Magazine
Name: Jake Hembree Age: 16 Hometown: Windermere Nickname: Hembree (very original) Home break: New Smyrna Beach Education: 10th Grade International Community School Sponsors: Billabong, Xcel Wetsuits, Zinka, Red Dog Surf Shop, Lopez Surfboards Magic board: 5’8 Lopez Enabler How long surfing: 10 years Dream Sponsor would be: Krispy Kreme Tunes you are listening to now: Drake or Eric Church Lessons learned from competitive surfing: It doesn’t matter how you fall; it matters how you get back up. Favorite sport, other than surfing: Football or Basketball Favorite vegetable: Asparagus Sportsmanship award goes to: Tommy Coleman, I give him so much crap every time I hang out with him. You were in California this past summer at the NSSA and Prime events, what was that like? It was so sick. I got to meet so many people and make a lot of friends. It was really cool hanging out with the Billabong crew and getting to know the boys. The waves were pumping the entire month (compared to back home) so I was stoked. Best breakfast in town: KeKe’s Favorite pro surfer: Mick Fanning, he has such a variety a moves that he can do on any wave he takes off on Favorite local surfer: Evan Geiselman Best meal at your house: Pork tenderloin Favorite local surf spot: NSB Inlet or a secret spot in between the inlet and Bethune. Who would you take with you on a dream surf vacation, where would you go: I’d go to the Mentawai Islands with my dad, Tommy and Charlie Coleman, and I would laugh more then I surfed on that trip. Favorite snack food: BBQ Chips Do you cook, what is your favorite thing to make: Not really, I’m blessed to have a mom and sister that are amazing cooks. Greatest accomplishment in surfing, thus far: I have had the opportunity to represent great brands and have a good relationship with each of my sponsors that support my surfing even though I still live an hour from the ocean. Greatest accomplishment in life, thus far: I have 2: When I accepted Jesus into my life and made Him my #1 priority and then recently I got my drivers license so watch out, haha. Do you have any pets? I have a yellow lab named Sugar. Last book you read: Huckleberry Finn Jesus is: my Lord and Savior and has saved me from my sins even though I don’t deserve any of his grace.
INDUSTRY-FIRST 10-ATM WATER RESISTANT AND ULTRA-RUGGED SMARTWATCH California-based, watch and accessories brand Nixon announces The Mission — the world’s first ultra-rugged, action sports smartwatch. Built on the latest technology from Google’s Android Wear™ smartwatch platform and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 2100 system-on-chip (SoC), The Mission features a suite of custom applications tailored to action sports, as well as industryleading durability and a category-first 10-ATM (100 meter) water-resistance rating. In addition to the full capabilities of the Android Wear™ platform and apps, the smartwatch introduces Nixon’s custom Mission app powered by Surfline and Snocountry. The Mission app places live conditions information at a glance of the wrist and features a custom activity-tracking application developed in partnership with Trace, the leader in action sports activity tracking. Pairing innovative software with an ultra-rugged and water-resistant design allows individuals to enjoy The Mission’s technology and third party apps where they are spending their time — riding, in the water, on the mountain, and beyond. Available later this year in multiple colors at select retailers, The Mission will also be available to customize on Nixon.com. “Our audience leads an intense, outdoor lifestyle and pushes products to the limit. All of our watches have to meet a high standard of durability and water resistance and for many of these participants, a fragile smartwatch is useless,” noted Tyson White, Vice President of Product at Nixon. “With current products splash-proof at best, we knew we had to create a smartwatch that could survive the surf or the first ride down the mountain. We developed the watch in tandem with our world-class surf and snow athletes who lead demanding, rigorous lifestyles. By listening and implementing their feedback, The Mission became a unique collaboration between our athletes and our product team: we’ve created the 4x4 of smartwatches, ruggedly built for extreme situations.” “Nixon has always taken its own path in watches, creating franchise products like The 51 -30, The Time Teller and The Ultratide. We’ve always pushed things that have never been done before and we’re doing it again with The Mission,” said Nick Stowe, CEO of Nixon. “We wanted to make our entrance into the smart category in a disciplined and purposeful way by bringing functions that are useful and true to our DNA and action sports heritage. Building The Mission, and the family of smart products to come, is Nixon’s leap into the future, and working with partners such as Google and Qualcomm Technologies has been an inspiring experience.” Nixon.com
This New Surfboard Shows You Your Social Media Messages In The Line-Up Could this electronic board be the future of surfing? Surfing is naturally a solitary sport, where you can get away from the rest of the world. The best surf session lasts three times as long as you meant it to, as time slips away in the waves. Smartphone brand Samsung is looking to change this however, bringing the world to the line up through their revolutionary digital surfboard. The brand, who has worked many times with the surfing world through the World Surf League and ASP World Tour, is hoping to take the ‘solitary out of the sport’ by linking pro surfers with their coaches, even when they’re out in the water.
