Deep ecology

The joy of riding a wave has been likened to sex, which perhaps explains the elation felt by enthusiasts when the "surf's up". Numerous species of animal appear to enjoy being carried by the force of a wave, including penguins and various marine mammals, such as dolphins and seals. Although surfing is traditionally a male dominated sport, more and more female surfers are taking to the water. Surfers share a passion for the shape of the wave, placing particular value in the tunnel formed by the wave when its top spills forward as a curtain of water. Riding inside this "tube" is a highly sought after experience, which is said to momentarily slow one's sense of time.

Surfing's unique relationship with nature afforded it a mythic quality, which set the stage for its commercial simulation.[1] However, there remains a vital core to the culture, which is both local and global in scope. These "hard core" members of surf culture are united in their dedication to the sport's essential practice of riding waves. A disciplined surfer usually checks local surf conditions at dawn, having already assessed the prospects, based on the previous night's weather report.

When surfing conditions are ideal, social commitments are typically relegated to secondary priority. In this way, surfers defy the temporal order imposed by capitalist culture. Their subculture is founded on the aesthetic appeal of naturally occurring patterns and processes. The obvious contradiction between the surfing experience and its depiction to serve commercial interests highlights the contemporary western history of separation from the natural world, its utilitarian valuation and exploitation. Through direct involvement with nature, surfers appreciate the intrinsic value of the biosphere. Indeed, their world view embodies the very principles, which underpin ecosophies such as deep ecology and ecophenomenology.