September is a special time of year in the northeast, especially here in Rockaway Beach and this September is shaping up to be a great one! As the summer crowds begin to thin out, the air becomes just a step cooler, the water is as warm as ever, and the prime of hurricane season is poised to provide opportunities to get some legendary runs of surf.

September sessions fueled by tropical systems can be magical but also must be treated with respect from newest kook to the most seasoned surfers alike. This article is for the beginners who don’t know any better and the intermediate surfers who think they know better (YOU REALLY DON’T), and is intended to create a safer, friendlier, and more enjoyable surf environment for all.

Rule Number 1: KNOW YOUR LIMITS

If you are a beginner and are renting boards, riding long boards and foam tops, still have inconsistent pop ups, lack of board control and no paddle stamina you have no business trying to paddle out next time a tropical system heads up the coast! Storm fueled surf is significantly more powerful and dangerous than typical summer surf and you risk yourself and others by paddling out. In your case it is better to sit on the sidelines and try and watch and learn from the beach, try and spot the best breaking peak, try and spot and time the easiest paddle out, try to identify skilled and unskilled surfers throughout the line up, and of course mind surf the shit out of ass many waves as possible.

Rule Number 2: RESPECT THE LINEUP

If you are a more advanced beginner or intermediate surfer you might have the poise and the board control to be able to easily make the paddle out, or even be riding a smaller board in this larger surf but you have to resist the temptation to go and sit right on the main peak. Just because you have the ability to paddle over there doesn’t mean you deserve to be there! The main peak should be reserved for the highest skilled and most experienced surfers of the day to trade waves in an orderly fashion where safety and priority are as much concerns as catching and riding waves.

The bare minimum to be able to share the peak with others has to be a full understanding of etiquette, a high degree of board control, and a high level of confidence in your abilities. If you are not highly skilled or haven’t been surfing for a decade you should instead focus on waves just down the beach off of the main peak (not just a few yards down on the shoulder of the same wave) this will open up wave counts and quality of rides for both parties involved. Some other very helpful tips would be not to paddle right up to someone and sit right near them, try to create as much space as possible! Never paddle out and turn around and take the very first wave because you are literally last in line and the only time that is acceptable behavior is if you are in an empty line up. Always look around before committing to a wave and never try to compete by paddling parallel with someone who is deeper than you on the peak. Even if you pull off the wave and let the deeper surfer take the ride, you still force your section of the wave to prematurely break thus ruining the quality of the person’s wave and or preventing them from getting past that section all together. This advice is not just about etiquette or respect but foremost about safety. Property can be replaced but human life cannot and that is what is at risk when you make irresponsible decisions in the water whether they are formed by ego or ignorance.

So remember, with great surf comes great responsibility, or something like that. When Surfline calls for a good run of swell we could all use an “Uncle Ben” in our lives to keep us in check and remind us about our responsibilities to others around us. Respect the ocean, respect the wildlife, respect the locals and respect yourself!

-DOT