Lately I've been feeling there has been less animosity towards SUP riders out in the surf.

Is this because:

- They have finally got use to us.
- Less SUP riders out.
- SUP riders have got better skills.
- The wave hungry SUP riders have left the sport.
-I'm deluded.

Interested in your thoughts.

one and four .

you forgot one .SUP rider carry clubs

Yeah, I don't know. I met the owner of Mermaid beach a while back who thought as owner it was his right and duty to rid the beach of sups. He attempted to accomplish this task by dropping in, then cutting back straight into my line as an intimidation tactic. I was then somewhat forced to defend myself with the only option I had, lets just say I kept him at paddles length.

And then the torrent of abuse came on thick and fast. That was when I found out he owned the beach as he said I didn't live there ( this is the Gold Coast! ). Then I was accused of snaking as opposed to him dropping in, and that I should just **** off to Currumbin where all the other dickheads that ride sups are.

I just paddled over to him, told him he was whinging old bitch, gave him a splash with the paddle and then paddled off to another bank and the abuse just faded the farther I got from him. The weird part about it was that it wasn't even that busy. But maybe he had a point as I live in Mermaid waters not Mermaid beach.

But yeah, there's the odd wanker still around but luckily few and far between.

Maybe the foil crew are taking some of the heat?I know that where i surf they are !,but only at high tide,as it's a lagoon /reef situation.very tide dependant

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GreenTea said..
Lately I've been feeling there has been less animosity towards SUP riders out in the surf.

Is this because:

- They have finally got use to us.
- Less SUP riders out.
- SUP riders have got better skills.
- The wave hungry SUP riders have left the sport.
-I'm deluded.

Interested in your thoughts.

2 & 3

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justaddwater said..
Maybe the foil crew are taking some of the heat?

This.

Once the grumpy old morons had their peak taken over by 3 surf foilers zooming all around the place (from their perspective), SUPs quickly get down their totem pole of hate :-)

Of course, for us who foil or have foiled, foilers are not a problem since we know that they get tired very quickly.
Yes, I know some foilers can fly for hours, we don't have them here. The most I saw is about 5 mn.

The Covid pandemic has brought a whole new perspective and group of people to surfing! These people - share waves, are happy being out there on any sort of craft and have not yet turned into cranky insular old farts! Far more people surfing - much smaller % of sup haters.

Two factors come into play as far as Im concerned.

In the beginning there were so many out and most had no idea how to ride them and were a danger to everyone.
This was the start of the hate. Mine you there we a small percentage of people who could ride them in a safe manner and these people were respected it was just a shame the others gave you a bad name.

Today I see a massive drop of surf sup rider numbers.

I respect talent no matter what craft your on but how can you respect a dangerous idiot

I thought things were getting better, but have had a few really bad experiences since the end of the COVID lockdown. Seems so many have decided to take up prone surfing that kooks everywhere need to defend their ego and turf by harrasing SUPs. In the meantime, a lot of learners are falling in company with these idiots and showing the same disrespect as a way of grovelling for their own position in the line-up.

Utterly intolerable when I am expected to cop crap from loud mouths I could still run rings around on a prone. Not to mention a general violations of the rights of senior citizens? Having the next level down who can hardly stand up on anything taking hold of the bad attitude and treating experienced surfers on SUPs as second class citizens is equally as vile.

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Macaha said..

I respect talent no matter what craft your on but how can you respect a dangerous idiot


.

Exactly. So why should I as someone who has been surfing fibreglass boards for over 40 years and get respect from some of the best prone surfers ever be expected to cop abuse from the sorts I mention above just because on a given day conditions are right for me to surf a SUP?

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surfershaneA said..
I thought things were getting better, but have had a few really bad experiences since the end of the COVID lockdown. Seems so many have decided to take up prone surfing that kooks everywhere need to defend their ego and turf by harrasing SUPs. In the meantime, a lot of learners are falling in company with these idiots and showing the same disrespect as a way of grovelling for their own position in the line-up.

Utterly intolerable when I am expected to cop crap from loud mouths I could still run rings around on a prone. Not to mention a general violations of the rights of senior citizens? Having the next level down who can hardly stand up on anything taking hold of the bad attitude and treating experienced surfers on SUPs as second class citizens is equally as vile.

Where were you , Newy ? Or Queens land

you're never going to change the attitudes of the narrow minded, or the aggro w*nkers who are looking to take their frustrations out on whichever rider is easy prey in the lineup. so there's no point getting upset or protesting that it's unfair or unjustified (even if it is); that only makes the situation worse for both sides and everyone has a crap session.

my tactic is to simply move elsewhere. find a different bank with fewer or no other surfers. it may not be breaking as cleanly as the crowded wave, but IMO fighting for a ride, screaming at drop-ins and being upset by snakes is not worth it, and not what surfing is.

