056: LUKE CEDERMAN - Raglan Surf Report
Luke Cederman - Image: @dominicozapata
SHOW NOTES
Are soft tops and online petitions the end of surfing—or just the beginning of a new wave?
If you’ve ever been frustrated by overcrowded surf breaks, clueless stand-up paddleboarders, or the sudden "trendiness" of surfing, this episode with Raglan Surf Report's Luke Cederman will hit home. Recorded mid-lockdown, it dives into what happens when surfers can't surf and social commentary becomes the next best thing.
Discover why Luke thinks stand-up paddleboards belong nowhere near surf breaks.
Hear the inside scoop on how a Kiwi surfer accidentally built one of the funniest surf media brands online.
Learn why surfing etiquette might be dead—and what we can (or can’t) do about it.
Hit play now to laugh, cringe, and nod along with Luke Cederman’s hilariously honest take on surfing culture today.
Luke Cederman & I riff on surfing, covid19 corona, SUP's soft-tops and E-sports. Follow Luke on Instagram @raglansurfreport https://www.instagram.com/raglansurfreport/?hl=en
Music: OMC - Lingo with the Gringo
Key Points
Luke Cederman, a renowned surfer from New Zealand, is known for his humorous and insightful Raglan Surf Report on Instagram.
Due to quarantine lockdown, Luke is unable to surf but can go to the supermarket, which he avoids by using online orders.
Luke feels he hasn't utilized his quarantine time productively and is indifferent to the apocalyptic situation, which he finds alarming.
New Zealand has implemented strict quarantine measures, including closing borders, which has significantly impacted tourism.
Luke started surfing in Raglan at age 10 or 11 and believes dedication and natural talent are crucial for success in surfing.
Luke competed in domestic surfing circuits but never excelled due to self-imposed pressure, though he won events in his later years.
Luke supports New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, praising her handling of the crisis despite external criticisms.
Luke proposes a surfing license test to allow only experienced surfers in the water, aiming to reduce emergency services calls.
The discussion touches on the impact of CCTV on surfing etiquette and the decline of physical confrontations in the lineup.
The rise in surfing's popularity is attributed to social media, population growth, and advancements in wetsuit technology.
Outline
Introduction of Luke Cederman
Michael introduces Luke Cederman, a surfer from New Zealand known for his Raglan Surf Report on Instagram.
Luke is described as having a dry wit and unique sense of humor.
Michael mentions that Luke recently posted some concise surfing advice on Instagram, which Michael plans to re-share.
Listeners are encouraged to follow Luke's Instagram account @RaglanSurfReport.
Current Situation in New Zealand During COVID-19 Lockdown
New Zealand is under a government-mandated quarantine lockdown.
Luke explains that they are not allowed to go surfing but can walk to check the surf.
They haven't been to the supermarket in three weeks, opting for online orders and pickups instead.
Luke expresses feeling like they haven't taken full advantage of the lockdown time, not having learned any new skills or languages.
They note that they don't feel particularly anxious or scared about the situation, which they find somewhat concerning about themselves.
Luke's Background and Surfing History
Luke identifies themselves as a local from Raglan, New Zealand.
They started surfing there at around 10 or 11 years old.
Luke competed in domestic surfing circuits in New Zealand but admits they never performed well due to the pressure they put on themselves.
They mention winning an event in the past year or two.
Luke had a section in a Taylor Steele surfing movie alongside notable surfers like Kelly Slater and John Florence.
New Zealand's Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
New Zealand has implemented strict quarantine measures, including closing borders weeks ago.
Luke praises Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's handling of the crisis.
An ideal outcome would be for the measures to seem like an overreaction in hindsight, according to Jacinda Ardern.
The economic impact, particularly on tourism, is acknowledged.
Some selfish locals might appreciate the reduced tourist numbers.
Surfing During Lockdown and Luke's Proposed 'Surfing License'
Luke humorously suggests petitioning the government for a 'surfing license' system to allow experienced surfers back in the water.
They believe having skilled surfers in the water would reduce the need for emergency services.
Criteria such as performance-based assessments are proposed.
Luke jokingly suggests that stand-up paddleboards should be banned.
This idea is new and they are 'winging it,' but they believe it could be implemented if the lockdown continues.
Changes in Surfing Culture and Etiquette
There is a lack of etiquette in modern surfing compared to 10-15 years ago.
Factors contributing to surfing's increased popularity include social media, improved wetsuit technology, and the introduction of soft-top surfboards.
Educating new surfers about proper behavior in the lineup is emphasized.