The surfboard, which has a small watertight draw in which to stash your Samsung smartphone, displays real-time social media posts as well as weather and surf conditions on a screen on the board’s deck. This is a pretty revolutionary idea for professional surfing and we can see how it could help with both training and safety in the water, but we’re not so sure we want to give up our private wave time so easily. Surfing is all about integrating yourself in nature and forgetting about everything waiting at the shore for a few hours, why would you want to add your Twitter notifications into that experience? Check out the video below and let us now what you think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8yrfnT-PtI
Why or How Popular Surfboards Models Become Best Sellers It is no secret that pro surfers definitely have a hand in selling boards for their shapers brands. These guys absolutely rip, and to tell the truth, they could make a door look like it surfs well. So just how important is it to take note of what custom surfboards the pros are surfing when you’re just an average everyday surfer? Replica Boards What the pro’s are doing at any given moment obviously has an impact on the general consumer. The Mick Fanning Ducks Nuts Replica is one of our best selling boards from the DHD line up. This came out for the masses as Mick was/is tearing apart his 2015 campaign. “You can ride the same board Mick is riding, and surely you will be surfing just like him!” … well, maybe not quite exactly like him, and maybe you shouldn’t ride exactly what he is riding… What Darren Handley has done (which we were not seeing in the 90’s) is actually offer a few sizes in this replica model so the average surfer actually has a chance of being able to surf the board. But not too many, it is meant to be a replica after all. The board is available from a 5’10 to a 6’1. A current favorite surfboard Now, let’s look at the best selling board world wide. The popular Hypto Krypto nabs the best selling board world wide as well as winning Surfboard of the Year award two consecutive years in a row. Is it a result of having someone like Craig Anderson pour his style all over the place on this model (most of which the waves are pumping), or is it actually because it is a user friendly board that can be surfed in anything from knee high slop to pumping overhead and hollow? Having Ando show you what this board can do certainly helps, but word-of-mouth, reviews and referrals are still essential for success. If the boards didn’t work for the average surfer, they wouldn’t gain the popularity that they have now. Combining a tried and trusted design – with some tweaks and your own style – with a strong brand like Haydenshapes is going to help you sell boards. Having someone like Craig ride them doesn’t hurt either! What Actually Works for the Average Surfer This all coincides with the average surfer starting to understand that wider boards with a little more volume can make a world of difference to your surfing. Don’t get me wrong here, there are/were plenty of surfers that already knew this, but there are plenty of people out there that simply want what their favorite pro rides. Luckily for them, many of their favorite pro’s are starting to ride equipment that will either suit the average surfer, and surfboard shapers know exactly how to scale boards appropriately for the average surfer. Advanced tools like the Board Engine also help avoid too many crazy board orders. The vast majority of us don’t have the ability to hop on a plane and chase perfect waves around the world, our day to day surf session consists of average days ranging in the knee to head high and not so perfect. Usually before or after school/work when we may just be missing the right tide, wind, swell windows. We need those wider, higher volume boards that we can actually surf, if we want to maximize our precious water time. They don’t necessarily have to be hybrid models, but customizing a high performance pro model appropriately for an average surfer goes a long way. Accessibility Another thing to consider in a board becoming popular is the combination of marketing, a user friendly board and…accessibility. The reason brands like SUPERbrand, DHD, Haydenshapes, etc. sell so many boards is their accessibility.
