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CommunityWho the f&*k knows


Struggling with an odd surfing question and have no clue who to ask?
Your worries are over. Send your questions to WhoKnows@ surfline.com.

Questions

What is 'surfer's ear'? How can it be avoided and/or treated? (3/14/06)

Advice on dealing with a torn meniscus? (6/21/05)

Advice on rehabilitation for torn ankle ligaments? (2/15/05)

How do you deal with cramping in cold water? (1/17/05)

For energy and stamina, what is the best thing to eat before a surf? (6/18/04)

For energy and stamina, what is the best thing to eat before a surf? (6/17/04)

How do you prevent and/or treat leg cramps in cold water? (12/31/03)

Is surfing good exercise? (11/3/03)

What do you do if you're stung by a stingray? (6/24/03)

What's up with ACL surgery? (2/2/03)

How to surf for hours (7/18/02)

What is the importance of flexibility in surfing? (7/3/02)

Advice on the best surf-specific training routine? (1/3/02)

What types of infections/diseases am I exposing myself to by surfing after or during the rain? (12/5/01)

How to explain surfing to a doctor who says you can't surf (7/22/01)

What happened during Mark Foo's final moments? (2/21/01)

Is there a lotion that protects against jellyfish stings? (11/18/00)


Questions

How to deal with a stripped FCS fin (9/22/05)

Is epoxy the future of surfing or a turn-of-the-century fad? (2/9/05)

How do I avoid getting tangled up in my leash while spinning to go for a wave? (11/29/04)

Advice on which are the best video cameras with a housing to be used in the water? (11/15/04)

Is it bad to pee in your wetsuit? (6/28/04)

What are the advantages of leash plugs compared to fiberglass leash loops? (6/22/04)

What are the advantages/disadvantages to the various tail shapes? (6/11/04)

Advice on good, cheap entry-level equipment for a beginning water photog? (6/8/04)

What are the advantages to the various bottom shapes on a sh (4/23/04)

Why is surfing the only sport that doesn't have standardized equipment? (4/12/04)

Did surfers accept the thruster right away or was it seen as some kooky invention? (3/24/04)

How do you turn a single fin? (12/3/03)

When does the leash become a liability in big waves? (9/26/03)

What kind of paint can you use on a board? (4/11/03)

Any advice on riding a fish? (3/20/03)

What's the difference between different grades of wax? (3/17/03)

Why don't boards have hard rails all around? (2/25/03)

How do you open a surf shop? (2/10/03)

Does it make sense to use a drysuit for surfing? (11/19/02)

When putting boards on racks, do you put the fins forward or backward? (8/17/02)

What's the best way to fix a delamination? (7/25/02)

My wetsuit stinks! How can I make it so it stinks no more? (6/11/02)

Where and when did the bodyboarder vs. surfer rivalry begin? (3/2/02)

Advice on FCS screw holes being worn out (2/25/02)

When will they make super high performance boards more durable? (1/15/02)

How do really thin boards accommodate FCS fin plugs? (11/16/01)

Should you wrap your leash around the tail of your board while carrying? (9/5/01)

How does one stay warm surfing through a Northeast winter? (1/18/00)

Advice on getting into the board painting business (1/3/00)


Questions

Wingnut explains how to do a drop knee turn (12/11/05)

Big wave advice: How to climb your leash to safety (1/21/05)

What's the best way to get in shape for big wave surfing? (12/13/04)

What are some strategies and tips for getting waves at pointbreaks? (11/10/04)

Any good tips for improving backside skills? (11/4/04)

Is there any way to unlearn faulty foot positioning from take off? (10/14/04)

Any advice on cross-stepping smoothly? (10/1/04)

Wingnut explains the secret to smooth cross-stepping (10/1/04)

Any mental techniques for overcoming the fear of surfing big waves? (8/16/04)

Wingnut explains the best fin set-up for noseriding (8/10/04)

What should a parent look for when selecting a surf camp for their child? (7/8/04)

What's the best way to generate speed on a shortboard in small mushy waves? (5/13/04)

Big wave advice: What's the best and quickest way to increase lung capacity? (12/1/03)

Darrick Doerner explains the secrets of big-wave duck-diving (11/15/03)

How do you know if you're a front- or back-footed surfer? (10/5/03)

How do I hit the lip without losing speed? (9/3/03)

What's the correct response at some guy who keeps spraying you with his turns? (6/7/03)

