Surfers, we have a problem. Or maybe more than one, but let's address the fundamental one first. What if it's just getting so crowded at our local beaches, it's just not worth it anymore?
Yes, I belong to a group of lucky surfers who live near a coastline blessed with plenty of favorable swells and quality waves.
For that, I present my sincere apologies as I speak from a place of privilege.
However, every coin has two sides, and despite the number of amazing waves and peaks that I can count within half an hour of driving from my flat, it's also true that most of them - over 85 percent - are crowded all year round.
And by crowded, I mean counting over 30 surfers per beach break peak.
You could say, "Go surfing at 7 am." I know, I've done that and... it's full of like-minded water people.
"Then, do it on weekdays." True and the same apples. It's unbelievably crowded.
"Have you tried surfing at dawn?" Sure thing. I did it even on winter days, and humans are there for the same reason I am.
I've been witnessing this phenomenon worsen from 2010 to the present.
I don't have a 100 percent correct explanation for it, but I do know that surfing's popularity has gone through the roof.
I am sure there are a few factors that play against the quality of any surfer's sessions, as this is a problem that affects everyone.
Social media
One of them is the rise of social media.
The photo- and video-sharing era made surfing super cool and appealing, inviting anyone to join the tribe and have their stand-up surfing accomplishments frozen forever on their feeds.
People feel they need to escape screens and have outdoor experiences, only to have them posted online soon after.
We have already written a few words on our very own theory of the evolution of surfing as a purchasable experience. Feel free to agree, partially agree, or disagree.
Low-cost flights
Then, low-cost flights aren't making things easy.
Surfers who live in landlocked nations or near unfavorable swell coastlines can easily get in a plane and travel from Finland (Northern Europe) in the morning to Portugal (Southwestern Europe) and be surfing after lunch in Portugal.
The same applies to the US, Australia, and Asia.
I barely listen to Portuguese-speaking surfers in my home break anymore.
The Olympic Games
Another reason is the Olympic Games. Since surfing became an Olympic sport at Tokyo 2020, it has been exposed to millions of aspiring beginner surfers.
Around Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, I was also exposed to live coverage of sailing races and got hooked.
So, I have learned to sail, first in a Vaurien boat, and later in an Olympic sailing class, the Laser, now ILCA dinghy.
Paris 2024, with its magnificent Teahupoo wave and the unforgettable Gabriel Medina floating picture, only magnified the world's interest in surfing.
Live broadcasts
Finally, if you trust the World Surf League's (WSL) figures, the 80 million people who got in touch with competitions in 2025 watched content for 20.3 million hours, an increase of 19 percent from 2024.
The WSL finals drew 45 million viewers, and the webcast audience increased by 17 percent year over year.
On average, each event had 2.5 million live viewers.
Pro surfing's yearly broadcast growth is considerable, compared to other popular sports.
Could wave pools release crowd pressure?
No wonder there are more recreational surfers than ever. But there's a catch here.
Quantity is not quality is not quantity. In other words, more surfers mean fewer quality sessions and eventually fewer ridden waves per hour.
While it's great to see more people engaging in surfing and sports in general, surfing requires limited natural resources.
Waves are scarce, and the number of surf breaks is pretty much static.
Unless the democratization of access to wave pools opens new opportunities to all surfers, for instance, in inland towns.
Actually, the advent of artificial waves has also extended the number of people who master the art of riding a rolling wall of fresh or saltwater.
Paradoxically, the only thing that seems to keep surfers out of the water is the growing issue of pollution.
The problem has reached a point where surfers are actually willing to risk their lives and health to paddle out in infected waters.
Is giving up an option?
Anyway, my surfing fix has been putting more and more on hold due to the crowd factor. Every time I check the cams or the beach, I immediately lose interest.
How can I be enjoying myself with 50 people trying desperately to gain priority to ride an average three-to-five-foot wave?
I have tried it many times, and I tend to leave the water more stressed out than when I was still dry, assessing the conditions.
Maybe my time is done, and the lineup is now controlled by first-timers and their portable waterproof cameras.
Should I push myself into it again or surrender to the massification of surfing?
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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