Don't
drop in on or snake your fellow surfer.
In other words, do not catch a wave once
another surfer has claimed it by being in a deeper or more effective
position at takeoff.
Dropping in and snaking are the two most common
ways in which we blow each other's fun in the surf. Both are
usually caused by greed, and involve a ride-crippling interference
by one surfer on another.
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The drop-in happens like this: Surfer A is closest
to the curl, paddles into and catches the wave, only to find that
Surfer B -- the dropper-in -- has also caught the wave, from further
out on the shoulder. Surfer A is then blocked from making a successful
ride. The two surfers may collide, accidentally or deliberately,
but it's unlikely that either will enjoy the wave to its fullest.
At some critical surf spots, Surfers A and/or B may even be placed
in physical danger as a result.
Drop-ins can and do happen by accident, as well as
through frustration and confusion in a crowded lineup. To avoid
dropping in, practice the three Ls: Look, Listen, and Learn.
Always Look to your inside toward the curl before committing
to the wave, just to make sure nobody's already in there. Listen
for the common warning - a hoot or whistle from the surfer in position.
Learn from your errors - if you drop in, make sure you're
off the wave as soon as possible, say sorry, and make sure the other
rider's OK before going on with your session.
A more subtle, yet potentially more offensive form
of ride interference is the snake. This move is very bad etiquette,
a greedy exploitation of the generally understood drop-in rule,
and is usually practiced by competent and aggressive surfers. Snaking
works like this: Surfer A, in position and having waited his or
her turn, begins to paddle for the wave. Surfer B (the snake) waits
until A's focus is purely on catching the wave, then makes a quick
move to the inside and takes off, claiming the wave. If both surfers
end up riding, it appears A has dropped in and is in the wrong,
yet both surfers, and usually most onlookers, know otherwise.
Snaking can be distinguished from dropping in, in
that it's rarely accidental. The result, however, is less
predictable, and if A is also a competent surfer, bad feelings and
even arguments may occur. If you're being snaked repeatedly
by a single surfer, don't react -- it's unlikely to
be personal. Simply move to another area of the break, putting yourself
and the snake out of each other's wave-catching rhythm. If
you find yourself being persistently snaked by a range of surfers,
you may be sitting too wide of the takeoff to fully claim the wave;
paddle deeper and make your intention clearer.
Special note to beginners: You may occasionally
note surfers breaking these drop-in codes, riding around each other,
and grinning away in the process -- obviously enjoying the wave
share. Very likely they're friends or acquaintances who've
taken off on the same wave deliberately, or who're making
the best of an accidental drop-in. This should NOT be a signal to
you that dropping in is just fine at that particular spot.
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