Drop-Ins, Part 1 -- 5/18/01

Did the Diamond Head thing once again on a funky south/trade swell combo. The surf was in the head-high range, with no winds to speak of. Also, the tide was bottoming out nearly to zero, making the waves back off and shift quite a bit.

Since I had to again run around town, I was riding my bodyboard, trying to make the best of it. A longboard would have been perfect for the back-offish conditions, but sometimes you just can't use the right tool for the job.

From the get-go, I felt like I was just being dissed in the lineup. I sat deep with the longboarders and took off behind everyone. However, many in the crowd (not the regulars) proceeded to ice everyone, dropping in on the shoulder and burning people, especially, it seemed, said sponger.

I think I got dropped in on on my first five waves (about ten total). This one big guy on a tanker just unfailingly went for every wave I was on, blatantly running ahead of me, leaving me in the whitewater.

Because of the continuous assault, I started getting some serious surf rage. I actually started plotting the scenarios on how to handle the drop-ins. I methodically thought about knocking the guy down by going rail-to-rail or even pulling his leash. Then I thought about what I would say on the ensuing dialog, to the point of which swear words to use and not to use.

Even though I had all these evil thoughts, in my heart I knew I probably wouldn't act on them. It's one thing to think about them, but takes a whole 'nother level to do it.

People may not realize it, but I actually was one of those very passive types when I was young

Man! I completely can relate to you as in not being the 'popular one' and getting 'bullyed' on sometimes!

Marcio

I can relate too. Yesterday I was out at my local (NORCAL) break and some highschooler cut me off twice. It seemed like I was invisible to him. I thought for a while and paddled over to him and said 'don't do that again.' I had to ask him whether he understood. me. Woulda hit the little bastard if he kept ignoring me!

I forced the point and he finally agreed and apologized. He split quick after that, and left the parking lot rather quickly too.

The point: - Assert yourself. Spongers don't rule, but we deserve equal wave credit.

bye4now - spungmunkees

Sounds familiar. The only difference is, the tools are backwards. My experience has been that only about 25% of the bodyboarders in the water know what they are doing. The rest are tourists from Ohio who unknowingly drop in on any wave passing through, whether its being ridden already or not. That being said, I can empathise with you: every wave I rode today had at least 3 drop-ins. My recommendation: get a heavy bag when tourist season starts each year, and go home after each session and beat it to a pulp. Or bring some of yer west-side buddies with you next time