Violence is less acceptable now than in the past.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding Controversy
Strong opinions against stand-up paddleboarders in surf lineups are expressed by Luke.
They suggest that stand-up paddleboarders should be banned from their proposed licensing system, jokingly.
A recent incident where a stand-up paddleboarder was arrested in Malibu for violating lockdown orders is referenced.
This incident is used as an example of what Luke perceives as typical behavior from stand-up paddleboarders.
Luke's Social Media Presence
Luke mentions their Instagram handle @RaglanSurfReport.
The account was started around December 27, 2015, though the exact date is uncertain.
Kelly Slater recently shared one of Luke's posts, which is considered a significant milestone.
Transcription
Michael Frampton
To the show. Today's guest is a phenomenal surfer from New Zealand, Luke Cederman. However, Luke is best known for his dry wit and unique sense of humor through the Raglan Surf Report on Instagram. Not so long ago, Luke actually posted some of the best and most concise surfing advice I'd seen in a while, and I will re-share that Instagram post through my story as I release this podcast.
So go to my Instagram stories to see that. And I encourage you, if you don't already, to follow Luke on Instagram at Raglan Surf Report. It's R-A-G-L-A-N, Raglan Surf Report. This interview is not to be taken too seriously, but please enjoy my conversation with Luke.
So Luke, what's the surf report in Raglan today?
Luke Cederman
I couldn't really tell you because I'm locked inside at the moment because we're under a quarantine lockdown, government-regimented kind of situation at the moment. So, I mean, I'm allowed to leave my house and I can walk out to the surf, but there's no point checking it because I'm not allowed to go surfing.
Michael Frampton
Are you allowed to go to the supermarket?
Luke Cederman
I can go to the supermarket, which many people around here have deemed far more dangerous than going to the surf. I can go there, although I haven't been to the supermarket in the last three weeks and trying to avoid that place as well.
Michael Frampton
Are you fasting?
Luke Cederman
No, I'm not fasting. I'm just doing online orders, online pickups, drop-offs. It's a lot easier. It means that I don't have to actually go anywhere.
So I can just stay at home the entire time and barely even go outside.
Michael Frampton
Yes, a lot of us are in that situation. Crazy times?
Luke Cederman
Yeah, it sure is. Unprecedented, as they call it. The precedent set is now, I guess, for these times.
Michael Frampton
It sure is. How do you feel about it?
Luke Cederman
Well, for one, I don't feel sick because I don't have the shit. So that's good. But yeah, I don't know. Personally, I feel like I'm not really taking advantage of my quarantine lockdown time. I haven't learned any new instruments or any new language. I haven't really done anything productive with the time that I've been allocated by the government, like some people have.
So in terms of that, I feel like I'm a bit of a failure. But yeah, I don't know. I'd like to say that it's scary and I'm feeling anxious, but I don't feel like that at all. And going into this, I was thinking, all right, this is potentially the apocalypse. How am I going to feel about it? And to tell you the truth, I don't know. I haven't really felt anything, which is scary because it may mean that I'm some kind of path, sociopath or whatever they're called, which is a little bit alarming. But yeah, you learn more about yourself when you go through these kind of unprecedented trying times.
Michael Frampton
Indeed. So are you locked up alone? Are you quarantined with family? What's your situation?
Luke Cederman
Well, I was in Auckland and then I thought, well, I don't really want to be in Auckland at the end of the world. I'd rather be in Raglan.
So I've come down to my parents' place with my girlfriend. And so we're just locked down here because I figured it'd be much nicer to see the world end in a beautiful place like Raglan as opposed to a scummy city like Auckland.
Michael Frampton
But New Zealand's got some of the strictest quarantines in the world for this COVID pandemic.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, we locked down the borders a few weeks ago. So that was a massive step. And at that point, I was just like, whoa, okay, our world is changing very rapidly because no more tourism, which was a massive thing. And I guess that's going to continue for quite some time until they can get this thing a little bit more manageable.
So no tourism anymore, which is crazy. But it's kind of a good thing for Raglan locals, selfish Raglan locals. But yeah.
Michael Frampton
Well, are there still a lot of German freedom campers that decide to stay in New Zealand?
Luke Cederman
Well, I'm assuming there are. I mean, I haven't really been outside a lot. But yeah, I'd say there definitely would be some. There's a whole lot of the freedom campers who live off the smell of an oily rag.
So the apocalypse is nothing to them. So I'd imagine there would still definitely be quite a few slumming it around the place.
Michael Frampton
Yeah. Are you from Raglan originally?
