On the promenade at the point in Ventura
is a sign that has a list of do's or don'ts telling the reader how to act in
the water while surfing.... the Surfers Code.
If you do a search you can find other lists for surfers
ethics but I'd like to focus on what seems to be the number one item on a
couple of the code or ethics signs we are supposed to adhere to. That one thing is... The surfer closest to
the peak ( or in the case of a point break, the surfer farthest out or closest
to the takeoff zone ) has the right of way.
Having spent some time in the water this past fall when the
line up was pretty crowded and seeing surfers aggressively move about the
lineup to get position for "the right of way" or another way of
saying this would be priority, I started thinking. Is that closest to the peak
right of way thing gotten confused with ones ability to move around to out
position others in the line up for priority?
Then I remembered how surf meets followed that closest to
the peak rule too. But after watching a few ASP events and reading some of the
ASP rules I noticed that they have a different priority rule, and not just with
man on man heats but even in their elimination heats. When a heat is started the closest to the
peak rule holds but after the first wave is taken the remaining surfers have priority
over the surfer that has got a wave. In a 3 man heat if 2 surfers have gotten a
wave then the 3rd guy has priority. If the first 2 wave takers get back to the
lineup before the 3rd surfer gets a wave they must yield to the 3rd surfer.
So if you're in the lineup with a dozen other surfers and
all the other surfers have gotten a wave but you, all the other surfers should
yield to you. Or you have priority for the wave of your choice, if the ASP
rules were followed.
Personally I think there should be wording in these Code
signs that says something about yielding to others in the lineup. But you know
what? In most lineups if you wait your
turn you'll be lucky if you get at turn.
I'm still amazed by something that happen to me a few years
ago while surfing one day during our annual family surf and camping trip. I was
sitting in the lineup with a few other surfers when another guy paddles up,
says hello and sits up and looks out for any coming waves. A wave begins to
march toward us and since he has set himself up above my position I look at him
and say 'you going'? He looks back at me and says " no you go, I just got
out here " I didn't hesitate and took off.
How nice was that?
I also had a couple times this past summer when there were
surfers yielding position or considered priority to others. You know it doesn't happen often but the
lineup is so much nicer when it does.
D.R.