There are so many great shapers and surf brands around the world. They very well may sell a lot of boards, but on the world stage they may remain relatively unknown. While some bigger brands may have a bigger marketing budget, in reality whether or not the board is actually going to work for the average consumer, is the most important thing. Remember, even the bigger brands were once small time guys that simply had to shape boards that work to get them to where they are today. After all the marketing and the accessibility, if a board does not work, the word-of-mouth stoke is not going to be there and it will be a short lived seller. A board can look good aesthetically and be the right price, but what good is that if it surfs like a dog? Surfersvillage Global Surf News
I LOVE MY PARENTS Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Oh boy, I can't even begin to explain how horrible I was to my parents. I was grounded for about a year straight before they practically gave up on discipline. I knew that I was suppose to obey them but of course I was far to selfish to care about what it was doing to them and even their relationship. It all comes back to the me, me, me. Everything that has been wrong and has hurt others was because of my own selfishness. I love my parents and I’m so thankful for everything they have done for me. They never gave up on me, even when I was a disobedient, disrespectful jerk. I look up to them and use them as the example for me to follow in my relationship with God and in the relationship that I will have with my future wife. God blessed me with a great stable family and I couldn’t thank him enough.
Next time I talk to my parents I will apologize for being such a jerk and knucklehead. Matthew is in Kenya to share Jesus with those that don’t know him. Keep Matthew in your prayers. We will miss him during our Summer Surf Jam.
Knowing Jesus from Groms for God It is crazy for me to believe how many children don't know Jesus. For me growing up with my faith, not knowing Jesus seems impossible because He has always been my strength and my hope. It's like, how could you not know and believe in the person who gave you life and the sun, moon, stars, and everything else that makes us feel so much love and joy? Then, in culinary class we watched a movie called, "Supersize Me". This movie is about a guy who tries to prove a point about how bad fast-food is for you and how it is becoming too big of a part of American's lives. In the movie, they interviewed a bunch of kids, individually, and showed them pictures of people and asked if they knew who the people were. The first picture was of the Wendy's girl and the kids had comments like "Oh, I have seen her on signs before." Then when they saw the second picture they were making curious faces and saying, "I don't know who that is" and "Who is that?" They then, turned the picture to the camera and it was a picture of Jesus. The last picture was of Ronald McDonald and they all knew who he was. Seeing this broke my heart because they didn't know their Father and Creator. I mean, the bible tells us how much God and Jesus love and care for us, yet, some of us have no idea who They are. This is why I started Groms For God, so that everyone can KNOW their Heavenly Father. "You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you." Nehemiah 9:6
Who We Are FLOW is open to everyone; men, women, youth, boys, girls and families who desire to share God’s love through their actions towards surfers. We are an outreach where we care for surfers at the beach, at surf contests and at special events. Although we do surf and have surfers involved you do not need to be a surfer to serve God. Please take a moment to pray for our group and see if you, or any of your friends or family, feel drawn into our mission field. If you have any questions feel free to approach any of the FLOW guys or gals at the events or e-mail us at flowsurfers@yahoo.com Monthly Events We meet each month at local surf event or contest sites. We arrive early and either help the contest get set up or we help beachgoers who are carrying arms full of chairs, umbrellas and coolers. In between we surf, pass out snacks or drinks and FLOW stuff. Afterwards, we gather for a devotion and discuss upcoming events and opportunities to serve others. Our devotions are very casual and are geared for first timers to Bible scholars. All are welcome to hear God’s word and ask questions like, “What does that have to do with me?”. Special Events We try and pack up the vans and see our local sites. The wave pool in Orlando is obviously a favorite as well as our Summer FLOW Jam where we jam as many kids into two vans and travel up coast and camp our way back home while surfing as many breaks a possible. There are lots of ways to be involved just come and see.
