#Surfer lingo for taking a header pro#

Continuing to wear a leash all the way back to their car.

Failing to use a leash in a crowded lineup.

Attempting an aerial manoeuvre in whitewater.

Letting go of their board when in the face of whitewater.

Choosing to adopt a very low stance in whitewater.

Continuing to ride a wave until the fins of their board are buried in the sand.

Having lots of surf brand stickers on their surfboard.

Letting their board hit someone after nosediving.

Making a spectacle of themselves doing strange warm-up exercises on the beach.

Practising pro-surfer moves on the beach.

Asking for someone to take their photo against the backdrop of a flat ocean.

Wearing board shorts over and under their wetsuit.Smiling at another surfer as they drop in on them.Paddling with the nose of their surfboard pointing to the sky.Being a kook has a lot to do with attitude, respect for the sport, and respect for other surfers around you. All surfers make genuine mistakes, wipeout and accidentally irritate other surfers. Similarly, beginner surfers don’t need to suffer life as a kook until they master the sport. An experienced weekend surfer wearing all the wrong gear for the surf conditions? Kookish.

#Surfer lingo for taking a header pro#

For example, a pro surfer who needs a point from a judge catching a last-minute wave? Kook behaviour. However, being a kook doesn’t always mean being a pretender – even experienced surfers can act like kooks. Kooks are often easy to spot, wearing popular surf brands, carrying a surfboard everywhere they go, and posting pictures on Instagram next to a board or the ocean. Surf culture can be unforgiving, and usually where someone pretends to be a surfer but in reality is not, will definitely be called a kook. A good example is an intermediate surfer who boldly surfs an expert spot with the wrong timing, equipment and plan, making themselves look foolish and well, like a kook.S It is not only beginner surfers that can be kooks, but even some intermediate surfers also exhibit kook-ish behaviour, because they have an inflated ego and perception of their skill level. A kook can ruin the surfing experience for others by failing to observe surf etiquette, not having the required level of skill to surf a specific spot, or acting recklessly and endangering other surfers. Unfortunately, surfers need to share surf spots and waves and are responsible for each other’s safety in the ocean.

While being a poser often means looking foolish to other members of the community, posers at skateparks aren’t interfering with anyone else’s experience or fun. In this post, we take a look at the defining characteristics, behaviours and looks of a kook surfer so you can avoid it at all costs.Īs always if you visit the Croyde surf school – Surfing Croyde Bay, your instructor will give you plenty of tips to avoid looking like a kook. According to Urban Dictionary, this means “someone who pretends to be someone whose not” and “someone who tries to fit in but with exaggeration” In the world of surfing, we call this type of person a ‘kook’.Īs a beginner surfer, you might be worried about looking like a kook or may have heard the term and want to avoid classic kook behaviour. You might be familiar with the term ‘poser’ associated with skateboarding and other sports. Many sports carry with them a particular culture, from clothing to vernacular – surfing is no different.