Surf’s Up, Big Kahuna
- Share via
It’s time to get “stoked” about “duck-diving” and executing an “alley-oop.” But don’t “wipeout”--you’ll look like a “barney” in front of a “nugget.”
If you’re a surfer, you just caught my drift. But you don’t have to be clueless if you don’t water boogie. You, too, can surf the slang--right here, right now--with nary a gnarly wipeout.
* Air: When the surfer and board take off into the air and land on the wave again.
* Alley-oop: When a surfer rotates 360 degrees backward above the wave.
* Barney: A clueless surfer.
* Bogger: A person or wave that moves too slowly.
* Bowl: The most hollow section of a wave.
* Cliff widow: Nonsurfing woman who is left behind by a surfer when the waves get good.
* Duck-dive: While paddling out, the technique of submerging the surfboard under oncoming waves.
* Filthy: Flawless wave quality.
* Goofy-foot: A surfer’s natural stance with the right foot forward, the left back.
* Grommet: A young surfer.
* Hellman: A risk-taking surfer.
* Kook: An inexperienced or older surfer.
* Lineup: The area where surfers linger for waves.
* Macker: A large wave.
* Nugget: An attractive member of the opposite sex.
* Ripping: When a surfer is ruling the waves.
* Shoulder-hop: To bust in front of another surfer.
* Soul surfing: Surfing for the love of it.
* Stoked: Excited.
* Wipeout: Crash.
More to Read
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.