Surfing is a boom sport, and elitists complain that our hot spots are overcrowded, writes Eoin Butler
'THE PHYSICAL demands are unbelievable. You have to be strong, aggressive, have a lot of guts and a complete lack of common sense." Dave Zike is a 37-year-old American who lives and works in Dublin city. Every Saturday at 5.30am, he gets out of bed, fills a thermos flask with hot tea and kisses his wife goodbye for the day. After eating a light breakfast and checking the latest weather reports online, he hauls his wetsuit and surf board out to his transit van and strikes for the west coast. His precise destination will depend on the conditions on the day but, wherever he opts for, he's unlikely to have the waves all to himself.
Surfing is far from being a new phenomenon in Ireland. In fact, one early pioneer, Joe Roddy, surfed the waves off Dundalk as long ago as 1949. But the sport's popularity has mushroomed over the past decade.
Better insulated and more easily affordable wetsuits mean that surfers can now comfortably stay in the water for up to two hours at a time. (Prior to the 1990s, 30 minutes was the limit, and some enthusiasts resorted to wearing woolly jumpers underneath their wetsuits to combat freezing temperatures.) In addition, using the internet means that predicting where the waves will hit is no longer a matter of pot luck. Most influential, though, was the improvement in the economy. More enthusiasts than ever before can now afford the transport and equipment costs required to pursue the hobby.
Depending on where Zike chooses to surf on a particular Saturday, there are likely to be anything up to two dozen surfers in the water already. This can lead to tensions. The crux of the problem is that there are a finite number of rideable waves on any given day. Jostling for the best position is part and parcel of the sport. What's surprising, though, is quite how intense the competition gets. This writer's impressions of the sport were largely shaped by the Australian soap operas I was exposed to as a child. The typical surfer, I assumed, was a laid-back, sun-bleached kid who catches a wave before school and celebrates with a leisurely milkshake afterwards. That picture, according to Zike, is woefully inaccurate.
Like many of surfing's most dedicated adherents, Zike describes himself as a "soul surfer". Soul surfers see themselves as purists. But they could equally be described as hedonists, single-mindedly dedicated to gratifying their own appetites, even at the expense of other enthusiasts. The term "adrenalin junkie" is a good fit. "Surfing is ultimately an anti-social sport," he admits. "There is a lot of localism, and a lot of competition over waves. Basically, the kooks [ beginners] stay on the shoulder. They're not practised enough to read the waves, to know where to take off from, and they're not strong enough to paddle out to the peak. Serious surfers train every day to stay in shape, and most of us travel long distances to get there. We don't want idiots cutting across and endangering us."
As a soul surfer, Zike is philosophically opposed to the commercialisation of surfing and resents the encroachment of new surfers into hitherto "secret" surfing spots. He is frank about his reasons for being so inclined. "All these sponsors are doing is encouraging more people to go out surfing. I know that sounds incredibly selfish, but ultimately that's what most surfers are. We're selfish, we want those waves all for ourselves."
Surfin' scene
Dave Zike's verdict on international surfers in
Ireland:
Australians"Extremely cocky. Friendly, too, but only as long as they get all the waves. Your typical Australian surfer reckons that, because he works in a bar in Strandhill, that means he owns the beach."
Germans"Not unfriendly, but they keep to themselves. Sometimes appear oblivious to the way surfing actually works."
Irish"Modest, friendly and happy-go-lucky. Much more open than other nationalities when it comes to recommending good surfing spots. Perhaps overly so, in fact."
Brazilians"Great people out of the water, but a nightmare in it - all kamikaze machismo, with no etiquette whatsoever."
Americans"We're probably the biggest jerks of all."
Ireland's top surfing beaches
Lahinch and Bundoran may still be the most popular
ports of call, but these are worth checking out for the more
discerning surfer: Easkey, Co Sligo; Kilcummin, Co Mayo; Keel
Beach, Achill, Co Mayo; Strandhill, Co Sligo; Lissadell, Co
Sligo.