Maybe this will help you and others have better, more enjoyable sessions in and out of the water. That's why we're here, right?

Don't drop in #

Ok, this first one is a lot more than a suggestion. It's, like, the only rule in surfing.

Don't drop in!

If this is the only thing you remember entering the water, congratulations: you're already ahead of the game.

If you don't know what I mean by dropping in: it's when someone is already riding the wave or just about to catch it and you paddle on the same wave, in front of them. Don't be that person!

If you're thinking like, oh, this must be just one of those subjective guidelines, where everyone is entitled to their own opinion about the situation: you're wrong! There are no ambiguities.

The following apply in order. Whoever catches the wave ...

1. closest to the peak
2. first
3. in the direction of the breaking wave

... has the right of way.

If you do understand the concept of dropping in but don't believe it applies to you: you're wrong! It is not ok to drop in because:

• you're a better surfer
• you're a local
• you're just learning how to surf
• you're staying at a hotel on the beach
• you paid for parking
• you surfed pumping Steamer Lane and that's how they do it over there
• you're male
• you're female
• you're old
• you're just a kid
• you're very rich
• you were dropping in on a foamie/paddleboard/longboard/shortboard/boogieboard/fish
• you're in a larger group
• you're more deserving
• you're cute
• the wave was demanding it
• you saw it first
• it had your name on it (when they were assembling them in Japan, they stamped Joe from Coquitlam on this very wave)
• you waited longer
• it was the first/last wave of your session/day/week/trip/season/life ...

... Yeah ... no. Not ok. Believe me, it's all been heard before.

Everything other than dropping in is more or less in the category of being a good person and may also help you in other pursuits in your life.

Don't be an asshole #

You probably already know who you are, but I'll try to help you internalize it: don't exploit abusively the don't drop in rule on others.

Don't snake! Snake is when the wave is coming and you all of a sudden paddle on the inside of the surfer just about to catch it and steal their wave. Despicable!

Don't block someone else's wave by getting in front of them and preventing them from getting up. Unpleasant and dangerous!

Don't backdoor! A most disgraceful move when you catch the wave on one side of the peak, then traverse to the other side, forcing the surfer who was just paddling for it to bail. Rather than two people riding the wave, each on their side of the peak, it's just one: you, and you should be ashamed of yourself! Not what your parents taught you when you were growing up.

Don't hog the peak! Happens mostly on slow days, when one or a very small number of surfers (many times wearing silly floppy hats in the water and making graceful ballet moves on crap waves) catch every ridable wave on absolutely all one-wave sets while the rest of us contemplate our misery and the meaning of life. Bad taste.

Don't be aggro! Any combination of one or more of the above, possibly also including screaming, grunting, dropping in, using the word kook, roaring like a lion, telling other surfers to go home, splashing the water, and/or laughing loudly in a group of a few like-minded losers.

Being an exceptional surfer does not come with an obligation to be an asshole. If you're ever doubting that, look no further than Pete¹, who has probably never in his life dropped in on someone else's wave and ask yourself two questions: is he a better surfer than me? (hint: the answer is yes) and how does he do it?

Be polite #

You'll know you're not if other surfers avoid making eye contact on the way back to the parking lot. I'll try to help you understand what's going on.

Apologize if you screw up. If you dropped in and it was not intentional (maybe you didn't realize someone else was riding the wave; maybe they came way quicker than you thought; maybe they made an impossible section) the first word you say should always be "sorry". You'll probably hear back "No worries; shit happens" more times than not, even after a sketchy miss. No one cares to hear your sob story on how it probably was your wave after all (see doesn't apply to you because ... above) and how locals or guys (or any other group) just don't get enough waves, or respect, or whatever.

When you paddle out and someone is riding the wave towards you, paddle through the whitewater and away from the face of the wave. The worst thing you can do is paddle out in front of the surfer riding the wave, perpendicular to their line: you make a large target, very hard to avoid. Sacrifice a duck dive and a few extra paddles for the enjoyment of the surfer riding the wave! It pays back.

Respect the lineup. Especially on busy days, don't paddle out immediately back to the peak. Wait your turn after all other surfers have had their chance to a wave. Many times experts will wait their turn on the inside and catch waves that were missed by weaker surfers right at the peak. Learn many things from that.

Leave enough space between yourself and others when you paddle out, or when you pick a spot to wait. This one should be easy: no one likes it when another surfer drops anchor one metre (three feet) in front of them, or when someone paddles by centimetres (these are smaller than inches) away from the nose of the their board, or when they veer right in front of them while both paddling out. If it's a super busy day and there just wouldn't be enough room if everybody stayed in a line, try to stay a good distance behind and between surfers in front of you. Make a zig-zag shape of the lineup.

Surf your level. Don't paddle into high performance breaks unless you know what you're doing. Lando's, the wedge in the Corner², Lovekin Rock or Twin Rivers are probably all in this category when they're on. You'll know you're in this situation if you're surrounded by experts negotiating sketchy takeoffs under heavy lips. Every miss of yours may be a choice wave someone else couldn't ride and is generally frowned upon. Your safety may also be a factor: surfers in the water will naturally have an expectation that everyone knows how to get out of the way. If you don't, you may end up being run over. Not awesome.

Leave some waves for everybody, even for weaker surfers. Remember when you were learning and were shut out of every wave in the lineup? Don't make the next generation suffer the same abuse. It may turn some of them into assholes (see above).

Gift a wave from time to time! If you're uncertain about a wave, say "yours if you want it" to another surfer, or sometimes say "go for it!" even if it's your wave, but you think someone else is better positioned. You'll make friends.

Different people surf for different reasons and I'm not the guy to tell you why you should or shouldn't do it or how.

❤️ Surfing has every chance to make you happy and it's up to you to let it do so.

If you're surfing angry, you're probably doing it wrong. There is enough crap in the world. Please don't bring it with you in the water. Face it: you won't get any work done, you won't get any bills paid and you won't make any deadlines by being in the water. Live in the moment! Be the wave.

Do you remember a magical session with clean smooth waves going forever? Maybe a light drizzle was grooming glassy faces and tiny fresh water pearls were scattered on the surface of the water? Maybe the sun hit a break in the overcast just before sunset and lit up the bottom of clouds with improbable purple and orange highlights? Maybe a full double rainbow showed up behind the beach and suddenly you realized that everything was going to be alright?

Maybe you were paddling out after a pumping right with multiple sections, the best wave of your life. Maybe everyone was calm, smiling and friendly and happy in the sunset.

If you remember that session, think that you and everyone else in the water made it that way.

And more of these will be coming!