Alright, the time has come! This is the surfing article I’ve been drafting for the last hour or so. I don’t know too much about it personally, so if anyone has any tips it would be much appreciated. This is an IC article written by my PC, so some of the lingo might be a bit choppy. I also borrowed from the real-life lingo used by most surfers today…simply because I don’t think I could quite master giving techniques/parts new Aelyrian terms. 
Let me know what everyone things!
Surfing
The New Way to Coast Through Life
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“Surfing isn’t just a hobby, it’s way more than that. Sure, if I had to give you a list of the things I like best, one night stands and drunken debauchery kinda top out, but surfing’s up there. It’s one of those things where…when it’s just you and the ocean, and the shoreline is a couple hundred feet out, you feel so incredibly alone and impasse with the world. Like…nothing matters anymore. Just you and that wave. It’s a way of life, really, if I had to describe it.” – Jamie ‘Tsunami’ Almari, local Ieffreon surfing phenomenon
Overview
Surfing is a growing water
hobby in which individuals attempt to catch and ride atop of breaking waves towards the shoreline, commonly using something known as a surfboard. Almost never are surfers, or those of us whom participate in this amazing activity, without a surfboard when trying to catch a wave. These wooden objects, approximately ten and a half feet long and roughly the width of a human person, are integral tools to the trade used for balance and support when riding the ocean’s waves. This guide attempts to explain the basics of surfing from its overly zealous (or so I’m told) founder’s viewpoint in hopes as serving as an inspiration to others to take on this growing attraction.
Background
Surfing was first discovered and then popularized by a handsome good looking outsider whom was, contrary to public belief, not-quite-so-native to Ieffreon as many would have expected. To spare the romancing bits, surfing actually developed as a feasible past time when I realized that wood floats. It had never really struck out at me before like that, but…really. Think about it. Wood floats. So do logs. And boats. And expensive yachts. And witches. So…why not float on wood? The idea took form when I hired a local lumberjack, whom, come to think of it, really struck me more as a bum the way he was going around chopping into his neighbor’s fence posts, to cut down a tree and get to work. My first attempts at crafting the first feasible (and stylish) flotation devices ended horribly: first, we attempted wooden boots…which did not end well, and then we cut out a large circular floating disc that was much more reminiscent of a raft than either of us would have preferred. It wasn’t until I got to thinking of how logs made it down the river that it struck me to have something a little heftier in length and less so in width.
Thus came the creation of the surfboard.
Towering at ten and a half feet long and measuring three or so feet in diameter, this Ioannes-given bout of divine revelation is the by-all end-all answer to any surfer’s troubles. After paying off the bum and darting off to the beach, I nicked some sandpaper and began sanding it down right and proper. Smooth as porcelain. Just not as shiny. After creating this divine masterpiece, I broke out to the waves like a lost pup sniffing its way home. Cliché, I know. What follows are the basics to what I managed to pick up on, learn, and master. My only tip of advice? Don’t drown.
Dynamics
Any surfer worth his salt (and believe me, you’ll be tasting quite a bit) has to study the locale before partaking in the festivities the ocean offers. That means charting the shoreline, scouting out the weather, and making sure you don’t run into tsunami-like swells that’ll inevitably drag you to the bottom of the ocean in a grueling pit of death and darkness before clocking you out on the coral reef and having you wake up drowning in the Umblat.
Not to worry.
Half of surfing is the know-how. That means you gotta pick your location, instead of letting the location pick you. Backtrack, read it again, think about it. It’ll make sense. Because of the turbulent nature of Carmelya’s watery creation, playing it smart by doing a little research has never hurt anyone. Especially me. This means recognizing the weather patterns, and moving your arse up out of Enamoria and to the Eunesian isles so you won’t have to deal with winter and frostbite. Sure, everybody wants to live in a place that has seasons. Mine just ignores the crappy ones.
Regardless, if you
don’t decide to dedicate your life to the waves, be sure to recognize that the height of the waves, or the swells, vary across the Empire. The predominant western wind more often than not generates swells that advance eastward. This tends to be true in most places across the Empire, save for the frigid temperatures of Jaedaxia, or inlets such as Libertas Bay. During the summer months, when the heat kicks up and the Kalendryan Observatories get their panties in a wad about hurricanes and cyclones, that’s where the real fun begins. Any sort of tropical storm is
certain to generate some waves, both before and after it hits. Granted, you should never run to the beach for a surf when its thundering and lightning all about, but all the same…most of the largest swells I’ve ever been treated to have been both a few brightenings before and after any sort of storm hit.
