Surfing

From ArticleWorld

Hawaiian islanders came up with the idea of surfing before the 15th century. “He’e nalu”, as it is called by Hawaiians, became popular throughout the rest of the world in the early 1900’s. Then, surfers used timber planks to ride waves into the shore. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the sport grew in popularity. Less expensive and lightweight boards became available. These new boards were often made of fiberglass and were much more maneuverable than the wooden planks. Soon surfers started to head for areas that had more inviting waves. Brazil. Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Tahiti and New Zealand are popular spots for surfers as well as many locations in the United States and Australia.

Gear

Cold-water surfers need to protect their bodies from frigid temperatures. They often wear wetsuits, gloves, booties and hoods that are made of a material that keep warm body temperatures in and cold-water temperatures out. Warm water surfers usually wear surf trunks or board shorts. A surfer’s board is usually made of fiberglass, urethane foam, or polyester resin. A board has a leash that attaches to the rider. This leash keeps the board from “disappearing” after a wipeout and stops the board from hitting and injuring other surfers. Underneath the board is a fin, or skeg, that aids in steering the board. Fins can either be permanently attached to the board or removable. Tom Blake, a famous surfer, was the first to add fins to his board. To keep a surfer on the board, he or she needs traction. This is achieved by applying layers of surf wax or non-skid-traction pads to the top of the board.

Tow-in surfing

Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox, Dave Kalama and others invented tow-in surfing. This type of surfing using a jet ski to pull the surfer to an area or water they would be unable to get to by paddling out. These areas of water tend to have higher, faster waves and are considerably more dangerous than traditional surfing. Critics claim that surfers participating in tow-in surfing can get themselves in situations they are untrained to handle and can have deadly consequences. Proponents of the sport say that the surfer and jet-ski driver often develop a relationship that allows them to understand the waves and look out for each other.