Surfing Waves

I went out on the weekend, since i've been looking for ways to duck dive bigger waves, but cant find much. anyway on the weekend the waves were huge (to me anyway), and when i duck dived i would come out the other side, but get pushed back a little, anyway this doesnt normally happen, i was just wondering if i should be doing anything different in bigger surf? or is it just a deeper dive?

The thicker the wave the longer you have to stay under. This means going deeper and staying under a little longer. saying that its hard not to get dragged a wee bit in big surf

thanks, so basicly a deeper longer dive? although the waves dont get to big here, 8ft max, but on the weekend it was at its max, or not far off, and seems huge to me

Timing is the most important part, but if it's gets too big like 10 ft then i just use the ditch and dive technique.

Something I learned while in Hawaii.... when you go under start rocking you board rail to rail just a little. It helps to get you a little deeper. Try that and as you breach the surface, and start getting dragged back, get one hand on your board, and dig a stroke with the other. Then start scratching for the next wave. There is also a point that you know you can't dive far enough down, or your gonna get a lip on the head. Then it's time to dive deep off of your board, and find out how good your leash is .

Then it's time to dive deep off of your board, and find out how good your leash is

Ive had to do that a few times and fortunatly my leash withstood it But that should be a last resort.

thanks for replies, sounds good, need to just put it to practice, dont fancy leaving everything to my leash mind, just incase a surfer is behind me, although i'm unsure if the waves will get that big for a while

dont fancy leaving everything to my leash mind, just incase a surfer is behind me

Thats solid thinking

Actually one way to avoid really hard paddle outs is to spend some time watching the surf, wheres its breaking heaviest and using the rips. In other words pick your moment and don't rush it.

Yep as most of ^^^^^^
but instead of planting your knee on a duck dive try and get your foot stamping down on the tail. All depends on what your trying to sink tho?

Sillysausage wrote:thanks for replies, sounds good, need to just put it to practice, dont fancy leaving everything to my leash mind, just incase a surfer is behind me, although i'm unsure if the waves will get that big for a while

I'd be more worried about the board than the leash

yea i do use my foot, i think i was putting my hands to close to the front of the board on a duck dive, and this wasnt allowing me for deeper dives, i think anyway. lol about the board, if the leash snaps the board is more likely do get damaged, although i have seen peoples boards snap from abandoning them

if youre having to bail its time to stop worrying about whether the board will survive or not and start worrying about whether you will survive or not. remember bail your board as a last resort.

If it is big and you bail off your leash will snap...and then you're in deep poo!

You're stuck in the impact zone, with no floatation!


PS. It happened to me in Hawaii, once at OTW and then at Bowls (and Bowls is one heck of a paddle to get in! Good 300-500m!)

Dec wrote:If it is big and you bail off your leash will snap...and then you're in deep poo!

You're stuck in the impact zone, with no floatation!


PS. It happened to me in Hawaii, once at OTW and then at Bowls (and Bowls is one heck of a paddle to get in! Good 300-500m!)

KNow the feeling the one time my leash snapped was because i had to bail. The surf was Huuuuuuge and i almost drowned paddling back. Not Fun

Yea it sucks! I have 4 stiches in my right thigh because of bowls reef! Lucky it was the last day of my trip because I couldn't have surfed with stiches!

the only time i do duck the wave without a board is after a wipeout if i dont have time to recover my board, but thats normally close in anyway (where i surf)

I know what you all mean about Bowls (if you are speaking of Ala moana Bowles). I surfed there during my Honeymoon. LOOOONNNNGGGGG Padle out. I found Kaisers to be more fun though.

I have bailed on some big EC stuff before, and the leash snapped. I was chasing my board in the whole time. Never caught up to it. Had to swim all the way to shore, and it was breaking out on the 3rd sandbar fough through 2 impact zones, and the shorepound. Board survived and so did I. Wouldn't want to do it again though, I had some doubts a couple of times

I wouldn't want do it again either if i was in that situation