Surf Glossary - C: From Drop to Dolphin

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Deck

As there is a deck on ships, there is one on your board. Meant is the top of the surfboard.

Delamination

When the upper surface of the surfboard - the fiberglass - detaches, it is called a delamination. You recognize a delamination from the dents that appear on the surface of the board.
Delaminations should be repaired so they do not enlarge. For many surfboards this causes a considerable optical damage, as you usually have to drill or cut the place.

Drop

A drop is the moment when, after successfully paddling an unbroken / green wave and then getting up / taking off on the surfboard, you drive down the wave.
Advanced surfers often surf waves that are bigger and steeper. In such waves, the drop is often an almost vertical movement, which is why skateboarding and snowboarding are also referred to as dropping into a half pipe or jumping a cliff.

Drop In

In a drop-in, a surfer takes the right of way to another surfer, riding in a wave that another surfer is already on.
The rules for the right of way should always be observed, not only out of courtesy, but also for security reasons.
If a surfer is already in the wave, because he has patched it before you or closer to the peak, then: Do not start into the same wave. Wait for the next wave and pay attention to the rules again.
Since advanced surfers usually paddle the wave at their breaking point (see Peak) and then get it, it can often be hard for a beginner. This one will try to paddle the wave at a rather shallower point, but then the surfer who started from the peak will already be in it.

Duck dive

The Duckdive is a penetration technique that is not easy. It is the most effective of all penetration techniques.
Surfer, who dive through the waves in this technique, see from the back like ducks - what the Duck Dive also got his name. You could almost say "head in the water, tail in the height"

First you paddle with speed on the approaching wave. Before it breaks, you need to cover the rails of the board at the height where you usually support yourself for your take-off.
With a lot of momentum you now straighten up your upper body, push your arms through and bring the board underwater with your nose.
With the back leg you press now also the tail down. You have to shift your entire weight backwards over the back knee. The other leg swings stretched backwards and helps you balance
Underwater controls the board with the correct body displacement and the right knee pressure. Ideally, the whole board is underwater with you.
You open the surfacing by bringing your weight back from the back of your knee and stretching your upper body in the hollow back toward the surface of the water. The nose should first pierce through the water surface after the wave. Followed by you, still lying on the board.
If you have done everything right, you can continue paddling at this point immediately.

A good duckdive is difficult to learn and requires a lot of sensitivity for the movement of a wave and your adaptation to that movement.

The important thing is that the sequence of movements described here is a flowing movement and parts of the process happen simultaneously. For example, the moment when you shift your weight from underwater back under water, not just the moment of the emergence but also the moment under water.
So do not despair if the duckdive does not work the first time, the more you get a sense of the timing of the rolling wave, the easier the duckdive becomes.

diving technique

There are several techniques to dive a wave to get into the line-up faster and more effortlessly. At some spots you have to fight against less, at others against more white water. It is important that you always provide the waves with as little attack surface as possible.
We distinguish between the following penetration techniques:

Turtle roll
Duck Dive
Back Bracker
Chicken dive

You can find the individual explanations for the respective penetration techniques under the above mentioned terms in our Surf ABC.

Design

There are so many different surfers and tastes, so many different surfboard designs. In addition to many machine-made boards and designs, you also have the opportunity to present a shaper its own design or even create it yourself. Creativity knows no limits. Which design suits you best, you will know yourself. Buys a board but always according to its technicalities and only very last to its appearance. On the Internet you will find many suggestions and surfboard manufacturers who want to inspire you with their very individual ideas.

dolphins

Surfing with dolphins is a truly unique experience. But, beware! Dolphins are primarily large, wild animals, to which we humans like to attribute properties that are only conditionally applicable to them. However, one can roughly say that dolphins have proven to be very philanthropic in many traditions and many a drowning person can tell the story of a dolphin that has led him to the shore.

Dolphins are fascinating creatures and there is hardly anyone who does not dream of making contact with them in the wild.
Their upward-pointing "mouth corners" make them seem as if they always laugh.
Unfortunately, dolphins are still tortured and kept in captivity today, because one would like to believe that they also smile about this fact.

Dolphins are marine mammals and belong to the group of toothed whales.
They are usually between 2 and 4 meters long.
The bottlenose dolphin easily reaches this size and is even considered more peaceful than dolphins.
The nimble marine mammals can reach a speed of up to 50 km / h and are excellent jumpers. Their jumps are less playful because they serve to make them even faster.
Dolphins live in schools with up to 1000! Animals and communicate with chattering, clicking and hissing sounds, as well as physical contact and their ability to echo-locate. Dolphins feed on fish and always hunt in groups.

As already mentioned, they are known to have great social skills, which is why they are also used for so-called dolphin therapies for very sick people.
The successes prove us right. The dolphin seems to be able to touch and move people with a very special sense.
Their play behavior and their trained but also quite instinctive care in dealing with the sick, in many - for example, autistic people - blocks and helps them to a new quality of life.

Dolphins are creatures worthy of protection that not only inspire and move us surfers.

Literature also put one or the other monument to the mostly peaceful marine mammals.

The two attached links are very important to us. Of course, there are many other supportive associations and organizations on the Internet who strive to protect these wonderful creatures.

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