The Flyer: Locals Only
Today's Flyer comes from the black heart of Social Media Wonderland, where all the best traits of humanity: humour, generosity, curiosity, are undermined by media rage-baiters who see to it that birds of a feather get angry together.
Maybe you heard about the "surf wars" brouhaha that unfolded at Sandon Point this week - perhaps you have an opinion, perhaps not - but while reading the following, keep in mind I was at Ground Zero for the madness. Hence my feelings are somewhat elevated.
I’m not even a true local myself, blew in from elsewhere, but I surf the point every swell, know all the crew and feel comfortable out there.
A blowcal if you will.
Anyway, some context: The first houses at Sandon Point were Housing Commission built post-WWII, when there was only one road in and out. Sandon was an outpost community with a golf course to the north, rifle range to the south, and to the east was the point itself, which effectively became the backyard for the kids raised there.
Those kids grew up and, in time, policed the wave with varying degrees of prejudice - tourists who put in the time were welcomed (for ten years a memorial comp for Angus McLeod, a kneeboarder from Mt Keira was held at the point), while unknown faces were not. Stories of violent dispatches are legion, as are the stories of head local Curly Haines, a fella with the build of Hulk Hogan, wit of Graham Kennedy, and the organisational skills of Rommel.
Besides surfing the point, Curly would direct his overactive mind towards other fun such as terrorising car salesmen with orchestrated ‘sales’, organising marathon card nights, similarly planning local cricket matches with truckloads of kegs for refreshments, and later on a band manager, some of them playing at the point, but more often out of local clubs.
“If he put his mind to getting himself a proper education Curly would have been brilliant,” another older local, nickname Toff, once said to me,” but then he wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun.”
Thing is, Curly’s gone, as are most of his peer group. Few of them surf the point anymore. Time marched on, sensitivities changed, the culture that once existed at Sandon was supplanted by money and mobility, but a lingering fondness for the way things were still exists there. It shouldn’t be mistaken as a wish for more violent times, but more so a sense of loss. Let the person who’s never felt nostalgia cast the first stone.
When the signs went up on Saturday night they were met with bemusement on Sunday morning. In a sense they harked back to Sandon’s old days, but at the same time they were no different to what you’d read at any crowded wave around the world. It’d take a pretty thin skin to take offence at what’s become a universal statement within surfing. A meaningless one too, as every surfer travels.
Can’t say I advocate for them being written, however I understand the old tradition, and having seen them everywhere from Teahupoo to Malibu I’m indifferent to the message.
Despite my indifference, the local Facebook community pages were quickly melting down with non-surfers thinking the sign was directed at them and somehow an indictment on the whole community. By Monday morning local media was onto it, in the arvo the national media caught on, and by Tuesday the Daily Mail UK joined in running a story on the “surf wars” erupting at Sandon.
The social media furore attracted the mainstream media, who published more stories, which in a self-stoking cycle spawned even more social media attention, each comment casting furious judgment. Amateur psychologists offered free advice on the mental health of the people that wrote the signs, while similarly credentialed sociologists linked a raft of social issues to the signs. The anger and righteousness was palpable.
This was madness. I spoke to one of the kids who posted the sign. He was stunned at the disproportionate response, switching between humour and concern about where it’s all leading. Environment heating up - silence. Economy teetering - silence. Kid writes an obnoxious sign - release the hounds.
On Monday my phone started ringing with unknown numbers. I spoke to a journalist from a wire service, who, within an hour, published a shitty story on News.com. My quotes brought up the rear; just above the basement scroll ads. I swore off tabloid media.
I got a good hearing on ABC Illawarra but the best, and most surprising, was on Sydney’s 2GB where the producer tried to do a hatchet job on me, inviting me in on false pretenses. I quickly made it clear to the DJ that if he was gonna fume about surf wars then he was way off the mark and likely to look like a prude. He tossed the question list and we got on swimmingly.
However, it was on social media where the nuttiness endured. Attempts were made to placate the angry mob - it was just kids, the signs really mean nothing, surfers see the same signs or graffiti everywhere - but that only implicated those trying to explain the nuance. Among other things, I was called “a mental midget”, a “violent thug”, and accused of having the intellect of an eight-year old.
