Camel Rock rights (and wrongs) — Navigating the waves and attitudes of the North Coast
While some view localism as a sort of antiquated pissing match, having experienced surfers calling the shots has some benefits. “If there’s not people in the line-up controlling things, it gets more hectic and dangerous for everyone,” Carl said. Of course, he added, “it sucks for people to be rude, too.” He’s been riding waves since he was 12 — he’s 31 now — and sees a split between “people who begin surfing in their mid-to-late 20s” and people who have been surfing their whole lives. On one side, he said, the latecomers bring big egos and can’t deal with being put in their place — “just because you own a surfboard and a wetsuit doesn’t mean you can surf” — and, on the other, surfers who feel their expertise entitles them to treat everyone else poorly. How does he deal with this mix at Camel Rock? “I try not to surf there a lot,” he shrugged.
As echoed as this sentiment is, Camel Rock remains crowded. The return of Humboldt State University students is already grumbled about. So much for the peaceful state of mind surfing is supposed to encourage.
But all hope is not lost. The swell might pick up, but emotions don’t have to.
Listen, if you’re new in town, be respectful. If you’re new to surfing, be doubly so. Pay attention to the line-up. Beginners, stay out of the way. Go to Moonstone until you have a sense of what you’re doing. When paddling for a wave, look over your shoulder. If someone else is closer to the peak, either stop or be prepared to pull back if he or she catches it. (If you’re a guy, don’t assume a girl’s not going to catch the wave. That happens too often, but you don’t hear about it because most girls are too nice to cuss you out.) If you’re an experienced surfer, don’t make the beginner feel worse about kooking out, just accept the apology gracefully. If you find yourself in front of someone, direct your board over the back of the wave to get out of the way. Apologize immediately. Pay your dues, and one of these days, that guy in the Wildberries parking lot might actually smile when you ask him where to go.
Besides being the Scene Editor for the Arcata Eye and a DJ on KSLG, Jennifer Savage is a surfer, spoken word artist and a mom.
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