Luke Cederman
Yeah, I'm a local here. So if anyone tells you otherwise, I am a local here. And I run the roost, as I like to believe. But yeah, Raglan locals, it's a good place to be a local as well. Because, well, the waves are good.
So that's really the only good thing about it.
Michael Frampton
Yeah. And did you start surfing in Raglan?
Luke Cederman
Yes. Yeah, I started surfing in Raglan because I'm a Raglan local. I'm pretty sure you're not allowed. You have to start surfing here to be a local.
So I fit into that criteria.
Michael Frampton
When did you start? How old were you?
Luke Cederman
Probably like 10 or 11. I was a late starter, more early starter, depending on how you look at it. But yeah, I've been doing it for far too long, really.
Michael Frampton
There's a video you put up about getting good at surfing. And it's probably the best advice I've seen in a long time.
Luke Cederman
Yes. Yeah, I remember the one. It was something about having a good wax job, a good surfboard, and then dedicating 20 years of your life solely to surfing.
Yeah. Because there's no real, you know, get rich quick scheme when it comes to surfing. It's pretty much you put in the time, put in the effort, and you may or may not get somewhere depending on if you have any form of talent and natural ability, which comes into play as well, obviously.
Michael Frampton
I mean, you're absolutely ripped. Did you ever compete as a surfer?
Luke Cederman
Thank you. Thank you. I consider myself somewhat of an advanced practitioner in the sport of surfing or the art of surfing. I used to compete. There was like a domestic circuit we have here. And I competed in that, and I was never any good because I just crumble under the pressure that I put on myself of having to perform at a high level—or not really that high level in New Zealand because there's not that many good surfers. But, you know, just like a better level.
So I never really did well in those events. But I did win one last year and the year before. So I'm kind of hitting my stripe in my later years of attempting to be a professional surfer. Nice.
Michael Frampton
I seem to recall, did you have a section in...
Luke Cederman
Yes, I did. Yes. In a surfing movie.
Yeah. One that Taylor Steele put together. Yes, that's right.
Yeah, I did. Kelly Slater was in that movie, and then who else? John Florence was in there. And then I was in there. So that doesn't really kind of slack up that well when you think about it. When you pop that in the DVD player, and you're like, who's this guy?
Michael Frampton
No, it was a good, it was an awesome section. You, I mean, you rip it. But maybe you're—perhaps you're the Dane Reynolds of New Zealand surfing. You're just a great free surfer, but you crumble under the pressure.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, I don't know. He's got a better haircut than me because I'm bald. But yeah, no, thank you. That's a great compliment.
Michael Frampton
What's the feel in New Zealand? I don't know if you want to get into politics.
I mean, there's a lot of talk sort of—let's put it this way—like in America, all politics is heavily divided. And then, but when we look at New Zealand politics, it seems like everyone is on Jacinda's side. Yet some people outside of New Zealand are saying that rather than being a leader, Jacinda is perhaps being a mother to the country, and it's very fear-based what she's doing. And it's costing the country a lot of money. What are your views on that?
Luke Cederman
Yeah, I can see how some people could view her as being more of a mother. Because at the moment it does feel like we've been put in our rooms because we've been naughty, even though that's not the case. But I don't know. I think she's doing a terrific job. And, you know, when I compare it to the opposition's leader, and I think, you know, how would the opposition do in a time of crisis like this? I can just definitely say that she is, you know, she is the one for the job. And she's done a great job. And at the very start, before New Zealand went into lockdown, she made a—she did a press conference. And in that press conference, she stated that she would—the ideal situation would to be to come out on the other end of this and have it look like it was a massive overreaction.
So that was kind of—that was from the start, she set it out and just said, look, this is how—this is ideal. If we come out of this at the end, it looks like I've completely overreacted, then that's, you know, best-case scenario. And at the moment, we're kind of, you know, teetering on that line.
So yeah, I don't know. I think she's done an amazing job.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, well, time will tell. Time will tell. Yep. The fear would be that once the lockdown is lifted, that would be when the resurgence would happen anyway, and it's only delaying the inevitable. But I guess time will tell.
Luke Cederman
Gotta wait it out. Yeah.
Michael Frampton
Crazy times. So when are they gonna let you back in the water over there? Any timeframe on that? Well.
Luke Cederman
It depends. Like I'm petitioning the government to get a surfing, like a driver's license test, you know, and just get something like that going. And where we can just test all the surfers for their ability, because at the moment, it's less about contracting the virus, and it's more about emergency services being called out to someone in trouble.
