Surfing – Basic Definition
On this page, we’ll give newbies a basic definition and history on surfing.
Surfing is a water surface sport. A person (the surfer) travels along the face of a breaking ocean wave (the surf). Surfing can and does take place on rivers also – and this is referred to as riding a standing wave.
Here’s a tidbit on the origin of surfing: it was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture. Europeans first observed surfing at Tahiti back in 1767 – these astute Europeans were crew members of the Dolphin. In 1866, Mark Twain visited Hawaii, and wrote about the “naked natives…amusing themselves with the national pastime of surf-bathing.”
In pre-contact Samoa, surf riding on planks and single canoe hulls was also verified – and there, surfing was called fa’ase’e or se’egalu and Tonga.
There are 2 major subdivisions of stand-up surfing: longboarding and shortboarding. As indicated by these terms, these subdivisions reflect differences in surfboard design (surfboard length and riding style).
As well, there’s tow-in surfing (which is most commonly associated with big wave surfing), where a motorized water vehicle tows the surfer straight into the wave front, which helps the surfer match a large wave’s higher speed.
There are a few surfing-related sports that don’t require waves, such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking. Kitesurfing and windsurfing are others, relying more on wind for power. However, some surfers try to get the best of both worlds, and use these platforms to ride waves as well.
Live it to surfers to push the surf envelope. There is a new surf phenomenon that’s gaining traction: wake surfing. Here, with the use of V-drive boats, riding the boat wake has emerged.
California has surfing all over the place. If you are in the LA area and need help moving your surf gear or any other belongings Oasis Moving and Storage might just be the answer.