Pearl
When the nose of your board digs into the water on take off and stops you dead, flipping you forward. A classic beginner move.
How to use it
"I pearled hard and did a front flip nobody asked for."
Related surf words
- Offshore
Wind blowing from the land out to the sea. It grooms waves clean and makes them stand up. Every surfer's favourite forecast word.
- Onshore
Wind blowing from the sea onto the land. It flattens and messes up waves. The forecast word every surfer sighs at.
- Drop In
To take off on a wave that someone already riding has priority on. Big etiquette no. Apologise, don't argue.
- Duck Dive
Pushing your board (and yourself) underwater to slide beneath a breaking wave as you paddle out. Only works on smaller, thinner boards.
- Cutback
A turn that carves you back toward the breaking part of the wave, so you don't outrun the power. Style points optional.
Now that you speak surf