So the more experienced surfers we have in the water, then the less chance we have of emergency services being required to come and help someone out in the ocean. So I'm petitioning, yeah, I'm petitioning for that to happen.
So we can get a system where we can get the best surfers out in the water. And then just all the kooks can just stay at home, or they can film us surfing for our next video part. But yeah, at the moment, I'm trying to get the government to move their resources from, you know, saving the entire country from an infectious disease into allowing us to surf by putting—implementing these processes for the best surfers to be allowed out in the water.
Michael Frampton
I like that idea. So what's the criteria?
Luke Cederman
I haven't got that far. I guess it'll be just a performance-based one where we get, you know, maybe someone from Surfing New Zealand, the governing body of surfing in New Zealand, can come and kind of judge the surfers based on their ability and then how safe they are in the water.
So, you know, there'll be a few things that come into play, but it's going to take quite some time to get every surfer in New Zealand tested.
Michael Frampton
Yes. And does that include alternate shapes like stand-up paddle boards?
Luke Cederman
No. See, this is the perfect time to eradicate all of this because then they won't fall into the category because they are just straight-up dangerous, you know, straight off the bat.
So we're going to eradicate them, just get rid of them. All stand-up paddle boarders, they're all gone because it's just far too dangerous.
Michael Frampton
You'd have to have a special HT licence for that.
Luke Cederman
No, it's just a hard no. It's a hard no.
Michael Frampton
What about, can they go on the lakes?
Luke Cederman
Yeah, no, that's fine. That's a totally different sport. Okay, great.
Yeah, it becomes like kayaking. You know, we don't want kayakers out on the surf either, so that's, you know, that's a hard no as well.
Michael Frampton
Okay, and is there a limit to the length of board for this licence?
Luke Cederman
Hey, look, I've only just come up with this idea, but I'm going to go like 8'7 or something like that, or just throw a number out there.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, okay. So a mini mal will squeeze in.
Luke Cederman
There? Man, a mini mal will just be in there, yeah.
Yeah, less longboards are better as well, so. I don't know, like I said, this is very new. I'm just winging it, but I think it's a great idea, and I think the government, they need to take their resources away from saving people from this harmful disease and put it into the things that really matter, like surfers being able to go surfing, you know?
Michael Frampton
I read somewhere that surfing is actually a potential cure for the COVID-19 virus.
Luke Cederman
Where did you read this bullshit?
Michael Frampton
I don't know, I'm just making it up as we go along.
Luke Cederman
Okay, yeah. No, there's a lot of stuff out there at the moment. Don't get me started on Bill Gates and his 5G towels.
Michael Frampton
Okay, so yeah, that's...
Luke Cederman
If you're not wearing a tinfoil hat by now, you should be, okay? That's all I'm going to say.
Michael Frampton
You see there's a company advertising, like on Instagram, advertising beanies that are pretty much tinfoil hats. Look.
Luke Cederman
That does not surprise me. Is it on Wish?
Something like that. I mean, Wish have probably had those for years.
Michael Frampton
5G. Is 5G even in New Zealand?
I mean, I heard you guys only got power a few years ago.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, no, we don't have 5G yet, although we do have the 5G propaganda, or the anti-5G propaganda, I should say. Yeah, I don't even know what it is, man, but we can receive text messages and send the odd text...
Michael Frampton
You guys are still on GSM.
Luke Cederman
What are they? Pics? Pics, you know? Send pics.
Yeah, we can do that. So that's all good. But no, a couple of days ago in the Far North, an anti-5G... I don't know if you call them a protester or a vigilante, whatever you want to call them. They tore one of the towels down, and unbeknownst to this person, it was a 4G towel. It wasn't 5G at all because we don't have any 5G towels.
So they were up in arms about 5G and eradicating it from our beautiful land. So they destroyed a 4G towel. I don't know if that was just to make a statement, to show all the 5G towels what will happen to them when they pop up, or if they were just a complete fucking idiot, and I'm going with the latter.
Michael Frampton
That must have been the only 4G towel in New Zealand.
Luke Cederman
No, there's three of them. There's one in the Far North, one at the bottom of the North Island, and one at the bottom of the South Island, just so we can cover the whole country. For pixting.
Michael Frampton
You've got to get those pixts out.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, well, that's how I started the Raglan Surf Report, was just sending pixts to people, you know, of the surf.
Michael Frampton
Actually, when did that start?
Luke Cederman
Man, I'm going to go with a guesstimate of December 27th, 2015. So that's a rough guess.
Michael Frampton
Rachel, can you confirm that please?
Luke Cederman
There's no data on that, by the way.
