Last week we had our first good surf in several days; not great, but reasonably well-shaped, chest to head high, and glassy. There were about a dozen people out at the left, another dozen at the right, and another two dozen floundering around in the beginner zone down the beach in front of Don Pedro. This was just before the Christmas rush so it wasn’t quite yet the madhouse it would become over the holidays, with a hundred surfing beginners in the water, all of them determined to have a great time, and all of them succeeding in doing so. After all, that’s what Sayulita is all about these days—loads of fun for beginning surfers.
Meanwhile, just before the rush, I paddled down from the north end of town on my short surfing paddleboard, ready to ride a few.
One thing that most surfers agree exists here in Sayulita as well as at most surfing beaches around the world is the territorial, aggressive, negative attitude called localism. This is about surfers who live in front of or close to a given wave, and have claimed it as their own. They tend to treat visiting surfers like mangy dogs, to be kicked, harassed, beaten, and generally abused. This is not something that occurs at some beaches some times; no, this is a nearly universal surfing truth, and anyone who rides waves with any regularity will agree. Localism is everywhere, and never pleasant. And so, when I approach the busy waves in town, I do so with my guard up.
When you get localism mixed with a surf tourism-based economy, as is the case in Sayulita, you get some particularly weird strains of attitude, as in, a local surfer might give you a lesson in the morning and then yell you off “his” wave in the afternoon, same day. I’ve seen this happen more than once. But that was few years ago. Honestly, these days most of the guys who teach surfing here have pretty much resigned themselves to the truth of Sayulita surfing. They’ve dialed into our local reality, and embraced it: this is a town for surfing tourists–beginners, intermediates, and shredders–and since just about everybody who lives here depends on tourists for their livelihood, it simply does not pay to abuse the tourists.
As a four-year resident of Sayulita and a longtime surfer, I have had some run-ins with a few locals over the years. But not lately. I have figured out which of the bad boys out there are really and truly bad–aggressive, impatient jerks in the water, verbally, physically, or both. Though there really aren’t that many of them, it only takes a few to spoil the vibe in the water–and there are a few, ex-pats and nationals alike, here in Sayulita.
Aside from showing off on the waves, these guys seem to think their main job is to hassle visiting surfers less skilled than themselves. These macho knuckleheads are easy to identify, and should be avoided. They can ruin a day in the water with their bad vibes, and that kind of bad vibe, even from just one little “incident” in the water—say, a two minute stream of invectives, in Spanglish, coupled with physical threats–can stay with a visitor, and make him less-inclined to come back. How could it not?
On the other hand, let’s go positive: there are a number of longtime local surfers I’ve gotten to know, if not well, at least well enough to say hey, what’s up, que paso, pass a little time out in the water between waves. I find this local crew to be a friendly, patient, forgiving bunch, willing to let bumbling beginners take beautiful waves and wreck them with stiff-legged straight-in stumbles. These local dudes get their fair share of waves, and then some, but then, they’ve earned them over the years.
Maybe its because I’ve been here long enough to have some perspective, and to get some respect, but from my point of view, these guys rock the Sayulita waters. They mostly ride longboards, but a few ride shortboards, and many of them occasionally switch to SUP surfing. You’ll see them out there, carving the waves. Sergio and Patricio Gonzales, Ryan Helm, Hector “Papas” Gonzalez, Rogelio Ramos, Nacho, Tigre, Eric and Joel Baraza, Israel Preciado, Nando Stalla, the Pachamama kids, and all the rest, good surfers all, and fine, (usually but not not always, which is part of their charm) upstanding citizens of Sayulita. Some of these guys grew up here, others have been here for many years, but either way, they are Sayulita locals. There are Mexican national champions, contest winners, and ranked international surfing and paddling competitors among them. They have all have mastered the art of riding Sayulita’s waves, big or small, with style to spare, and so watching them surf is always great entertainment.
Give them their waves, and they will give you yours. And if some local or visiting punk yells or whistles you off a wave, let it go, and ride the next. There is always another wave.