I've always thought surfing keeps you young but that was a new angle.
By Wednesday we were up to ten MSM stories about thugs and xenophobes and surf wars, and innumerable Facebook pages saying the same. Meanwhile, the surf pumped and the point operated the same as it has for thirty years.
Despite being a surf journalist, and hence seen as a link between surf culture and the wider world, I resolved to give up on it. No more interviews, no more social media justifications, no more explanations full stop. If people weren’t willing to listen, to understand that ‘locals only’ is simply a harmless quirk within surfing, one with a bit of history, but a quirk nevertheless, then to hell with it.
For decades surfing has accommodated every advance from mainstream society, we’ve endured the pisstakes and stereotypes, provided entry to the authors and social commentators, seen surfing used as a vehicle to sell everything from soft drinks to incontinence pads. Meanwhile, our peak contest body was bought by a non-surfing billionaire, who put an Oklahoman with hair tips and perma-tan up as CEO while they ignored the core and chased the attention of Middle America.
Surfing ain’t the subculture it once was, but still, we reduce ourselves, lose whatever mystique remains, by these cowering overtures to the non-surfing public.
So, amidst the continuing social media storm, I made a vow of silence. No more explaining surf culture to the heathens. Being misunderstood, I figured, ain't so bad when it’s by people who aren’t seeking to understand.
They can maintain the rage all they want, just as long as they stay out of the surf.
- Stu
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Comments
What I see here is a trolling opportunity gone begging. My goodness, where could you start? Violent surf midgets, mental thugs, 2463 tattooed on each bum cheek, smouldering burnt out remains of some unlucky tourists van on the foreshore.
stonker article stu, context well elucidated.
hope it gets quoted - swellnet editor says "stay out of the surf!!"
(I LOVE that sign, how can it not make people smile?)
I'm actively looking for a new mouthy blow in kook, I'm a blow in myself, 10 years or so, but I keep my mouth shut and watch my manners. This dipshit is burning everyone, talking shit in the line up. He can barely surf but the ego is tremendous. I want to smash his head and his board but I'll settle for letting the air out of his tires, maybe wax his windows.
Is this at Sandon? Think I might know the one, short blonde hair?
Transplanted the Northern Beaches ?
We got a couple of them here too, instant local just add dad,s money for a house on the hill, full hassling frothers in the surf and they dont seem to have to work much either which makes them even more 'likeable" after they paddle up the inside of you (again)
No tyres slashed? No grease under door handles? No groms tied up to light posts? Then, what rage?
Nice deployment of the butcher's apostrophe, and is that a Sandon Point hyphen? Punctuation must grow on trees down there.
Ha! You should start a FB page!
Haha butcher’s apostrophe. Never heard that one before!
..me either! the things you learn on swellnet..
Still don’t get it!
“ For decades surfing has accommodated every advance from mainstream society, we’ve endured the pisstakes and stereotypes, provided entry to the authors and social commentators, seen surfing used as a vehicle to sell everything from soft drinks to incontinence pads. Meanwhile, our peak contest body was bought by a non-surfing billionaire, who put an Oklahoman with hair tips and perma-tan up as CEO while they ignored the core and chased the attention of Middle America.”
This paragraph is so timely Stu. I’ve been thinking about this obsessively for a while (I’m working on an article about it) and it’s so refreshing to read a hint of what is a much bigger conversation here. Surfers have put up such little resistance to the commodification of surfing and more often than not they are the agents of it, for the benefit of the very few. It is, in my eyes, a much more serious problem than we acknowledge.
Great article overall too. Glad you tapped out of the conversation!
ive also been pondering this for years now and also ask myself, is it too late? im leaning towards yes.
We are our own worst enemy here .... Wanna-be half arsed semi-pro surfers , Kids and their soccer dad parents thinking they're the next Fanning , Local and travelling peanuts putting up photos and vids of their local and or favourite O/S surf spot for the Insta 5 seconds of glory . Fark me , does anyone these days just go for a surf without the need to tell the fucken world about it ??
The commodification of surfing has come from within our ranks Dan , as you said , and yes the so called benefits are well outweighed by the huge growth in crowds and associated problems .
