Locals Only - If You Don't Live Here Don't Surf Here

I read a lot of stories about 
locals and localism


I consider myself a local
of several spots really
but more than just surf spots
as much as
the small strip of coast where
I grew up
and still reside


I like to think of a local is someone who works to develop, 
over a period of time,
some personal sense of place of an area


With some knowledge of the history of a place.
A feeling for the geology of a place
how it is moving in geolocial time


In terms of the meeting of land and ocean
an how that interface changing
Since it is always in flux
always moving
there is quite a bit to take in


Then there is knowledge of the 
flora and fauna of a place,
as well as
things like climate.
Are we in a drought this year?
Last year?


Explictly important to surfing and surfers
but equally important to fisherman, boaters etc
What swells reach the coast? What directions do they come from
Where are the swells born and what seasons produce which swells.
Oh and how is the wind that time of year?


So a more than passing knowledge of
the characteristics of a place


not just where the locals park
(although thats good too)


not just a drinking relationship
with the current pack of
supposedly Alpha males


should characterize
a true local


but that's just me


I hope the next thing
I read about locals
is that they organized


a local
"Clean up the Beach" day


or
maybe 


saved
someone
from drowning
by paying attention
to some visiting non-locals
an by using their "local knowledge"
to identify a dangerous situation
and safely extracted a visitor from harms way.


As to behavior in the water
try to keep in mind
that no one owns the waves
not even the locals
and that everyone out
is there
for the same thing you are
so share
smile
hoot!


When you develop
a sense of place
you can appreciate
the beach
the water
the day
as much as the waves