The Northern California Surfing Culture
In today's society there are numerous different language environments that
we pass through everyday. For myself, the "different" language environment is in
the water. I am a surfer, a northern California surfer at that. In my second
language environment lots of different words and phrases are used to describe our
stokedness or enthusiasm, our past experiences, last session or just to convey our
feelings toward other fellow waveriders, the dudes. We speak the romantic
language of the sea.
A typical outing out in the water can turn any bad day into an unbelievable
confidence booster. Catching the King Cong set or pulling into a hollow barrell is
cause for hoots and hallers. Making the steepest, latest drop down the face of an
overhead roller is a feeling that no ordinary barney can describe. A barney being a
person who is learning to surf or does not surf all together. It gets me so stoked to
see my friends shredd the hell out of those waves,and when I'm down and out It
always turns my spirits high. There's Not a feeling like it in the world.
When speaking of our last session getting wet you might hear such phrases
as," it was barrelling",or " the winds were howling out there. When the waves get
windy we call it choppy and when the waves are really good we say its pumping or
going off. During the Spring through Fall seasons the late afternoon at the beach is
exceptionally beautiful and the winds are calm, we call this the afternoon glassoff.
Surfers gave this part of the day this name because the water has a clean and glassy
apperence.
When speaking to fellow surfers I use various different words to conversate
with them. Hey dude, whats up buddy, and howdy barney are just a few that are
used everyday at your local wave distributors. When you use known surfer slang
surfers will tend to open up to you, maybe even tell you where there favorite surf
spot is too. Throughout society there is a stereotype that surfers smoke marijuana-
a.k.a. chronic, bomb, dank, greens, they pufferellie, toke, have bong sessions. This
is a folklore that is for the most part true, a lot of surfers smoke but not because
they're drug addicts. Most of them do it for wave inhancment. Making that steep
These past few summers I have been spending a lot more time in the water, whether it be jet skiing in Vietnam or kayaking in the waters of Florida, I have enjoyed every minute of it all. I always like watching surfers out in the waves and because of how great they make it look, I want to give it a try. Hence the reason why it is on my bucket list. Prior to surfing, there are many things I will need to gain knowledge on such as the gear, dangers, precautions, and much more. In order for me to check it off my bucket list, I will need to procure all of this information. Surfing is not just all fun and games, it is a serious sport, and to really enjoy it, I have to make sure that I am doing it right.
Dad was continuing to man the helm as we ran our afternoon-start streak to four in a row. Among the nice features of getting on the water early is that conditions are often calmer and more boating-friendly early in the day. As the day progresses winds frequently pick up and the seas grow rougher. This was exactly the case this day as we crossed Lake St Louis in rough seas accompanied by high winds.
In “On a Wave” by Thad Ziolkowski there are some life changing/shaping lessons in his life. Thad realized at a young age that he loves to surf. At 11 years old Thad looks older than most 11 years old, which allows him to hang out with the “cool” kids after a surf session and smoke pot. Thad learns early on that pot and surfing would eventually grow on him as he became more induced into the surfer lifestyle.
began to go surfing everyday either before or after school. Eventually his love for surfing grew
Surfing has come a long way since it was first conceived (roughly 1500 years ago). From the Polynesian “watermen” and Hawaiian Kings, to the European takeover in Hawaii and surfing's American debut in the early twentieth century and all the way through present day, surfing has had a rich history. Over the decades, surfing has fit in to a number of roles in society, but whether we surfers are seen as beach-bums or heroes (as of late), we still surf only because we love it, because the ocean’s calls us, because nothing else on this planet can create the sensation felt by riding a wave.
So you wanted to unwind the wave to the beginning of surfing. Surfing has a long history in every culture that has been by an ocean. It has shaped the government's of ancient Hawaiians. It has now formed into a multi billion dollar industry that dominates the gear needed to surf along with the competitions. It has become a family pastime that started in the fifties and that is still thriving still today.
Those who do typically like to get the most out of their money and take advantage of all the opportunities on the islands. Surfing is popular lifestyle that society pairs with Hawaii. The near-shore waters that range from deep blue to turquoise are often tempting; however, many vacationers do not understand how dangerous Hawaii’s currents can be. Since Hawaii is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the ocean bottom tends to drop off quickly, which causes big and powerful waves. Annually, sixty people drown or are seriously injured by the rip currents of the treacherous waters. Earlier this year, famous singer Britney Spears vacationed on the famous beaches of Hawaii. In a recent interview, so revealed she almost drowned at sea. “I went out and I thought it was like a wave pool, and I thought, ‘This is so nice and refreshing,’ but the thing I didn’t think about is when you come back the waves really come in strong.” Spears got sucked in and kept getting pulled back to sea. She was under for about five minutes before one of her security guards noticed she was struggling and was able to rescue her (Bacardi). A majority of the beaches fly a red warning flag year-round to warn beachgoers of the hazards. If one does find himself trapped in the middle of a current, it’s important to remain calm. Do not try to swim against the tide. Instead, swim parallel to the beach until the current
Think about it for a moment, each time a surfer goes to a beach, waxes up his board, and surveys the waves from the shore, he is preparing to go into the water to do something quite amazing. This person is willing to test not only his limits, but also the limits of what the ocean can do to him. He wants to battle the power of the entity that covers over seventy percent of the earth, manifested in the form of a wave, and ride it for all its worth.
I too love surfing, and tattoos. I grew up in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and basically lived on the water. When I was in high school, my older brother would pick me up after school, I would change in his car, and we would spend the rest of the day surfing or skim boarding depending on the weather. I did do skateboarding, and rollerblading for a little while but never got that much into it. Additionally, I started getting tattoos, when I was young, and ended up filling out my full sleeve on my right arm while I was deployed in Colombia, South America. I went with the day of the dead theme throughout my sleeve, but have multiple other tattoos also.
It was early dawn on a Friday morning, as the sun rises from the distant blue ocean we wait for daylight to breakout. My friend and I sat down on spot on the beach, as I focus closely at the surface of the waterfront the sand is very white, much like the winter snowflakes. As I look along the different points along the shore, the waves and ripple's of the salty water crash upon various sections of the beach. These include a nudist section, a gay section, and a family section, I wasn't sure but there might have been a section reserved for nude, gay families.
beach nearly ensures of that. You might have to keep reminding certain swimmers of the rules
boat or yacht catches the wind and pushes the boat forward. The sail of a
This lukewarm water was deceiving though, because it only seemed lukewarm due to the drop in temperature and misty rainfall. The waves were rushing toward me like a bull to a matador’s red flag. My mouth tasted as if someone dumped a whole shaker of salt on my tongue. The wave pushed my further and faster as it I could feel the wave breaking on my body and there I was back at the shallows again floating in with the white wash and was ready for another wave. As I stood back up and ran back out to the deep water I saw one of my surfing mates catch the most perfect barrel it was rad. It would have been a great snap shot. I caught another wave, this one was even bigger. The thrust of the wave was twisting my body and I was pulled towards the sea
Beach, a stretch of white - pebble sand, bathed by a strip of perpetually turquoise water