves to go for and which to leave. They will know where to take off, and they will know when the big sets are approaching. Watch them closely, and learn from them.
When your opportunity arrives, whatever you do, don’t back out. Pull back on a wave, any wave at a new surf spot, and you won’t get another chance. Even if it means a definite wipeout, just put your head down and paddle. Even more so if a local has called you on it. Hesitation is a sign of weakness, and if this is the case, then you’re at the back of the queue for the rest of the session.
Smile if you get the chance, hoot at a fellow surfers wave, laugh at a wipeout, and be cool in the water. Don’t hassle for waves, and if you find yourself in a 50/50 position, always give the benefit of the doubt to the guy who is already riding. Nothing worse than taking a chance by dropping in on a person who looks like he or she might not make it, and then that person gets blown out of a barrel behind you. That’ll quickly fuck up your session.