Well, just domination of the space of surfing media, or something like that. I don't really know. If I could do that, that'd be cool, whatever that means. But I don't know, just to keep making sure that people know that I'm making stuff, videos, entertainment stuff.
Michael Frampton
Cool, no, it's awesome. I love it. It's so funny, and I think you're doing a great job. And I've heard you've been mentioned on some of the bigger podcasts over here in America as well, and you did something with BeachGrit, and keep...
Luke Cederman
At it. Yeah, well, and actually, yesterday Kelly Slater shared one of my posts.
So that's up there. That's a milestone for me, because he is the greatest.
Michael Frampton
The GOAT shared a post. He did.
Luke Cederman
I was of that?
Michael Frampton
Very surprised. Did you get another four or five followers out...
Luke Cederman
I got 17, about 17 followers. So that was pretty cool. I was expecting a hell of a lot more because the GOAT got like 2 million Instagram followers. But whatever.
Michael Frampton
Has he inspired you to do an original song on the guitar?
Luke Cederman
No, I have no musical ability whatsoever. Yeah, he's into that, though, hey, I saw he was doing some kind of live streamy thing with some other musical person the other day. And I thought that was pretty neat. He's trying to heal the world through song, which is very philanthropic of him.
Michael Frampton
Very. He stayed in Australia, didn't he, for this lockdown?
Luke Cederman
Yeah, I think so. Someone was whinging about him driving to D-Bar the other day, so I'm pretty sure he's kicking it around there somewhere.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, we're still allowed to surf in Australia, I hear.
Luke Cederman
Geez. Yeah, no, that's what I've heard. And people saying, well, no, Australia is doing so well, and we can all surf here. And, you know, you Kiwis are kooks, and you guys are doing it wrong. And, you know, just trying to kick up that rivalry, you know, that trans-Tasman rivalry, even when it comes to, you know, pandemics—who's doing the pandemic better? Which is kind of good, because you're not doing it right. Because we don't have any sports at the moment, so all we have to, like, compete with each other is a pandemic, which is kind of, you know, sadistic. But it's still a competition, I guess. And I mean, I feel like we're winning, but then a lot of Australians feel like they're winning because they can still surf, which is understandable. But, you know, like you said earlier, time will tell.
Michael Frampton
Time will tell. Well, they're dying, so.
Luke Cederman
Australians? Yeah.
Michael Frampton
More Australians have died than New Zealanders through this pandemic, so. Yeah, touché.
Luke Cederman
Well, larger population. But that means we're still winning.
Yeah.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, just not surfing.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, just not surfing, but that's all right. I mean, it's easy to not surf, you just don't go out.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, that's right. But it's hard when it's your passion.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, but I think it's a great opportunity for people to find other passions, you know, whatever they may be, which is—it's hard to find one that can compete with surfing, but, you know, it's only a small time frame in the big scheme of things. Like at the moment, we're on a four-week lockdown, which is, you know, it's a piss in the bucket. I'm not sure that's actually a term, but it's a piss in the bucket, you know, and in the big scheme of things.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, it is. It is. And yeah, I mean, what's some of the passions that have been started? Netflix? Is that a passion?
Luke Cederman
Ozark, season one, two, and three. Tiger King. What else have we got?
Yeah, mainly those.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, I've done that too. I'm on to—I went into Barry.
Luke Cederman
Barry was good. Yep, clocked that already. Did that pre-lockdown. What else? I don't know.
Michael Frampton
Is good on the old box?
Luke Cederman
I've been playing far too much NBA 2K20 on PS4, which is—it's not very good. I mean, it's good, but it's problematic because it stops me from doing all the other productive stuff that I wanted to do during the lockdown, like learn a language and play guitar and stuff like that. But instead I've been getting up-skilled on being able to play virtual basketball.
Michael Frampton
Wow. Thumb fitness.
Yeah.
Luke Cederman
Well, mental fitness, I guess. But then not really. There's no real upside to being good at a virtual sport.
Michael Frampton
People make money out of it nowadays though, right? Yeah.
Luke Cederman
They do. And it's baffling. I do not understand it. And because it's called eSport now, that people think they're athletes because they sit on the couch and play video games.
Yeah, they're not athletes.
Michael Frampton
No, but it's actually quite a huge industry.
Luke Cederman
It's massive. There's people getting paid millions of dollars to play Xbox and stuff like that.
Michael Frampton
Isn't that ridiculous? They get paid more money to play video games than probably some of the pharmacists who are trying to find treatments for this pandemic.
