What are some things that you shouldn’t do while surfing?

In previous articles, we’ve spoken a lot about what you need to do to progress as a surfer. In this piece we’ll go the other way, focusing on some common mistakes that inexperienced surfers are prone to and letting you in on three key things to avoid when learning to surf.  

Dropping in on people

Getting your head around the drop-in rules can be a little overwhelming when you first start surfing, but once you figure it all out they are relatively straightforward to follow – and doing so can save you a lot of trouble. When there are a lot of beginners in the water it’s somewhat inevitable that there will be a few issues with people not understanding the rules, but it’s worth trying to ensure you’re not one of them.  

In the early stages of your surfing life, rather than trying to wrap your head around everything in detail, it’s sometimes worth acting as you would prior to crossing the road – look left, look right, then go. This can be particularly beneficial if there are lots of people in the water.

Once you’re a little more comfortable though, you’ll begin to figure out which people in the water have priority over you and which don’t. Put simply – if the wave is a right-hander, everyone to your left has priority, and everyone to your right doesn’t. There are times when it’s a little more nuanced than that, but as a general rule that’s how it works.

Failing to observe these foundational rules of surfing will not only result in you likely annoying a few locals, but can also be dangerous. If you look the wrong way before paddling into a wave – or don’t look at all – you run the risk that someone has already taken off deeper than you and is flying down the line towards you at speed. A collision can hurt you, the other surfer, and both of your boards, so before you go you want to be certain that it’s your wave to catch.

Overestimating your ability

This one is a lot harder than it sounds – I should know because I’ve certainly been guilty of it on numerous occasions. Everybody wants to think they’re a better surfer than they are, particularly when starting out. The reality is that surfing can be bloody hard and extremely humbling, but it’s natural to start developing delusions of grandeur after you’ve been out a few times and progressed a little. 

The most common way that this manifests is in people paddling out into surf which is too advanced for them. As mentioned, I’ve done this plenty of times, and in my experience, I was particularly prone to it when I was with people who were much better surfers than I was. They might have seen a bigger, steeper peak than I would typically be comfortable with, but I would convince myself I was capable of surfing it. What would typically ensue was a lot of falling, and a lot of getting in the way of much better surfers than me. 

So before you head out, remind yourself of these three things: firstly, it’s not a competition. Secondly, if you surf waves that are above your level, you won’t improve faster – in fact, the opposite is more likely to happen. And thirdly – and perhaps most importantly – nobody will care if you paddle out to the more beginner-friendly peak. 

Paddling to the inside of someone taking off

Imagine you’ve just tried to take a wave and have fallen, and a number of waves are continuing to roll through ready to break on your head. Or maybe you’ve just been caught out of position, and are stuck on the inside of a looming set. No doubt you’ll be trying to paddle to safety, out of the way of the breaking waves – be that directly out to sea or to one side, or as is often the case, both. 

Now imagine someone a few metres in front of you starts paddling for one of the waves which is going to break just in front of you. This is a common situation to find oneself in, and a common way to deal with it – particularly for inexperienced surfers – is to continue trying to get out of the way of the incoming breaking wave, despite the fact that there is a surfer on it. This might be the most pleasant option for you, but it will be heavily frowned upon by the person paddling for that wave. The generally accepted rule here is that it’s your obligation to get out of the way of that surfer and allow them to take the wave unobstructed, even if it means taking the wave on your head.

To elaborate, imagine it’s a right-hand point break, which means that as you’re facing out to sea, people will be surfing towards your left. If a wave is about to break on your head you’ll want to paddle to your left, towards the unbroken part of the wave. This, of course, is also the part of the wave that the surfer paddling into it wants to surf on, so in this case, you need to go against your intuition and paddle to your right, towards the section of the wave which may have already broken. 

It might be slightly irritating for you at the time, but assuming you’re not surfing triple overhead surf you’ll survive it, and when the roles are reversed next time around you’ll be thankful for the person sacrificing their dry hair to allow you to take a wave unimpeded.

So there you have it – some of the most important things to avoid doing in the early stages of your surfing life. Keeping them in mind will help you to become a better surfer more quickly, be more confident in the water, and avoid getting on the wrong side of the locals. Next up, we’ll take a more in-depth look at safety, and the dos and don’ts both in and out of the water that will help keep you, and those in the water with you, protected.