42 JULY/AUGUST _ 201
THE VISUAL
GLOSSARY
Parts
of a
WaveParts
of a
Surf BreakDo I have to get up really
early? It seems like surfers
get up really early. Maybe.
Many surf spots (in Califor-
nia, for example) have glassy
waves irst thing in the morn-
ing that get choppy and
unsurfable once the wind
picks up. Mornings are more
likely to be glassy on the East
Coast as well, but there’s
more variability. In some
places, the waves are great
all day or clean up in the early
evening. Surfers call the lat-
ter dusk patrol.Questions
From Someone
Who Has Never
SurfedHow do I take of a wet-
suit? “Peel it like a banana,”
says Corey Senese, owner of
Coreyswave Surf Lessons in
Montauk, New York. “Right-
side out is not gonna work.”
If you have trouble getting
started, have a buddy pull the
neck hole down over both of
your shoulders. You should be
able to get it from there.PEAK
The part of
the wave with the
most power to push
you. Surf away from
the area that is
breaking.SHOULDER
There’s slightly
less power here, which
makes it a good place to
hang out while you wait.
If you catch a wave from
here, be careful not to
drop in on someone
coming from the
peak.LIP
The very top
of the breaking
wave, used mostly
by advanced
surfers to do
tricks.BARREL
The hollow part
of a breaking wave.
Getting inside is a
surfer’s dream, and
can be called getting
pitted, barreled,
or shacked.WHITEWASH
The foam after a
wave has broken.
Your irst lesson will
take place here.SET
Waves tend
to arrive in groups
of anywhere from
three at a time to the
low teens. Timing your
paddle out so you go
between sets is a
smart idea.LINEUP
The place
where a group of
surfers is waiting
for waves to
break.INSIDE
The area
inside where
the waves are
breaking.OUTSIDE
The area outside
where waves are
breaking. If someone
yells “outside” in the
lineup, a bigger set is
coming. Paddle for
the shoulder or
the horizon.GETTING
STARTED IN
SURFING
Are there rules about which
beach I can and can’t surf
on? Yes, but generally only in
the summer, when non-surf-
ers want to enjoy the water
as well. Ask a lifeguard or surf
school, read signs, and look
for yellow lags with a black
ball in the middle. That means
surboards are not allowed.What about sharks? There
were only 88 unprovoked
shark attacks worldwide in
2017, with ive fatalities (zero
in the U.S.). The same year,
lightning killed 16 people in
the U.S. alone. Still freaked
out? Try the Sharkbanz
Modom shark leash ($130).
It uses magnets to irritate
sharks’ electroreceptors and
make them go away.Is skateboarding a good way
to practice? “Skateboarding
won’t help with your pop-up,
but it helps with the stance
and turning—the toe-edge,
heel-edge feeling of turning
your board,” says Senese.