What Are Some Facts About Surfing?

What are some facts about surfing?  The definition of surfing is riding a surfboard on the face of a breaking wave.  Hawaii is the most popular surfing place in the world.  Surfing rose in popularity in the 1950s and is enjoyed by many people the world over today.

Here are some facts about surfing pertaining to the boards used in surfing:

• In surfing, there are short boards and long boards. 
• Long boards are the ones people start with because they are easier. Also, they are needed to surf the big waves.
• Short boards are good for small waves and making quicker and sharper turns.    

History of Surfing

You may also be interested in some facts about surfing's history:

• We can only guess but we think surfing started many years ago, maybe as far back as 1500 BC. 
• We are sure that it started in the many islands of Polynesia and spread from there. 
• It was observed in Hawaii by the British explorer James Cook in 1778. 
• The missionaries that followed James Cook discouraged it and it was almost wiped out literally by the end of the 1800s. 
• The next century it was revived by the youth and the tourist industry. 
• Talented surfers did exhibitions in America and Australia to help the spread of this fun sport. Surfing really caught on after that. 
• By the 1950s, there were lighter boards made and improvements in other materials, like wetsuits. 
• By the 1960s, there were magazines, clothing, music, and more that was surfing related. 
• Tournaments sprang up and organizations were created to further the sport of surfing.          

Surfing Terms    

If you need still more surfing facts, here are some terms used in surfing.

• Booger - a body boarder.
• Cut Back - a 180 degree turn that is done on the edge of the board to be in position towards the break of the wave.
• Dropping In - this occurs when a surfer cuts off another surfer that was closer to the break of the wave and is also called snaking.
• Face - the front part of a wave.
• Fin - the triangular shaped piece on the bottom of the surfboard that is there for balance and control.  Most boards have one but some will have up to three.
• Goofy or Goofy Foot - this term refers to the surfer that puts his right foot as the lead foot which is opposite of what most people do.
• Hanging Five - this is when a surfer stands on the front of the board and wraps his or her five toes over the edge.
• Hanging Ten - just like hanging five except with both feet.  This is a difficult trick to do.
• Hodad - refers to someone who is learning to surf or a non-surfer. 
• In the Soup - the soup refers to the white foam that forms after a wave breaks.
• Lip - the very tip end of a wave as it is breaking and curling down.
• Making a Wave - this means riding the wave instead of the wave knocking you off your board.
• Nose - the pointed end of a surfboard. 
• Peak - This is the part of the wave right where it is ready to break.
• Pitched - You are pitched when you are tossed off the lip of a wave.  
• Ripping - this refers to doing crazy and wild moves on a wave.
• Shubee - someone, like a tourist, who buys all the gear and clothes but has never surfed.
• Swell - this is a line in the water made by the wind that travels on the surface and makes waves in shallow water.
• Tube Ride - the tube is the tunnel that is made by a large, hollow, breaking curl of a wave.
• Wipe Out - basically falling off the board.  It is also called eating it, taking a pounding, mullering, or donut.

Now you know lots of facts about surfing and even some surfing vocabulary.