I personally like to rub my footprints out on the way to the break.
Surf at odd tides, times and swells.
Im joking about the first one though.
No socials , no pros
No problems.
Keep secrets.
just walk backwards...
Totally fucking great article.
Those signs never stopped me
and yet still people will take up surfing as a hobby, we must do better
I guess that when they buy the coastal real estate, they assume they now own the rights to be the determinants of the time honoured etiquette of the sport.
Let's share all the waves...we're all equal now.
Except you locals.
We've priced you out of your say.
Move along.
Quietly please.
Surfing is well and truly the new golf/skiing: Corporatised, sanitised, lifestyled, marketed, 'grammed, family friendly and acceptable. Started surfing in the 70s to get away from all the mainstream/cricket/footy/school/team/brainwashed/family shit, wagging school/work to surf is one of life's great pleasures - I will surf until i peg it but I am less likely to tell anyone I do these days now all that shit has now stuck onto surfing and no I don't want to see a fucking video of your every fucking session.
"Many surfers i grew up with chose surfing because everyrhing else was boring.It was a way to escape a meaningless society.In doing so we found our own internal balance and ultimately neglected the so called important things......There was no way to change what was going on around us ,so we found a new place in surfing"
Tom Curren 1994
the very reason why i give wide wide berth and find the shelter cove that know one knows has the shelf that only works on the, well you know the rest of the story good day brother
Great article Stu.
Embrace the inner 8 year old; let his mischievous sense of humour and world-view keep you young.
On topic: anyone got any good grommet tied-to-pole stories? Read a horror one in Tracks once involving a dog.
Good stuff, Stu. Give 'em hell.
"Despite my indifference, the local Facebook community pages were quickly melting down with non-surfers thinking the sign was directed at them and somehow an indictment on the whole community."
But what would be wrong with this.
These are the real blowins now.
Look at how coastal towns have transformed from working/middle class to places of wealth. Good luck living on the right side of the highway in most coastal communites these days.
They can all fuck right off as far as i'm concerned,..if it ruffles their feathers and gets them squawking on fb groups who cares. Good. Double down. Give them hell.
These people are the enemy. Make no mistake about it.
not on socials, so first I've of it, and ...
... same old crow,
Yup, missed it all.
Spot on SR.
Around my area it's almost a grommets sacred responsibility to do annual maintenance and touch up work on the "locals only" signs. Some of these signs were painted on the rocks etc many, many moons ago by grommets who have now aged considerably and left their legacy in some of these places. It's almost like how the indigenous maintain old cave paintings.
But yeah, who the fark takes them seriously?
And fuck all you 'new locals' who move here from the city and hate everything from the mullet fishing to recreational boats being launched off a beach in places where it's been happening for years, not to mention not having enough cafes overlooking the surf. Not all spots are 'family friendly' and trying to make them so won't win you any friends around here.
Booom! Spot on TS.
There should be some kind of war. Spit the winkle should be declared the weapon of choice.
Send the groms out to the intersections and wait for their luxury car driving prey.
See these worms retreat back to the cities they slithered out of once they feel the wrath.
Don't give these pricks an inch and let them know they ARE the blowins. Fark orf!!
We're losing the war. Their armoured column of new Range Rovers has taken the beachside carparks. We have no Spit the Winkle anti-tank missiles. No special forces to deliver the prawns to the air intakes. Our uniforms of trackie pants and uggies are hardly to be seen at the enemy beach head. Our air assets (seagulls) are still trying though.
hahaha.
Arm the forces with pies, and order the troops to eat them sitting on the gutters outside every flashy cafe in town. Chocky milk on the kerbing and the obligatory phlem ball coughed up every 3 minutes and discharged onto the road.
We will not be defeated!!
This gave me a good laugh, especially as I saw "Fxxx Off Range Rovers" painted on the road a couple of days ago.
This is sad , young surfers need to enjoy the experience of the local v blow in on the local break . in 1973 ( 13 yo) I surfed the Gunnery at Flinders , got to watch a local spit in another surfers ear while paddling past him . Did I have mental health issues because I witnessed this act , no way !! was the greatest story at the pub for years . more signs please .
Credit for being a great shot but pretty grubby act nonetheless.
