When I hit the beach to surf I usually head down to Mermaid Beach. Though the waves are not among the best of the Gold Coast's offerings, I choose this spot because of the ability to dodge the swelling crowds. Crowds and surfing: they've got a funny relationship. No serious surfer out there will tell you that they enjoy surfing in a tightly packed spot, yet nonetheless we all tend to exacerbate the matter by obeying certain sheep-like behavior (i.e. the "follow the pack" mentality).
On the average day, Mermaid Beach has three or four peaks, though only one will be taken advantage of and by a big, poorly distributed mob. When I get there, instead of jumping in right away and paddling out, I take a moment to ponder the scene and choose my spot wisely. Ultimately, my decision will be shaped by the quality of the waves rolling in and the amount of surfers in a given area of water. Personally, I am always willing to give up a bit of wave quality to be able to have plenty of room, though that's just me.
I'll sometimes end up walking about a kilometer in either direction to determine which wave I really want to catch. Once I've caught one however, it's almost invariably the case that one of the surfers crammed into the pack will branch off and come surf the spot I'm at. It's not clear to me why they didn't do so at an earlier point, since the wave had been breaking there all day long. It seems to be a matter of a lack of imagination on the other surfer's behalf, not realizing the wave was there until I chose to catch it.
This generally reflects the fact (which also bewilders me) that most surfers don't take any time to survey the water in search of the best wave before getting in. On the contrary, they simply get in and paddle out to the same spot where everybody else is already bunching up, assuming that by default, that will be the spot with the nicest waves.
Often I am out surfing on days where ideal conditions exist all up and down the beach, with nobody else on their board except for me. Then another person gets into the surf and ends up at precisely the same area of the water where I am surfing. Of all the places they had at their disposal, they decide to compete with me at my break. In these cases, I just paddle off to catch the next wave down the beach and keep surfing, pondering in the process about the other person's intelligence.
In the end, this prevalent behavior obliges me to wonder: what ever happened to the exploratory spirit that used to be so essential to surfing? Where has it ended up? When did it get substituted by this sheepish behavior where everyone just follows the rest? Perhaps I am peculiar now in my eagerness for uninterrupted surfing; maybe the crowd dynamic is what most people enjoy now? It's beyond me, yet I can't help thinking this type of behavior is odd.
A token piece of advice: next time you go down to the beach to surf, stop for a moment and contemplate where you'll position yourself. The spot with the big, unwieldy crowd is likely not to be where you'll surf the most or the best waves!
On the average day, Mermaid Beach has three or four peaks, though only one will be taken advantage of and by a big, poorly distributed mob. When I get there, instead of jumping in right away and paddling out, I take a moment to ponder the scene and choose my spot wisely. Ultimately, my decision will be shaped by the quality of the waves rolling in and the amount of surfers in a given area of water. Personally, I am always willing to give up a bit of wave quality to be able to have plenty of room, though that's just me.
I'll sometimes end up walking about a kilometer in either direction to determine which wave I really want to catch. Once I've caught one however, it's almost invariably the case that one of the surfers crammed into the pack will branch off and come surf the spot I'm at. It's not clear to me why they didn't do so at an earlier point, since the wave had been breaking there all day long. It seems to be a matter of a lack of imagination on the other surfer's behalf, not realizing the wave was there until I chose to catch it.
This generally reflects the fact (which also bewilders me) that most surfers don't take any time to survey the water in search of the best wave before getting in. On the contrary, they simply get in and paddle out to the same spot where everybody else is already bunching up, assuming that by default, that will be the spot with the nicest waves.
Often I am out surfing on days where ideal conditions exist all up and down the beach, with nobody else on their board except for me. Then another person gets into the surf and ends up at precisely the same area of the water where I am surfing. Of all the places they had at their disposal, they decide to compete with me at my break. In these cases, I just paddle off to catch the next wave down the beach and keep surfing, pondering in the process about the other person's intelligence.
In the end, this prevalent behavior obliges me to wonder: what ever happened to the exploratory spirit that used to be so essential to surfing? Where has it ended up? When did it get substituted by this sheepish behavior where everyone just follows the rest? Perhaps I am peculiar now in my eagerness for uninterrupted surfing; maybe the crowd dynamic is what most people enjoy now? It's beyond me, yet I can't help thinking this type of behavior is odd.
A token piece of advice: next time you go down to the beach to surf, stop for a moment and contemplate where you'll position yourself. The spot with the big, unwieldy crowd is likely not to be where you'll surf the most or the best waves!
About the Author:
Damian Papworth knows that when it comes to a surf trip, the Gold Coast is a great location. It definitely is the world's best surf resort. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
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