It's off-shore, 4 ft and glassy. You don your 4/3, booties and earplugs, grab your board, run down to the beach, looking forward to catching some empty winter waves...only to find that every other surfer on the coast has the same idea and the swell is swarming with bodies and boards!
You’d think that in winter, with the footy on the TV (even better if local heroes Geelong are playing, then most Cats fans will be at watching the game), that the chilly waves would be less crowded.
Surfing a crowded beach can be mental and physical health hazard due to too many surfers on too few waves.
You have a couple of choices – either going into a jam-packed break and being prepared to deal with it or not going in. One option is to look for a less crowded break. The waves may not be as good or as often, but you’re probably going to get more of them if you’re paddling against a swarm.
Reading the vibeThose few moments you take to observe the waves and potential surf rage vibe can be critical to your surfing enjoyment. Before surfing anywhere, especially if it’s not your local, resist the temptation to rush out and really look and listen – sit in the car park or on the sand and observe the people as well as the swell.
Often you can tell if there’s a good or ugly feeling out there. It’s never worthwhile going out if you sense a bad vibe, no matter how good the waves are, because you can’t predict people’s behavior in such a situation.
“I always recommend that you take a good 10 -20 minutes to check out the waves and crowd before paddling out” says Nancy Emmerson. Nancy, a former champion surfer operates her own surf schools in Australia and Hawaii and she’s a firm believer in surfing safely.
“In Australia, there are so many great surf spots within a short drive, so if you are unsure about surfing one place, you can always drive for five minutes in another direction and find a less crowded option – it’s not cowardice, it’s common sense.” Nancy admits that she finds people who feel that they must surf a particular break - no mater how hectic - tiresome.
“It’s mostly guys who want to be able to boast that they’ve surfed Kirra or Snapper”, she sighs. “Women surfers may also want to surf those breaks but they are generally wise enough to do so at times when the crowds are more reasonable”.
Dealing with aggressionVerbal and physical abuse can be a real threat in a crowded break and while being a female does mean that generally you are more likely to be yelled at than struck, you can’t dismiss this potential threat with the belief that ‘I’m a girl so I’m safe’.
Take the time I was surfing my home break and an aggressive and arrogant tourist dropped in on me, causing us to collide with his board receiving a very minor ding. He shouted, screamed and swore abuse at me. It was futile to argue, so I simply paddled over to join some people I knew and avoided him the rest of the afternoon. Yes, he was scary, but he was behaving appallingly to everyone, so while I didn’t take it personally, I didn’t want to encounter him again. If there was no-one in the water that I knew or felt comfortable joining, I’d have got out and gone for a coffee. Surfing with friends is good call – you can look out for each other and most surf bullies will think twice before taking on a group.
Surf sista Laura Soledad says that prefers to surf new breaks with a friend. “I tend to surf with my girlfriends so if we do encounter an idiot, we have each others’ support,” she says.
On avoiding wave disputes, Laura advises, “we’d much rather paddle off and have a positive surfing experience than get into a shouting match over a wave”.
Surfing with your male friends is helpful if you need a confidence boost.
“My best friend’s husband surfs too”, says Laura. “He’s really experienced, regularly keeps an eye on us too, so we know that if it even looked like someone would try to ‘heavy’ us, he’d be in there in a flash”.
Going for it!
So how do you paddle with confidence when 20 others are aiming for the same wave?
Gaining confidence to surf in throngs is a catch-22 situation – you need to surf crowds regularly to feel comfortable, but it can be difficult getting the assurance up to paddle into a situation that freaks you out. Arranging to surf with a really experienced friend or coach is one solution – I’m always more confident handling crowds when I’m with my coach, because he has years of experience in dealing with all kinds of people and wave conditions and his confidence and positive ‘you can do it’ attitude rubs off on me.
Keeping your eyes and ears open is vital. Don’t get distracted by chatting. Sure, fitness and technique are really important; the fitter you are and the more you practice surfing in crowded conditions, the more confident you’ll be in your ability to get a wave.
“It’s vital are of what’s going on around you”, advises Gally, an elite coach who with business partner Critter runs
Torquay Surf Academy at Torquay near Bells Beach. “It all comes down to your ability to stay out of everybody's way and being aware of danger, so watch for inexperienced surfers and give them a wide berth”, he warns.
“The hardest thing about surfing in crowds is that people get in the way when you are on the wave, so surf with people of around your ability”, advises Gally, “Don't surf with the hot surfers, instead, move to a beach with a lower ‘wave pig’ factor”.
Surfing in congested conditions usually leads to frustration.
Remember, you’re surfing to have fun, not to get even more frazzled. So if you have come in early or avoid surfing for a day, so be it. Go for a strenuous walk or chill out with some yoga. There’ll be more waves along tomorrow.
Rush Hour 911
Your call – it’s cool to decide to surf elsewhere
Observe before entering – don’t rush out, scrutinize the action
Know your ability – if you feel intimidated, find another break
Avoid surfing when stressed – don’t take a bad attitude out there
Be polite – if you drop in, apologize!
Ganging up – do surf with people you know
Look out – observe where surfers are at the break
Communicate – when paddling for a wave, inform others of your intended direction
Equipment Check- ensure legropes are secure to avoid losing your board and causing injury
Hard hat – Consider wearing a helmet
Surf with your level – it’s an opportunity to get more waves than battling for surf with those far better
Share the swell – if you are the best surfer out there, give waves to girls who aren’t catching any. You were a beginner once!
An edited version of this article appeared in
Surf Life for Women
