Has surfing (in QLD) had its day?

surfing on a saturday of a summer long weekend after a few days of consistent swell at a very well known spot....yep, that is well and truly over. and has been for decades.

but there are other days, places and seasons.

I suggested on another swellnet webpage that surfing is mainstream now.

In Australia, probably more than any other country, surfing is so freaking mainstream it's almost embedded in our subconscious, like footy and cricket, and defines us in the same way. There those who surf, and those who wished they did, or try to associate themselves with it liminally or subliminally.

Doesn't mean that everyone surfs, doesn't mean that everyone who paddles out can surf, just saying that it is embedded.

As the number of participants goes up, the quality of surfing goes down. That's just numbers.

Is it a sport? Don't care really. It's not for me.

I've been thinking alot about this lately too. I'll try and put my thoughts down in an organised way later, got last day of school hols to deal with.

it does seem to be over for the name breaks around the Sunny Coast on any decent swell.Well obviously not everyone feels that way,judging by the numbers!Some sort of mania seems to manifest.Surfing around these parts has at times become ridiculous.I think the images and film of great waves being posted freely all over the net drives people into a frenzied fear of missing out.You can see it in their eyes!!Madness!!!!!!

Without more options for surfing on a given swell / wind combo, the crowd factor is only going to get worse as the publicity of surfing is taken to the masses. With a LOT of locations dependent upon sand formation, the options become limited at many times.

Simple solutions?

1. Increase the options - man made, yes, but with environmental consequences.

2. Decrease the publicity - better for the environment, but not likely in our capitalist society.

The truth is, we all have the ability to influence one or the other.

Question is, are we all just going to whinge and complain, or actually start to do something about it?

"Thank you for making your report to CASA regarding RPAS (Drone) operations at Lennox heads.

I have referred the report for investigation and follow up action.
Dependent on the outcome of the investigation CASA has a number of options open to it in dealing with these types of events; these range from counselling to fines and penalty points.
However as this is a potential breach of a civil rule set and so not generally considered a criminal act; CASA is not able to release the specifics of any particular investigation.

Thanks again for the information and please be assured we will deal with in the most appropriate manner possible.

Regards......."

Not my preferred method of dealing with this but fucked if I'm going to sit back and do nothing while social media carpet baggers try and turn this place into SEQLD.

Good on you freeride, you're fighting the good fight.
Hope a win comes out of this.

I gave away my bodyboarding gear a few years ago after I'd spent the previous few years adding reefs to my "forget about this spot, too crowded" list. (South Coast NSW) We're talking turn up in the dark and there's already a dozen or so suiting up most times. No thanks, I'll stay in bed.

I don't know how much less crowded it is mid-week, and imagine it would still be possible to get some pretty uncrowded beach break sessions on a weekend.

Increasing crowds and a dramatic, and on going, fall in the overall standard of surfing are issues just about everywhere. From the fat 40 year olds trying to pick off the sets on their over sized mals, through the SUPs trying the same trick on their wobble boards, to the hoards of tourists looking for an "experience" and the crowds of wannabes with their new Al Merricks, the theme remains the same.....a non-serious attempt. I mean what have any of these people sacrificed for surfing? Not a damn thing. It's a fashionable pastime, a diversion from making money and trying to maintain the right image. Used to be, if you were a surfer, that dictated much of the structure of your life; where you lived, what job you had, who your friends were. In return you got respect in the water and a healthy share of the available waves. Now they whinge if you hassle. Screw that, if you want to take turns go play tennis. If you want me to share the waves, which I have spent thousands of hours figuring out, fine, you share some of the money you were earning while I did it. To paraphrase Oasis " Where were you when we were learning our art?".

hahahaha, thats music to my ears BB.

And then there's China.

Did you know that Chinese tourists numbers have now overtaken the Aussie's as most visitations in Bali ?

And in a similar fashion to such unlikely upstarts as the Russians, the Chinese are learning to surf.

Results are utterly hilarious initially, but soon enough......

The Chinese don't do things by halves either.

And the Australian tourism board would squirt if they realised the flood of potential Chinese surfers coming their way.

Cue Pauline Hanson misquote :Our lineups are in danger of being ......

Get yours while you can people.

It's only going to get worse.

Lots worse.

But on a positive note - Some fun , relatively uncrowded waves to be caught TODAY on the isle of the gods.

2016 and still enjoying the surfing life.

Wear those smiles with pride gents.

Do any of you guys see the irony in complaining about this on Swellnet?

