Sorry if I came off like a knob.
I don't surf, mostly I get my head smashed onto the board trying to clear the 2 foot waves. My stepfather has been surfing for 45 years, and he's spent quite a bit of time talking about surfers and surfer culture with me. These guys are Luddites, and perpetually broke because its so expensive to sit on a beach all day waiting for waves. (Step Father was a doctor, and he wore a pager... when it went off, surf's up!) They are very dedicated to their gear, favorite old boards, and of course the 4th rust removal\restoration the 1960's VW Van.
Odds are pretty good that the current surf culture will continue to endure. I think its more interesting if you can work it into your game, rather than working the mean streets into the waves.
Surfer's are downright eco-freaks when it comes to protecting their turf. (Plot point, eco terrorists angry over new developments.) They laugh and look down upon non-Hawaians surfing. (Plot point, jealousy) So you can imagine how unhappy they get when some upstart from Florida started winning tournaments, like Kelly Slater. They don't like to be blocked from a good surf break (plot point, B&E), and others may not want them to see certain things (A Surf break called, 'Targets' is right next a military shooting range). Crime near surf breaks is high (locals leave everything unlocked to indicate that there is nothing valuable inside a car and save the trouble of broken glass).
Riding a machine in a lake isn't surfing any more than riding a board using a bungee cord on a river. (plot point, indicates its not a real surfer)
But you have a dangerous mission? Sticking it to the corporate man? Certain death? Eddie Would Go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikauhttp://eddiewouldgo.com/