posts: 335769
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| post_id | thread_id | thread_title | post_number | author_username | post_date | post_date_iso | post_body |
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| 335769 | 20655 | The Death of Surfing | 39 | Zzz | Jan 21, 2025 | 2025-01-21T10:04:32-0500 | I tried to “not follow the crowd” and keep to myself a lot in San Diego starting sometime around 20 years ago. I surfed a lot of reefs starting on the wrong tide and leaving as the crowd arrived with the tide getting right. I found spots that were still fun with light on shores and would surf during Chargers games (it’s hard to believe now but the Bolts had a decent following in SD at one point). I had a particularly memorable session with just one other guy at a normally very localized reef during a Chargers vs Steelers playoff game. I also found a spot near home that worked under certain conditions that most other nearby waves didn’t but was smaller than the few others that broke. On small days it broke in super shallow water and required some local knowledge but it broke completely (versus backing off in a channel at the end) and I just loved that spot. I never took anyone else there but over time got to know a few other locals and we were all friendly with each other. I miss that spot like crazy. Even though it’s in plain sight in one of the most crowded surf zones most people chose to not surf it despite the much heavier crowds nearby. Many years ago I was visiting a friend who had moved to Costa Rica and we ran into someone he knew. This acquaintance started talking about how crowded a particular break was and then said, “well you know surfers, they’re all monkey see monkey do” and I’ve always thought that was a very poignant insight. In New England these days I still try to avoid adding to the most crowded spots when possible. There’s one zone I’ve kind of written off due to crowds. But where I go most frequently when the surf is good I’m surprised at how few people are on it. |