While conducting a soon-to-be-complete interview with Cody, we learned that he is not only a star of Salomon Freeski TV and all around extreme dude, but also an avid surfer. Growing up on the sandy shores of Santa Cruz gave Cody ample opportunity to learn the ins and outs of local surf culture, and he’s such a nice guy that he’s decided to pass that knowledge on to you.

If you had to decide on one common theme between skiing and snowboarding, it would have to be a shared admiration for surfing. Half the snowboard industry is based in Southern California, Poor Boyz edits their ski movies on the shores of sunny Manhattan Beach, Powder Magazine is ironically based near the deserty shores of San Clemente, and pros from Travis Rice to Pep Fujas and Todd Richards to Jon Olsson have all shown their love of the sport that is hipper than a Ray Ban booth at a Wavves concert.

So if you decide to forego the Mt. Hood glacier games and head to the beach this summer take notice of these few tips before you go; surfers can be a bit harder on gaper harassment then we skiers are.

1. Learn the words. Nothing outs foreigners quicker than incorrect terminology, so when you paddle out don’t excitedly exclaim how good you think the ‘breakers’ are in front of the local pack. Use words like ‘firing’ or ‘pumping’ to say how good the waves are. And when you’re sitting on the ‘bowl’ you’re not sitting on someone’s pipe, you’re in the best spot to catch a wave.  If something is bad it’s ‘eggy’ or ‘swampy’. And finally, ‘kook’ equals ‘gaper’ .  Use these few words and you’ll blend in like fruit in a smoothie.

2. If you’re a kook, paddle out to the kook spots.  There is nothing shameful about heading out to the beginner spots where long boarders abound.  But paddling out to where the local boys are charging would most likely make you end up like that kid that overshot the Poor Boyz kicker in Mt. Bachelor last year.  Not only will you be in pain, you’ll probably be laughed at as well.

Just say no!

3.  Change your look. The tall-tees and bandanas must go.  Those guys that look like park rats in surf towns are actual gangsters.  And they’re not like the blingy ones in music videos, but more like they stab-you-quickly ones that make headlines.  Oh and it wouldn’t hurt to get a tan before you go, I still to this day have never seen an albino surfer, so don’t be the first.

4. Be respectful.  I’m actually being serious here because I care for you guys and your goggles are going to fit badly next winter if you get your nose smashed in by Johnny Boy Local.  Stay out of the way at all costs.  Don’t drop in on other people. And say you’re sorry if you do any of these things.    Have fun!