I am not accusing anyone on this forum conversation although some of you may have mentioned it, but I am starting to get pissed of at the amount of people getting annoyed with the crowd numbers at the snapper rocks. I mean they have a WSL comp there, it's world famous, and it's got some of the most perfect right hand waves in the world. What do guys actually expect?. Thats I like me getting pissed of when it's 4-5ft at bells beach perfect offshore on a weekend and there's 80 people out. Bells beach also has a WSL Comp, is known as a famous wave around the world, and has perfect right hand reef waves. You can't get annoyed that there are huge crowds at places like the superbank, it's a perfect waves 30 minutes from the heart of the Gold Coast. I mean seriously cop it on the chin and stop having a sook. I am sure they are heaps of waves around the coast that have minimal crowds so go there if you don't like the crowds that's like bells beach there's so many waves around the area that are of a great standard where the crowds are minimal. Use your brains Queenslanders.

How do you know what people have sacrificed for surfing? Some people don't have the privilege of 'dropping it all'. Some people have demands - structural and personal - thrust upon their lives and have no choice but to step up to those demands but their love for surfing doesn't go away. Conditions of life are not necessarily of their own making e.g. some people dedicate themselves to helping others and it eats into their surf time thereby lowering their ability at later stages in life; others lose their job and experience abject poverty; others give birth and take a long time to recover; others are sole parents; others go off to fight wars; etc. There are a vast array of experiences affecting people's surfing lives (note the plural)? Any self-appointed disapproving gaze will more often than not be unable to see the variable opportunities and obstacles and sacrifices, regardless of equipment and etiquette in the water. The assumptions made with such a gaze are extensive.

I understand people get frustrated, so, well, then pack up and go off to where they won't go. Perhaps you can't. Or are now not willing to make the sacrifices. Don't have the opportunity to do so. Have new responsibilities to meet. There's obstacles.

Oh, funny that.

Blowin, there's a couple of OK surfers from China. They're putting in the hard yards, too. But it will be a long time coming before you see masses of Chinese surfers. So, don't panic just yet. Worry about the hordes of those Aussie surfers crowding out locations everywhere. They're the problem. So many damn Anglo-Australians everywhere! Argh!

Give it 5 years Clif.

10 years maximum.

Well said clif . One reason I have more respect for guys that relocate to remote regions . Rather than pretend to be some Demi God on a crowded coast .

I'm willing to wager longer ;-)

Far enough.

I felt as though I was witnessing a seed germinating today as I watched a half dozen Chinese gentlemen take turns being thrown from the back of an unruly SUP on a flat lagoon.

Baby steps.

Straight to the SUP though .

Fucks sake.

Laird , you've got a lot to answer for.

it's more a try and walk away scenario. Surfing in China isn't as accessible as you might imagine with that long coastline and consumer base.

Laird helped golf, as well. Bless him.

They said the same about Russia.

blindboy wrote:

. Screw that, if you want to take turns go play tennis. If you want me to share the waves, which I have spent thousands of hours figuring out, fine, you share some of the money you were earning while I did it. To paraphrase Oasis " Where were you when we were learning our art?".

Don't you work? I mean I'm as avid a surfer as any but I don't feel as though I have more right to waves then the next bloke regardless of how many hours or waves they've surfed. It is that kind of mentality that makes surfing in busy lineups unenjoyable for most. Good on you if you've spent hours surfing one single spot working each grain of sand out, I doubt anyone really cares? Surfing is amazing, that's why we're all hooked but there is other parts to existence out there…..

Victoriasurfing1 wrote:

I am not accusing anyone on this forum conversation although some of you may have mentioned it, but I am starting to get pissed of at the amount of people getting annoyed with the crowd numbers at the snapper rocks. I mean they have a WSL comp there, it's world famous, and it's got some of the most perfect right hand waves in the world. What do guys actually expect?. Thats I like me getting pissed of when it's 4-5ft at bells beach perfect offshore on a weekend and there's 80 people out. Bells beach also has a WSL Comp, is known as a famous wave around the world, and has perfect right hand reef waves. You can't get annoyed that there are huge crowds at places like the superbank, it's a perfect waves 30 minutes from the heart of the Gold Coast. I mean seriously cop it on the chin and stop having a sook. I am sure they are heaps of waves around the coast that have minimal crowds so go there if you don't like the crowds that's like bells beach there's so many waves around the area that are of a great standard where the crowds are minimal. Use your brains Queenslanders.

