7. Work As A Team
7. Work As A Team
A friend of mine used to insist on bringing with him to the beach as many people as he could fit in his car, which is a good way to reduce petrol costs, but also a good way to reduce the number of waves per head — or so you would think. Generally speaking his chosen companions weren’t much fun to be around out of the water; surely they would be even less fun to be around in it. And yet he continued to offer them lifts, often taking them to spots that were already fairly crowded anyway, and sometimes even organising a convoy.
One day he confided in me the twisted logic behind this strange behaviour. Upon arriving at the beach, he and his crew would paddle out together at one of the less crowded peaks and effectively commandeer it — not by force, but simply by dissuading other surfers through sheer force of numbers. The key, he said, was that he only offered lifts to surfers who were worse than him, and who were therefore less likely to take all the best waves (see no. 5). Add to this the additional deference he was due having driven them to the beach — obviously it’s the height of rudeness to snake or hassle the driver — and he was left with more or less the pick of the set-waves. An interesting, highly elaborate tactic, although I can’t personally vouch for its efficacy.
But there are other forms of teamwork available. The “Snake Sandwich” is a manoeuvre that has oft been used to good effect, and is sometimes the best way to deal with a surfer who’s adopted the strategy described in no. 4. Working in teams of two, one partner (the sacrificial lamb) engages the miscreant in question in a paddle battle, either a) pushing him too deep, or b) gaining the inside and feigning to go on the next wave. Too deep now to make the wave himself, he calls the snake off it anyway, before pulling out at the last moment — leaving the coast clear for his partner, who’s been waiting slightly further down the peak.
And that is how you make a “Snake Sandwich”. Be sure to alternate roles, and season with a pinch of salt.
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