Most of my friends I grew up surfing with stopped surfing. With the excuse, "no time to surf and everytime I have the time the waves suck. So why bother?" Dunno how they could say that. It's heartbreaking to hear. It's like they're bailing out on one of our close buddies or something. The ocean, such a huge part of my soul.

Why are you so upset that people are quitting surfing. I always try to encourage it.

The last sentence of the article says it all. I took a 10 year "leave of absence" from surfing, from 17-27. The reason was I associated surfing with my childhood in S.D., and mistakenly thought I grew out of it, and thought there were other more important things to do in life. I then discovered that surfing IS the most important thing in my life and nothing will ever stop me again, until the day i die. I am now 37, been surfing regularly since 27, although out of NYC. I am quitting my office job Jan 1st to work remotely from whichever damn beach on this planet i desire for the rest of my career. One word of advice to those who feel your career is getting in the way of your surfing. Surfing is better than making a lot of $$. The sooner you realize this the more you will do early on to create a job that promotes the surfing lifestyle. Forget abt being a wknd warrior w/occasional surf trip-make surfing a daily endeavor or you make wake up one day a weak, mediocre surfer wishing you never sold out t

Let's see: I'm 64. Been sufing since 14. 50 years! Wow. Can't stop. Won't stop. See absolutely no reason to stop. What's the secret? Just don't stop. When I can't anymore? What I'll probably stop is breathing.

Most peopple must realize when you're real surfer it's been from berth, almost; It's like you become a regular or a goofy footer and wonder it's forever! You just won't wake up one day and start surfing switchstanced. Life is hard, and since the moment you can point it out it becomes hard and harder, the same way keep surfing does. But as i said, it comes from the berth and is so impregnated that you instinctively will bilt up your whole life as part of something you real belive does part of yourself.

when youve pushed yourself to a high level and traveled around the world to catch some perfect waves with no one around, it starts to go away when you get back to your beach and have to get to work to make some money. by the time you surf again your crawling up falling over and get a few lucky turns. you try to get back to your old level when a few back to back swells come in, but by the time you start feeling comftable again, your body's destroyed, the swells gone, and it's time to get back to work. You heal up some and start dreaming of tropical perfection but cant afford it, wich bums you out for a while. a month later another swell comes in and you're back to struggling to do a turn like you used to. the cycle goes on and on and on.

During college in CA i quit for almost 6 years and never thought about it because the waves in southern cali really sucked to my standards. it's only when I move to Hawaii after a surf at Gas Chambers that I felt that I could go back and do it all over again. I've surfed Pipe, Rocky's, Rockpiles and Teahupo'o, Rapa Nui and I feel like I will never quit again ever. it's ok if u don't enjoy but u should never quit for good.

I agree with Ripper Dude, I wish more people would quit. Especially those born from the commercial side of it. First time I ever surfed was on an island with one friend, and good waves, and it completely changed my life, and I remember the exact second it happened as the offshore winds showered me with the the crest of salty bliss. I fell in love. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. I had no idea surfing was so popular. I instantly changed all my life goals and ambitions to chase waves. The more I immersed myself into the life, the more I saw the perversion of competition and capitalism. The people chasing fame, glory, and status repelled me. Of course I met soul surfers, and they were some of the most genuine, memorable human beings I have ever met. Legends in my book. They are the ones who deserve waves, despite technical ability. A curse on the media, corporate world, and egotistical glory-seekers who seek to exploit a lifestyle so pure and blissful. A blessing to all soul surfers.

I have been surfing for about two years now. Constantly challenging my ability, holding high expectations for my self. Yesterday was big and I could not paddle out after trying a couple of times. Pissed, I gave up. I had thaughts of ending the relationship. What did I do this morning? Check the conditions. The ocean is the love of my life and she will always be in my heart no matter what stupid arguement we have. I believe that if you have found something that changed your life in a positive way and it makes you happy and healthy, you should never turn your back on it or let lifes obstacles take it away. Love her, Respect her and Protect her.

