Nobody owns the ocean – and the beach belongs to everyone.
That’s the message the Surfrider Foundation is spreading for this year’s International Surfing Day, a day to go out and share the stoke of riding waves.
The day, held this year on June 18, is celebrated in some 30 countries, with more than 200 events taking place across the globe. Locally, there’s two official gatherings, one at the Huntington Beach Pier and another at El Porto in Manhattan Beach.
“We spend 364 days a year protecting the ocean, and this is one day to enjoy,” Surfrider Foundation CEO Chad Nelsen said. “Surfing is an incredible, joyful sport – as long as we can all get along and everyone is welcome.”
International Surfing Day was started by the Surfrider Foundation and Surfing Magazine in 2005, an excuse to celebrate the sport and culture, which in recent years has seen a surge of new participants as people sought ways to enjoy the outdoors. But without understanding the rules of the water and surf etiquette, conflict within growing crowds can cause tension and trouble.
“There’s a lot of unwritten rules and etiquette to sharing the lineup,” Nelsen said, listing a few. “Paddle behind a surfer so you don’t get in their way, give the person on the wave priority, and sharing – no one wants to be a wave hog.”
And International Surfing Day is also a good time to remind longtime surfers the sport is all about enjoying waves with one another, he said.
“I sometimes see those angry surfers in the water,” he said. “Presumably, we are all out here having fun. If you’re not having fun, why are you doing it?
“Particularly in Southern California, the lineups are more crowded, we just need to find a way to all get along,” he said.
Nelsen talked about Duke Kahanamoku and the Hawaiian Olympian’s desire to spread the spirit of “aloha” by sharing and being gracious to others.
“I think we should all remember that,” he said. “He shared the sport with the world. We probably wouldn’t be surfing, but for him.”
While there hasn’t been any official study, along with growing in numbers, lineups in recent years have seen another wave of change with more diversity among the surfers hitting the water, he said. More groups showcasing surfers of different ethnic backgrounds are emerging, highlighting the shift in surf culture.
“We’re really seeing this emergence of more Black surfers and people of color,” Nelsen said. “And it’s great to see. I think it’s enriching the sport, it’s bringing new culture, new ideas and new people – which is always a good thing.
“Our beach and ocean are public commons, they are open for everyone,” he emphasized. “Nobody owns the beach, nobody owns the ocean. It’s one thing to be technically allowed, it’s another thing to be welcome.
“I still think we have a ways to go, but it feels like it’s changing in a positive direction.”
The Surfrider Foundation recently put out a “Good Vibes Beach Guide” to remind people to go out and have a good time, while sharing knowledge with others.
“It’s kind of a reminder that we all, especially those of us who are experienced, need to be good and welcoming stewards of surfing and help people understand the etiquette and rules and be kind and gracious about it, and not mean and nasty,” Nelsen said.
And it’s also about giving back to the ocean that allows us to use its waves as a playground.
“If you’re going to enjoy the ocean, you should be a good steward of the ocean, too,” Nelsen said. “That includes not littering, protecting the ocean – give back and get involved. The ocean and beaches don’t take care of themselves, so we have to take care of them.”
Saturday’s events include a surf gathering and beach clean up from 8 a.m. to noon on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier and a gathering from 2 to 9 p.m. at El Porto in Manhattan Beach, meet at the 45th Street parking lot.
More info: surfrider.org/isd
Source: Orange County Register
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