Are you down with surf lingo? There is so much surf slang out there…do you know the difference
between a front-side pit and pig-dogging a barrel?
Ok, do you know what this sentence means?: ‘I got up for the
dawny, the wind was offshore and the waves were double over head with spitting
barrels.’
The times are changing though so fear not, here at Surf
Holidays we know how confusing surfing can become when it’s being talked about,
which is why we have decided to write a secret weapon for the newcomers to the
world of surfing… Surf Holidays surf term glossary!
Surfing vocabulary is slightly confusing, a little weird and
highly imaginative, so have a read below and put it to practice when paddling
out on your surfing holidays or even
just drop some surf knowledge on the groms at the local!
Aerial – A moved
pulled off by advanced surfers. Can be a multitude of manoeuvres, but must be
performed above and from the wave in the air.
A-Frame – Refers
to the way a wave breaks. This is the type of wave surfers are after, creates
perfect barrelling lefts and right hand waves at the same time.
Aggro – Short for
aggressive in the water and line-up. Also can be applied to a person’s
attitude.
Amped – Extremely
excited and happy to be going surfing. Can be applied to any activity.
Ankle Peelers – This
refers to extremely small surf that is still just about rideable.
Backdoor – This
when you pull into a barrel from behind the peak. Some of the deepest barrels
can be had when you backdoor them.
Backside – For
regular footed surfers, backside would be going left on a wave and for goofy
footers this would be a right handed wave. It refers to surfing with your back
towards the wave.
Banks – When
someone asks; ‘How are the banks looking?’ they are referring to the sandbanks
on the beach and their effect on the waves.
Barrel – This is
the hollow circular part of the wave that surfers the world over strive to be
in.
Beach Bunny – The
name for girls and women who go to the beach to watch surfers and work on their
tan. It’s basically a full time job in some countries!
Beach Leech – A fantastic
term given to those who always turn up at the beach borrowing boards, using
your wax and raiding your cool-box.
Blank – The name
given to the piece of foam that a surfboard is shaped from.
Blown out – The
term given to the sea when it’s stormy and un-rideable. A good day to stay indoors!
Boardies – This
refers to the shorts you wear surfing or down the beach. A good pair of
boardies will hold up strong on that two month Indo trip.
Booger – This is
a slang term for our prone riding brethren, bodyboarders.
Bra/Bro – A term
of endearment towards other surfers, shortened from brother.
Breakwater – Boulders,
cement, and/or steel extending out into the water and designed to reduce
shoreline erosion but can actually result in good wedge waves from side wash.
Carve – This is
what turning on a wave is referred to. Also refers to an English surf magazine.
Caught Inside – Probably
one of the worst things that can occur when surfing, especially when it’s big.
This means when you are caught in the impact zone with waves breaking in front
of you.
Charging – A term
given to the way in which a person surfs a wave of consequence, e.g. The two
guys out at Nazare are charging.
Clean – This is
the desired wave face type caused by offshore or little wind.
Clean up set – When
a much larger set of waves than seen all day comes through and catches everyone
inside.
Close out – When
a wave comes in with one big long face and shuts down all at one time.
Corduroy – This
is when swell fills into a bay and the ocean looks like corduroy fabric.
Cranking/Pumping – When
the waves are really, really good.
Crest – The top
of the wave
Cut Back – A
manoeuvre where you turn back towards the breaking part of the wave.
Dawn Patrol/Dawny
– This refers to going for a surf at first light.
Deck – This is
the part of your board that you stand on.
Doggy door – This
refers to when a surfer is in the barrel and they just about make it out of the
wave before it shuts down on them.
Drop in – Dropping
in on another surfer is one of the worst surf crimes you can do! A surfer
catches a wave that another surfer is already on, ruining the ride for the
surfer who has priority.
Duck Dive – This
the manoeuvre that aids in you getting out to the line-up. It involves pushing
down on the front of your board and using your knee to push the rest of the
board under the oncoming wave.
Epic – Another
term used to describe really good surf conditions. Often reserved for the best
days of the year.
Face – The
unbroken part of the wave that surfers glide across.
Fakie – The same
as skating, this refers to riding backwards and tail first on a wave. Often
done after an air or power turn.
Fin – These are
what keep your board stable and allows for turns and manoeuvrability.
Firing – Another
term used for great waves, e.g. ‘The waves were firing this arvo bro!’
Flat – When there
are no waves at all, not even ankle peelers!
Foamies – Soft
top surfboards that are normally used by beginner surfers at surf schools, but
can used by all.
Frontside – The
opposite to backside, surfing with your front towards the wave. A regular footed surfer going right or a goofy
footed surfer going left will be surfing frontside.
