Surfing
Surfing is a recreational and competitive sport where individuals use a surfboard to ride atop moving waves without falling. Surfing began as a pivotal point to Polynesian culture, and has since garnered both fame and infamy with the surfing culture throughout the world. The surfboard itself is typically designed as a long board with a rounded nose and tail, and created with Expanded polystyrene, fiberglass, and epoxy resin to keep the board light and buoyant. Most competitions are scored by the size of the wave ridden, the variety of maneuvers or tricks, and the degree of difficulty showcased.
The process of catching a wave needs practice. Knowing when the wave is “catchable” is important because that will allow you to surf it. You start by positioning yourself 4 meters (13 feet) away from the way, paddling to match the speed of the wave, then you stand up to start surfing.
In 1777, just a year before James Cook came to Honolulu, he saw this happening and showed others how to do the sport. Although he may not have invented it, he is the first person known to take surfing knowledge to the people and to grow the sport.
Strong currents and water action can slam a surfer into a reef or ocean floor, leading to severe injuries or death. One of the biggest dangers is the risk of two or more consecutive waves being held underwater. Knowing this, surfers often have friends or other surfers around them incase anything were to happen.
