Surfing Waves

I've only started surfing few months ago on 1-2 feet summer waves. The waves are now getting bigger and went up to 6-7 feet over the weekend. I usually get out on smaller waves by doing pushup or I wait until there is a break and paddle out quickly.

This weekend I nearly killed other surfers, I lost the board so many times as I was trying to paddle out and pass the big waves. I turtle rolled and try and pull the nose down as hard as I can but the board didn't go down, instead the wave lifted the board back up and I did a flip. I couldn't hold the board so I tried to grab the leash as there are probably people behind me. It pulled me so hard that I had bruises where the leash is attached. I'm pretty sure I would've lost a few fingers if it got tangled with my hands.

One time when I turtle roll, it flipped my board back up again. I landed on a shortboarder doing duck dive. He was pinned right under my board and our leash got tangled. Luckily he is wearing wetsuit or he probably need stitches.

The board I'm using is southpoint bonga mk2. I'm only 63kg and I tried doing turtle roll on calm water and I still can't even get the nose down. I tried shooting myself forward and put all the weight down in the nose but as soon as the wave pass the tail the nose comes straight back up.

I wasn't the only longboard struggling to get out. The more experienced ones seems to have incredible paddle strength so they paddle out very fast when the wave . There were a few just can't get out at all and they eventually gave up.

I asked the surfer around me for advice, they said you have to turtle roll. If you can't then it's either your skills or the board has too much buoyancy. They told me the waves over the weekend are more suitable for shortboard who can duckdive their way out. They suggested that I get a shortboard as the wave is only going to get bigger in the winter.

I'm guessing you're in New Zealand by your tag. They are right and you're just being a menace in the water if you can't control your board. Either step down or don't paddle out in bigger stuff unless you know what you're doing.

Nah, Pandarturo , BaNz is in Taiwan, but the advice is for him, as Chonglang yehyeh* I can tell you , BaNz, you are not ready for 6 to 7 foot surf, which would quite powerful in Taiwan . If you can't paddle out safely it is natures way of telling you to stay on the beach. Consider this, as it is important, you, your leash and your board are an arc of destruction when they are not controlled in the surf. Add your leash length doubled and then your board length, that is the area you effect when you lose you board. This is bound to happen when you cannot turtle roll. At your weight this is difficult! I am being realistic for you too as I have been giving you advice for a while.
That was overreaching yourself, unless of course you were overestimating the size( a common mistake).
Don't feel bad, a lot of the longboard beginners on this forum would be savaged in a surf that was really that size.

There are lot of breaks in Taiwan where you can paddle out around the break even at good size. Choose them, just because there are other surfers in the water doesn't always mean it is suitable for your ability.

Edited this in too A tip for all budding surfers, DO NOT grab the leash ( leg rope at the tail of the board to try and stop catastrophe, if one of the loops there catches your finger the least it will do is break your finger, it can also amputate a finger or de-glove the finger (which will then require either plastic surgery or amputation).

This may seem a little harsh to you but is to keep you and others safe

Yes, I'm in Taiwan. Typhoon was close by over the weekends and the local was saying some was nearly 200cm. http://magicseaweed.com/Wushi-Surf-Report/844/ Too bad Chonglang yehyeh isn't here or you will love it!

I was struggling to get past the whitewash just from 3-4 feet waves. The bigger waves only comes occasionally but for me just getting out is half the battle and I'm usually completely drained by the time I get out. First time wearing a full wetsuit really makes paddling much harder.

I had no choice as I really didn't want to kill the surfers behind me so I had to grab the leash. It made a few cuts on my hand. I was grabbing the bit that connects the board and the leash.

Wasn't going to go out but the locals kept encouraging me and say be brave and just go for the bigger waves.

Typhoon waves are scary! I think I saw two pictures on fb with broken boards that weekend.

BaNZ wrote:I was struggling to get past the whitewash just from 3-4 feet waves.

"If you can't get out back, you shouldn't be out back".
The ocean has its own rules.

BaNz if you can't duckdive you won't get out through that sort of surf, even I would be having to work extra hard to get out.
The other guys encouraging you are foolish, every surfer needs to know when the surf is beyond his ability and the other surfers should respect that.

you are not alone here is another post on getting out with a hard to duckdive fun board.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20279
BTW that part of the leash you grabbed is the part that does all the horrific injuries

Nice Photos
I don't doubt your courage but there needs to be a three way balance between ability, brains and testosterone.
You need to find it quickly the surf lifesaving facilities in Taiwan are pretty woeful.
Jaffa Chonglang Yeh Yeh

Another question BaNz was it on the beach at the north side of the Harbour , it would very hard to get out there if a strong straight swell was hitting !

Is it possible to duckdive at 63kg on a 9"1 longboard? I will continue to practice on my turtle roll.

Actually I'm a coward, I'll go out in big waves but I'll sit there and pick small waves to ride. Plus you probably know how crowded it is over here. So I always let the other surfers take the bigger waves.

I see you know Taiwan surfing area better than I do! I went to the south side as the swell at north was too big and messy.

This shows how crowded it is over here! I think I was the one furthest to the right.

Jesus, in that case you are in the right place and 6 peeps are dropping in on you!

BaNz if the guy on the far right surfing is you, then you are not doing too badly, but I have to say that wave is a only agood learners mush burger the step beyond white water. Knee high I would call it, a scrape at 3ft face.
( Please don't anyone else start quoting Hawaiian or elsewhere wave heights ) This is in Taiwan inside a Harbour protection wall and BaNz is learning.

Just consider for your learning BaNz a six foot face is more like the two previous pictures you posted, but this is the best picture you have shown of you surfing?
Not bad

That photo was taken on Sunday which was a lot smaller but occasionally had bigger waves in the same port.

This picture was taken on Saturday where I really struggled. It was too big for me so I only manage to get 3-4 rides before I decided not to endanger myself and others. As a newbie, I can't accurately judge how big the wave is. I only saw from the comment from fb post that day so assume when they said it is 200cm then it must be around that size.


I normally go surfing alone so I don't have any photos taken of me. But here is another one maybe taken 3 weeks ago. Thanks for your encouraging words! Sometimes I just wish I can improve faster but it is slow as I always go alone and don't have anyone to watch over me and give me tips.

You really did your research well! Seem to know the geography here better than me!

If that's behind a wall that's pretty big lol

I now have two shortboards....

Went to a beach that I'm unfamiliar with. Wave was small but it rises rapidly (from ankle then over my head) then crashes down the shore. Was there for an hour and only saw 1 guy out of the dozen manage to surf without nose diving. I decided the wave isn't really suitable for me so wanted to catch the next small wave back. Anyway so I plummet and nose dive.... but it didn't even feel that bad. I wiped out on much bigger wave before so not sure how it broke. I was quite far from hitting the sand.

Sympathy, dead board. The search for a new perfect board begins!

Two boards broken so far in your career, shows you are going for it!

Just one broken board ill get a new one this time. Cos when i got this one it already had cracks on the bottom and i took it in for repair. It was a few years old.

Should i continue to get epoxy as it is more durable? It is more expensive though... if i get non epoxy then its a lot cheaper.

Oh what a sad story, some guy died today close to where I broke my board yesterday. Apparently they only noticed it as lifeguard found a broken board washed up. Wondering if they were also looking for me yesterday.

Was told that the red flag was already up when I went surfing yesterday. I went surfing again today but the wave was too big so I ended playing with the white wash!