You are mixing up a sound scientific argument with your personal views. If surfing is similar to being drug addict, it explains why we get obsessed over it... and also what makes some people managing to quit. Ask any drug addict who quitted and you'll have your how-to for quitting surfing.

Hey Dave, did it ever occur to you that you posted your media-hating message on SURFERmag.com? They are the surf media, and propaganda machine and god bless them for their hard work. Crowds aren't going to change, and I'll never quit. peace.

They say life start in the ocean , perhaps that is the reason why so many people love the ocean...at my 55 years old I am still surfing almost every day , and some days I think ¿when am I going to stop?...the fact is some day I will have to ,but until then I just will keep going and going saying thanks to the lord for let me enjoy the ocean.....peace and enjoy this day.......j

Hey Deejer 6000, I understand that I posted it on SURFERmag.com. I like to stay informed through various sources whether I agree with it all or not. I shouldn't generalize like I did before. I like a lot of the writers on SURFERmag and have read some great articles, and I admit the media isn't all that bad. It's simply frustrating that such a beautiful lifestyle, with limited resources, has been exploited so much with competition and fame, causing an ever-growing hungry mass to flood to local breaks to get their chunk. (ex. Bud Light surf team?! seriously?) It's not like the more popular it gets, we can just build more good waves like football fields. If people truely love it, and do it for the love of it, then by all means, surf! In my opinion, a good writer, good media source, a good company, has a responsiblilty towards the spirit of our lifestyle. Respect is what I'm getting at here. You're right, the crowds aren't going to change, for now. If you love it, don't quit

I paused surfing for school, military service, economics and health reasons. To get back: swim. Surfing has been damaged by the twin evils of competition and capitalism. The beach has become an enclave of the rich. Everyone surfs like little rich home schooled brats. They don't flow and they can't share.Many of my friends boycott the surf media. I buy the essential at the local surf shop. I don't want to control the beach or surf that aggressively. I've been the best and worst surfer in the line up. If I get four or five waves in a row and others aren't surfing I feel quilty, slow down make sure everybody is getting some. Sure it's crowded, then you get great waves alone or with a homie, that is pure heaven.

Once a true surfer, always a surfer! Its in your blood 4 life :)) If there's a will there is a way and for those of us with families, we just all surf now...life is for living and surfing is the best way to live!

Well written and very true. Surfing is an addiction I know I will never quit until age and gravity wears me down. Check out my personal addiction to surfing here: www.liquidsaltmag.com

Be different. Don't surf! Learn the banjo instead.

Don't understand this issue? Why would anyone voluntarily want to stop surfing, unless you physically could not do it and faced death? Even then, I still do it! I am 58-9, been surfing since I was 12. I was recently diagnosed with heart arrhythmia, (uneven heart beat), which leaves me, at peak loads, i.e., paddling out in a big set with oxygen debt. I still surf as well as I can. Might as well ask someone to give up sex! Why would they do it?? Charles D. Richmond, Esq. 2537 Via Pisa Del Mar, CA 92014 E-mail: cdr@cts.com Phone: (858) 558-4600 Fax: (858) 755-0965

Next year is the big 6-oh. I have been surfing since I was 15. It has been a full load with high school, college, law school, full time work on top of two kids through college and a mortgage to boot. But, I am still surfing. Am I as good as I used to be? No way. But I still get totally jazzed on a clean 3 foot glassy day. I molded my life so that I could surf during the week, and it has probably kept my sanity. I am now sitting here with a bulging disc in my back and an ice pack on. But, this too shall pass and I know I will be out there again. I fear that one day I just will not physically be able to surf anymore. But somehow I will find a way to ride the wave. It is just in my blood and part of my psyche now. There are a lot of us who started surfing in the 60's. It will be interesting to see what happens as we keep going on into our really senior years. Remember, the best surfer in the water is guy having the most fun. Us old guys are having a blast, getting to surf for most of our lives.

In my case the reason was the CROWDS. F*king crowds, everywhere i went. Hassling. Fighting for waves. Envy. Human Behaviour. If the only way i´m gonna get a wave at X break is fighting ,playing mind games, cutting in line, dropping in...i´m over it. i rather watch from shore. i grew up surfing and i used to be pretty good at it. but the human factor is too much to take, you know?. witnessing the same crappy agressive metropolitan/urban behaviour at the lineup keeps me away from waves. not to even mention localism. great article by the way.