It was fairly close range . yes it was grubby but those acts kept the whole scene rocking along .
Sandon Pt.... before World War 2....
The aboriginal camp down by the creek was moved on...to become cheap or free labour.
A wharf was built into the bay of Sandon point; loading red cedar logs & butter from the cleared rainforests and coal dug out of the hills.
The creek was mined for clay becoming a "brick pit"
Euro's really know how to blend in to a new area
Apparently history only starts after world war 2 .......
Og local mob don't exist I guess.
There is some real sentiments in this story.
Dream time lads
Go to dream time.......
"Precontact, Sandon Point was a gathering place where the Aboriginal peoples from the north, south and west would meet to conduct important business. The presence of littoral rainforest and coastal eucalypts supported this, providing people with the required nourishment and medicines, and resources to construct tools, canoes and sacred objects."
A 5000 year old skeleton was found on the beach....
10 yrs of legal battles later.... Sandon Point was declared an Aboriginal Site in 2007;
Plans of Management followed.... details in link below
History
https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/155225/Sandon-...
Interpretive signage, re-vegetation plan, POM, etc
https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/your-council/community-land/sandon-point-a...
Thanks bbbird!
sure you haven't hijacked a discussion about a surf break not wanting blow ins ??
Just pointing out a different perspective on true locals.
Hope you respect that.
Australia and its beaches have a long long history
That pre dates any "Surf History".
there is a possibility.... a Koori local.... who can sing and dance; may have also surfed at least once in 5000 years at Sandon Pt & McCauleys Bch
"When Aboriginal people are in the ocean, they know they are in their country.
They belong to it. They don’t own it … we know there’s always another wave.
Surfing’s about being part of the wave."
reference
McGloin, Colleen, Aboriginal surfing: reinstating culture and country 2007.
https://ro.uow.edu.au/artspapers/1625
Thanks bbbird, There's always more to learn, however what you're typing is both very well known around Sandon and also irrelevant to the conversation.
Firstly, the pecking order/hierarchy/whatever-you-want-to-call-it refers to the wave zone offshore from land.
Secondly, much of the recognition stated above either came through, or had assistance from, local surfers.
Thirdly, this concept - Aboriginal pre-eminence - has been forwarded a few times as a way of shutting down the issue, however it misrepresents both the lineup as social construct that shifts over time and the lives of pre-contact Aboriginals.
You think putting the sign up gave the message or just advertised the point to new heights?
Or keep it quite in 2023....
Is the best way forward?
I'm expecting an answer Stu net?
Not really sure, mate.
Possibly advertised the point in an unintentional way, but it also solidified the feelings of a lot of people down there. No surprises about the latter: when a group of people are unfairly made pariahs then they'll adopt a fortress mentality.
The best way forward..? Again, it was posted by young'uns with little forethought
Reckon they'd be feeling pretty stupid right now.
Sandon hasn't had this much attention since the Kodak.
There is blocalism, tribalism & ritualised spear shaking in many groups, across most countries.
I thought it was worth sharing with Swellnet readers the contrast of cultures; Sandon Pt was apparently a meeting place for different aboriginal groups to trade goods, stories & hunting; while now some blocals now squabble over who get to ride on some waves.
I appreciate Swellnet journalist thoughtful perspective on current issues that may interest surfers. Swellnet has always provided an open forum for discussion from reasonable to outrageous. It can be quite an insight into different surfers opinions.
The current social media platforms favours trivia & reinforces stereotyping, division & clickbait feeds. Elon Musk is currently trying to realign a social media platform to provide a balance in stories, at his great expense. Swellnet is doing a similar task without fan fair. Thanks for your efforts.
Cheers mate.
You think putting the sign up gave the message or just advertised the point to new heights?
Or keep it quite in 2023....
Is the best way forward?
I'm expecting an answer Stu net?
Eh?
Didn't I already answer this?
I'd like a yes or no .
OK then.
Yes, I already did answer this.
Show respect and if you can surf you will get a wave or two
Pretty simple really
It’s the same in most places around the world
If it’s too heavily local
Surf another break !
Tried to surf Sandon... blocal egos, wannabees, packed, get one if you were lucky.... on a good day.
