| Aerial |
A trick where the board takes off from the lip of a wave and after travelling lands back on the face of the wave and continuing. |
| Barrel |
The space inside a hollow, breaking wave between the lip and face. Sometimes called a Tube. |
| Beach Break |
A wave that breaks over the sandy sea bed. |
| Body Surfing |
Surfing a wave using only the body or minimal equipment. |
| Boogie Board |
A short, soft foam board. Also known as a body board or a sponge. |
| Bottom Turn |
A turn made at the base of the wave. |
| Carve |
Classic surfing manoeuvre. Basically what turning on a wave is called. Carve is also a surfing magazine found in Europe. |
| Choppy |
Surf condition in which the waves are inconsistent and irregular. |
| Clean |
Smooth waves, usually good surfing conditions. |
| Cutback |
A classic surfing move used to change direction when streaking ahead of the curl of a wave with a powerful turn back towards the breaking part of the wave. |
| Drop In |
Taking off on a wave that is already being ridden by another surfer. Dropping in is a crime in the surf world. |
| Duck Dive |
Diving under an oncoming wave when paddling out. |
| Glassy |
Windless surf condition in which the texture of the ocean surface is ultra-smooth, like glass. |
| Grommet |
Cute doggie character in the Nick Park animation creations. Also the term used to describe a young surfer. |
| Hold Down |
To be held underwater by a wave. A two-wave hold down is to be held down while two waves pass over. |
| Impact Zone |
The spot where the waves are breaking. |
| Layback |
A maneuver where the surfer literally lays backwards on a wave, usually either in the barrel, or during a cutback. |
| Leash |
A cord used to prevent the board being washed away from the surfer. |
| Mushy |
A surf condition in which waves are crumbly and soft without any steepness or much energy. |
| Nose Ride |
A maneuver in which the surfer walks to the front of the surfboard and rides on the nose. |
| Off-the-lip |
Turning the board quickly off the top of the wave to come back down into the face of the wave. |
| Quiver |
A surfer's collection of boards. |
| Rail |
The edge or sides of the board. |
| Reef Break |
A wave that breaks over the reef. |
| Shortie |
A wetsuit with short legs and short arms. |
| Steamer |
A wetsuit with long arms and long legs. |
| Swell |
Solid, real waves (as apposed to rubbish wind chop). Swells are often created by storms thousands of miles/kilometers away from the beach where they are surfed. |
| Tube |
The inside of a hollow wave. See also Barrel. |
| White water |
A frothy, broken wave. |
| Wipe Out |
Falling of your board. |