When is it time?......
Surely there's no age limit... grommets seem to know the score from very early on. I know I did!
If there old enough to be in the water without there parents, there old enough to know better.
And if there still not old enough to be surfing without there parents, then its the parents responsibility to ensure they don't drop in and learn the rules.
Under 10s are usually pretty poor at working out other people's intentions so they may not pick up the cues that older surfers would that you intended to take the wave. I will be writing about kids in the surf soon. Given the crowd density these days it is worth giving them the benefit of the doubt unless they are clearly over stepping the mark.
I've witnessed, on a few different occasions recently, fathers pushing their kids (approx 10-12 yo) onto waves regardless of whats happening further up the line. Some close calls and complete disregard for the safety of others and their own children.
Yeh I actually caught a 10 year old in my arms on a solid 4-5ft wave who had been pushed in by his father. We just got smashed and came up with tangled leg ropes and the second wave about to land on us. The kid was crying and I was trying to reassure him that it was OK. The father, when we finally disentangled, seemed to think it was a joke. I would have told him a few home truths but the kid was so upset I just paddled away. Never even got an apology or a thank you!
When is it time, the time is to grab both the young fella and dad by the ears, drag them both home and send them to bed with no dinner. Leave the curtains open whilst it is still day light so they can watch others surf in a respectful manner.
Been a bit of a trend over the last few years for a dad or a group of dads take the inside position and then let there kids paddle inside them and let them take the waves. Kids just paddle back out and straight inside of dad again, dad just keeps blocking everyone else. Creates a bit of tension.
At what age are grommets fair game to be roused on for dropping in? Surely if your able to get out the back (no matter how old you are) then you should know the "rules" by then and a loud OI!! should do the trick or are they fair game no matter where they drop in (gotta learn the rules somehow!) and do older surfers have an obligation to let them know the "rules"?
Sorry for the rant, looking forward to the end of a very overcrowded summer!
Thoughts?
Cheers
Gonzo