Beyond the waves: Car Parks The Unsung Hangout For The Surf Community
- leeintheghetto
- Sep 9, 2024
- 4 min read
8 time world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore said about surfing ‘It’s not just about the waves; it’s about the people you meet and the places you go’
Many people associate the noble pastime of surfing with salt encrusted individuals, laidback lifestyles, exotic places around the world and beaches, lots of beaches.
It is true that surfing relies on waves which occur in the sea which are next to beaches. However in many parts of the world the activity of surfing begins and ends in a car park.
For people who do not surf car parks are simply a place to leave your vehicle. For a surfer car parks are more than just a place to park up while surfing. They are a community space, where people meet and greet, where news and updates are exchanged. ‘The left is breaking today, be careful more cars were broken into last night, the ticket machine is broken again’
To a surfer they are special places, people have grown ups in car parks, they have formed lifelong friendships in car parks. Like Mouse who met Linnie in a car park on the Gower when feeling particularly home sick and thinking of heading back to Liverpool.
‘Because of that meeting I still live in Wales and got a new best friend’ says Mouse while making a post surf cuppa in the car park at the legendary ‘Gennith car park.
Wether you are in a car park in Huntingdon California, Hossegor France, Bells Beach in Australia or Playa Avellanas in Costa Rica the culture is the same. People coming together for a shared experience, a sense of belonging and of course the same love of surfing.
The ritual of pulling up at a car park close to a surf break is the same world over. Sometimes you the swell is so good and you just want to get your suit on and get in the water. Or its a cheeky lunchtime session and work is calling. Other times there is time to dwell, catch up with old friends, discuss the purchase of a new board or the birth of a new born.
People meet future wives and husbands in car parks, they celebrate birthdays, mourn the passing of a loved one. Yes there is the beach, but the car park is the hub for a surfer. It is the place you change, you eat, you chat and quite often sleep.
It is no accident that surf culture is synonymous with what is now often referred to as ‘Van Life’. A vehicle (not always a van) which can carry your board, towel and suit also becomes a place to sleep. And where do you sleep in a car? A car park!
These community spaces are not static places, they change with the seasons. Mid winter when the temperature is low and the weather is not so kind the car park feels different. Quite often surfers and hardy dog walkers are the only ones at the beach. There is less chat, sometimes only a brief acknowledgment of others coming and going.
Spring is when the ocean wakes up, the water warms and the waves bring a sense of renewal. It is the perfect time to reconnect with nature and others in the community. Chats become longer, hot drinks are prepared, the community space comes alive once again.
The car park is where non surfers and surfers interact. Some from the comfort of their car as many feel the draw of there coast but the car park is the furthest they would venture. For many the sight of people standing, chatting post surf with wetsuits pulled down to their waist seems counter intuitive but surfing has a way of building tolerance to the cold.
Summer of course is where dwell time increases, early morning surfs enhance that sense of shared experience. Lazy days, relaxing amongst converted vehicles many with additional kit such as awnings, beds, kitchens and even the odd hammock.
There are of course tensions when observing car parks at the beach. In many areas of the world surfers can be protective of a good wave and this can spill over into the car park. Travel along the coast of Australia for example and graffiti spotted in car parks will remind people that this is a ‘locals only’ spot and guest surfers from out of town are not welcome.
Then there are the ongoing relationship with the local authorities who are charged with managing and maintaining the car parks for all. Signs that state ‘No Overnight Sleeping’ are present in some of the more popular surf spots around the world.
Yet the drive within a surfer to spend as much time as possible in a car park is strong with many keeping their vehicles as ‘stealth campers’ meaning no obvious sign that people are sleeping inside and possibly a regular van.
So the next time you pull into a beachside car park, don’t just see it as a spot for your car -see it as the ultimate surfers’ lounge. It’s where friendships form, wetsuits get wrangled, and post surf naps are a rite of passage.
History of an Australian car park article 2023:
Comments