Etiquette
Stay safe, stay welcome
The lineup is everyone sharing one finite resource: the next wave. The unwritten rules exist to keep people safe and to keep the wave-sharing fair. Following them is non-negotiable.
Priority: closest to the peak
When more than one surfer is paddling for the same wave, the one closest to the breaking peak has priority. They get the wave; everyone else pulls off. On a point break this is usually obvious. On a beach break the peak can shift, so call it early and clearly.
Do not drop in
Dropping in means taking off in front of a surfer who is already riding. It is the most disliked move in surfing. If the wave is already taken, the wave is taken. Watch all the way down the line before you commit, and pull back if you are not sure.
Paddle around, not through
Paddling back out is the part beginners get wrong most often. Go around the breaking zone via the channel or the shoulder; never paddle through the takeoff lane. If you are caught inside, paddle for the whitewater section, not for the open face that someone is riding.
Hold your board
When a wave comes at you, do not ditch the board and dive under. The board snaps back on the leash and becomes a missile aimed at whoever is behind you. Hold the rails, push the nose down, and either duck-dive or turtle-roll with the board still in your hands.