Shore break turtle roll hell!!

[Z mann R2]

Where do you live? Lol sounds like my south Texas surf! My advice on days like that, find a jetty and walk to the end and jump off with your board. Bam! You're there! Lol

[BaNZ]

Oh I've been to Saunton Sands. I wouldn't go out if the white wash is like that. I'll be drained just from paddling ou.

[Jester]

Hey thanks Beach bum, that is a looooong way out back there!!!
It was probably that far last week but the wave period on the inside was much much much shorter!

I went out today and absolutely no drama as waves were behaving themselves, albeit still only 1-2 ft

Have some pics so will try and post them now if I can figure it out.

[Jester]

Z mann I live in the south of Ireland and my local beach is tramore, mile or two of strand stretching left and a sea wall and cliffs for about half a mile right, no jetty, just jump in and get on with it!!

[Jester]

Here's a few pics I found

[Jester]

Today's awesomeness!

[Jester]

Left

[oldmansurfer]

anyway I think it looks like there are areas where the waves break less which would allow you to have an easier time paddling out. you have to look at it and make a plan. Hit the weak parts of the waves. I guess it may seem like the whole area is breaking and it may be but not all with equal force. There are places where the waves aren't breaking as much and it looks like there is a big channel by the river mouth.

[Jester]

That channel is about a 1.5mile walk down the beach!! No one surfs down there as it's A too far away and B it is the outlet to a massive wetland area behind the dunes so major tidal in and outflow and C it's flipping miles away!!!

The day in question OMS was nowhere near as benign as that pic, it more closely resembled the pic with the horses but it extended out as far as the aerial shot and was bigger.

Anyway it's the only day I've ever been down where it's been that bad but next time I'll keep your thoughts in mind. Today had a bit of success after watching a video on breaking through. In the past when I was in a turtle roll or push up and drive through situation I often found the board being forcibly grabbed and ragged backwards. My arms weren't long enough to clear the water passing between me and board and so got pushed back a fair bit and the twisting forces usually meant I was less than straight on the other side, similar scenario for some of my turtle rolls.

Anyway today in much more pleasant conditions I tried the approach I'd just seen which was to just punch through with my face and body flat on the deck of the board (head turned a bit to the side) and top of the head like a battering ram. Seemed to work really well!! So I'm adding that to my repertoire of wave beating armaments

OMS just for the hell of it I tried some of your swimming under waves too, was fun but felt like taking a dog for a walk with my board tugging at the leash!

[oldmansurfer]

the swimming under the waves is for when you get close to where they are breaking and you need to aggressively swim forward and down and that keeps the board from getting pulled back. Try on some of the smaller waves just doing a pushup on your board letting the whitewater go between you and the board. That is my standard for small whitewater. You need to keep the board moving forward so don't stop paddling and wait for it. Just a quick push up and back down to paddle. If you get used to that then try doing a pushup and this time push down hard with your feet and lean back so the nose comes up over the whitewater, or just plow through. I actually enjoy smashing through waves.

[Jester]

Good tip OMS! Do you push down on the tail after the nose has engaged the water? Sounds a bit like a topside duckdive!! I'll give it a go.

Absolutely love learning all this stuff, I usually do that push up to let the water pass between me and the board as my standard move. However I'm loving the head bashing, pencil cut version

Had a right good session yesterday that has me stoked again!! Helped by the fact I bought some shiny new gloves that gave me ninja fists of imperviousness!

[oldmansurfer]

The first maneuver I mentioned the board goes under the whitewater and you go over it, the second one both you and the board go over it and you do it right before the wave hits so the nose goes up and the whitewater goes under the board. I use this maneuver for waves that are too big for me to do the other one where the wave goes between me and the board. The push up is to get your face away from the board when it hits and straight arms to keep the board from overcoming your muscles and smacking you. If it's bigger than what I can handle with that one I either turn turtle, duck dip (half duck dive), or abandon board. The duck dip also known as a half duckdive won't likely be too helpful in close interval waves but maybe if you got good enough at it. What I do is to tilt forward so basically my rear end is up in the air and my head and shoulders are under water then as the wave hits my rear end I push the board further forward and down then pull back up as the wave will push the tail down. Every maneuver you do going through waves needs to be done efficiently so you don't waste time waiting for the wave or it will take that much longer to get out. My turn turtles are not the best in close interval waves so I use them when I think there won't be many more waves behind it like when I am caught by a one two or three wave set and I think I will get pounded too much by a duck dip. If it's really hairy I abandon the board and swim and I also do that when I am nearing the breaking portion of the waves and there is constant close interval waves because that seems to get me through that part without being too worked over ( I usually am not winded at all by this maneuver)

[Jester]

Thanks OMS that's really clear, I'm actually looking forward to getting out there and giving them a go!

So much to learn in this surfing game.

Every maneuver you do going through waves needs to be done efficiently so you don't waste time waiting for the wave or it will take that much longer to get out.

Never a truer word right there!