We serve at National and Regional Contests: ASF Florida Contests, ASF Championships, NSSA Southeast Contests, NSSA East Coast Championships, Quiksilver King of the Peak, Gnarly Charley Surf Series, Walking on Water Movie Tours, Rip Curl Grom Search… Get plugged at: flowsurfers@yahoo.com www.fellowshipledonwater.com www.facebook.com/FLOWSebastianInlet
Name: Ava Rose McGowan Age: 10 Hometown: New Smyrna Beach Home break: NSB Inlet Education: FLVS Sponsors: Roxy, DC, Dakine, FCS, Pom Pom, Raw Elements, Island Water Sports in Deerfield Beach, Gorkin Surfboards and My Parents of course Magic board: 4’6” Gas Pedal How long surfing: 5 years Best results: NSSA East Coast Championships 2016 2nd Place Explorer Super Girls Dream Sponsor : Publix, 7 Eleven, and Target Tell us a little about your fishing addiction: Whenever I go to Outriggers for dinner, I beg my parents to let me go down to the dock and fish. Also, when I go to my friend Gracie’s house I love to go fishing, they have a sweet pond behind their house! Largest fish caught: At Gracie’s house, it was a large mouth bass, about a foot long. Favorite fish to hunt: Bass Favorite fish to eat: Mahi Mahi Tunes you are listening to now: Chainsmokers (yes that is their name), Meghan Trainor, Lukas Graham, Ariana Grande, and John Legend Life after surfing: To be able to make a difference in the world! I think I like Sports Medicine. Who pushes your surfing the most: My friends and the local guys down at the Inlet! Favorite pro surfer: Kolohe Andino, and Tatiana Westin Webb Favorite local surfer: Eric Geiselman Favorite snack food: Chips and a Coke Slurpee from 7 Eleven Final words: What I have realized this year is that my results are not important, that they mean something to me because I love competing, but at the end of the day, I surf because I love surfing and I really want to focus on my progression and continue to have fun while competing! Jesus is: All around me and you, he is everywhere!
Name: Jay Smith Surfboard Label: Clever Surfboards Age: 53yrs young Hometown: Daytona Beach, FL Where are you shaping your boards out of today: Halifax Glassing just south of New Smyrna Beach. How long have you been shaping: Shaped first board 1983 How did you get started shaping: Was doing board repairs and sanding. Then started shaping some for my old company Clubber Favorite surfer, ever: Kelly Slater How many boards have you shaped: over 5000 Is it hard shaping grom boards: Not for me, have the right racks and templates What is your shaping specialty: My shaping specialty is shortboards, fishes & hybrids. Hand carved out of our new Spring Flex eps cores Favorite (local) surf spot: NSB inlet Percentage of machine shaped vs. hand shaped: 85% hand shaped 15% machine Do you have any pets: Cat named Captain Music playing on your iPod right now: Red Hot Chili Peppers Last meal would be: Sushi What model and size board are your currently riding: I’m riding our new Spring Flex eps core new model called Bruce Kent 5'8" double bat tail 20.15x2.5 approx. 31liters. Do you have a single fin in your quiver: 9'2' Fisher Grant model Favorite surf destination: Indonesia, G-land Designs have changed a lot, what drives your shaping: What drives me is working &surfing with new shapes & materials. Also my team riders & working with the factory crew. Dream surf destination: Tavarua, Cloudbreak Who has influenced your life the most: Family, girlfriend Katie & Gerry Lopez When do you the most orders, pre-Christmas or pre-Summer: Pre-summer Favorite fin system, why: FCS II, I do lots of 5 fin setups If you could have only one board, what would it be: My 5'10" Fish Jet model eps/epoxy Spring Flex core What do you do when you are not surfing and shaping: Hanging with my girlfriend and golfing Best Breakfast in town: Homemade Favorite non-surf movie: Ace Ventura Pet Detective Do you play music in your shaping bay, what kind: Yes, Rock-n- Roll Custom orders call: 386-235-3594 Social Media: Instagram – cleversurfboards, Facebook - Jay Smith and Cleversurfboards Jesus is: My Hero
