almost drowned yesterday...

[billie_morini]

Almost drowned once while surfing on a big day at Point Reyes National Seashore in northern California. Got clobbered and stomped and broken rib. Was full of water and my vision was growing dark on a brightly sunlit day. Really thought that was the moment. But, my wife charged into the surf, pulled me out, and literally saved my life.

[oldmansurfer]

Once when I was bodysurfing back in 1967 (I was about 14), I swam out at my favorite beach which in order to get there I had to hitchhike 20 miles and walk another couple of miles. I was so hot and wanted to just get into the ocean so much that I didn't observe the ocean before going in. I was surprised to see a wave pop up right in front of me with about a 12 to 15 foot face. I swam down to hug the sandy bottom and the lip landed right on me. It popped all the vertebra in my back and pushed all the air out of my lungs. Once it released my chest re-expanded pulling water into my mouth. I came up to the surface and wanted to breath but couldn't get rid of the water in my mouth so I swallowed it then breathed. There was a huge reel to reel camera on the beach which is what they used to use to film movies and I didn't want to seem like a wimp so I continued on out. When I came home from the beach I discovered there was sand embedded in my skin right over my hip bones. I had to dig the little granules of sand out of my skin with a needle . I guess I almost drowned. It was a real hairy scary spot to be in. I got pounded real hard and the only saving grace is that I stayed calm. I made the mistake that Turtle warned about.

[Sandiegosurf]

Once when I was bodysurfing back in 1967 (I was about 14), I swam out at my favorite beach which in order to get there I had to hitchhike 20 miles and walk another couple of miles. I was so hot and wanted to just get into the ocean so much that I didn't observe the ocean before going in. I was surprised to see a wave pop up right in front of me with about a 12 to 15 foot face. I swam down to hug the sandy bottom and the lip landed right on me. It popped all the vertebra in my back and pushed all the air out of my lungs. Once it released my chest re-expanded pulling water into my mouth. I came up to the surface and wanted to breath but couldn't get rid of the water in my mouth so I swallowed it then breathed. There was a huge reel to reel camera on the beach which is what they used to use to film movies and I didn't want to seem like a wimp so I continued on out. When I came home from the beach I discovered there was sand embedded in my skin right over my hip bones. I had to dig the little granules of sand out of my skin with a needle . I guess I almost drowned. It was a real hairy scary spot to be in. I got pounded real hard and the only saving grace is that I stayed calm. I made the mistake that Turtle warned about.

holy xxxxx XD 20 miles then into a 12 ft face surf, that's fleshin' insane dude lol

[oldmansurfer]

One day I was surfing Hanalei and there was about 60 to 75 guys out because it was breaking 4 to 6 feet. I wrote about this before but the crowd pushed me over to the next break which was completely unoccupied. I caught what remains the deepest tube ride I have ever had. After paddling back to that spot and trying to repeat the ride I got caught by 5 or 6 wave sets that absolutely pounded me. I was trying to duck dive them and getting killed. The first set of 6 waves let up and I thought "alright! I can make it out now!" and paddled like a maniac to get out only to get caught by the second set of waves. During that onslaught I can recall thinking "Oh no I am drowning." the second set let up and I was still alive so I paddled for the horizon again only to be caught by a third set. Then I started thinking "Drowning is probably better than this."

[oldmansurfer]

This guy wasn't as lucky, drowned trying to save a little girl who did live but at least three amateur rescuers needed to be rescued and one died. https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/31193089/burleigh-heads-man-dies-a-hero-after-trying-to-rescue-drowning-family-at-fingal-head/

[mjames]

I've been surfing for about 5 years and what you described has happened to me several times... but I've survived to write this response, and learned my limits for now. When I started surfing anything over 2ft looked massive and I'd have a hard time paddling out, now 3-4 occ. 5 is good for me, and 4-6 I'll take a good long look on the beach before I even put on my wetsuit. Anything bigger than that and I just sit out for now.

The things I look for - how far out is it breaking? Even if I can get through am I going to be really tired when I reach the lineup?

Is the tide low causing steep, pitching surf that is going to smash me in the impact zone or is it a big mush of white water that I could possibly turtle or just hold on to the board and power through?

How frequent are the waves coming in, I can handle getting smashed a few times but if half of the break is a constant impact zone am I going to get caught by 4 or 5 waves on the head before I can even see the lineup?

Is it just closing out over and over again- I probably won't be catching any waves anyway, and catching a closeout, wiping out and then looking up to see another hit me on the head isn't what I call fun...

Now I'm no daredevil, I'm not looking to shred like Slater, I just want to have fun and that includes riding waves and not spending an hour in the impact zone scrambling for my leash to pull my board in before I get smashed again. As I continue to surf things start to look more manageable and I'm able to paddle better, get through waves, etc and I seem to naturally progress and become more comfortable. I know a lot of people tell me to go out and test my limits, but so far that advice has only led to a serious pounding. But as I let myself slowly progress and listen to my gut things start happening that I didn't think I could do and I start to become more comfortable. I've learned to read the ocean and waves better and know what to expect, which makes things a whole lot easier than being caught off guard.

Luckily where I live I can always drive north or south if the swell is too big and find something more manageable. It helps to have a 10' beast in the quiver to ride the 1ft surf when everything else is 6ft+ too, and I feel a lot better driving home with a few little rides under my belt than an hour of eating sand.

PS - someone told me to always have 1/4 tank left to paddle in, if you're out there on empty it becomes a dangerous situation