The second bit about recognition is the locale itself. The last thing you want to do when showing off to some of the natives is bash your head in against a rock and have them fetch your mangled body for a right and proper drop six feet under. Scouting out locations is an incredibly important tool of the trade when surfing. Rocky coastlines, coral reefs, or dangerous shark hot spots never make for a fun time when you’re out in the sea. In fact, they make it damn near Aerternia. Be smart, and do your research before you go get wet.
The Real Dynamics
Waves aren’t simple things. They can be cute and sweet, or they can be monstrous and horrendous. It’s almost like going to a bar and getting drunk then bringing a girl home. You never know what you got on your hands until it’s too late. The
key, though, is to not wake up disappointed the next morning. So, in order to properly equip you for the wide-ranging world of ocean swells and tides, it’s important to learn how to recognize what’s
really going on beneath that deep blue surface.
Swells are determined in part by two factors: wind, and the makeup of the ocean floor. I’ve had enough bad experiences with reefs and rocky coastlines to tell the difference between what’s going to be a good wave, and what’s going to eat me up and spit me back out (Speaking of which, men, don’t
ever go near the alluring femme in the red dress at a foreign bar. She’s bait. And despite how confident you are in your own abilities in the bedroom, it’s just a bad idea). The wave itself is made when the wind blows consistently over a large body of water – this can be a bay, an inlet, and especially the open sea. Rivers and lakes don’t usually work out so well. The size of the wave is determined mostly by the strength of the wind, and how long it decides to blow. So places like Eunesia or the Sherian western coastline would get a fair bit better burst from the winds coming from the west than Archadoon or Jaedaxia might facing northward or eastward. Local winds almost always affect how the wave actually turns out – and it’s a fair bit of guess and check when it comes to figuring out what’s good and what’s mediocre. The stronger the wind is heading towards the coastline, the more likely the wave will pick up speed and barrel or ‘break’ before reaching the shore.
The other important factor of a wave is what you don’t see or feel. That’s fancy talk for what’s underneath. As a wave propels towards the water, it pushes up everything underneath. I call it an upthrust, because when a wave passes over sudden drops or steep slopes underneath the water (formed by sandbars, reefs – which you don’t want to go near, or other odd formations underwater) the wave contours to the underwater seabed directly beneath it.
It’s common knowledge that the length of a wave is usually three or so times longer than the width of it. This is mostly determined by the wind, unless the ocean floor underneath the wave changes drastically in a short period of time. When a swell runs along a slope, it continues to peel off and break at a lower rate – whereas if it runs haphazardly across steep drops or reefs, it’ll bend much faster.
Recognizing what’ll make a good wave isn’t a science, it’s a lifestyle. Experience and intuition dictate the majority of a surfer’s decision when paddling out into the deep blue horizon, and more often than not the best swells come out of chance rather than careful planning. Determining speed, height, and intensity are drawn more by getting a feel for the location and having a fair share of experience with wind conditions rather than any fancy pantsy mathematical formulas. So you lads at the observatories better hang onto your britches.
Lexicon- Natural foot - Right foot on back of board
- Drunk foot - Left foot on back of board
- Lying out – Paddling outwards to catch a wave
- Drop in - dropping into the wave, most often as part of standing up
- "Burn" – dropping in on a wave when someone else is closer to its peak, considered rude and inappropriate surfing etiquette
- Break – not to be confused with the break of a wave; pushing the board underwater, nose first, and diving through an oncoming wave instead of riding it
- Snaking - paddling around someone to get into the best position for a wave (in essence, stealing it)
- Pop-up - Going from lying on the board to standing, all in one jump
- Bottom turn - the first turn at the bottom of the wave
- Shoulder - the unbroken part of the wave
- Cutback - a turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave
- Pump - an up/down carving movement that generates speed along a wave
- Stall - slowing down by shifting weight to the tail of the board or putting a hand in the water
- Barrel Riding - riding inside the hollow curl of a wave
- Carve – fancy word for turns (often accentuated)
- Pearl - accidentally driving the nose of the board underwater, generally ending the ride
- Off the Top - a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving
- Snap - a quick, sharp turn off the top of a wave
- Water Lizard – derogatory term commonly tossed about to younger surfers (in their teenage years)
Skill Tree
Novice – Referred to as being a little wet behind the ears, rather than green, Apprentices are almost always initiates curious about surfing and under the tutelage of someone who knows the ropes. They can be commonly seen crashing, struggling to stand up, floundering, making complete fools of themselves, etc. It is at this stage that the surfer begins to realize the meaning behind ‘fury of the sea’, and acquires a second set of legs when it comes to stabilizing themselves atop a surfboard. They can perform the most basic of techniques, such as paddling and standing atop crests, but are entirely defunct at riding anything larger than a pint-sized swell.
