Ten Words You Might Hear in The Santa Cruz Surfing Line-Up

Since its inception, surfing has amassed a huge following across the globe. Despite being rather spread out geographically, it has grown collectively and blossomed into a unique subculture that allows people to relate through the surf slang that has evolved within the culture. Today, surfers have created a type of dialect that transcends different cultures, bringing those that are passionate about the sport, together. Some of these terms when heard in a line-up can seem confusing and at times downright nonsensical as the surfers themselves. Santa Cruz surfing is deeply engrained within the city’s values. Here is a list of ten commonly used words by surfers so the next time you talk to one you can actually be apart of the conversation.

• A- Frame: A wave with a very defined peak that contains left and right shoulders.
• Barrel: The curling part of a wave that is hollow. Getting barreled is one of the greatest maneuvers a surfer can accomplish.
• Closeout: When a wave breaks along its length all at once.
• Digging Rail: When the surfboard’s rail, or edge, digs too far into the water during a turn, causing the board to slow down and make it extremely difficult to control.
• Inside: The area of whitewater where the waves are breaking between the shore and the surfers in the line-up.
• Outside: The area beyond the surfers in the line-up.
• Peak: The tallest point of the wave, usually where it breaks first.
• Pearl: Pearling is the act of having too much weight forward on the board, which causes the nose to dive under the water.
• Rogue Set: A wave or set of waves that is bigger than the current sea conditions.
• Shoulder: The side of a wave, or the part of the wave that has not yet broken.

Next time you go into a Santa Cruz surf shop or take Santa Cruz surf lessons, throwing some of these terms into your speech will surely impress the surfers! For more information on Santa Cruz surf lessons, please contact Capitola Beach Company’s shop at (831) 462-5222.