The crowded line-up has become more than just dangerous for surfers of all levels, it has become a powder keg for potential disaster when it comes to the sheer number of people taking up the latest and greatest in the watersports milieu. And if you are one of the many who have decided to join the surfing community, you will eventually fall into one of two distinct categories of ‘new‘ surfers - short term or long term.

Right from the beginning, it is crucial to determine which of the two separate categories of “newbies” you will fall into, as they will determine HOW you should pursue professional guidance. Yes, lessons are necessary for any beginning surfer … but which avenue of higher learning you pursue will cement whether or not surfers at a local break will chase you off, or reluctantly welcome you into the fray.

Short term surfers are often daring vacationers or reluctant volunteers, recruited into surfing by friends or slick promotional materials from TV or films. It is common in surfing communities to see tourists, and locals alike, paddling out into the great blue yonder to experience – if not just for a short time – what surfing “is all about”. Places like Hawaii’s Waikiki and Sydney’s Bondi Beach are prime locations to find short term surfers, renting foam top surfboards or the likes, or being recruited into lessons by slick surf shop “instructors”. These places are quite convenient and well suited for short term surfers, often offering one or two hour lessons to the newly initiated “surfer”, often times guaranteeing that the student will stand up and catch a wave during their first session. And honestly, what excited short term surfer could refuse such a deal?

These surf shop instructors often specialize in the quick surf lesson. Geared for beginners who more than likely will only surf at that particular break a handful of times, the lessons are pointedly aimed at standing up on the board, and staying upright during a quick ride. All too often ignored, however, are the unnecessary rules of the line up, and the ever important surfer’s etiquette outline. Understandably, there is little need for short term surfers to indulge in figuring out who has the ‘rights’ to a wave in a crowded line-up, or the required etiquette to follow when taking off on a wave. Short term surfers need to know how to stand up, stay upright, and paddle back out to the instructor standing in waist-high waves for more of the same. These surf breaks are often part of the unspoken surf factories, attracting hundreds upon hundreds of beginner surfers on a regular basis … producing short term surfers who will move on or move away, or the next category of beginner surfer, the long term beginner surfer.

This post is the first in a 2 part article about newbie / beginner surfers, surf school instructors, and the art of surfing. Part 2 is located here.

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THE SALES TAG: At Dripping Wet we have over 75 years of surfing experience with all shapes and sizes of surfboards.  With one of the largest ranges of Longboards and Mini Mals on the Northern Beaches you will easily be able to find the best board for you.  Dripping Wet hires everything you need for fun in the waves. From your avid learner to experienced surfer, we rent equipment for you and your friends. All we need is a credit card or card imprint, or passport for a deposit and you’re on your way.  We stock legropes, deck grips, boardcovers, fins, clothing, wetsuits, body boards, sunnies, watches, boardshorts, girls cossies, foamies, wax, stickers… you name it we have it.  Also with a huge range of old and new school videos and DVDs its the perfect place to pick up a pressie or cruise through if the surf is flat.

THE REVIEW: Okay, first things first … this surf store is located in Australia. We have visited the store more than several dozen times at different times of the year, and have some good insight on what the store is like from an international traveller’s perspective. Keep this in mind: There is no great shortage of surf shops in Oz … this much we know now. At almost every street corner, you will find a surf shop that caters to watermen of all kinds … ranging from full-fledged retail store outlets, to mom-and-pop shops that showcase local shapers and designers.

Unlike what we have seen in other cities and other countries, Australia seems to have many thriving local surf shops that manage to co-exist and profit alongside each other. Dripping wet has 2 shops: one in Bondi Beach (towards North Bondi) and one in Manly Beach. The Manly store is located towards the north end of Manly beach, directly across from the Surf Club building.

Very easy to find once you get off the ferry or once you hit the main road of North Steyne.  Definitely a plus for would-be-surfers who want to rent a surfboard and lug it across the street for a quick session. The store is jam-packed with a wide variety of surfboards, bogeyboards, skateboards, clothing, accessories, and of course, rental boards.

They have a LOT of stuff in the store, so peruse to your heart’s content … just remember the Australian dollar exchange rate versus your own currency! We found great deals on surfboard day bags and wetties (wetsuits, or rashguards) at the giant sale bin/section directly outside the store on the sidewalk. After the currency exchange, a steal of a deal FCS day bag with full padding turned out to be $30 us dollars. Normally, $80 dollars at surf shops in the US. If you’re willing to lug it around town like we did … buy two!