Froth – This is
the white airy foam that is left after a breaking wave.
Frothing – Acting
excitedly towards something surf related. E.g. ‘The groms were frothing over
their new wetsuits on the dawn patrol.’
Glassy – A smooth
water surface and waves that resemble glass.
Gnarly – Large
and dangerous surf conditions.
Goofy Foot – The
surfing stance with your right foot forward.
Green room – The
inside of the barrel.
Grom/Grommet – A
young surfer typically under the age of 16.
Ground swell –
Large consistent swells generated by far away low pressure storms.
Gun – A large
surfboard used for surfing big waves.
Hang Five/Ten – A
traditional longboard move where you put your five or ten toes over the nose of
your board.
Heavy – Can be
used to describe powerful waves or a group of aggressive locals at a particular
spot. E.g. ‘the wolf-pack guys at Pipeline are heavy.’
Hollow – Used to
describe barrelling waves. E.g. ‘the waves are super hollow today.’
Keg – Another
term for a barrel.
Kick out – To
pull out of a wave.
Impact zone – The
area where waves are breaking. The toughest part to get through.
Indo – The short
abbreviation of Indonesia, a popular spot for travelling surfers.
Kook – A beginner
surfer who gets in the way and doesn’t know what they’re doing.
Leash – The leg
rope that keeps you attached to your board.
STEREOTYPE!!!:
Line Up – The
area out the back where you sit and catch waves.
Lines – Multiple
swell lines.
Lip – The
pitching tip of the wave.
Log – A term used
for a long-board.
Lull – A gap
between waves when the ocean calms.
Maxed Out –
Un-surfable large waves.
Mushy/Mushburger – Used
to describe onshore weak waves.
Nailed – Another
term to describe falling of a wave. E.g. ‘bro I got so nailed on my last wave!’
Noodle arms –
When you can’t paddle anymore due to surfing too much.
Nose – The front
of your surfboard.
Offshore – When
the wind blows from the land towards the ocean creating clean waves.
Onshore – When
the wind blows from the ocean towards the land creating undesirable conditions.
Outback – The
spot past the breaking waves where you sit, wait and catch waves.
Outside – An area
beyond the line-up where clean up waves break.
Overhead – When
the wave face is taller than the person riding it.
Over the falls – To
wipe-out and get dragged over by the lip.
Party Wave – When
you and others catch a wave at the same time for fun. Not a drop in!
Pipe – Famous
Hawaiian reef break.
Pop-Out – A mass
produced plastic based board produced by machine.
Priority – This
refers to the person who is closest to the breaking part of the wave when
trying to catch. When a wave is approaching the surfer closest to the curling,
breaking part of the wave has first priority to catch it.
Pull out – To
pull back on a wave and not catch it.
Pumping – Used to
describe really good surf. E.g. ‘the surf was pumping yesterday bra.’
Rails – The sides
of your surfboard.
Regular foot –
The surfing stance with your left foot forward on the front of the board.
Rip – A current
of water in the ocean. Also known as a riptide.
Rocker – The
bottom curve of your surfboard.
SAS – The
organisation Surfers Against Sewage.
Set – A
collection of waves that pulse in.
Shacked – Riding
a good barrel. E.g. ‘I got so shacked on my last wave.’
Shaka – A hand
signal used to greet other surfers and a sign of endearment to other surfers.
Sick – Used to
describe something impressive.
Sketchy – Used to
describe something unsafe. E.g. ‘the waves on the reef this morning were so
sketchy!’
Slash – A
powerful turn resulting in loads of spray coming off your board.
Snaking – When
you continually paddle pass people in priority to catch waves.
Spit – The result
of hollow and powerful waves braking. A mist comes flying out of the barrel.
Sponger – A
bodyboarder.
Stick – Another
name for a surfboard.
Stoked – To feel
happy and excited.
Stringer – The
wood strip that runs down the middle of your surfboard.
Swell – The raw
form of waves.
Tail – The rear
section of your board.
Take off – The
starting part of riding a wave.
Toes on the nose
– Another term used for hanging five/ten.
Tow in – To be
towed into a wave with the use of a jet-ski or boat.
Trim – To glide
away.
Tube – Once
again, another name for a barrel.
Ulus – A popular
Balinese surf break.
Wax – The
substance you rub on the top of your board for traction.
Wedge – A type of
wave caused by side wash from a breakwater, sandbanks or rock face. Causes
waves to wedge up. The most famous wedge in the world is Newport Wedge in
California.
Wipe out – To fall
off a wave.
Other articles you may also want to read:
Kelly
Slaters top 10 rules for success
These
exercises will have you in the best possible shape for your surfing holidays
