I'm Afraid!! :(

[NoobOfNoobs]

ok, pretty much whenever i go out, i cant get the nerve to go out to the line up, i just freak out when i see a wave coming at me and i just wont duck dive under neath, what should i do to get over this phobia/fear?

[pat42]

Try going out without a board first and every time a wave comes towards you, duck your head under the water or dive in front of it just to get the hang of the feeling of the waves passing over you. The more you become accustomed to going under the water and even getting mashed by the waves, the less scary it is. Remember, when the waves are breaking, you're safer underneath them
Good luck

[PapaW]

and R-E-L-A-X !!!!

1the worst thing you xcan do is struggle and fit if you get knocked off/knocked out of your dive. Just relax and enjoy the sensation. its quite nice really.

[dondiemand]

or try some breathing exercises before going out..inhale for 4 secs, hold for 4 secs, then exhale for 4 secs, then for 5 secs, then 6, 7..repeat until u reach 10..it somewhat exercises your lungs to its full capacity, so the next time u get knocked out, you can hold your breath for a longer time, and PW is right, just relax, be calm, it'll just get worse if you panic..have fun!!

[babyboarder89]

try it on a small day first like 1 or 2 feet and work your way up. i still get scared when its 5feet (probably smaller!) but if youre scared getting oput to the lineup is only half the problem, if youre scared you cant catch anything and to be honest theres no point even going in. ive done this so many times and it ruins your whole day, DONT let fear stop you surfing!
you CAN do it, just paddle out, catch the first possible wave and if you fall off, its fine! just go back out and do it again.
voice of experience with fear

[EastCoast4Life]

it will help you if you go out with a friend, you will get that whole secure buddy system mojo goin on....or at least you wont drown alone

[NoobOfNoobs]

thanks alot guys that helps, ill just go out therez, try to enjoy it, and if worsts comes to worst, i'll drag one of friends out, though they wont even go into the water haha.

[NoobOfNoobs]

O, if you still got anything, to add go got it, please

[baldie]

or try some breathing exercises before going out..

Does this breathing exercise really help??? I need to have more breath or lung capacity because sometimes it scares me to be pushed under the water for a long time. One time, It was so long under the wave, I thought I was going to drown.

[Brian]

just relax...if you get nailed by a wave, the calmer you are, the less energy you will be expending struggling against something you really have no power over...Getting taken by a wave on a normal beach break, wont kill you....taking risks is what gets you better. Trust me.

even though you dont seem to have a problem regarding other people...I thought id endeavour to add my two cents regarding etiquitte and ideology and a few pointers across to a newer surfer. dont be a jerk, and no matter your skill level you'll be fine holding your own in a line up. Not every person is a hardcore local charger who can rip up the waves into a flury of cutbacks and airs. There is bound to be a surfer about your skill level out. For example, I always tab people who are about my skill level, and try to stick somewhere near them. Just make sure you dont drop in on people, and when you do, apologise. Also, if someone makes a mistake and ruins your wave (paddles into you...lol happened yesterday...the guy went off at me when he paddled into me...) just let it go..there are millions of waves in the ocean and you're sure to surf many more good waves in your surfing life.

[baldie]

Great comment Brian. I'll try to stay clam when I got nailed by waves. Am I going to stay under the water for a longer time if I get nailed by a bigger waves???

[drowningbitbybit]

Am I going to stay under the water for a longer time if I get nailed by a bigger waves???

No longer than three or four minutes.

Probably.




Seriously though... Yes, the bigger the wave, the longer the hold down. And it can get to the point where you're measuring it in minutes
But assuming you're a real-life surfer and not an immortal god, and therefore on a big-rather-than-colossal wave, it wont hold you down longer than you can hold your breath, so dont panic, enjoy the ride, and if after a ride on the spin cycle you cant find which way is up, follow your board

[easty]

Ive been nailed at deewhy big waves . I didnt know what way was up. If I do go over I never panic , you will float up , I tend to imagine myself looking at my watch wondering whats for tea !! and lways cover my face with my hands if I have lost contact with my board.

[trails surfing]

yah the more you panic the faster your heart will beat, the more oxygen you will consume and the sooner you will run out of air. if you are still not able to get to the line up, to be honest you don't need to, just find a spot that break alittle closer to shore and start there, you'll soon find yourself changing out to the line up. what you don't want to do is surf where you don't feel comfortable. by the way what do you ride? i noticed that you live in orange county so if you have at least something around 7'6( that's what i occasionaly ride) then go down to san onofre and on a small day you will find a bunch of breaks that you don't need to paddle far to get to or contend with. start small, go big, be comfortable, and most importantly have fun.

[baldie]

Ive been nailed at deewhy big waves . I didnt know what way was up. If I do go over I never panic , you will float up , .

I got nailed by a wave like around 6 foot. I thought I will not float up. I was down for so long. I was calm at the beginning but panic when I felt that I didn't have much air left. Is there a way I can float up sooner???

[drowningbitbybit]

Is there a way I can float up sooner???

Nope, thats why they call it a hold-down, because it does

If you're in the spin-cycle, under a wave, there's not a lot you can do about it except cover your head. The only thing that can get you out of it quicker is to try and swim down...

[baldie]

You are right drowningbitbybit. There is really nothing you can do. That's the scary part about being nailed by a big wave. I felt so helpless. Sometimes I can feel my board to swinging vigorously around me.

[FormosanSurfer]

I got nailed by a tube once (came down right on top of me), I freaked out a little because I was under so long. When you are get washed by a wave, a few seconds seem like forever. But don't worry, just relax and enjoy.

[baldie]

I guess you couldn't really tell how long you had been under water. I didn't know if I was under water for 10 sec or 30 sec. It just seemed like forever.

One time a wave kept me down for so long and I couldn't swim up. I was in the white water. Luckily I felt the rock or reef and I just kicked myself up to the surface.

[NoobOfNoobs]

Hi guys...i know this is a little late but uh, yeah thanks for all the feed back it really has helped, though i still freak out somewhat, ive found some buddies to go out with and thats helped a little bit, so yeah im gettn there,
thanks again,
though yeah, haha forgot about this post, just remembered all a sudden,
and o yeah i ride an 8 and also try'n out a 6 10 right now