Surfboard Wankers

[SquirtleSquad]

We live very close to the coast. This past week it's been so busy. The car park is closed and coned off and people just move the cones to drive in and out.

Earlier this evening a pair of surfers got into trouble and for the second time since lockdown, our local RNLI lifeboat station has been called out to rescue people taking part in watersports that have got into trouble or had accidents.

I know there have been 1000 of these threads and for that I apologise but for the love of Christ I just can't understand the mentality of some people. Why do some people think they are above the guidelines? How many of you would think it sensible to head down to the beach for a surf / windsurf / paddle board at the moment?

There's a right kerfuffle on our local community Facebook about it all half saying they should be made to pay and fined, others saying that by that logic if someone falls and breaks their leg on their daily walk they should have to foot the bill for any NHS treatment and that watersports are an essential form of daily exercise to some people

I don't really have a question I just feel fed up.

If someone falls on their daily walk they are a hell of a lot less likely to require mouth to mouth than someone who nearly drowns while doing water sports. The mouth to mouth obviously a greater risk of spreading Covid than bandaging a leg.

Depends how experienced they are surely?... I’m a mountain biker and the Mnt Bike community have put out a ‘No car, No Gnar, Not far’ so I’m still riding, but have knocked the gnar down to below my capabilities.
I used to surf a lot. If I still lived within walking distance of the beach would probably still be surfing, but in small waves and on incoming tides/on shore winds etc. No gnar

I think they're being unreasonable by doing it, just like I think climbers/hikers who choose to ignore the BMC guidance on not going mountaineering/walking/climbing are unreasonable.

RNLI and Mountain Rescues are made up of volunteers who are willing to risk their lives to save others.

They don't need arseholes thinking they're special causing needless issues.

Dropping in to heap praise for thread title.

@PeanutbutterJamSandwich I appreciate what you're saying re experience level but there are huge signs (you can't miss them) along the beach from the RNLI station saying DO NOT ENTER THE WATER. On their FB page they explain by going out on the water you could encourage others who are less proficient to take part in similar activities.

I don't know what Gnar is I'm afraid

Targeted ads don’t do nuance do they? Surfboard wankers indeed!

No gnar is basically saying you don't push it and you ride within your capabilities.

The British Mountaineering Council went further and said even if you're climbing within your capabilities, you can still get injured or become in. The RNLI seem to be taking the same approach.

@noraclavicle it's penguin bollards all over again

My BIL is in a Cornish surf town. He is an extremely competent surfer, sailor, windsurfer etc and also volunteers as the launch authority for the lifeboat. He is not getting into the water because he is NOT a wanker. He is seeing whole families surfing on his local beach. The lifeboat is crewed by volunteers.... there’s no way they can do their job and maintain appropriate distances. Thinking that you are too good to get caught in a freak wave or incident ( eg taken out by another surfer) is peak wanker behaviour imo. It costs thousands to launch the lifeboat too.

RNLI crew can't socially distance when called out. This obviously puts us at risk. If one of the crew or a casualty is subsequently found to have coronavirus, we would have to self-isolate significantly decreasing crew numbers. Additionally, the boat has to be left for three days then deep cleaned, putting the boat off service during this time. There are still plenty of people out on the water working, we would like to be ready to attend to these if needed. As a PP mentioned, no matter how experienced you are, accidents happen and it also encourages those less experienced to go out on the water. It's infuriating to see fellow crews being put at risk every week at the moment to divers, leisure sailors and surfers.

I think in theory it sounds fine if you go with a family friend (never on own.) However it puts more pressure on other services and encourages others to go out.

I'm guessing we must live close to the OP as seen the same story on FB this evening. People really are oblivious to what situations they put others in whilst fulfilling their own needs. On a similar post last week a kayaker was suggesting they could sign a waiver saying they didn't need saving and take that out on the sea with them. I assume that's what the binoculars are for so the RNLI can check if you're holding up a waiver whilst drowning. Seriously think the RNLI should go against their own principles unless it's going out to rescue or work with a scheduled journey on the water, everyone else is left to their own devices to let Darwin work his magic

Respectthewater hats off to you for what you do, must be absolutely infuriating seeing people blatantly ignoring the advice.

Doesn't matter how experienced they are. Anyone can get into difficulty in the sea.

@wobytide the RNLI station here begins with a 'M'. A bloody kayaker with a waiver!? What a knob.

@respectthewater thank you for what you do. You don't think about the work that goes into dispatching a crew and boat in terms of cleaning..etc in normal circumstances let alone during these crazy times.

Total surfboard & kitesurf & kayak & SUP wankers here too.
If coastguard & harbour authority & RNLI have asked us to not go on the water, you respect that and don't go on the water. Unless you're a wanker.
Using the royal you.

I assume that's what the binoculars are for so the RNLI can check if you're holding up a waiver whilst drowning.

Waiving and drowning

I thought it was bad enough reading about two divers that had to be rescued but clearly the knobwombles are far and wide. Should be massive fines, like really BIG ones so that the big money wankers still get hit hard. It's not fucking good enough when we're all staying home.

There's a small group of people who have an inflated sense of untouchability where they'd never end up in trouble because it happens to other people and they're only doing things they find easy.

If it's unacceptable during covid19 crisis then I don't see why it's ever acceptable in non-covid times. It still takes time and resources from tax-payer funded services to be rescued under any circumstances. In ordinary times surfers might still have something contagious to share.

so I am in a yabu camp.

It’s funny @LolaSmiles as I live in a well known climbing/mountainous area. Do a lot of climbing myself and hill walking and I am sticking to the BMC rules. Haven’t been up a hill or been climbing in ages.
But being on the beach, in the waves doesn’t seem as dangerous. I’m experienced in both but would have put surfing small waves at quite a low risk.

@ragged so you think all sports/activities in the sea and mountains should be banned all together? Or the rescue teams should cease to exist?
I know from experience that the mountain rescue teams, although volunteers uses RAF and doctors... both of which see rescues as vital training and experience.

I love that, PeanutbutterJamSandwich. I’m assuming ‘gnar’ is an abbreviation of ‘gnarly’? (‘Extreme’ in this context in surfing circles). That’s a great mnemonic to assess conditions.

It came from a magazine promoted by professional riders @TheClaws I think it works well

www.facebook.com/singletrackmag/videos/2952781344781988/?