How do you survive a shallow reef wipeout? (5/7/03)

How long does Jaws hold you down? (2/17/03)

Advice on how to deal with closeout tubes (12/23/02)

Has anyone ever actually made a tube at Waimea Bay? (11/9/02)

What exactly is the ''double pump'' bottom turn? (10/19/02)

Any advice on charging Pipeline? (9/30/02)

Proper pointbreak etiquette -- explained (9/19/02)

Advice on backside bottom turns (8/22/02)

What's the proper way to launch your board on an air? (6/29/02)

Can one duckdive a longboard? (6/25/02)

What is ''snaking'', exactly? (6/18/02)

What's the proper technique for duckdiving? (6/3/02)

Any advice on standing up properly and quickly? (5/20/02)

Why are all shortboarders so spastic? (5/13/02)

Who has right of way -- the first one standing or the surfer closest to the curl? (4/11/02)

What skills transfer over to surfing from snowboarding? (1/18/02)

What's the secret to surviving being caught inside on a huge set? (8/14/01)

How the hell do you throw serious spray? (6/15/01)

What is the generally accepted right of way for two surfers coming at one another on the same wave? (4/10/01)

Why is backside tuberiding called pigdogging? (2/14/01)

How fast can you get going on a 6- to 10-foot faced wave that is long-walled and hollow? (11/9/00)


QuestionsQuestions

What's up with all this rain in Hawaii and NorCal? (4/4/06)

Why has SoCal's summer been so horrible? When will the red tide go away? (8/8/05)

What causes the dreaded 'Catalina Eddy' south-wind mornings in SoCal? (5/24/05)

What should you do if you're in a boat or surfing during a tsunami? (12/30/04)

How will the recent earthquake off Sumatra affect the surf in the Mentawais? And why are tsunamis so powerful? (12/28/04)

Why did this last NPAC swell generate such giant surf in Hawaii while only a few spots in Southern C (12/20/04)

Is this really going to be an El Nino year? (In other words: how's winter '04 looking?) (10/6/04)

Why are hurricane swells so punchy -- and why isn't the energy reflected in the buoys? (9/23/04)

What went wrong with the SoCal surf report for Hurricane Howard? (9/7/04)

Does the East Coast ever get Southern Hemi swells? (8/23/04)

Do groundswells ever evade detection by forecast buoys out at sea? (8/20/04)

What's the hurricane season '04 outlook for the Pacific and Atlantic? (5/25/04)

How dirty is the water after the recommended 72-hour post-rain surf advisory? (3/8/04)

Will a Global Warming trend increase or decrease the surf around the world? (2/20/04)

What causes red tide? (9/17/03)

Why is west coast surf better than east coast surf? (7/9/03)

How is wave energy transferred? (6/12/03)

Why is the tide never zero feet? (5/5/03)

What is upwelling and what causes it? (4/28/03)

How do islands affect the blockage of swells? (4/17/03)

How can you predict the wind? (3/27/03)

Why do some waves have no backs? (3/8/03)

Why do some waves have no backs? (3/6/03)

NorCal 2003 season (1/24/03)

How fast do surfers go at Jaws? (12/17/02)

Why do waves come in sets? (12/2/02)

How fast does swell travel? (11/15/02)

How do hurricanes compare with long-period swell-creating low pressure systems? (10/4/02)

How can a south swell arrive in Mexico and Central America at the same time? (9/9/02)

How does El Nino affect the surf? (8/6/02)

How do you determine wave sizes based on surf reports? (7/14/02)

What causes "Morning Sickness"? (5/27/02)

Just what is the biggest Waimea breaks? (4/1/02)

If a combination of wind and groundswell are arriving at the same time, what swell period will be reflected on local buoys? (3/9/02)

Why do waves spit? (2/17/02)

How fast do waves move? (12/18/01)

How close does lightning have to strike water to affect a surfer? (9/12/01)

Does high pressure physically push the sea down and Low raise it up? (5/20/01)

Why is a groundswell called a "ground" swell? Isn't it just a strong windswell from farther away? (2/27/01)


Questions

How can I make a living from surfing? How much do pros make? (7/7/05)

How does the seed draw work for WCT contests? (4/26/05)

How is the World Qualifying Series (WQS) different in 2005? (2/25/05)

Why do top-level pros ride boards from different shapers? (11/23/04)

Do pro surfers get scared of big waves? (1/7/04)