Colossians 4:6 (NIV) Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Proverbs 15:1 (CEB) A sensitive answer turns back wrath, but an offensive word stirs up anger. Reflect We are spending this week reflecting on what Jesus meant when he said that we were to be “the salt of the earth.” Yesterday, we talked about putting salt on food, but I put salt on something else, too—my sidewalk, every winter to melt the ice. It’s an interesting phenomenon that salt melts ice. It has to do with the salt crystals disrupting the way the water molecules move, inhibiting its ability to form a solid. It works all the way down to minus 6 degrees. How might this give us some more insight as to what it means to be “the salt of the earth?” Well, just as my sidewalk can have an icy exterior in the wintertime, sometimes people can seem to have an icy exterior, too. Sometimes, people can be gruff, impatient, rude, obnoxious, arrogant, angry, or just generally, cold. Our first reaction might be to return exactly the same kind of behavior, but that isn’t going to improve the situation. If we are truly “the salt of the earth,” we will strive to make our reactions warm, accepting, patient, uplifting, encouraging, and loving. One thing that occurs to me is that my sidewalk often needs more than one application of salt. Perhaps your first set of kind words won’t be appreciated, but being consistent in your loving attitude might begin to chip away at that icy exterior.
The Ultimate Shaper How crazy would it be if someone laid out a beautiful longboard next to a high performance shortboard and started evaluating the longboard based on the shortboard? "Look at this nose...it's all rounded off and there's just not enough rocker," they would say. "Only one fin? Where are the other two (like this shortboard)?" It would be ridiculous. Because the shortboard isn't the standard by which a longboard should be evaluated. Rather the longboard should be assessed in comparison to the blueprint that the shaper had in mind when making it. But, girls open magazines regularly and measure themselves by someone else's appearance. Men look at other men and assess their career success or financial stability. The examples go on and on. The problem is, other people aren't the standard for who I am. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 10:12 in the Bible says, "...they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!" The standard is what God had in mind when HE made each of us. In Psalm 139 it states, "Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High Godyou're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration-what a creation! ". In another version it says that God "knit" us together. He gave attention to detail. The point? Just as it would be silly to complain that you can't nose ride a 5'6" thruster, it is silly to continually compare ourselves to others. Each of us was designed to bring glory to God in a unique fashion by living out who He shaped us to be, not by trying to be a carbon copy of someone else (in looks, abilities, attitudes or actions). So take time today to marvel at how HE made you.
Raised on the North shore of Oahu, Aaron Gold grew up surfing large waves. He’s well known for his surfboard shaping abilities in Hawaii, but he’s now becoming a contender in the sport of big wave surfing. Charging huge waves like Jaws in Maui, Waimea Bay in Hawaii, Cortes Bank, and Mavericks, California, just to name a few. Aaron is happily married with a new addition to the family Avaleah. He’s a super humble and friendly guy, but don’t be fooled by his mellow behavior. He stands strong and fearless amongst his “Hellman” peers. Two wave hold downs are the norm these days, but Aaron is confident in his strength, endurance and training. How old were you when you began surfing and when did you get the desire to surf really monstrous waves? I first started surfing at around the age of 3 or 4. Growing up in Hawaii, surrounded by water, we tend to get started early. My passion for surfing large waves started around the age of 12 or 13. It was my first time surfing Waimea with my Dad Glenn and Uncle Bruce, the waves were 10 to 12 foot and just starting to brake on the boil. I basically sat there for 2 hours trying to shoulder hop one. When I got the word it was time to go, I knew I couldn’t just paddle in. I had to get at least one. I ended up taking off on a 10ft, foamy double up that went completely square, got pitched with the lip, and got totally hammered. At some point in between praying for my life and coming to terms that this was how I was going out, the wave let me up. I’ll never forget that feeling, something snapped in me, I had walked the line, and I have been hooked ever since.
