Possibly one of the biggest frustrations to any surfer is finding that there are other people at the break who don't know, or, worse, are ignoring the common sense rules of the road. As someone starting out in the sport it makes sense to learn and apply these rules, which are recognised by surfers of all disciplines the World over . Please take the time to read these rules carefully, as they are here for your safety and enjoyment, as well as the safety and enjoyment of other surfers...
- Rights of way: The surfer who is furthest out, or has been waiting the longest, or who is closest to the peak (the most critical part of the wave) has priority on that wave. If you think a wave may break both left and right then call the direction you intend to ride the wave so that other surfers may avoid you/make the most of the other direction.
- NEVER drop in on another surfer. Not only is this rude, but it can be extremely dangerous. Always look around you when paddling for a wave so that you can see if someone is already riding it. If they are, you must pull off the wave. A good rule is one surfer to a wave.
- Do not snake other surfers. Snaking is paddling around a surfer who has a priority position in order to take their wave from them. Wait your turn and you will get plenty of hassle-free waves.
- NEVER paddle out through the breaking waves as you are almost guaranteed to interfere with another surfers ride. Once you have finished your ride you should paddle wide, out and around the peak, avoiding other surfers who may be riding a wave. Sometimes you have no choice about where you are paddling out. When this happens you should ALWAYS paddle through the white-water of the broken wave in order to avoid interfering with another surfers ride, even if this means you take a beating. This will earn you big respect points from other surfers, especially stand-up surfers, as there is nothing worse than having your wave ruined by someone trying to avoid getting their hair wet!!!
- If you do have to exit your boat do everything you can to hold onto all your equipment, especially your boat. Once it is on its own it can cause untold damage to anyone caught between it and the beach.
- When you are riding a wave you must look around you, you are far more maneouverable than someone paddling out, which means you are in a far better position to avoid a collision than they are.
- Keep a general eye out for other surfers, especially after a large set of waves has passed through. Most surfers will be aware of the other people in the water around them, and it is not uncommon for surfers to rescue each other when things do go wrong. Being in a kayak puts you in a good position to help out, but don't endanger yourself; two bodies in the water is more difficult to deal with than one.
- Respect ALL the other water users. If you treat people the way you want to be treated they will often reciprocate, which leads to a pleasant experience for everyone.
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