Luke Cederman
Yep, that's exactly right. And if you think about it, so I've been playing a bunch of NBA 2K, there's probably guys who play the virtual version of the game that get paid as much as the actual dudes that they're playing with on the game. Wow.
I mean, maybe not because those guys get paid ridiculous amounts of money, but you get the idea. It's insane. It is.
So yeah, I've been trying to get good at that.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, okay. So that's the future. That's like the career shift. It's like going from rugby to rugby league, but you're going from surfing to eSport.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, surfing to eSport.
Michael Frampton
Yeah. Those skills are transferable.
Luke Cederman
Well, the mindset is, I guess. None of the physical attributes will help at all. But I think definitely having a competitive mindset, which I never really had in competitive surfing, but I'm just hoping that I can translate whatever I had—the minimal amount of competitive mindset—into eSport.
Michael Frampton
So if competing didn't drive you to get better at surfing, what did drive you?
Luke Cederman
Just being better than everyone else. It didn't have a lot to do with being better on paper than other people. I wanted to be better than other people out in the lineup with me. I wanted to be the best out there every time I paddled. Not really.
Michael Frampton
Out. And do you feel like that when you sit down and play eSport?
Luke Cederman
Most of the time, because I'm playing against the computer. So there's no pride involved. There's no real incentive for me to destroy the computer, because I'm not crushing the hopes and dreams of another person, which I take a lot of joy and a lot of pride in. But when it's just a computer, I don't really care.
Michael Frampton
That's a flaw in your game plan.
Luke Cederman
Yeah. So I need to start playing online against other people. I think that's where it'll really kick up a notch.
Michael Frampton
Yeah. You might get a few challenges through Instagram after this.
Luke Cederman
Well, hopefully not, because I don't feel like I'm prepared yet. I need another four weeks of lockdown to really nail this shit.
Michael Frampton
Okay. That's it. After four weeks, what are you guys into? Day 20 or something there?
Luke Cederman
What are we at? No, we're at 20, 21, I think.
So what are we at? This is Wednesday. I checked what day it was this morning on my phone. It says Wednesday.
So I've nailed that today. That was one of my goals, figure out what the day was this morning. But then I think we come out of it next week, if all goes to plan. This—no, not really.
Michael Frampton
Doesn't leave you much time for the surfing license.
Luke Cederman
But the thing is, if everything goes to plan, we're out of it next week. But if it doesn't go to plan and we're stuck in lockdown for another couple of weeks or whatever, that's when my surfing idea, my surfing license, that's when that'll really ramp up.
Michael Frampton
Maybe it should just be, if you've been featured on an international surfing film, such as a Taylor Swift movie. Yeah, I—then you're allowed to go surfing.
Luke Cederman
Was. I was.
Yeah, you're right.
Michael Frampton
That could be a simple criteria.
Luke Cederman
Yeah. Yeah.
I mean, we can start with that. We'll start with that, work our way down. How—
Michael Frampton
Not that far, I don't reckon. Far down do you go though?
Luke Cederman
Just to keep the crowds minimal. We start at that and then we go to maybe represented your country internationally at surfing. It's very small, just a small group of people, elitists, the 1%. We'll go surfing for everyone else that is unable. But then other people can go down the beach and film us if they want.
Yeah, two meters or six feet or whatever it is.
Michael Frampton
As long as they stay two meters apart.
Luke Cederman
Yes.
Michael Frampton
Enough room to kind of swing a cat, as they say. Yeah, swing—
Luke Cederman
A cat. Yeah, I like that one. That's a great metaphor or whatever you call that, but with words, that thing.
Michael Frampton
Okay, what about if you have a wetsuit sponsor?
Luke Cederman
What do you mean? What does that mean?
Michael Frampton
If you have a wetsuit sponsor, would that be enough to get a surfing license? Would that put you in the category?
Luke Cederman
I don't know, because I reckon people could work their way around that. They could pay off someone to sponsor them. Say, here's 10 grand, give me a couple of free wetsuits. See, very corrupt. It's corrupt, it's flawed.
That's why you need to go by the book. The book hasn't even been written yet, so that's another problem.
Michael Frampton
It might just be you and the water then. You and a couple of others. That sounds ideal.
Luke Cederman
Ideal situation. I need to get my online petition, my pointless online petition. Get that sorted, pitch it to the government, and then get this rolling. Even when we come out of lockdown, I think it would still be a good way to transition from not surfing into surfing. Because we can't just have everyone out in the water straight off the bat.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, I agree. On a serious note, it does touch on something which is a little bit of a concern in modern surfing, which is the lack of etiquette within the surf culture.