Molly and Caitlin had the crowd problem trying to surf pipeline before the PipePro comp.
I then shared waves with a group of surfskis who were in a comp.
No megaphones, no loud music or egos.
We all had a great time & waves.
Blood hilarious the whole thing. Somebody erased the blow-in not welcome part to read Welcome :)
No one owns the ocean dickheads
No one 'owns' the airspace, roads, footpaths, etc etc, but there are rules for how one can and cannot behave there too.
True, but I think the selfishness displayed by people who behave as if “nobody owns the ocean” means “I can do what I want” as a deeper and more detrimental impact on the surfing experience than the well-understood cultural norms of soft and performative localism.
I surfed the Pass for half an hour the other day and it was a wild experience - the open season approach to an individual’s surfing experience was such a shocking thing. Obviously I’ve surfed with wave hungry, greedy surfers, but it’s been a long time since I’ve surfed a wave with such open disregard for everyone else. People without fins sliding through groups, dads pushing hopeful super groms into set waves, learners poo standing over the top of people, 10 foot logs ridden backwards without leashes. “Nobody owns the ocean” quickly becomes “I can and will do whatever I want”.
The Pass is an extreme example, but anyone who thinks it’s not a possible future for waves near them are as ignorant as the people who confidently declared the Mentawais would never get crowded because it’s so remote. Surfers, diverse as we are, should think critically about what the surfing experience is and what it will become if we leave it up to individuals and the market.
Would “everybody owns the ocean” be better than “nobody owns the ocean”? Or maybe something like “everybody is responsible for the collective surfing experience”? Agree with keeping the dickheads part though.
Agree Dan, in my experience, those who play the “nobody owns the ocean” card are most likely to be selfish, rude and inconsiderate, including when they are a visitor at somebody else’s spot.
Also, i’ve definitely been seeing a ripple, effect coming off Byron and radiating out. This includes the modern belief that there are no consequences for acting like a prick.
Hey Dan, when’s your essay coming out and where is it going to be published?
I went to a nice restaurant one evening in Byron recently. The kind people like me go to once a year or so. Not top end, but not your Friday night fish and chips either.
At a table next to me in rolled (literally) this millennial Mum, Dad with straight brimmed cap and little 2 year old ‘Jo-Jo’.
Jo Jo enters the restaurant on her* ‘balance bike’ and proceeded to ride around said establishment whilst her aloof, selfish guardians ignored her, balancing the two acts of canoodling each other and ordering cocktails from the waitress.
Poor Jo Jo got tired quickly as she appeared to have some kind of Ebola variant and sat on Mum’s lap hacking her poor lungs up, making me think they might have been better to swap their espresso martini’s for a couple of sandwiches at Byron Emergency department.
I blame Jo Jo’s parents for all of this.
* my wife explained to me that Jo Jo was likely a little boy that had yet to have ‘their’ curly blonde locks cut since birth. The pastel toned Country Road clothes did nothing to help this distinction.
Soli at Beach Byron Bay last Saturday night after dusting off the Zegna.
Ah, the current teaching stories I am hearing too...
Hope your meal was good Soli.
Well said Dan, too.
Meal was a cracker. People watch was good entertainment.
@Zen: giggled a lot at that.
And all this happened without me being remotely aware.
Is there anything sadder than a Facebook blow up. It certainly isn’t young people on Facebook, they gave it up years ago.
Sounds like a good week, Stu. Your employer will be happy for all the media coverage.
Twist in plot. Stu found to have paid youngsters to put up sign, then leads blow up on Facebook under pseudonyms and Russian bots.
I jest. Stu is no channel 9, 7, Sky news or 2GB hack. :-)
Pretty much everyone is a blow in somewhere sometime.
Home and away has got a lot to answer for. I remember when to call yourself a 'surfer' you had to be able to surf and be a hard-core loser living on the fringe of society. These days every 9 year old girl is a surfer because they have a pink board leaning against their bedroom wall. Now I'm embarrassed to tell anyone I surf.
Just listened to interview. I like the comparison to a Simpson's town hall meeting.
Jeezus the mainstream media loves a good surf rage beat-up.