I would say it is location dependent, some breaks over here are known as SUP spots so you don't really get too much aggro, even in saying that there are certain peaks of the break that are shortboarder, mal or SUP and heaven forbid they cross over!

I do my best to be a responsible and easy going dude in the line up, wait my turn, call people in, sit down and have a chat etc.. but feel some spots have gone backwards, could be a coincidence or a trend, guess without asking the pack I will never know.

Regardless I take it in my stride, sometimes I like to play games like finding a peak down the beach and when the crew start to move over I will double back to where they are and keep getting waves only for them to move back over and the process repeats - this is no joke, have had it a few times lately.

The foil scenario is scary, seeing 2 of them paddle out into a line up of 4-5 surfers on small take off area and start doing loops around the crew already out there coming really close looks to be a risky scenario.

I ride at Torquay often, and at least every second session I get some surfer throw some whingy comments at me. It's always grumpier middle age person. It's true I haven't been SUP surfing that long, but I generally try stay out of everyone's way... I don't even catch waves from the busy line up spots to avoid causing surfers grief with my big board. I see regularly multiple surfers ride the same wave. Today, I caught a wave... when I was catching it I didn't see anyone else try to get the wave, but once I was on it, there was a longboarder too. I didn't really see who caught it first... nevertheless, as he was closer to the break, I tried to edge hard and stayed wide out...maybe 3 meters away from him... I tried to ride off the wave in a safe manner so I don't crash right infront of him, and eventually got off... but that didn't stop grumpy old guy whinge to me. Like, I've got surfers catch wave I was riding, and crash infront of me and even got smacked by their board... but it didn't bother me, coz i know the bloke wasn't deliberaly trying to hurt me. No hard feelings... things happen. I don't get why people who have access to such beautiful sport and amazing ocean and waves get so grumpy. Quite sad.

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superlizard said..
I ride at Torquay often, and at least every second session I get some surfer throw some whingy comments at me. It's always grumpier middle age person. It's true I haven't been SUP surfing that long, but I generally try stay out of everyone's way... I don't even catch waves from the busy line up spots to avoid causing surfers grief with my big board. I see regularly multiple surfers ride the same wave. Today, I caught a wave... when I was catching it I didn't see anyone else try to get the wave, but once I was on it, there was a longboarder too. I didn't really see who caught it first... nevertheless, as he was closer to the break, I tried to edge hard and stayed wide out...maybe 3 meters away from him... I tried to ride off the wave in a safe manner so I don't crash right infront of him, and eventually got off... but that didn't stop grumpy old guy whinge to me. Like, I've got surfers catch wave I was riding, and crash infront of me and even got smacked by their board... but it didn't bother me, coz i know the bloke wasn't deliberaly trying to hurt me. No hard feelings... things happen. I don't get why people who have access to such beautiful sport and amazing ocean and waves get so grumpy. Quite sad.

Pretty standard at Torquay Point.... Although most of the older crew that complained the most, who used to ride 12' gliders - are now on Sups.

I just paddle out, sit down for a few sets first (make sure they see you sitting down - so they know you aren't a wave hog). Then pick your wave, make sure you catch it and surf it as good as you can. Once you show them you know how to surf, they tend to leave you be, or sometimes even give the odd 'yew!'.

There is nothing worse than seeing a newbie sup surfer paddle for every single wave and miss 95% of them. It simply pisses everyone off, me included.

I grew up surfing in a very crowded place and I am too old for all of the hassling vibe. These days I have found myself a spot all to myself. It is not the best wave around. The water reaches 21 C in the summer and 9 C in the winter. Swell is inconsistent and I often have to sup surf in difficult onshore / cross shore conditions. But I get all of the waves I want. On the flat days the ferry forms a single beautiful wave at around 6:15am.

A few miles down the road in the one direction there is a pier, which forms a decent sandbar. But that becomes a zoo with a small take off zone on the good days. More miles down the road in the other direction is a really good point break, but that is too far to get to on a daily basis and, since it's on private land, only opens at 8am.

I've named this place Sebbie's point. I am normally gone before the lifeguards, but they don't bother me anyway.


Sometimes I wish there was somebody else to hoot at, or smile at, but Frank the seal comes past nearly every morning. We both pause and exchange a firm and polite nod every time to ensure that neither one of us turned into a shark overnight. I assume he has some important morning seal business to take care of, since he is always swimming in the same direction. The only hazards are the occasional committed swimmers, but their squishy heads are no match for my board, or carbon paddle.

Hi everyone, Seb I love to find a quite corner and surf by myself. However that only happens occasionally in my neck of the woods.