Luke Cederman
Lack. Yeah, we just don't have any here.
Michael Frampton
10 years ago, it was quite different, wasn't it?
Luke Cederman
10 years ago, yeah. 10 years ago was a bit different. It's just gotten worse and worse as adult learners have become more prominent out in the lineups. Not even adult learners, just people who are new to surfing, yet they haven't really experienced any surf culture.
Michael Frampton
A lot of people blame the leg rope, but I blame CCTV.
Luke Cederman
CCTV? How so?
Michael Frampton
Because there's no repercussions anymore.
Luke Cederman
For the old fisticuffs out in the lineup sort of thing you're talking about. I—
Michael Frampton
Don't think it ever goes... It very rarely would ever get that far. It's just when I was growing up, and if you dropped in on someone, you got spoken to.
Luke Cederman
A stern word, yes.
Michael Frampton
A stern word, and rightly so. Then if you continued that behavior, you've only got a certain amount of chances.
Yeah, but that can't happen anymore because of CCTV.
Luke Cederman
You get stern worded right out of the lineup. Exactly.
Michael Frampton
I think CCTV ruined surfing.
Luke Cederman
CCTV, yeah. Okay, well, yeah, we don't really have any CCTV here. There was this guy who used to just video everything and then post it on the Raglan community Facebook page, which is how every town has a community Facebook page. That was the closest we had to CCTV. But yeah, I see what you mean. I think in terms of violence, it has become less cool in surfing.
Yeah. It's less acceptable now to beat the living shit out of someone, which is understandable because it's not really a nice thing either way, giving it out or receiving it. But yeah, I still think there's still room for the language part, the stern wording. I try to do that.
Well, I don't try to intimidate, I try to educate. If someone's doing something wrong in the surf and if they're endangering other people and themselves, then I'll try to educate that person on how they can not do that, not be a complete fuckwit.
So there is room for that, for education, but not in an awful way. Because we all make mistakes. Just some people do them because they are shit surfers.
Michael Frampton
I'm not condoning violence either at all, but it's so interesting the way that surfing's just sort of become trendy. Is that the—
Luke Cederman
Word? Trendy?
Yeah. Or hip. Hip's another word that you could use for that.
Yeah, trendy. People want to do it. It—
Michael Frampton
What's happened in the last 10 to 15 years?
Just wasn't like that 10, 15 years ago, was it? It's interesting.
Yeah.
Luke Cederman
Social media.
Michael Frampton
Is that it? Maybe. The population of the world is growing.
Luke Cederman
Yes. Wetsuit technology.
Michael Frampton
Wetsuit technology, yeah.
Luke Cederman
People are more comfortable in wetsuits and they look better in them. Because they're more flattering towards the physique.
Soft tops? Yeah, probably soft tops. Because I remember when I was a kid learning to surf, there was just the hard top surfboards. And I still ride hard tops to this day.
So I think that is probably added. That's definitely added to the influx of surfers over the past 10 years.
Michael Frampton
Definitely. Yeah, definitely. You get a rail to the forehead and a fin to the ankle. It's quite different on a hard board than it is on a soft top when you're learning.
Yeah, soft tops are a blessing and—
Luke Cederman
Yeah. A curse. I was saying something about how I never ever... No, actually, I have a soft top too. But I just use that if I'm going to teach someone to surf, I guess.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, I have to admit, I've got a soft top too. I've got a 9'6", big fat pig longboard soft—
Luke Cederman
Top. See, that would definitely be eradicated from all surf craft if my surf licensing comes into play. That's definitely, that's off the cards.
Michael Frampton
I agree. But there's the old saying, if you can't beat them, join them.
So if there's 70 people surfing first point and half of them are on big thick soft tops, and you go out there and you want to catch a wave, it's like, well, yeah, I'm going to join. You know—
Luke Cederman
No.
Who made up that saying, if you can't beat them, join them? Someone real lazy. I don't know who it was, but they were a very lazy person. It was a fat guy on a couch.
Michael Frampton
It could have even been someone on a soft top.
Luke Cederman
It might have been. I feel like that saying goes back way before soft tops were invented, but it could have been. I don't know. It was probably—
Yeah, just that saying alone.
Michael Frampton
The inspiration for soft tops though.
Luke Cederman
If you can't beat them, join them, but softly.
Michael Frampton
Except, no, the invention of the soft top was like, I'm just going to beat them with volume.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, volume defeats all.
Michael Frampton
Volume, and if I get hit, it doesn't hurt.