How many boards does a WCT surfer go through in an average year? (12/14/03)

How do you get sponsored? (8/28/03)

Why does the WCT distinguish between surfers from Hawaii and the USA? (5/22/03)

What's the ASP? (1/16/03)

What is the judging criteria for the ASP WCT and WQS? (11/4/02)

Have any pro surfers ever won a pro contest on a self-shaped board? (10/8/02)

How many world champs were goofyfoot and how many were regularfoot? (7/31/02)

Pat O'Connell explains how to deal with a prolonged SoCal flat spell (4/20/02)

What is the average salary of a professional surfer? (12/27/01)

What are judges looking for in small surf contests like Virginia Beach? (8/20/01)


Questions

What's the surf like in Rio in April? (3/28/05)

Where's the best place on the East Coast for a surfer to live? (10/26/04)

Where's the best place in the world for a surfer to live? (7/21/04)

Where's the best place to get super detailed nautical maps? (7/2/04)

Are you expected to tip the boat captain and crew on boat surf trips? (5/28/04)

Where's the best place in California for a surfer to live? (5/20/04)

Why isn't there more surfing hype about the west coast of Canada? Why no surf contests? (12/12/03)

Why is Northern Baja so darn cold? (7/31/03)

How will El Nino affect Central America? (5/1/02)

Does the Black Sea get any surf? (3/22/01)

How to ship a longboard to Hawaii (3/13/01)

Which Australian Universities are near good surf? (11/23/00)


Questions

What's the correct thing to do if a collision in the water is completely unavoidable? (2/5/04)

How do you deal with a chronic shoulder hopper? (10/18/03)

Reader's response: How is a veteran surfer supposed to deal with all the new grommies in the water today? (10/30/02)

How is a veteran surfer supposed to deal with all the new grommies in the water today? (10/25/02)


Women

Is it ever OK to ditch your board? (4/15/05)

Any suggestions on fitness training for non-surfing days and also nutrition? (12/6/04)

I suck at duck-diving -- help! (7/28/04)

First surfboard -- can shorter be better? (7/15/04)

Any advice on traction pads? (6/14/04)

I'm a young, healthy surfer girl -- do I need to worry about breast cancer? (6/2/04)

What's the best sunscreen to use while surfing? (5/7/04)

How do you deal with a crowded lineup when you're just learning? (4/19/04)

How do you correctly pack a boardbag for a surf trip? (3/29/04)

What can I do to improve my surf skills? (3/16/04)

Any advice on how to do better in surf contests? (3/2/04)

Is it safe to surf during 'that time of the month'? (2/10/04)

Should surfboards for women be shaped somehow differently than surfboards for men? (2/8/04)


Questions

Where did surfing originate? (4/15/05)

What can be done about the current shark situation in SoCal? (8/27/04)

Help! Is there any solution to inner-thigh boardshort rash? (8/4/04)

Why aren't there more shark attacks on surfers? (1/28/04)

How does a dedicated surfer balance love, responsibility, and relationships with a surf lifestyle? (1/16/04)

Who is the current ''Mr. Sunset''? (12/6/03)

Just how many surfers are there in the world? (12/5/03)

Where and when did the term "Soul Surfing" originate? (11/22/03)

How can one be a surf artist? (11/7/03)

Advice on how to become a surf photographer (10/25/03)

What to do about sharks? (8/21/03)

Should PWC be allowed in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary? (7/25/03)

How does a surf spot get named? (1/9/03)

Who got the first (documented) barrel? (12/30/02)

Advice on becoming a surf photographer (12/11/02)

When did it become the rule to have one person per wave? (9/13/02)

How can you be a surf artist? (8/28/02)

How can you keep the camera lens clear for good water shots? (7/9/02)

Jack McCoy gives advice on making surf videos (3/18/02)

How tall is the average surfer? (2/7/02)

What is the definition of a beginner, intermediate and advance surfer? (8/29/01)

How did the surf spot ''204s'' get its name? (6/24/01)

Advice on getting into the marketing/event production side of the surfing industry? (5/14/01)

How does a no-name guy get a job in the surf industry? (2/4/01)

Does anyone have some classic sayings for a surf memorial? (12/18/00)

What in the heck is a ''shoobie''? (10/29/00)

What in the heck is a ''Pole Dump'' in VB? (10/27/00)

Where in the heck is ''Gaylord's'' in Doheny? (10/12/00)