How long have you been shaping surfboards and who’s your inspiration? I started shaping boards around the same time I started surfing larger waves. My Dad shaped boards and was one of John Carpers first team riders. They would work on boards together and then my dad would make my boards like his but smaller. Some of my favorite memories of my dad were watching him shape and the smell of the glassing shack. I eventually decided to give it a try, and have done so off and on since that time. What was your most memorable surf session out at Jaws? My most memorable session at Jaws so far was my first one. It was the one Dave Wassel got the Billabong XXL award on. It was 25-30 foot, 50-70 foot face. Big, mean and windy. I didn’t get the best waves out there that day. In fact, I got the two worst beatings I’ve had so far, but it was all new, and a new beginning of things to come. I’ll always remember it. What tips would you give to someone inspired by you to surf large waves? My best advice would be to take it slow, work your way into it. Know your abilities, and be familiar with the spot you want to surf. Spend the time watching, preparing, and checking it out when it’s flat, (bottom, currents, winds, etc.) And lastly, if possible, ask the locals. You’d be surprised. More often than not, they’re willing to share knowledge with you… if you are respectful. Besides your wife and toddler, who supports your addiction for chasing down large surf? At the moment my only sponsor is RLM wetsuits Japan. I am currently seeking new sponsorships. Aside from this I am surrounded by a great group of friends at the Mission North Shore, and my big wave rambling partners Ben Wilkinson, and Kohl Christensen. And last but not least the Lord Jesus Christ, who is always watching out for me.
Update: This year, Aaron had two major things happen to him, in January, at Pe’ahi, Aaron threw himself into what has undoubtedly been deemed the biggest wave ever paddled into at Jaws. Then in May he had a life threatening wipeout and was found floating in the impact zone at Cloudbreak, in Fiji. In Aarons Instagram post: “Thank you Jesus for deciding to give me a little more time here on earth before taking me home. I am so blessed and grateful that The Lord put these amazing people in my life at the right time to watch over me like angles”. Source: http://www.revoltinstyle.com/
Summer Social Taken from the headlines of Social Media here are some of what you have been talking about. 4th of July at the beach, Kech’s new designs, what’s been biting, who’s gone where and the #1 talked about topic has been…. Kelly’s wave pool.
www.surfcontestguide.com
July 9 ESA Central Florida @ Lori Wilson, Cocoa Beach
July 18-22 Gnarly Charley Summer Surf Camp @ New Smyrna Beach
July 28-31 FLOW Summer Surf Jame @Jax, St Augie, Ponce & New Smyrna August 6 ESA Central Florida @ Paradise Beach, Indialantic
John 9:25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”
That’s one of my favorite verses. I love the boldness of this statement. It’s simple and to the point. He’s saying I don’t know all that other stuff, but what I do know is that He healed me. He touched me and changed my life for the better. Jesus changed my life. As a Christian, I think that sometimes we get so lost in the complexities that we create in our Christian lives, that we miss the simple truths of the process. God’s ways are far beyond ours and we will forever be wowed by Him. But being in awe of Him is not meant to replace the beauty of simplicity.
Sometimes we have to step back from everything and say, “I don’t really know what’s going on with the world. I don’t really know what’s happening, but what I do know is that Jesus has touched my life and I haven’t been the same since. It’s just that simple.”
