Line-up: indicates the surfers who are waiting their “turn” to catch a wave. On a beachbreak, the surfers are more spread out because the waves do not always break in the same place, while on a point break, since the wave always breaks in the same place, the surfers wait closer together. Note that respect is of the utmost importance in surfing, and that it is considered good form to wait your turn, to let the locals pass, and so on (see article on surfing etiquette).
Swell: If you hear a big swell coming, attach your leash with a pin, the waves are coming to town!
Onshore, offshore: refers to the direction of the wind. When it is onshore, the wind comes from the ocean and blows towards the beach, and an offshore wind comes from the land and pushes towards the ocean. The second is desirable for better waves.
Beachbreak: when a wave breaks on the sandbars at the bottom of the ocean. Surfers have to move around the line-up more to catch their waves since they don't always break in the same place.
Pointbreak : When a wave always breaks in the same place, usually when the water hits a fixed surface, such as an island or large rock, or coral on the bottom of the water.
Paddle: when you lie flat on your stomach on your board and paddle to move forward. This is also the most difficult part for many beginner surfers.
Fin: fin that is fixed under the board. Different fin setups give different characteristics to your equipment: maneuverability, speed, stability.
Foamie: foam board.
Shortboard : short board popular with experienced surfers.
Longboard: long board, perfect for smaller waves and for doing “steppettes”, i.e. walking on your surfboard.
Fish: no, we are not talking about fish in the ocean but rather a type of board, generally short and rather wide, with a “tail” shaped like a fish tail.
Cutback: A rather aggressive type of turn that involves turning at the top of the wave and making a good splash to impress spectators both in the line-up and on the beach.
Floater : maneuver which consists of surfing the top of the lip of a wave, after it has broken and formed foam.
Bottom turn: turn at the bottom of the wave, generally done before going back up and doing a cut-back or float. It allows you to better reposition yourself to attack the lip of the wave.
Tube, barrel: the ultimate dream of many surfers, it is even conjugated to say that we “got barreled”. It is about surfing the part of a wave that forms a tube, the surfer being completely surrounded by water. In a small bar, the surfer can lean to pass through but some say that the ultimate experience is to surf a barrel big enough to stay upright on your board and still have water above your head. Note that not all waves will “barrel”, a certain power of the water is required to form a barrel.
Regular: surfers with their left foot in front, and their right foot behind their board. Generally speaking, right-handed people are regular, but not 100% of the time.
Goofy: the opposite of regluar
Kook: if someone refers to you using this term, it's not a good sign! A kook is a public danger, someone who doesn't hold their board while crossing the waves, who doesn't respect the order of priority in the line-up, basically, someone you don't want to be friends with in the water, or even out of the water. If, by mistake, you kook yourself, go apologize to the person concerned, it will then be less embarrassing to walk around town.
Wipeout: commonly referred to as: a baddie arrives, with high potential to have swallowed 2-3 mouthfuls of water, received a sinus rinse from the ocean, and filled your swimsuit with sand.
Drop-in: When someone “steals” a wave on which they did not have priority. This person will definitely be called KOOK.
Over the falls: in the wipeout category, when a wave propels us in its circular motion and makes us experience a roller coaster, not only emotional but physical too. *action not recommended.
Lip: The lip of the wave is the part of water at the top of a wave that will fall in front of it. Some waves have more impressive lips than others, like the one at Teahupo'o which is among the most massive.
Peak: The highest point of the wave just before it breaks.
Shoulder: on each side or on one side of the peak, the wave takes the shape of a shoulder, that is to say it gradually decreases in height.
Duckdive: technique of diving under the water with your board like a little duck to cross the waves and get to the line-up
Turtle roll: when it is impossible to duckdive, it is possible to cross the waves by holding the rails of your board, turning it over, while keeping it parallel to the ground. The surfer then goes underwater while the wave passes.
Close out: when the wave suddenly closes and there are no shoes to surf.
Quiver: selection of boards that a surfer owns, which is never too many by the way.
Drop-in: when a kook takes a wave on which he does not have priority and 'cuts' the surfer who was better placed than him.
