Step 4: A common barrier to female surfing is the often male dominated environment and not understanding the surf etiquette. For our curated range of active swimwear shop our favourite wetsuits and paddle suits here https://www.mazarineaqua.com/shop-1/ Follow us on Instagram @mazarine_aqua - for more surfing tips and inspiration and don't forget to share with your surfing friends. So in this video, I will explain the surf etiquette and what it means to drop in, how to know which wave is yours and the best place to safely paddle out. An important point to make is that nobody owns the waves and you have as much right as anyone to enjoy the ocean. The Surf Etiquette explains the rules of the sport, and once you understand the rules you can feel confident because you know which waves you can take, and how to avoid being in the way of other surfers. Don’t surf beyond your ability Never throw your board Paddle wide around the peak of the braking wave Don’t Drop In So, what do I mean by dropping in? The example we are using today is a right hand point break. The surfer closest to the peak of the wave has the first option to take it. If they choose not to, then the next closest person to the peak can take the wave. An easy way to remember this rule is if you’re surfing a wave breaking to the right, always look over your left shoulder, before you stand up. If someone is surfing a wave and you do not look and give-way, and you drop in it is considered poor form and if there a collision it may result in an injury to yourself or the other person. When you’re learning it’s likely that you will accidentally drop in on someone, just smile and apologise and avoid doing it again. Don’t be discouraged, it is common, just try to minimise your mistakes. How do out get out the way? The final point to the surf etiquette is positioning after you have caught a wave. When paddling out to the peak of the break, make sure you paddle around the breaking white water. By paddling back out through the white water, you may get in the way of oncoming surfers riding a wave, this can cause frustration and it leads to unnecessary muscle fatigue. If you do find yourself caught in the white water and there is a surfer riding towards you, paddle towards the breaking section of the wave, NOT to THE SHOULDER. Turtle roll under the white water, making sure you hold onto your board (The turtle roll is explained in the final video of this package), when the breaking wave passes over and there are no riders coming towards you, paddle out to the channel and back to the peak. Just remember the other key points; Never through your board, keep your leg rope attached at all times And start in small waves and as you build up your confidence you can move to more critical waves. With these simple explanations you can feel confident when learning to surf. As long as you are safe and you are not endangering anyone else, you have every right to be in the out there. Remember The best surfer is the one having the most fun.