Trust In What You Don’t See August 13 Gnarly Charley @ New Smyrna Beach
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Aug 13 Rip Curl Grom Search @ New Smyrna Beach
So, think about this for a minute. One of your friends walk up to you during one of your free periods. She asks you to do a big favor, and she trusts you. She believes your going to help her with it. She knows it.
September 10 Gnarly Charley Spessard Holland
September 18-24 ESA Championships Nag Head, NC
Sometimes it’s hard to trust God, I mean, we can’t see him, for one thing. But that’s what faith is: trusting God, even though we can’t see him. It isn’t always easy. When the disciples were with Jesus, they saw him do amazing things every day: turn the water into wine, or heal the blind and mute. Yet, Peter didn’t trust Jesus when he walked on the water, and he sank. Not trusting God gives us a sinking feeling, too. But we can trust God! He has never broken a promise to us! Now, that doesn’t mean jumping off a tower and “trusting” that God going to catch you though. In that case, we really need to trust God’s laws of nature. But in our everyday lives, we can trust that God loves us, is looking out for us, and wants good things for us— even when it seems like things aren’t going so well. Ask God for more understanding, a more trusting spirit, and a stronger bond.
We’ve surfed in everything from heavy South Pacific barrels to pumping 15 foot Swamis, yet still some of our favorite days happen when the swell is barely hitting our ankles, but the water is warm and the friends are plenty. You know those squad days when you go out with no expectation but to play? Those are Sonny Session days. Recently we pulled together our East Coast crew at the Cocoa Beach Sun Bum beach house for a day of beater boards, paddle ball, pizza, and plenty of laughs. Check out some of our favorite moments from the day captured by our photo ambassador Nate Harrington.
These are the days that remind us why we surf. These are the days filled with the purest stoke. These are the days we remember. - See more at: http://trustthebum.com
We know that this might seem like an arbitrary article for some of you, but it seems that many people, including experienced surfers, seem to forget surfing etiquette while out in the lineup. Now, there are two ways we are looking at this. There are the beginners who simply do not know better and are in a totally new environment, and there are experienced surfers who just blatantly disregard etiquette because they feel they have more of a ‘right’ to be there over others. Not saying that we are perfect, we are guilty of ignoring etiquette ourselves from time to time, and we were all (including you the reader) beginners at one point who had no clue. The trick here though, is that there is no written rule book or laws that apply. These are all un-written rules and for the most part, try to keep things organized and safe. No. 1 Spacial Awareness One of the most important things to consider for a beginner, is that you have to be aware you are entering a new environment. It is easy to lose your focus and awareness right from the start when paddling out. A lot of beginners will get tunnel vision, focusing on what is directly in front of them. You need to be aware of this and only paddle out to the appropriate lineup for your ability. Being comfortable in the line up goes a long way for you safety, the safety of others, and how much fun you are going to have. If you can’t manage yourself just paddling out, you are going to be in the way. Apart from the waves themselves doing you damage, your own board can become an uncontrollable blunt object ready to knock you and others out. Only paddle out on days or places you are comfortable with, and make sure you have the right Beginner board for your ability. Soft Tops are a great option for this as they are safer for everyone if you do happen to get caught up in some carnage. That special awareness really comes into play when your surfing progresses enough to be sitting in the line up. At this point, you have to be aware of where to paddle out, how to stay out of the way, and who has the right of way when everyone is paddling for a wave. No. 2 Paddling Out When paddling out, your goal is to make it to the line up without getting in anyone’s way and with the least amount of effort as possible. But the effort goes to the wayside when it comes to being in the way. On the way out, don’t assume someone surfing the wave can see you, and try not to ruin their wave even if they do. If you see someone coming down the line, but your best spot to duck dive under the wave is right in their path, paddle into the wave and deal with the white water…let the surfer continue on their way without having to dodge you. People will remember who is constantly in the way, and your chances for getting waves in the first place will dwindle if you are that person. Also, if possible, look for a channel to paddle out through. Many waves will break over a defined sandbar or reef of some sort. There is no sense in paddling directly out where the wave breaks when you can easily paddle around it. This way, you not only stay out of the way of other surfers, you will save yourself time and effort. The actual distance to the line-up may be more, but if you are stuck in the impact zone, you will be paddling for ever and not make any headway. And make sure, again, that you have the right equipment for what you can handle and the waves. Looking for information in articles like What Board Should I Surf, where you can make more informed decisions about picking right board for your abilities and the waves. Don’t try paddling a longboard out at a super hollow wave where you not only have difficulty getting past the breaking waves, but the board doesn’t fit the shape of the wave very well. This can turn into carnage really fast as a big heavy board just becomes a floating projectile when not in the right hands.