Stu got severely back paddled
AKA snaked by the mainstream media.
LOL.
In fairness the mainstream media loves a good beat up full stop.
I must have missed the ads of surfing selling incontinence pads. Isn’t it the one place you wouldn’t need them?
We all like surfing on a holiday
Lol, it was always clearly written by a kid having a laugh.
Crank this one up in the carpark.
So what’s a Local?5,10,15,20 years?2nd Generation?,went to Primary School or played or plays football or cricket at said locality?,works in the town?lives within a 15 k radius (or half radius or there’s a fair chance of drowning),the local publican,bottle shop or take away knows you by name?or just someone who puts the time in and is respectfull in the lineup
You were either born there or the first wave you ever surfed.
You may have even pioneered the break or area.
Thankfully there's no central authority to give a rigorous definition of what a local is but you can't go wrong being respectful and putting in the time.
I hope they are ideologically pure and paddle visiting Aboriginals upto the top of the point, show them the lineup markers/boils and tell them to take any wave they want. I've been a 'blowcal' in a surf tourism country for the last 8 months and a blow in for the last two years travelling and all the worst interactions I've seen have involved locals in Australia, Indo, South and Central America. Correlation doesn't mean causation but it's an interesting observation. Always when it's crowded as well.
Anyway, surfing is fun; surfers are lame. No wonder shows about surfers never take off like fighters, race car drivers, etc.
What's the most fuct sponsor a surfer has ever had?
Who's been the biggest clown
Sponsor wise?
What was the worst company brand to surf for ?
It's all just pissing in the wind! Love Tom Curren's quote says it all for me!
We have a spot here that won`t be named but on occasion the locals only sign goes up but I`ve not seen it for some years . It is frequently pointed out to the people we all call blow ins that we`re here all year round in all conditions so if you don`t play nice words are exchanged . If you still don`t get it expect the crew to block you constantly - same as every other break show respect and you`ll get it back .
I don`t venture into town much anymore but on occasion I`ll sneak up and hit a beachie between fairy meadow and bellambi and my god I don`t know how you locals can stand it . I get upset if down here theres more than 10 in the water and unless its a big playground I`ll go look elsewhere .
I agree you can`t explain surf law to non surfers , hell even beginners and a lot intermediates don`t get it either .
Did the " young locals" actually dig a big hole for themselves? Even fielding questions from the mainstream media proves an advertisement.
Best to have constructive criticism with surfer one on one
Then move on. Is probably the best option now days.
I just thank God that mainstream media never catches onto Ballina jewfishing localism.
Not sexy enough and takes place under cover of darkness.
Ha!
Heard shovel noses or stingrays spook em on the full.
a gutter story, maybe for the next blue moon....
Cabarita, back in 2015:
"Many expressed their disgust on social media over the "locals only...Qld are ****s" message emblazoned on the rocks.
While the "locals only" portion of the graffiti has been there for some time, the recent additions have caused a stir.
The slogan was accompanied by the words Kingy Klan, Caba Crew and a number of swastikas."
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/tweed-heads/qld-are-s-fury-ov...
Caba is getting over-developed like so many other places on the North Coast. I've lost count after about 50 sitting in the cove at Caba and don't even bother going out when there are more than 20 or so in the water. Some summer days, even during the week it's as crowded as Greenmount on a pro rata basis, taking into account the size of the break.
So many crackheads and tweakers up there.
In Ballina, or Tweed?
Caba/ Hastings
Personal experience/observations, or anecdotal?
Can't say I'm in agreeance. Although there are some rough patches throughout the Tweed, they're commonplace almost everywhere.
Personal experience and observations Ben.
There’s that element everywhere but, at least around where I live, it doesn’t permeate surf culture and the general youth culture.
Seemed to me to be quite pervasive around Hastings and Caba.
Fair enough. Certainly doesn't match my own observations and experience though (interestingly, Hastings Point has a population of only 661; I find it hard to categorise such a small community, let alone ascribe them a label. Even Caba's population is a mere 3,500).
From surfing at Caba and working at Hastings, it stuck out to me.
Felt similar to West Ballina tweakiness but with a much smaller population.
I’m not set in my ways though Ben, I’m happy to be convinced otherwise.
