The 3 best tips to surf in a crowded peak

You must have found yourself already in situations where the line-up got super busy with surfers and it became almost impossible to enjoy surfing.

This not just kills the joy of surfing but also a potential harm of damaging your board or even worse, yourself. In the following article you can find 3 tips that can help you deal with this problem.

Communication:

It is so important and at the same time is so underrated since we tend to become too selfish while hunting our own waves.

When you arrive, always say “Hi” or ask fellow surfers about the surf and put a smile on your face, this will help to be more accepted and not cause more tension in the crowd.

Be polite, when a wave comes you can also tell others to paddle you skip this one. If there is a way to surf left or right just sign which way is your aim “I go right”, “I go left”.

Observe!

This might be the best advice . For a short while just sit without catching waves and observe how the situation is.

It’s really just the only peak that the beach can offer or you can actually change location. How far is the big set breaking? If it’s further away from the crowd it might be a good idea to wait there and catch all the big ones.

Try to see how the crowd moves, make sure that you are not paddling for a wave which is in the aim of many, instead wait for the next wave so you can have time to paddle to the right spot and be right on the peak with priority. 

Improve your paddling:

Without paddling you are not going anywhere , maximum to the rip current but definitely not catching waves.

With a powerful paddling technique you will be able to paddle for the big sets further out where nobody is and also after catching a wave you can get back to the peak in a short time so you let the rest of the surfers behind you.

With this you increase your wave count . It’s always good to use the advantage of your speed but make sure that you follow the surfing ethics and not cutting anyone for a wave.