Surfers can be territorial sometimes, especially where I live in Mexico. The locals (not all of them, but a good majority) are constantly yelling at beginner tourists who get in their way. There is this one local who supposedly has been banned from surfing, after pushing people off of their boards and surfing with a weapon to threaten them. The police said if they see him surfing, he'll be in jail immediately. The craziest situation I experienced was this one day when we had this great swell. There were these two girls who had been bravely learning to surf and had been living in the town for a few months. The waves were throwing them around like rag dolls and I gave them mad props for not giving up. Soon enough, this local guy (who is known to be an a**hole to everyone in town) said something mean to the poor girls and their friend (another local) stood up for them. All of a sudden, I look over and the two guys were going at it in the water. It was mostly the a**hole who was throwing the punches, while the other one (a pretty peaceful guy) was just trying to defend himself as best as he could. Water was splashing everywhere, words were flying and I took the opportunity to catch the great waves that everyone involved in the fight was missing out on. Eventually, they took the fight to shore, where the a**hole was still punching and kicking, while the other one was calmly swatting his fists away like a fly. I was actually happy the a**hole local left the water because he does not surf fairly and was pissing everybody off. All I have to say is, is it ever really worth the fight? C'mon guys!
Let me guess; you live in Sayulita? I can’t blame the locals there for beyond being annoyed. It’s an amazing place, but last I heard they added ATM machines to the town (thus destroying the town’s innocence), and the crowds have become beyond annoying because gringos (and annoying beginner surfers) keep invading. Localism is instinctual, it’s really an issue of space and territory and surf breaks are a limited resource. Mass projects to create new breaks using artificial reefs need to be put in place, otherwise localism will never stop.
Localism is crap. Surfers who feel that their “turf” is being “invaded” are some of the most immature people on the planet.
When your local break is also one of the most popular beginner spots in San Diego, you learn real quick to be tolerant of others in the water. Forgive them for they know not what they do…
Completely agree with Chris. Localism is crap
Yeah but anti-localism is crap, too, and in most cases is only an attitude that people who are a danger in the water, and who have no concept of courtesy — not “etiquette” but courtesy, which is much more subtle than “etiquette” — possess.
The same guy who hassles everybody and is hated by everybody, if he’s a high level surfer, makes the water safer every time he comes out, whether or not people like having him around.
I’m not that guy. I’m just realistic about his role.