Surfing 🌊

What is surfing?

Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable for surfing are primarily found on ocean shores, but can also be found in standing waves in the open ocean, in lakes, in rivers in the form of a tidal bore, or in wave pools.

In the ocean, wave riders stand up on surfboards and navigate the water - nearly parallel to the beach - toward the shore. There are four types of surfing waves: spilling waves, plunging waves, surging waves, and collapsing waves. The ultimate goal of surfing is to ride and progress on the unbroken part of the wave using a surfboard. Nevertheless, beginners can learn to surf in the whitewater part of the wave.

Many surf historians and enthusiasts believe that the essence of surfing is in bodysurfing, the art of gliding over the waves using only the body as a planing surface. According to the University of Hawaii, bodysurfing dates back as far back as 2,000 BC, but the first evidence of bodysurfing activity in the Western world only emerged in 1899, when Australian Fred Williams got a few lessons from Polynesian islander Tommy Tana.

The origins of surfing

The riding of waves has likely existed since humans began swimming in the ocean. In this sense, bodysurfing is the oldest type of wave-catching. Archaeological evidence suggests that ancient cultures of Peru surfed on reed watercraft for fishing and recreation up to five thousand years ago. Standing up on what is now called a surfboard is a relatively recent innovation developed by the Polynesians.

The influences for modern surfing can be directly traced to the surfers of pre-contact Hawaii.The term surfing refers to a person riding a wave using a board, regardless of the stance. There are several types of boards. The Moche of Peru would often surf on reed craft, while the native peoples of the Pacific surfed waves on alaia, paipo, and other such water craft. Ancient cultures often surfed on their belly and knees, while the modern-day definition of surfing most often refers to a surfer riding a wave standing on a surfboard; this is also referred to as stand-up surfing.