How does the crowd factor affect your surfing?

I think about this when I see the madness at Perth's favourite point sometimes. I see the solid line of people all hoping that everyone else misses the next wave. It might be head and a half and really good but the same 3 or 4 guys are scoring 80% of the waves. The other 50 or 60 are fighting for the crumbs.

Head south 100 metres or so and people are a lot more spread out. It's still nearly as big and not all the waves are holding up but you'll get at least 10 times as many. The next km or so is the same.

Is the chance of a better wave really worth the hassle, or do people just go where the biggest crowd is because that's obviously where you're meant to be?

One of my mates is a regular there and often tells me of the 2 hour surf he had and the 4 waves he caught. But he keeps going back!

Personally I would rather surf a wave half as big and half as long and have it to myself but I know it's not the same for everyone, just look at the point!