Still I have only had one guy carrying on like a pork chop at my local beach where plenty of SUPers surf. The Longboarding crew were catching three waves to my one, he was riding a five foot something fish board in 1 to 2 foot surf, but I was the one he abused

Last weekend I was first out at a spot that makes the most of any swell going, it's a little walk to get there and I have never had a problem there ever. I had the place to myself for half an hour or so and was enjoying the just over head waves. I few short boarders came out and were riding a different peak to me mostly, theirs mainly a left, mine a right.

One of the better waves of the day came in and I was deep on my peak, 70/30 that I would make the section. Still I don't fall on many waves and had a dozen that morning and was still dry on top. So I was little bemused when one of them dropped in on me closing the section down. I paddled back to my line up spot, that I had been using all morning without a grumble or word spoken. Next set that I am in position for, old mate is shoulder hopping again so this time I call him off, his mate is shaking his head like I taking all the waves. Never mind that they have both just ridden a few waves each whilst I waited for my chosen one.

My next wave a guy who I had just spent five minutes chatting to calls his son onto a peak that I am I am Jonny on the spot for. Again I have to call for it, and the kid pulls back.

I surf a SUP as I always surf a normal board, find my spot and wait for the best waves. That seem to not wash with those types of guys that catch any and every wave that comes through.

It was strange as there were plenty of waves that morning and they all had a decent share, so some day's people just get out of the wrong side of the bed and that was one of them I hope.

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drivethebus said..
Hi everyone, Seb I love to find a quite corner and surf by myself. However that only happens occasionally in my neck of the woods.

Still I have only had one guy carrying on like a pork chop at my local beach where plenty of SUPers surf. The Longboarding crew were catching three waves to my one, he was riding a five foot something fish board in 1 to 2 foot surf, but I was the one he abused

Last weekend I was first out at a spot that makes the most of any swell going, it's a little walk to get there and I have never had a problem there ever. I had the place to myself for half an hour or so and was enjoying the just over head waves. I few short boarders came out and were riding a different peak to me mostly, theirs mainly a left, mine a right.

One of the better waves of the day came in and I was deep on my peak, 70/30 that I would make the section. Still I don't fall on many waves and had a dozen that morning and was still dry on top. So I was little bemused when one of them dropped in on me closing the section down. I paddled back to my line up spot, that I had been using all morning without a grumble or word spoken. Next set that I am in position for, old mate is shoulder hopping again so this time I call him off, his mate is shaking his head like I taking all the waves. Never mind that they have both just ridden a few waves each whilst I waited for my chosen one.

My next wave a guy who I had just spent five minutes chatting to calls his son onto a peak that I am I am Jonny on the spot for. Again I have to call for it, and the kid pulls back.

I surf a SUP as I always surf a normal board, find my spot and wait for the best waves. That seem to not wash with those types of guys that catch any and every wave that comes through.

It was strange as there were plenty of waves that morning and they all had a decent share, so some day's people just get out of the wrong side of the bed and that was one of them I hope.

Sadly the world is full of self-important and entitled idiots. But, on the positive side, I would prefer a few experienced fools to hassle with, as opposed to trying to safely navigate my way through something like this

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Hoppo3228 said..

superlizard said..
I ride at Torquay often, and at least every second session I get some surfer throw some whingy comments at me. It's always grumpier middle age person. It's true I haven't been SUP surfing that long, but I generally try stay out of everyone's way... I don't even catch waves from the busy line up spots to avoid causing surfers grief with my big board. I see regularly multiple surfers ride the same wave. Today, I caught a wave... when I was catching it I didn't see anyone else try to get the wave, but once I was on it, there was a longboarder too. I didn't really see who caught it first... nevertheless, as he was closer to the break, I tried to edge hard and stayed wide out...maybe 3 meters away from him... I tried to ride off the wave in a safe manner so I don't crash right infront of him, and eventually got off... but that didn't stop grumpy old guy whinge to me. Like, I've got surfers catch wave I was riding, and crash infront of me and even got smacked by their board... but it didn't bother me, coz i know the bloke wasn't deliberaly trying to hurt me. No hard feelings... things happen. I don't get why people who have access to such beautiful sport and amazing ocean and waves get so grumpy. Quite sad.

Pretty standard at Torquay Point.... Although most of the older crew that complained the most, who used to ride 12' gliders - are now on Sups.

I just paddle out, sit down for a few sets first (make sure they see you sitting down - so they know you aren't a wave hog). Then pick your wave, make sure you catch it and surf it as good as you can. Once you show them you know how to surf, they tend to leave you be, or sometimes even give the odd 'yew!'.

There is nothing worse than seeing a newbie sup surfer paddle for every single wave and miss 95% of them. It simply pisses everyone off, me included.

There is nothing worse than seeing a newbie sup surfer paddle for every single wave and miss 95% of them. It simply pisses everyone off, me included.

