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Localism is surf territorialism. Locals at any given surf spot can be protective of their break and resentful of incomers crowding their waves and hassling them off peaks. Most often it is enforced by vibing and dark stares, but it can escalate to car park vandalism and physical confrontation.

Localism has resulted in court cases and convictions. In 2002 a surfer who had become legendary for his localism at Fort Point San Francisco California was caught on camera with two associates inflicting a vicious assault on another surfer. This included tying his legs with his leash and forcing him under the water repeatedly, snapping the fins off his surfboard and breaking his nose. Surfers testified that he had been doing this for several years, but was “unlucky” on this occasion to be captured on camera.

As the surf population explodes so does localism. Several factors increase the chance of localism at any given break.

1: Proximity to urban centres. Obviously this leads to bigger crowds, bigger crowds equals bigger tensions.

2: Famous surf spot: Some spots become famous for their quality and consistent pumping surf. This attracts crowds and visitors. Locals can resent their classic break being crowded by surfers who come from the other side of the planet. This is exaggerated if the break in question has one or few peaks and tight take off zones.

3: Localism Culture. Some spots are neither that urban or that “classic” yet have a big reputation for localism. Oxnard California is a great example. This is because for one reason or another a strong localism culture has arisen at that break probably due to the presence of an influential individual. As new young local surfers join the line up, they are indoctrinated into the localism culture prevalent at that surf spot.

There are a few key ways to avoid localism.

1: Surf somewhere else. If you are travelling to surf, and not surfing your local break, chances are you have transport. If you pitch up at the beach and observe a large crowd hassling for a few peaks, consider your options. If the surf is pumping its highly likely that there is somewhere near by where there it is less crowd. If you are travelling to surf, try to understand the breaks and conditions of your destination. This will help you dodge the crowd and thus avoid spots with undue surf tension and aggression.

2: Respect Respect Respect. There is an etiquette to surfing. If you don’t understand the rules of the waves, don’t even bother putting the key in the ignition to start your surf trip till you do. If you still make that trip its possible you will get a bloody nose surfing even the most mellow surf spot. Once you understand these rules and you are visiting a break that has a big crowd and a reputation for localism then obey the rules with maximum prejudice. Don’t hassle don’t snake. Even if there is not a big crowd and the spot seems mellow, you should still respect the locals of that spot and not be too aggressive in your attempts to catch waves.

3: Don’t travel in a big crowd. Don’t be the guy/girl that delivers an insta crowd to any given break. Nothing infuriates locals more than a big min bus pitching up full of incoming surfers who are probably all drift wood and are just going to clutter the line up and accidentally drop in. If you must travel in a big party try to travel in different vehicles and don’t try to make the fact that you are in one group too obvious. Ditch the local University Surf Team hoodies for starters!