We are all well aware. The main issue is the attitude of the surfers. Gold coast has some of the worst surfing characters you will ever see. From what i hear from friends the sunny coast was the same vibe this past swell. It's a shame. No respect or manners anymore.

anyhoo my 2c on this latest topic…

…..I can't understand why people are whinging about crowds, its not a new phenomenon. Don't they say the definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing and expecting different results'. Turn up to Snapper, Burleigh, Noosa on a 4 foot swell and expect to have a cruisy session? Come on……

Where is everyone's sense of adventure? I mean this was a quality 4-6 foot East swell with multiple days of great morning offshore winds, every semi point, outer beachie, rivermouth, nook and cranny had some bloody good waves right down the coast. Don't people want to try something new? Doesn't anyone have that spot they were dying to check out in the right conditions?

I surfed a few outer beachies and one particular river mouth and not once surfed with more than 5 people in the water the whole swell. I can drive to Snapper in 15 mins tops. Its out there people, we've just gotta get creative.

I'm not sure what it is but obviously the average surfer may be wired a little differently these days. Maybe its this eternal fear of missing out? Maybe its constant clips of the same amazing wave (on all websites, not just here) that churns up the froth, maybe its social media, fear of sharks…. who knows. All I know is if you turn up to some of those premier spots and complain about crowds then a simple solution is to get out of the water and there will be one less person to clog up the line up.

blindboy wrote:

Increasing crowds and a dramatic, and on going, fall in the overall standard of surfing are issues just about everywhere. From the fat 40 year olds trying to pick off the sets on their over sized mals, through the SUPs trying the same trick on their wobble boards, to the hoards of tourists looking for an "experience" and the crowds of wannabes with their new Al Merricks, the theme remains the same.....a non-serious attempt. I mean what have any of these people sacrificed for surfing? Not a damn thing. It's a fashionable pastime, a diversion from making money and trying to maintain the right image. Used to be, if you were a surfer, that dictated much of the structure of your life; where you lived, what job you had, who your friends were. In return you got respect in the water and a healthy share of the available waves. Now they whinge if you hassle. Screw that, if you want to take turns go play tennis. If you want me to share the waves, which I have spent thousands of hours figuring out, fine, you share some of the money you were earning while I did it. To paraphrase Oasis " Where were you when we were learning our art?".

It's no wonder the line-ups are increasingly becoming aggressive & totally disrespectful in a lot of places. Line-ups sprinkled with surfers who firmly believe they "own" something that they clearly don't, something that has been gifted by nature. The Ego out of control. No self awareness. There's no doubt people surf for all sorts of reasons, always have, always will. Changed circumstances in surfing (ie: greater crowds) are no different to changes in any aspect of life. Some people just refuse to move with the times. No, surfing isn't tennis, but it doesn't mean there can't be some "order & respect" to suit the changing times IMO. It's simply a choice.

I see your point Rabbits and there is truth to it......but I see the far bigger problem of an out of control sense of ego and entitlement residing in the newcomers, wannabes and sup riders that BB mentions, rather than the long time locals. They are reacting to this.
This, to me, is fundamentally a problem of order and chaos.
A respectful, even moderately competent crowd, can share waves easily so there's smiles on dials for most.
That's by far the majority of the surfs at the spots I surf.

When the numbers reach a certain level or you get too many carloads of kooks on Merricks paddling up the inside or being clueless and not showing any respect or etiquette, then order breaks down and you get the free for all you see at the Superbank.
The top dogs get the spoils by any means at their disposal including jetskis right through the pack and everyone else fights tooth and nail for the scraps.
It's a Hobbesian nightmare or war by all against all.

How to ensure some kind of order in the lineup where the majority can enjoy the surf according to their abilities and experience?

Thats the question.

I don't believe the numbers are the real issue here. It's the behaviour and the quality in the line up.

All breaks have become more & more crowded progressively, it is a given in correlation with population growth, sea change etc etc.

Now I may be showing my age, but when I was growing up, depending on where you would be surfing, drop-ins were dealt with as little as a death stare through to a smack in the head. The culprit either pulled there head in or paddled in. Problem solved.

Beginners to low intermediates knew their place too. Either the white water, kiddies corner or a quiet spot to themselves of low quality.

These days it is becoming a shit fight with no order, every man for him/herself, boards flying everywhere an absolutely no understanding or care for etiquette. Basic anarchy and fuck you I can do and be where I like. The end result is the shit fight we now see and complain about in all the vids coming through.

EDIT. just saw the 2 posts above after writing!

Well said staitey.

FOMO haha, they reckon this is why social media is off the richter.
Oh dear the poor souls, ol mate Johnny Smith surfed snapper in the morning, pumping with poor souls.
He had bacon and eggs after for breakfast as well!
Fark Johnny's mate had kellog's all bran in a bowl whilst crying, then had to drive with his girlie to shop for some tissues at David Jones for a few hours, the whole time walking around the shopping mall on FB, FOMO,crying.

