WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG -- RICK FIGNETTI

Happy belated Fourth of July everyone. Surf City has been crowded this

week, with everyone coming down for the holiday week-fest. The parade was

as enormous as ever, and one of these years the mayor’s gonna have a

fully airbrushed surfboardwith an American Flag on it -- I predict --

hanging out ofthe back of the convertible.

The beach’s have been super packed, too, and parking has been a bit of

a problem with all the construction at the south side and Bolsa Chica

parking lots. But the improvements should benefit all with improved

facilities, restrooms and concession stands.

The lifeguards have been busy as well, making rescues because of the

south swell and rip tides.

With the crowds in the water reaching maximum capacity some days, I

think surfers should follow the rules and regulations of courtesy out

there. Most sports have rules and guidelines, but there hasn’t been too

much written about the fine print ofsurfing.

Not that I like the idea, but there’s still two moremonths of summer

left before it thins down again.

First off, when paddling out, always try to paddle around the break.

Most spots usually break in the same place ‘cause of sandbars, reefs,

rocks, piers or jettys. That is usually the takeoff zone. Try to let the

surfer on the wave go by, even ifit means taking some gas being hit by

the wave.

When paddling through a wave, always hold on to your board -- if you

let it go it might hit somebody behind you. Plus it might fly back and

hit you, not to mention your wasting time pulling it back in and getting

back on it. If you get hit by the wave and forced down it will float you

back to the surface,too.

If a peak comes in, the person closest to the curl, or breaking part

of the wave, usually has the inside position and should have wave

possession. If it’s a peak and two surfers are on both sides of it, each

has priority on their own side.

Communication is a good idea. Try talking to someonewhile you’re

paddling, like: “You wanna split it?, I’ll goright you go left.”

Also the surfer who’s farther out has more priority than someone on

the inside -- although you see guys paddling out sometimes try to whip it

around closest to the curl and try to snake the outside guy.

When someone is riding a wave, don’t drop in on them. Most surfers

prefer to ride alone. If you do drop in on them and eat it, you could get

run over, hit by the board or get a ding in yours. Some beginners have to

look back and see that someonealready has it -- wait for the next one.

Don’t be a hogger. Catch your fair share of waves and give waves to

others. You’ll be surprised. You get more respect that way and good

karma, too: The bomb set will come to you.

Some longboarders take advantage of the extra foam, thinking they can

catch everything that rolls in before the shortboarders. The best

longboarders I know usually wait their turn and give waves, too.

The pick a number next up rule should be in effect.

Sometimes, out of respect, surfers will give waves to other surfers,

top pro’s and amateurs, which is nice. You can learn a lot by watching

them work a wave.

Remember there are exceptions to all these rules, but in general if

ya’ keep them in the back of your mind, we can all get along a little

better. Now if we all had our private secret spot it wouldn’t matter, no

worries, but summer’s here and ya’ gotta deal with it.

***

At the Vans Off the Wall Pro at San Clemente pier last month, former

Huntington Beach resident Ryan Simmons went ballistic, winning it,

surfing solid as you can get. Simmons went from fourth in the ratings to

numero uno. Mike Todd of Laguna Beach finished second and was ripping

hard, too. Congratulations.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a six-time West Coast champion, has announced the

U.S. Open of Surfing the last seven years and has been the KROQ-FM

surfologist for the last 15 years where he’s done morning surf reports.

He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.