Luke Cederman
Yeah, see, just lazy, just weak. So they're into it over there, aren't they, in California? They like the old surfing.
Yeah, a lot of them.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, they do, and there's a lot of them. I think that's the main reason, the Beach Boys, yeah.
Luke Cederman
It's because of the Beach Boys? There was the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys were social media before social media was social media.
Yeah, they got the surfing craze started over there, apparently.
Michael Frampton
Yep, yeah, I blame the Beach Boys. Damn the Beach Boys.
Luke Cederman
And their music sucks.
Michael Frampton
But their tan skin and their bleach blonde hair, phew.
Luke Cederman
So you're a fan then?
Michael Frampton
Not of the music, but...
Luke Cederman
Of their physiques. Yeah, the look, surf.
Michael Frampton
You know. That's why I—I'm not going to get a spray tan and get my hair dyed, I'm just going to go surfing.
Luke Cederman
Fair enough, not any more than like 80. Like, because that's what they do over there, in LA—or not LA, like California.
Michael Frampton
Yeah.
Luke Cederman
Yeah. Spray tans and dyed hair, so you've got that surfy look.
Michael Frampton
That's—or just get a soft top and just paddle around Malibu, get in the way.
Luke Cederman
Right. That California look.
Michael Frampton
And you still, you might not do much surfing, but you still get that tan and that bleach blonde hair.
Luke Cederman
Yeah. And, wait, hold on, sorry, with Malibu, was that where the stand-up paddleboarder got arrested last week?
Yeah. Yeah. I—yeah, I took a great deal of joy out of watching that. It was quite... just the... the audacity of that bloke, the audacity. Hey, no one else is out here. What a great time for me to get out here on my stand-up paddleboard.
Michael Frampton
He just represents the stand-up paddle world so well.
Luke Cederman
Well, he nailed it. He nailed it. And that's why I loved it so much. I was like, that's the epitome of what a stand-up paddleboarder is. You don't need to say anything. You just—that's it. Just a short little video. If anyone was just like, what's stand—what is stand-up paddleboarding? You just show them that clip.
So that's, there you go. That's it.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, he's the—a true rebel.
Luke Cederman
And I sound like I hate stand-up paddleboarding, but I don't hate stand-up paddleboarding. I just hate stand-up paddleboarders.
Yeah. Yeah. It's very different.
Michael Frampton
Yeah, on a—if the stand-up paddleboard is sitting by a lake, it's a fine piece of equipment. Yeah.
Luke Cederman
Exactly. It's ideal.
Michael Frampton
But if the owner decides to go surfing, that's not ideal.
Luke Cederman
No. Get it out of here. Get it out of here. Come on, New Zealand government, Jacinda Ardern, get—just stop it. Needs to go.
Michael Frampton
Get your priorities right.
Luke Cederman
Yeah. And that's what we're going to be campaigning for over here.
Michael Frampton
Well, let me know the petition website address and we shall sign up.
Luke Cederman
I will. I'll link you up to it. Even though the, you know, online petitions achieve absolutely nothing, but it gives you a sense of achievement once you make it.
Something like that. We'll just burn all stand-up paddleboarders. That's actually—that's probably a little bit harsh. But once I, you know, I'll just get my licensing platform established and then it'll just, you know, we'll just weed out all the stand-up paddleboarders. It's simple. By—
Michael Frampton
Yeah, sure. Burn you mean drop in?
Luke Cederman
Whatever. Or—
Michael Frampton
Paddle round. No, you can't do that though. That's the problem.
Luke Cederman
Nothing at all to do with flames or, you know, petrol.
Michael Frampton
Okay. Well, Luke, thank you so much for your time. What is your Instagram handle?
Luke Cederman
Raglan Surf Report.
Michael Frampton
I shall put a link to that in the show notes, and I appreciate your time. Thank—
Luke Cederman
You. Fantastic. It's been a lot of fun and yeah, I'll see you in Malibu. On a normal board. Sweet. Cheers, mate.
56 Luke Cederman - Raglan Surf Report
For the passionate surfer—whether you're a weekend warrior, a surf dad, or an older surfer—this podcast is all about better surfing and deeper stoke. With expert surf coaching, surf training, and surfing tips, we’ll help you catch more waves, refine your paddling technique, and perfect your pop up on a surfboard. From surf workouts to handling wipeouts, chasing bigger waves, and mastering surf technique, we’re here to make sure you not only improve but truly enjoy surfing more—so you can get more out of every session and become a wiser surfer. Go from Beginner or intermediate Surfer to advanced.