You are really a new surfer, so let’s start with some safety. Leashes and surfboards are not water safety devices, you always have to have the skill and swimming, body surfing ability to get to shore in the circumstances you choose to go out.
You need to be able to read the beach conditions to match your ability, knowing where rips are and how they work, they can be of great assistance to get out the back.
Another thing, being outside of breaking waves and catching waves before they break is an essential skill, being just pushed by white water is not really surfing.
Do yourself a real favour, go take some quality lesson. Where you learn beach reading, surf etiquette, self life saving , you develop strong personal surf swimming schools.
At the moment you are a major risk to your own safety. Said because I would like you to get beyond that and enjoy surfing