Some basic techniques are:- Lying Out – The surfer is taught how to properly lie atop of a surfboard and paddle out using his shoulders, arm, and sometimes feet to weave through the ocean’s lesser waves and get out a sufficient distance away from the shoreline.
- Break – One of the surfer’s most useful weapons in the neophyte’s arsenal, breaking enables them to dip the tip of their board into the wave and quite literally dive –through- it, allowing it to pass over them.
- Pop Up – Easily the most difficult part to master about surfing, popping up is the term that refers to a surfer’s ability to actually stand up on the board while catching a wave. Most commonly, this is taught by having the would-be surfer transition from lying out, to kneeling in a crouched position, to slowly balancing and steadying themselves atop the board in a stance. Recommended trial on dry land before attempting.
Apprentice – It is here that the true surfer is made. Fortunately, things begin picking up for the neophytes as they continue to gain more and more experience with the ocean waves. They can ride out to larger crests, master more basic maneuvers, and begin mirroring the more popular surfing techniques and styles. The locale island natives and coastline sealovers are more commonly than not this proficient with a surfboard.
Some intermediate techniques are:- Fade – After dropping in, the surfer aims the tip of their board towards the breaking part of the wave, before turning sharp and surfing along the direction the wave is breaking towards.
- Pitched Over – When a surfer falls and the wave carries them in a circular motion under the lip of the wave. Journeyman surfers (fairly quickly) gain intimate knowledge in recognizing bubble patterns beneath the water’s surface and figuring out which way is up and which way is down in a hurry.
- Pump – Applying pressure to the front of the surfboard to generate speed along a wave.
- Stall – Shifting one’s weight to the back of a surfboard in order to stall the board; also done by placing a hand in the water to induce friction.
Journeyman – It is here that the smattering of style and improvisation is born. Having mastered the basics to such a point that they can be performed almost without thinking, Master Surfers are something of a commodity. They begin developing their own unique maneuvers, attracting crowds and competitions with their ability to master the waves. Although the more nefarious big swells are beyond them, they can begin teaching others how to surf with the knowledge and experience they’ve accumulated.
Some Advanced techniques are:- Floater – Riding at the peak of the breaking part of the wave, and eventually coming down with it once it ebbs out.
- Hang Ten – Shifting one’s stance along a surfboard to place ten toes over the nose of the surfboard; considered nearly impossible to accomplish while riding a crest.
- Hang Heels – Facing backwards atop the surfboard and managing to shift one’s stance to the nose of the surfboard and hang their heels off the edge.
- Re-entry – Hitting the lip of the wave vertically and managing to re-enter (or… ‘drop in’ again) the wave in quick succession.
Master – It is rare to see anyone become so at peace with the waves that they manage to begin redefining the sport. Sages are far and few between, individuals whom are tourists snares and coastal city-attractions. These men and women compete in provincial wide tournaments and have usually found some crazy means in which to turn this hobby into a profession. Tourist resorts pay them to stay on the island; competitions increase the crown prize for performing the most fancy maneuvers. These individuals get penciled into the annals of surfing history as the true greats who are the faces of this rapidly growing hobby.
Some Expert techniques are:- Barrel Riding – Surfing within the inside of the hollow curl of a wave.
- Finning – Carving, or making a sharp turn, along the peak of a wave to the point where the fins alongside the surfboard jut out over the crest.
Grandmaster – Only a handful whom would consider themselves authorities on the subject that is surfing exist. Funnily enough, they're all my friends and compatriots sprinkled about Eunesia. The cream of the crop, they continually sharpen their skills and invent what are deemed impossible marvels with the ocean’s waves. They possess an almost uncanny ability to read the ocean’s movements, and have a finesse and skill beyond description with words.
A few ‘rumored’ masterful techniques are:- Switchfoot – Having the unnatural ability to be able to surf either natural foot or drunk foot (the equivalent to being ambidextrous with one’s feet).
- Aerial – When the surfer rides the board briefly over the peak and into the air, before landing back on the wave and continuing to ride the swell.
Dangers
Drowning
Yes, it happens. Even though you might be reading this and saying “But Jamie, surfboards are made from wood!” do try and realize that you will sometimes, in fact, I guarantee you will eventually become separated from your surfboard. Which means it cannot be counted on as any sort of buoyancy and flotation advice. When you get thrown off a wave and ducked under, your best bet is praying to Ioannes you can tell which way is up and then getting your arse up there.
Sea-Life
What, you expected the ocean to be included in man’s dominion? Just because you ferry yourself from mainland to island and coastal hop around the place in fancy yachts or boats doesn’t mean the beasties aren’t out there. Keep an eye out for sharks, crocodiles, and cougars. The sort that run around on the beach in skimpy dresses.
– Written and penned down by Jamie Almari.
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