It is a shame that so many people whinge about crowds here on SN, I try to avoid them both, as well as the comments on here. Oooopppppss
I was bambozzled yesterday seeing some girl copy and paste his thread into forecast notes?

Anyhoo I never had a surf thru the whole peak of STC V, looked at the crowds, never had Johnny Smith or similar to do a roadie with. Went to DJ's with wifey, purchased some designer tissues.
But had a couple of lunch time waves yesterday and the day before with 10-12 poor souls at the infamous BH and it was crankin;)

FOMO haha

I agree 100% FR. I get the chaotic nature of surfing, particularly in those types of crowded line-ups that you & BB describe & yes the solution naturally is for order to be restored by those with greater ability. Preferably without "entitlement" & "arrogance" so to speak. Complex for sure. As MC so often said "surfing is anarchy", which I don't want to believe but am aware it exists no doubt.

Just be greatful for those surfs where most have smiles on their dials I suppose :)

Come to SA and paddle out at dawn in the middle of winter Spookypt - your faith and froth will both be restored (even if you won't be able to feel your fingers or toes for a couple of hours afterwards).

clif wrote:

How do you know what people have sacrificed for surfing? Some people don't have the privilege of 'dropping it all'. Some people have demands - structural and personal - thrust upon their lives and have no choice but to step up to those demands but their love for surfing doesn't go away. Conditions of life are not necessarily of their own making e.g. some people dedicate themselves to helping others and it eats into their surf time thereby lowering their ability at later stages in life; others lose their job and experience abject poverty; others give birth and take a long time to recover; others are sole parents; others go off to fight wars; etc. There are a vast array of experiences affecting people's surfing lives (note the plural)? Any self-appointed disapproving gaze will more often than not be unable to see the variable opportunities and obstacles and sacrifices, regardless of equipment and etiquette in the water. The assumptions made with such a gaze are extensive.

I understand people get frustrated, so, well, then pack up and go off to where they won't go. Perhaps you can't. Or are now not willing to make the sacrifices. Don't have the opportunity to do so. Have new responsibilities to meet. There's obstacles.

Oh, funny that.

Very true & very well written. Its called "life" I'm pretty sure :)

When i see the photos and vids from QLD, crowds haven't definitely got worse than when i lived up that way about 10 to 20 years ago.

My advice to those that live there, just enjoy what you can now because these are still the golden years thing are going to get a lot worse as the population increases and in the future those less crowded spots you escape to down the coast will also get crowded.

I think that surfing is just the fad of the decade of the 2010's (what's the collective term for 2010-19 haha?) Rather im hoping that it is. Just as the old age saying goes 'what goes up must come down' i would feel (hope) that wil come into play. I understand australias population is ever growing but if we could ever have some sort of correlating statistic i could put my chips thats surfings population is booming compared to the growth rate of Oz.
I find what blindboy said to be pretty accurate though. ' Used to be, if you were a surfer, that dictated much of the structure of your life; where you lived, what job you had, who your friends were. In return you got respect in the water and a healthy share of the available waves.'
Simply because thats how it still is here where i am in vic. Growing up here, theres no doubt in my mind that surfings population is growing but the last couple of years i would definitely say there has been a 'spike' so to speak.

I dont know if im getting off topic here but i think i am when i say that surf mags are utter shit now just projecting the exact image that these seasonal surfers are trying to emulate. I used love reading tracks. There's definitely dollar signs in the said image and I think that surf mags chased those dollar signs down the gurgler.

freeride76 wrote:

I see your point Rabbits and there is truth to it......but I see the far bigger problem of an out of control sense of ego and entitlement residing in the newcomers, wannabes and sup riders that BB mentions, rather than the long time locals. They are reacting to this.
This, to me, is fundamentally a problem of order and chaos.
A respectful, even moderately competent crowd, can share waves easily so there's smiles on dials for most.
That's by far the majority of the surfs at the spots I surf.

When the numbers reach a certain level or you get too many carloads of kooks on Merricks paddling up the inside or being clueless and not showing any respect or etiquette, then order breaks down and you get the free for all you see at the Superbank.
The top dogs get the spoils by any means at their disposal including jetskis right through the pack and everyone else fights tooth and nail for the scraps.
It's a Hobbesian nightmare or war by all against all.

How to ensure some kind of order in the lineup where the majority can enjoy the surf according to their abilities and experience?

Thats the question.

And you suggested I'm "missing" the east coast? Pmsl...... I miss my great friends in Coolum.... That's all......

so how were the crowds yesterday and today, now that the weekend is over? no idea if you still had any swell up that way.