The staff at Dripping Wet are always busy! Although there were a lot of them on hand in the store, they seemed to be always busy helping a customer at all times — a good sign!

The staff was even willing to hold the day bags for us (without a deposit) until we returned later in the day after a long walk down the “cabbage tree reserve” path. One thing that is truly impressive about the Dripping Wet staff that we encountered the last time we visited: they were always very polite, very helpful, and managed to exude the laid back surfer spirit while ensuring that people were serviced appropriately.

The best part? FREE STICKERS at the front counter … don’t forget yours!

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If you are not a regular at Cliffs, or one of the truly devoted dawn patrollers, you may not notice one thing about the public showers at the base of the pathway: the outer shower head leaks. Unless you make sure that the faucet is tightly wound down, the PVC shower head drips continuously. At times, it flows freely, dumping gallons of freshwater out into the ocean.

I often find myself tightening the shower knob on my way to and from surfing, ensuring that water is not wasted any more than it has to be.My first impulse was to put up a sign and graciously remind people to make sure that water is not wasted. “MAKE SURE YOU TIGHTEN THE FAUCETS” may get the point across. I opted not to do that – not because it would have been ineffective, but because I thought it would just blow away and cause more litter.

Yep. Trash, garbage, rubbish … everyday common litter.

You know what I mean. Litter. You may even remember all those nifty trash cans from the eighties with the words “Pitch In” on them. That was then first lady Nancy Reagan’s biggest campaign and contribution to the free world … pitch in. They produced over one million of those slogan emblazoned trash cans and related promotional materials, in an attempt to awaken the public consciousness about the evils of littering.

To this day, I find cigarette butts, beer bottles, styrofoam cooler pieces (yes, it’s true!), and other related garbage while I walk the beaches of Diamond Head. I had gotten into the habit of picking up whatever garbage was within my reach as I walk to and from surfing, thoughtfully placing it in the giant trash can at the base of the path, next to the showers.

Now, I don’t go way out of my way to pick up trash at Diamond Head … I just clean up the areas that are within my reach as I walk. I make it a habit to walk varying paths though, so as to broaden my respective pathway. I do what I can, when I can, as I can. It has become somewhat a part of my morning surf ritual.

What’s the link here? Signs don’t work in reaching the public consciousness. It doesn’t touch on their ability to be mindful. And in any respect, I like being able to do my part on a daily basis. So I tighten the faucet when it needs to be tightened, and I pick up the trash when I can.

I am, in effect, the sign. A living, breathing, surfing sign.

As I paddled into the warm water in a t-shirt and surf shorts (unlike Bondi in Oz, no wettie required here!), I recalled how my hands felt as it knifed through the freezing water in Bondi Beach. With much respect to Sydney and Brisbane, and all the countless surf spots in the Gold Coast that we have been blessed to surf, Hawaii is indeed one of the best places to surf … and it is home.

It should not take much for all of us to do our parts and clean & maintain our own little parts of this island, and the wonders it holds. With over 1.2 million people in Hawaii, imagine what would happen if we only took care of the area 10 feet around each and everyone of us everywhere we go.

Just a thought from just a surfer.

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Perhaps the almighty sun will come out and bless you with warmth and good cheer, and then again maybe your hands will freeze the first paddle you take in the water. This may not be so bad if you are a seasoned Oz surfer, accustomed to the ravages of cold water surfing, armed with a full wettie (that’s a wet suit Yank!), or an Aussie polar bear extremely immune to the effects of cold water hypothermia.

But being a spoiled warm water surfer from Hawaii, where the air and water temperature is barely ever 5 degrees apart and often at 76 degrees Farenheit, these conditions are just that much on the side of “cold”, and truly a test of one’s will and stamina.

And there was the ice water-like rain … always making a point to drizzle off your face and hands as a reminder that the wind will quickly make your goose bumps rise to unbelievable levels.

That was 2 days ago.

And so you can imagine the great joy I was experiencing while walking down the familiar path at Diamond Head, surfboard in hand, in great anticipation of the warm waters and familiar surf break in Hawaii. Sun, surf, and good weather … quite a difference from the wintery chills in Oz just amere 48 hours ago! I love visiting Australia and all the people, plus the food is incredibly tasty! BUT, as much as I would call Sydney my second home on any given day, we are truly ever-so-lucky to live in Hawaii!

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