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May 8 - More BA - BS - And Localism -

Whew - Finally a day without surfing - at least for me!

My arms felt like hers.

But - tomorrow, there's another south swell on it's way, and the tide's perfect for a 5:00 am beach start.

And -

I just gotta get this off of my chicken-breasted chest - all started, again, because of last week's La Jolla Light article about localism at Wind**Sea -

Actually, I thought the article was well written, but the Light's still a fish wraper.

Localism, in my opinion, does not mean violence toward "non-locals" and it never has -

The very mention of surfing localism, my wave, my beach, is, for the most part, just a good way to sell, or give away fish wrappers.

But I will guarantee you, that if you paddle-out into a heavily "localized area" like Wind**Sea, N*w Br**k, etc., and you act as if you, and the rest of your car pool, are the only ones in the water, you may find some resistance to your behavior.

I think that a "local" at any beach, whether that beach is a prime surfing area - Black's for example - or, an unprime surfing area - Seaweed Gulch for example, is one [a local] who is accepted and respected because he (or she)

• Has spent quite a bit of time - SURFING - at that beach - not just hanging out in the parking lot or the water's edge.
  
  • Parking lot acceptance is not the same as in the water acceptance - cause the time you gotta log as a parking lot "surfer" ain't nothing compared to the water time.
    
    
  • For The Shores, it's pretty easy to become a parking lot local - just show-up on Saturday morning with a weekend's supply of donuts and coffee.
    
    
  • For a Wind**Sea type parking lot local, the fast-track to become a "parking lot local" may be predicated by the quantity of drugs or booze he or she is willing and able to supply to the current "parking lot locals."
    
    
    • Please do not confuse parking lot locals with the surfing locals regardless of the surf spot!
      
      
• On the other hand, the size of one's bank account, or trust fund, or parking lot acceptance, don't mean nada in the lineup at Wind**Sea - or other prime surfing areas.
  
  
• It's really simple- at least for me - (and if YOU don't know what I mean [below] then keep surfing Lake Michigan)
  
  
  • I, as well as every other local surfer in the lineup, did not paddle-out, just to watch somebody else surf -
  
  
  
  • Most locals don't want every wave - even though they act as if they do - and they do become a bit more protective of each wave if you act as if you're gonna grab 'em all.
    
    
  • Most will wait their turn - so should you
    
    
  • Paddling out, you gotta be willing to take a wave or two on the head, so the guy riding the wave will get a better ride
    
    
  • You gotta hang on to your board
    
    
  • If you do the old "paddle-around" trick - be prepared to be paddled around on EVERY wave!
    
    
  • Most "surfing locals" would NEVER go to your neighborhood and litter your recreational areas - please don't do it to the beach.
    

I'm sure that if more attention were paid to respecting prime surfing areas, and their "local users" and less about the tales of violence and localism - I for one, could spend more time surfing, as less time trying to explain localism to a bunch of kooks all of whom would love to be respected in the lot, on the beach, and in the line-up...

Sorry, but for most of you, you ain't got the desire to surf as well in the water as you do in your dreams -

Keep dreaming

Later,

BA

BA - Black's - 2000 - Geoff Pastusack Photo

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