And on the same train of thought, the proner that paddles for a wave and has right of way but pulls out at the last moment because..... (insert excuse here). They then expect to go for and get the next one in the set........

We should start a "surf rage" thread, where all us grumpy frustrated bastards can have a right 'ol whinge.

None of the above!
More short boarders are getting attacked by sharks. So their numbers are declining.
And the existing ones might need someones paddleboard to climb onto.
Or a paddleboarder to smack the shark with their paddle.

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theSeb said..

drivethebus said..
Hi everyone, Seb I love to find a quite corner and surf by myself. However that only happens occasionally in my neck of the woods.

Still I have only had one guy carrying on like a pork chop at my local beach where plenty of SUPers surf. The Longboarding crew were catching three waves to my one, he was riding a five foot something fish board in 1 to 2 foot surf, but I was the one he abused

Last weekend I was first out at a spot that makes the most of any swell going, it's a little walk to get there and I have never had a problem there ever. I had the place to myself for half an hour or so and was enjoying the just over head waves. I few short boarders came out and were riding a different peak to me mostly, theirs mainly a left, mine a right.

One of the better waves of the day came in and I was deep on my peak, 70/30 that I would make the section. Still I don't fall on many waves and had a dozen that morning and was still dry on top. So I was little bemused when one of them dropped in on me closing the section down. I paddled back to my line up spot, that I had been using all morning without a grumble or word spoken. Next set that I am in position for, old mate is shoulder hopping again so this time I call him off, his mate is shaking his head like I taking all the waves. Never mind that they have both just ridden a few waves each whilst I waited for my chosen one.

My next wave a guy who I had just spent five minutes chatting to calls his son onto a peak that I am I am Jonny on the spot for. Again I have to call for it, and the kid pulls back.

I surf a SUP as I always surf a normal board, find my spot and wait for the best waves. That seem to not wash with those types of guys that catch any and every wave that comes through.

It was strange as there were plenty of waves that morning and they all had a decent share, so some day's people just get out of the wrong side of the bed and that was one of them I hope.

Sadly the world is full of self-important and entitled idiots. But, on the positive side, I would prefer a few experienced fools to hassle with, as opposed to trying to safely navigate my way through something like this

Hi mate try surfing the Super Bank in Queensland, the best waves you have ever seen and just about everyone rips. And are not shy about sharing your wave with you, and then someone will share with them and so on until one of the apex locals drops in and that's that

Most of the experienced SUP surfers in Torquay got into SUP or prone foiling, and going to different breaks. This reduced the number of SUP surfers out in the popular breaks. Less SUP surfers in the "non-foiling" breaks might be making things more comfortable for the prone surfers I think. But they'll eventually find something else to whinge about.

I just melt into the crowd...

"All surfers are joined by one ocean "

Shaun Tomson..

Absolutely Piros !we are all brothers and sisters!OHMMMMMMM

Brothers and sisters still fight though

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wazza66 said..
Brothers and sisters still fight though

Wazza! that went through my mind as I posted

My friend and I usually surf 50 meters south of the main lineup. The other day, the swell direction made our usual spot flat as a lake, so we joined the rest of the surfers and did our best to blend in with the crowd. We were catching waves, having fun, and doing our best to follow proper surfing etiquette when an older surfer paddled out to where we were in the lineup. My friend gave her a friendly good morning and she just glared at him. A couple of waves later, he tried again to say hello and again she looked at him with disdain. So, my friend tried a different approach. "Are you having fun?", he asked her. Her whole face changed and she spent the next 10 minutes talking with my friend. The rest of the session she was all smiles.

It's all about respect

www.theinertia.com/surf/reminder-most-of-surfings-unwritten-rules-are-ridiculous-in-the-real-world/?fbclid=IwAR1hGhcWT5L0C7b5WXHPSp4dX9d7HpNtbZIGVtZnxo5QUjzsVqx_68SdldA

Gboots ,good read,the interruption of unwritten rules is always subjective ,was it a snake or drop in ,your being greedy,no I'm not I'm just having a good day,one of those days when waves follow you,and the other person's having a **** day !and not getting any,your boards to big you get all the set waves ,the other persons boards to small and carnt catch any waves ( frustration) it goes on and on,I have in the past been a surfer that could get very angry in the surf but I never touched any one! Lots of yelling And abuse ect One part of being an ageing surfer is it just doesn't matter any more ,I'm happy to catch a few and stay safe,but do understand when som
e feel's wronged and over reacts,I find that most people calm down ,if quietly spoken to ,it used to work for me

As an eternal "ethnic" I always cop some "stink eye" at my local. I have paid taxes in the area for longer than most of them have been born ..so yeah there is no justice in it . Personally I feel like I give away to many waves just to not have an incident ..and yes on most occasions they should have given me the wave . Such is life i am here for longevity in the sport not every wave