I’m often asked, “Hey Andrea, tell us some cool surf terms (surf lingo)” so I compiled a list of cool terms and here they are. Enjoy and try using them in sentences..
Surf lingo 101
Ankle Biters: Tiny waves.
ASP: Association of Surfing Professionals
Barrel: The wave throws over and is hollow when it is breaking, also called a tube.
Beach Break: A wave that breaks over sand, near the shore, usually short rides.
Billabong: What Australians call a watering hole. One of the largest surfing manufacturers in the world.
Blown Out: The onshore winds turn the surf into unrideable mush.
Bottom Turn: The turn made at the base of the wave. Often the first move you learn in surfing.
Caught Inside: A surfer who is inside where the waves are breaking right on top of you. Usually happens after a big set.
Channel: An area of deeper water, usually not breaking, flowing outward.
Closed Out: Where a wave breaks along its length all at once.
Drop In: When a surfer drops in on a wave in front of another surfer, totally un-cool but if someone says, dropped in on this gnarly wave today, very cool.
Duck Dive: Diving or pushing your board under an oncoming wave when paddling out.
Dumping: Where a small wave will fold over in big sections, making it unsurfable, often caused by onshore wind conditions .
Eat it: Wiping out on a wave.
Firing: The same as going off .. swell and waves are plentiful.
Goofy/Goofy Foot: Surfing with your right foot forward.
Glassy: Ultra clean surf without a ripple .. looks like glass.
Hang Ten: Riding a longboard with both feet right on the nose of the board and your toes hangng over.
Impact Zone: The spot where the waves are breaking.
Kicking Out: Pulling out of the wave, away from the break.
Kook: A beginner or someone who is not very good or respectful while surfing. Not a very nice term.
Leash: The cord that is attached between your leg and your surfboard.
Line Up: The place just outside the breaking waves where surfers wait for their waves.
Lull: When the ocean goes flat between sets and everyone sits around waiting for the waves to arrive.
Offshore: When the wind at a surf break is blowing off the shore and makes for ideal surfing conditions.
Onshore: When the wind is blowing toward the land and makes poor surfing conditions.
Over the Falls: Being pulled over a wave and forced under by the break.
Pearl: A common term describing when a person buries the nose of their surfboard.
Peeling: The ideal condition when the lip is curling over at a steady rate. .
Pumping: A decent swell meaning waves are nice and powerful. Also, when pumping your board along the waves face to generate speed, this is fun!
Reform: When whitewash “reforms” into another nice wave on the inside; usually mellower.
Regular Foot: Surfing with your left foot forward. Usually shortened to just reg-u-lar.
Rip Current: A strong current heading out to sea..
Set: A group of waves, usually range from 3 to 7 but can range from 1 to 10+.
Stoked: Very happy, happens a lot after surfing or when good surf is predicted.
Swell: Waves! Solid, real waves; as opposed to rubber windchop.
Tube: The hollow part of the wave when it is breaking over you.
Turn Turtle or Turtle Roll: Technique for getting a longboard out of the way of a breaking wave.
Wipeout: Falling or getting tossed off of your board.
Worked: To get worked is to wipe out and get thrown about by the waves.
