Common Sense Rules for Choosing a Surf Break

Well having traveled around and surfed pretty much everywhere in the USA, the rules I am going to tell you will pertain to almost anywhere. Use common sense when choosing a beach to surf at. Plenty of surfers will get mad at me but many surfers are immature and territorial. They guard their surf breaks like they own the beach, California and Hawaii in my experience are some of the worst places to surf because of this attitude. So if you hear of a beach that is like this it can be best to avoid these types of beaches. I learned to surf in California at Hollywood by the Sea, I was young and a tournament Karate fighter so visiting the beach was fun for me. Most of my friends and surfer buddies that lived in the area all their lives avoided Silver Strand.

The true essence of surfing has very little to do with these people, so again avoid any beach that has a reputation such as this. Unless you are practicing for the UFC. Basic rule number two is always respect the surfers in the water even if you see they can't surf and that they are whiners. I cant tell you how many breaks I have been to around the USA where their are tons of surfers that think they can surf and do a poor job of it. On the other hand I have found plenty surf breaks in Florida where surfers are friendly and non territorial, they know they can surf and do not have to tell you how good they are. They are not to worried about the surfers that show up at their home break because they know that the ocean will take care of the ones that do not belong there. So choose your break carefully.

When you finally get into the water stay out of the way of the surfers catching the waves. Paddle out way away from them. When catching a wave do not drop in on other surfers. If you see a surfer catching a wave and they are closer to the curl let them have the wave. So just a few basic common sense rules for surfing. Yes there are plenty more when you are out in the water but you have to get there first.