Been thinking about this side thread, relative to my own experiences on the Tweed over the last eight years. Kinda interesting to reflect on my views on five or six towns in the area (those that I spend time in on a regular basis each week), relative to what I do in each one - live, work, surf, kids school, shopping etc.
For example, working in Kingy every day has given me a unique snapshot of the town, but only through the eyes of a 9-5 window. I don't know what it's like at night or on weekends. And I reckon my views would be very different to other people who share the same routine.
Anyway, all very fascinating to reflect on.
Been a while, but back when i lived in Hastos there was no such element...there was my mate and neighbour that smoked more than a small village, the crew downstairs were meth heads but they got booted out never to be seen again... but other than that, nothing.
Caba seemed to have alot of young kids running amok on weekends but didn't seem too messy.
Tweed. Well, the Tweed Breed. ha. Always been a bit hectic around that part.
D'em chem's are a slippery slope, down... into a bottomless dark pit
This forum seems to be one of the only places I can see these real conversations happening.
It depresses me beyond belief that one can live in a "Surf Town", and yet to discuss such matters is shunned upon as the greatest of taboos.
I moved from NZ to Victoria a little while back, and whether its the woke nanny state mentality or just a completely different culture to what I'm used to - It boggles my mind what goes on in the water here. ZERO respect for any other individual, ZERO etiquette and worst of all ZERO local enforcement of any kind. Even the old boys, who have been living and surfing these points for decades don't do shit! It is sooooo far gone here that I say bring back the biff and sort out these sea change, city bred zombies who are ruining surfing.
NickD. Your opinion . Without naming exactly where, which coast? Because me and my mates surf regularly, are not young but not old , surf with myriad age groups, we see none of what you’ve just described. In fact , I’ll go as far to say we never really see or hear any dramas at all, mostly good banter, applause (vocal) for a great wave and genuinely good discussions between sets.
I must be living under the Cone of Silence, but I’m not that smart, Max. AW.
Yeah, I haven't experienced this either. Def feel less of the heavy localism that I might expect at certain breaks around the country/world.... but have experienced my fair share of purposefully loud comments between locals aimed at blow ins.
Etiquette-wise, it's always been OK. Plenty of douchebags in the surf, but you can't tell me that's just a Victoria thing.
in the far east, you'll find peace
As long as the dumb-thinking twit who put up that sign promises not to surf travel and live by his own rules. Personally, if I rolled up and saw that, I would smash the sign in two because no-one owns the beaches. I would prefer a sign that read something in the lines of "Respect local surfers".
1) Dumb-thinking?
2) No you wouldn't have.
right on
I'll never forget the sign that went up at bodyboard-fav Knights (South Oz) in the early 90's.
"No Cooks".
Can't find any reference to it on the interweb, though I do recall it was mentioned in the monthly Tracks or ASL column at the time.
What's for dinner then?
LOL.
Caned my ribs this morning surfing and am trying not to laugh or sneeze.
Thanks Ben!! :-P
The first time I've seen a sign like this on my travels!
Don't believe it. It's a trap!
(It's really a beachbreak)
This is true!
Surprised the covid dog sign erected in front of the trigger bro cam at Gunnamatta during covid didn't get a bit more coverage.
https://beachgrit.com/2020/07/surfers-on-victorias-mornington-peninsula-...
And where is the media and community outrage over this one...?
https://www.reddit.com/r/wollongong/comments/15918va/cop_that_local_surf...
Begun the clown wars have.
More than surfin chaos, it is beauty, a dreamy, quiet place, sold out for insta'fame
"But then Instagram came along. Its geotagging feature can pinpoint the exact location of a photo. It has affected many natural spaces, from once quiet national parks such as xxxxx to formerly hidden waterfalls everywhere, which are now overrun with crowds, cars, noise and trash, leading to rules, fences and even closures."
reference
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/06/sports/secret-surf-spots.html
Paywalled that one bb.
I could have copied the whole NYTimes article, but... it mentioned too many surf spots....
This could be the most brilliant piece of installation art of modern times :-) I'd never speak Illawarra.
The furor is up there with the face slapping of that German female judo competitor by her coach at the Tokyo Olympics.