Crowd was 10-12 people, like I commented above, BH yesterday and on Oi Oi day around lunch and very fast;)

blindboy wrote:

...
...
To paraphrase Oasis " Where were you when we were learning our art?".

Maybe these 'other' people were learning a skill that defends you, or supplies you with clean drinking water, food, health care etc, teach your children, or building roads, or cars and planes so you can chase the surf while collecting some form of social security benefit? Or maybe they were busy finding and drilling oil, and refining it, to make the chemicals that make your wetsuits and boards and make food and security so cheap that you can afford it without making much useful contributions to society?

Art is a collaboration ... baby.

Peace out.

Yeah I gotta say, I think it's a bullshit attitude to judge people's choices according to your own. And claiming more rights on any given day because of those choices, I'm not down with that I don't think. Cuts both ways though. I get the local bit. It's good to surf with people you recognise or know. And it's amazing how much someone from out of town can change the vibe for the worse. Not always but plenty often.

But yeah we've all made choices or reacted to what life dished up. Can't be judging everyone on some criteria or you'll wind up damning everyone to the channel.

The fellas who've devoted their lives to surfing whether by centrelink or working in the industry or by keeping things simple...legends. The glorious life. Wish I'd had the courage to do that. The guts to give myself permission to do that. Now my responsibilities mean that option's gone, at least for a few years. Choices? Not always.

The people who can't or won't devote that much time to it, the weekend warriors, the once a monthers even the summer onlies as we used to call em, they're legends too. Some of em will be pricks who work at a bank pillaging the Greek economy for a quick buck. Others will be politicians. Still others will be people working their arses off to feed their kids and clean up this little spec o dust or look after those who can't do that for themselves. Whoever they are you can bet that they're doin the best they can with what they've got and fuck me if they don't deserve a wave or two when they get the chance.

Doesn't matter who you are or what you do though, only a dickhead acts like a dickhead in the surf. So don't be a dickhead.

Sorry to be a bit preachy there, just had a bit of sweary utopian madness.

Spot on you potty mouthed scientist:)

Bringing new meaning to the phrase 'a victim of it's own success' I'd say surfing in QLD is pretty fucked. Going by anyone over 35 anyway, generally full of nostalgia about the good ol days, resentment for the state of things now and mild smugness at having 'ad 'er while she was good. Having only spent a year on SC I don't know about the old days but it's not what it says in the brochure. At first the crowds were a bit of fun, lots of chatter was a novelty, many different styles to see and craft but fuck it got tedious quickly. How many waves get wasted, how many close calls with an errant board. I headed for the quieter spots, plentiful and easy to find but generally not as good, sometimes you get lucky. You don't always want to make a trek in the car after work for waves though, I can do that anywhere, particularly when you live near a decent but mobbed point. I ventured down to the goldy a few times, crazyness. Didn't really explore much but from what I hear there are uncrowded waves there somewhere. Just watching the carnage at snapper it made me think how only 100 years ago those same waves would've rolled through unmolested, swell after swell of empty barrels probably just a few people enjoying the show from the shore. And now it's drones, cashed up bogans on skis, battle royal. Fast forward another 100 years it's hard to imagine what you'd see from the point. It'll have to change, population growth and the growing popularity of surfing in Oz makes it unsustainable to have a free for all. These could be the last days of unregulated surfing at the name spots, there may need to be outside help to thin the crowd, waiting your turn like a water park. Anti surfing max.

The Irankandji will sort out the crowds on the Sunny Coast in less than 10 years if the experts are to be believed. They have already made it to Fraser so I can see these being a reality

King Kenny wrote:

The Irankandji will sort out the crowds on the Sunny Coast in less than 10 years if the experts are to be believed. They have already made it to Fraser so I can see these being a reality

There's even been one inside Moreton Bay: https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-analysis/2015/03/05/scientists-sa...

Ninja Irankandji Surfer Man,

Ha Ha....Yeah not a good look,but it's gonna take more than a jellyfish to dim the crowd.Nothing like seeing a fat man in a stinger suit!!!

What about this……….fence snapper off, then everyone has to form a cue at the key hole. 10 surfers are allowed to paddle out every 10 mins but none one is allowed to paddle back after they've caught a wave, just keep going as far as you like and once you've got a few run around and join the cue again. Few patrollers in the water to penalise anyone paddling back up the point or even giving out red cards for those who disobey……………crazy eh? Maybe not so much more than it already is…...

Seen this, Spooky?

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/surf-sports/mick-deserves-any-...