A

ALOHA — most often hello or goodbye

ALOHA SPIRIT —a sense of love and sharing. Good vibes

B

BEACH BREAK — waves breaking on a sandy bottom close to shore

BLOWN OUT —when strong wind usually blowing toward shore makes the waves crumble in a haphazard fashion

C

COVERED —when the surfer is covered up by the breaking wave and can not be seen from shore

CUTBACK —making a sharp turn in the opposite direction

D

DAWN PATROL — going surfing at first light in the morning

DIVA —a girl surfer

DOWN THE LINE — surfing from the peak of the wave along the course of the wave as it is breaking before you.

DUCK DIVE — pushing the tip of your board down into the bottom of the face of an oncoming wave to allow the wave to travel over you with less impact

DUDE — a guy surfer 

E

EVENING GLASS — windless conditions out on the ocean in the early evening. The surface of the ocean is as smooth as glass 

F 

FLAT — when there are no surfable waves. Time to go skateboarding! 

FLOATER — a maneuver where the surfer floats his board on top of a wave that has broken 

G 

GLASSY — windless conditions out on the ocean. The surface is smooth as glass 

GREEN ROOM — when a surfer is covered by a wave he is riding, he is in the green room 

GROM — a young surfer. Short for grommet 

GROMMET — a young surfer 

H 

HANG FIVE — having the toes of one foot curled over the tip of your board as you are riding a wave

HANG TEN — having all of your ten toes curled over the front of your board as you are riding a wave

HOLD DOWN — being held underwater by a wave that has broken. It may seem like forever! 

I 

IMPACT ZONE — the spot where the crashing waves comes down on the water  

J 

JUNKY — when the waves are not breaking cleanly. Often when the wind is blowing onshore and the surf is small 

L 

LEFT POINT — when the waves at a point break are breaking toward the surfer's left 

M 

MUSHY — conditions where the waves are breaking gently without much force 

O 

OFF THE LIP — when a surfer rides from the bottom of a wave to the top and then quickly turns at the top or lip of the wave and back down 

OVER THE FALLS — when a surfer is launched by the wave and crashes into the water without being able to ride the wave  

P 

POINT BREAK — waves that break starting from a point of land that juts out into the ocean. The wave wraps around the point of land 

R 

RASH GUARD — a stretchy shirt that can be worn under a wet suit to prevent chafing or worn by itself it can protect against harmful rays of the sun or from drafty winds. 

REEF BREAK — waves breaking over a reef 

RIP TIDE — a strong current or flow of water returning towards the ocean from shore. Can be dangerous for swimmers 

ROCK DANCE — the awkward walk in or out of the surf on a rocky bottom with your surfboard. Requires a lot of balance! 

S 

SCRATCH — frantic paddling up the face of a wave to get out beyond a wave that looks like it will crash on you. 

SLOPPY — waves are breaking without good shape or conditions. Often onshore wind 

SNAKE — to take off in front of someone who already has caught the wave 

SOUP — the white water traveling into shore after a wave has broken 

STOKE — boundless enthusiasm

T 

TWIN FIN — a surf board with two fins 

TUBE RIDE — riding inside the face of a wave that has formed a barrel or tube shape 

TURN TURTLE — flipping your surfboard upside down and pointing out to sea with you holding on underneath so that the wave breaks over you. 

W

WAHINE — a girl surfer