I can relate, Jimbo. I started surfing around age 12 at Surfside, California, after several years of riding inflatable rafts, small Styrofoam boards, etc. The best thing that happened to me was that my family moved to Hawaii when I was 14. I took my 10’ Ole surfboard with me. We lived near the beach in Kailua, and I surfed the shorebreak just about every day with a bunch of other kids. We graduated to Tennis Courts at Ala Moana, Chun’s Reef, and Haleiwa on the North Shore. I kept surfing into my early twenties, then ended up in the Pacific Northwest, so quit surfing for over 30 years, except for the occasional session with a rented board at Waikiki every few years or so. Bought a board four years ago in Hawaii, while on sabbatical and got back into it enough to remember how much I loved it. Didn’t surf again until about two years ago, when I moved to San Diego. I’ll be 59 next month and I absolutely love surfing. I’d surf every day if I could and I think it keeps me in good shape physically

Most of the people I know who have walked away from surfing have done so because the media and industry have more or less shamelessly whored it out for the sake of a greasy buck. This has lead to the exponential explosion of clueless individuals who now saturate virtually every major lineup in CA and elsewhere. Surfing is more dangerous and less pleasurable now than it has ever been not because the waves and moves are more hazardous so much as the fact that the crowds that the industry is directly responsible for creating are increasingly out of control. I still surf and have been doing so for most of my 41 years and in just the past few years spots that were once empty and unknown have been blown wide open by the media and the surfers supported by a hypocritical and irresponsible industry. Thanks for nothing.

I started in Oceanside when i was 10, i knew then it was the real deal. Dad relocatted us to Lejeune and east coast waves. Went to school at UNCW, surfed before class ,stood in the cafeteria line with sand in my toes. Moved to the triangle for more $ better job but within 6 months my guts were turning inside out. When I looked toward that eastern sky all i could think of was sitting in the lineup searching for that next wave. I finally moved back to WB and i never plan on leaving again, enjoy the ride, merry crimas

Wow, some old guys getting cheesed at the younger generation for doing something differently than they remember it! There's an original sentiment. Hey, what is the point of including the Radiohead thing? They're so lame...and that lyric doesn't even make sense; gravity has its limits just like all forces of nature. Booooooo. Writers should only incorporate quotes if they're worthwhile. In closing, I think the difference is that most of us can get really great drugs delivered to us, but for really great waves, those of us in the real world have to buy plane tickets and take off work and stuff, and all that's much more inconvenient.

I've been surfing about 35 years. Due to illness at times just can't be out there as much as I would like. Surfing is in my soul. I will never quit. It's all about respect. know your limits. For those clueless individuals has flood our lineup with attitudes of bad urban mentalities. trashing our beachs... Please quit!

People should learn to quit. Especially the super dicks who feel as though the ocean birthed them into the lineup. Lineups are crowded and the surfer bum is become an un-welcomed commonality. Too many surfers without jobs that "just wanna surf man". Get a life kid, move out of your parents house and wake up before 11am to call yourself a die hard surfer.

i hate crowds

Great article, I will never stop surfing. Its like you said if you walk away you were never into it in the first place, or started for the wrong reasons. The one thing I hate about this article is the fact that you went out of your way to put down Radiohead, one of the most talented bands in the world. You dont support them? who cares what you support, and what does the fact that you support them or not have to do with your article? sorry weisburger not all bands can sound like blink-182, people like you is the reason I cant listen to the music in surf movies. Now I feel bad having to go out of my way to put your article down. Thank you

I'm 58 and have been surfing since 1964. Frankly, I'm a little tired of surfing. Figure I've done somewhere in the range of half a million bottom turms. Another one is gonna' be different? Plus the body is wearing out. We all wear out at different rates. i love surfing and will always surf and be a surfer. But this is the first year I've semi-retired from the sport. It's been a sweet ride.

