Posted on: Friday, May 2, 2003

There's nothing cool about surf 'localism'

Turf wars are ugly, regardless of whether the disputed property is land or ocean. So it's disheartening to hear that surf territorialism or "localism" is alive and well around big-wave meccas, including Hawai'i.

The Islands may not have seen any high-profile surf-related assaults lately, as has California. But the conditions for surf territorialism are ripe if we allow "localism" to rule the waves.

Surfing magazine has warned its readers that certain Hawai'i surfing spots are for "locals only," and that some are a "fight club." Is that the image we want to project about the Aloha State and the exhilarating sport that draws enthusiasts from around the globe?

If surf localism escalates into violence, it's only a matter of time before we have police on jet skis patrolling the breaks. It's in everyone's interest to keep the waves mellow so that they don't have to be policed.

So let's make a point of taking Hawai'i off the international surf rage map.