Recent times have been plentiful in the way of good waves. Lots of quality and some serious size. Everyone (surfers) has been smiling. And by that I mean everyone.

There was a day last week where I watched a hardcore crew take on a huge ocean reef. Big rolling swells moving across a deep reef and on into the bay. Oceans of water were moving around and there was a strong sweep taking you away from the safety of the exit point and out towards another reef 500 metres away.

Interestingly most of the surfers were over forty. They rode clean 8 to 10 foot surfboards that maybe at most had the manufacturers sticker on it. Big slashing turns had zero priority. It was just about making the mountainous drop and having a personal victory at sea.

After about an hour I moved to another location where waves half the size collided with a much shallower reef. The wave reeled on across the bay and pretty quickly became a viscous heaving barrel for 70 metres or so. The crew here was much younger. They rode normal short boards (6 feet long) that were covered in surf product stickers. There was a healthy scattering of boogie boarders in the line up.  Most rides were finished with a big “hack” or an ariel attempt. There was lots of bravado, lots of “death or glory” attitude. A fair scattering of spectators and photographers lined the rocks. Quite the scene really.

You could assume that both groups of surfers were doing the same thing but really the personalities of their variations were poles apart.

I could give other examples such as the stand up paddle boarders taking it to an offshore reef or the tow crews that hit the outside bombies at any sniff of a decent swell. As for the body boarders and their lunatic activities with dry reef tube riding, just ridiculous. The “Granny Groms” from down south who all go boogie boarding in the gentle whitewater. I don’t think there would one of them under fifty.

There is a local character that rides an old school surf ski and all he catches is the white water inside of one of the main spots. No one else wants this part of the wave, just him, and he gets them all, wave after wave, happy as Larry. Awesome.

My point is surfing is maturing and diversifying. There are more people and more types of people getting involved and there is a genre for everyone.

The crowding that plagues some spots is understandable. It really is a beautiful activity. Most surfers start and never stop. They do it all their lives.

The variations on the theme are diverse and the different themes are increasing.  Lots of crew cross from genre to genre as conditions and mood takes them. Barriers have come down, there is a spot for everyone (not all at once please).

A visit to most coastlines will show this to be true. Where I live we get everything.  I love watching it. If the urge takes you, wait for a good swell, (it is not hard to do via the internet) and go to your local coast and enjoy a bit of ocean camaraderie in whatever form it comes.

The accompanying images are of a junior surfer Creed McTaggart busting out some serious new school moves the day after the last big swell.