Admittedly we're on a tangent here, but Radiohead is not one of the most talented bands in the world. And I think if they were, their fans wouldn't have to expend so much effort patting them on the back all the time... you should do a new article about them called 'Why It's Impossible to Quit Sucking'

I was just telling some friends that I wished I started surfing when I was a kid so I could sit on the beach and talk about how good it used to be like most of the other old farts my age. Instead I got in the water at 45. I fell in love! Now over 20 years later I'm still making memories. Paddling out on cold winter mornings, getting my head full of sea water, and going home with a body full of aches and pains that take a week to heal and loving every minute of it.You know what its like trying to explain why you surf to your friends who don't? Try that with a bunch of fat old dudes that have "Lived their lives".

I'd thought I'd quit but was mistaken. Took up skiing then ran rivers in kayaks and rafts. When windsurfing came along that kept me fired up for many years. Now I'm back at it and don't think I want to do anything else. There will always be another swell. There are lines out there someplace with nobody there. Teach people not to drop in.

I've surfed since 1982, and now I rarely surf. It's been huge in my life, and always will be, at least mentally/aesthetically. Work(entrepreneur/self-employed, - very time consuming), women, other people, and general healthy fitness oriented living are my priority(which surfing can be a part of but....) Surfing is largely solitary with a lot of cash investment(boards, wetsuits, accessories, time, driving searching for waves though that can be pleasant some times), even though yes, surfing has it's own community too, and you can hook up through it too if you're lucky, but overall, there's too many guys in surfing. I'd rather do things with women, so I do.

Well I'm almost 63, and I can add up the good and bad sides of surfing since the 60's. The good: A fantastic ride over several decades. I experienced many waves of beauty and challenge, which made me a stronger person. I met numerous very interesting people along life's journey of adventure. The bad: crowds, egos, air water and mind pollution. In my quest to put surfing first I likely missed out on some of life's more positive experiences: no wife or kids and the feeling I failed to live up to my full potential. That does include honestly not making enough dinero to support a family and for that matter myself in my retirement. I could have made stronger contributions to society. Other surfers have handled this far better than I. The future: One way or another by genes and effort I have kept fitter than many my age. I run, swim, and yes rarely paddle out. But there is no denying my skin and joints show the wear of the decades. No skin cancer (yet) or bad arthritis. But aging means less

I'm 60, and done. Up to 6 years ago I thought I would never quit. Now, I could care less about it. The first real turn off, I went to Pleasure Point on a Sunday morning, I expected a crowd but it was insane. No big deal, I told myself, I'll come back Mon. a.m.. Well, Monday was as crowded as Sunday. I drove to San Jose and bought a wakeboard boat. It was tons of fun, but truthfully an ecological disaster. I went back about three years ago to Santa Cruz. Small crowd, small waves, but sunny and glassy. I was having a blast. Then I looked out to the horizon. Long story short, it was four Sup's. They did a wonderful job of hogging each and every wave. Sup's will [are] the end of surfing. Great memories, but I hope the whole freak show surfing has turned into falls on it's ear. Sad for younger generations.

Ha nice read... Like the Eagles song: 'You can check out any time you like but you can never leave...'

I dont think you ever have to give up the title of "Surfer" if you do find yourself not going to the beach anymore. I spent four years in the Marine Corps and I still call myself and military friends "Marines". If you've caught enough waves and dont need anymore I say cool brother,(Mason88). My appartment is full of surfing and Marine Corps memorablia. My last longboard is still hung on the livingroom wall. When I think how much better shape I'd be in if I still surfed, I get a little bummed, then I'd think of all the great go-outs I've had and stop tripping. I get most of my surfing fix watching surf movies now. I started surfing in the 70's at Salt Creek in Laguna Niguel. I was never the only one out. I grew up surfing Huntington and Newport. Crowds havent been anything new for a long time now. Maybe they're just now getting to some of you. If you want to get away from the crowds try Pleasure Point on Sunday morning. Dont go anywhere near Huntington Beach. I suppo

Sometimes you just can't quit. I grew up in So Cal. Moved to Buffalo and 'quit'. Until I found out after 20 years living here that there are surfable waves on the Great Lakes. There's a group of us that surf until the water freezes. Are the waves great? Not often, but fun is to be had. Are the conditions good? I suppose if you like sub-freezing temperatures, sub zero wind chills, winds 20+ knots and ice forming on the deck of your board. But it's a thousand times better than not surfing. I'm in my 50s and as long as my body doesn't crap out and I can find a wave, I'm on it.