No. 3 Right Of Way Many waves peak over a certain sandbar, reef, or off a structure of some sort, around the same area over and over again. When there is a bit of a crowd, the unwritten “right of way” rules apply in an attempt to ensure that everyone gets their wave and gets it all to themselves. Keep in mind though, that as more and more people get into surfing, many times there are not enough waves for everyone on a general day, so drop in’s do happen and locals will know the line up better being able to be in the right spot time after time, and may just blatantly drop in on you. We are are guilty of this and you should just expect it when you go to a wave you do not know or surf very often.
Generally, in a pack of people, you have to work your way up to being in the right spot. The surfer furthest out and closest to the peak of the wave usually has the right of way, and anyone else going for the wave should pull back and let them go. This is a loose rule though, if you are closest to the peak but it takes you forever to get to your feet and the wave passes you by, a surfer outside the peak but up to their feet surfing first will have the wave. On the other hand, longboards and SUP’s can sit way out back and get into waves much earlier than short boarders on the inside. Yes, they should have the right of way as they will be into the wave surfing first, but if there are not that many waves and they are making it back out to the line up and taking every single wave, they need to be aware that there are others surfing too…before long they will just get dropped in on by other surfers who are getting frustrated by their actions. No. 4 Treat Others How You Want to be Treated In the end, the number one rule really should simply be “treat others how you want to be treated”. Our parents have drilled this into us since we were able to walk, so it shouldn’t go out the window when we enter the water. Good Karma goes a long way when surfing with others. Let’s face it, for 99% of us surfing is an enjoyable past time, not a career breaker or life threatening problem that if you don’t surf you will die (although most of us feel that way). We are all out there to have a good time. If you are just dropping in, getting grumpy, putting out bad vibes, you are not having fun and more than likely irritating others around you which will lead to you getting no respect and no waves. When you are paddling out to a new line up, respect the locals who surf there everyday. You will be surprised at the number of waves you will get at a new spot if you show your respect. If you just go out and act like you own the line up, they will be quick to keep you from getting any decent wave.
On the other hand, if you are a local at your spot, realize that there are very few places left on this earth where the locals are the only ones out. Use your knowledge of the wave and your surfing experience to help determine what waves you get. You don’t have to just drop-in all the time, there will be other waves. Have fun, share waves, put out good vibes and your surf session will be that much
better.
Source: Surfersvillage Global Surf News
Why Blank? Like a surfboard, we all begin as a raw blank; scuffed up, yellowed and not so pretty. God works in us to shape us for His glory and according to His plan. We don’t know exactly what our final shape will look like, but He is the master shaper and we have to trust in his plan. You may want to be a big wave gun and he may be shaping you into a fish. Why a fish? He has a plan to use you when a wider outline, slightly thicker rail and fuller tail is needed. How well will you work, for His glory, if your outline is for Pipe and you are surfing Ocean Ave.?
In this shaping bay, we will never be glassed. The Master Shaper is never finished with us.
Printed by the inmate vocation Design Publication - Indian River County Sheriff’s Office