DON'T throw your board. A giant, nine-foot beginner board comes with an equally long leash. That means you’re attached to an 18-foot ball and chain. Hold on to that surfboard!

DO enter carefully. Paddle around the wave, through a side channel, when coming from shore, not straight towards the lineup or the peak—essentially oncoming traffic.

DO know the right-of-way. The person who is closest to the peak of the wave (the place where it’s starting to curl over) has the clear path. Jumping onto a wave someone is already riding, or “dropping in,” is a cardinal sin.

DON'T be a wave hog. Longboarders, with their smooth, stable rides, will have an especially easy time catching set after set. Take turns, especially with the shortboarders doing complicated maneuvering.