I started surfing again after a 20 year absence and am having a blast. I'll never stop again. One thing amazes me about these posts; you guys in Cali are pretty bitchy despite having the best conditions in the country. I know there are crowds but those of us surfing brown water wind swell seem to be having more fun. Go figure...

I have been bodysurfing since the end of summer. The winter swells down at Carlsbad and Encinitas have been righteous. I picked uo bodysurfing three years ago and can never seem to let it go. Today marks day number "7" in a row I have been to the beach. And yes, I work as a bmw mechanic and I still have time. Even if the waves are shit to some people, being out in the water and sliding down a ramp of a super hollow tube, is somewhat amazing and out of this world, nothing else I have done comes close,besides fast cars and hot girls. Waves are my medicine and if I do no get my weekly fill ( 5 times a week or more ) I snap. My boss knows my habit and gives me shifts to work around the tides, which i may say is awesome. Thanks for the amazing post! And for the record, this is one So-Cal bodysurfer who respect and is thankful for the beautiful surf he is close to and all the amazing tubes I have conquered.

Well I'm 16 years old and I'm a first time learner with surfing. I don't have all the experience you guys have, but I know that I love the ocean just as much as any true surfer would. Just the sound of the waves and the breeze makes everything more relaxing. It's alot of hard work, but it's all worth it. Surfing is not a job, it's a lifestyle. It's what you love to do. Quitting what you love doesn't help the fact your willing to give up on alot of things. So what if your married and have kids, make it fun! Go surfing for the enjoyment, not for the competition. It's relaxing and you should enjoy surfing while you can. I know I'm trying too :)

I could never quit as I stated very late in life ~ 62 years of age and rode my first wave November 3rd, 2007 ~ 64 now and going on 65 in July ~ I will quit when my body tells me I can not do it anymore. I even coming off my first major surf injury - 15 stitches from a Fin Cut and have been out of the water for a little over 2 months. Wife and 11 year old daughter encourage my journey and I will say this the first time I stood up and actually rode a wave was the felling I had when I got clean and sober 20 years ago. Thanks to all my mentors at HB for keeping me stoked.

I have been surfing for close to 30 years I have lived in Florida and California ...and surfed around the world. I live in Utah now where I surf the mountain and still manage to surf in San Diego every month at Pt Loma area ( keep a boat there as a place to stay). I also make sure that I get that soulful surf trip every year as well to Indo. I will always surf no matter how old or where I am.

It's easy...just gaze out at your local surf spot,breaking about 2-3 ft[once you find a place to park,feed the meter or pay $20 at the gate] and observe all the long boarders,sup,body boards and other flotsam [not to mention the high $$$$ it costs for a board and wetsuit these days] and you say to yourself "Is this worth it ?" Nope.Find something other to do.

Very interesting article... but are we not just buying into another illusion? Surfing is just an expression like anything else we do. As it happens for most people, surfing isn't everything in life as much as we would like it to be. Yes it feels that good!!! Surfing is not Life, Life is life! and life is often beyond our puny control. I have learned that surfing does not define us. We are what defines surfing. We must be mindful not to limit our understanding of who and what we are...

Having worked with addicts for quite a few years. I recognize six stages of development in the addict: 1. Delight and Discovery 2. Protection and Promotion 3. Defense and Denial 4. Resentment and Relapse 5. Acceptance and Abstinence 6. Growth and Gratitude Some may never go through all 6. While others vacillate back and forth through all 6 at various times in life. It is also said that parents, spouses, friends and relatives may go through some of these. There are NO 12 step programs for this addiction One must just simply continue to surf! http://twitter.com/SaltySurfDawg