Hazards and Tips

[dtc]

if you put it under it can tear the wetsuit is my thought. But some people like it under, just one of those things. Maybe they are right.

If it's moving on your ankle you need to do it tighter! Often you put it on and it slips down a little bit when you are in the water and gets looser, just re do it at an opportune time ie not when there is a big set coming

[RinkyDink]

if you put it under it can tear the wetsuit is my thought. But some people like it under, just one of those things. Maybe they are right.

I thought about that, but my leash has a connector hinge and when I considered the direction it would be pulled by a wave, I didn't see how it could go up my calf to tear the wetsuit, particularly in 2-3 foot swell. My leash almost always gets pulled toward my ankle and not toward my head. I guess it could happen, but I think it's pretty unlikely. I'll take that risk, though, and surf untangled instead.

[Big H]

Get that revelation caught on a rock or coral head then go for the release only to find you cuffed over what is now your anchor chain....I wouldn't do that.

Standard lengths are about a foot longer leash (about) than board used. Longer still for heavier days. I go shorter when surfing shallow reefs (three guesses).

[RinkyDink]

Get that revelation caught on a rock or coral head then go for the release only to find you cuffed over what is now your anchor chain....I wouldn't do that.

Standard lengths are about a foot longer leash (about) than board used. Longer still for heavier days. I go shorter when surfing shallow reefs (three guesses).

You're right, when I start surfing Mavericks and Pipeline I'll probably have to make a change.

[Big H]

I got hung on a reef outcropping in moderate current sitting outside; Whipped the board around, put tension on the leash and I had to splash in and open the cuff to get out....happened two more times on separate occassions before I started to use short leashes there and to tuck the trailing part of the leash under my butt when sitting and under my stomach when paddling....my one and only surf lesson one of the things they taught was to make the ankle strap tight ....squeeze tight with the wetsuit underneath it should be alright.

[BoMan]

A grim reminder of the danger we face in our favorite sport. The surfer was only 40 years old and a good samaritan tried to revive him at sea in 8 foot, stormy conditions. We look out for each other.

The U.S. Coast Guard launched a search for a surfer who was swept into ocean waters in the Rodeo Cove area off of the Marin Headlands Wednesday evening. At 4:52 p.m., an emergency call came in to the Coast Guard reporting that a surfer was performing CPR on another, unconscious, surfer. The unconscious surfer was then pulled back into the ocean by the waves and could no longer be seen. The surfer that was seen preforming CPR on the other surfer is safe on land, according to Coast Guard officials.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Surfer-in-Marin-County-disappears-in-waves-6773539.php

Rodeo Beach (Fort Cronkhite)

Rodeo Cove (North of the beach)

surferonrock.jpg (75.45 KiB) Viewed 343 times

[oldmansurfer]

There are many dangers of surfing but this danger is always there. http://www.grindtv.com/surf/australian-surfer-dies-after-being-struck-by-his-board/?sf19393423=1#MoxzuLWYVrCzGfAw.97

[RinkyDink]

Yesterday, I had one of my best rides since I started relearning the sport. I timed my takeoff perfectly on a 3 foot rebreak wave. The stance I landed in from my popup was perfect. I turned my board into the wave and cruised down the line. I finally sank in the flats. It was glorious I kept wanting to get another wave like that, but I just couldn't seem to get another rebreak to pan out. So I paddled outside to the 5-8 footers (yep, a glutton for punishment) and tried to catch a shoulder on one of the mostly closed out junk waves there.

Now the set waves bring in a lot of water with them so I figured I didn't have to worry about the depth of the water. I was wrong. I didn't make my takeoff and when I fell at the bottom of the wave I felt it just pick me up and roll me over the falls. I didn't expect it to slam me down to the bottom, but that's what it did. I felt my body get pushed through a lot of water. I was surprised when my back hit the bottom. At the time, it didn't really hurt that much. My lower back was little bit sore when I came up. Today, however, my back is killing me. I went surfing and there were some great little waves, but my back only lasted about an hour and half. Anyway, it made me realize how slim the margin of error is. I would never have ventured outside if I had had any inkling that it would be shallow enough for me to hit bottom. I made an error. Anyway, danger is a factor in any sport and you have to do your best to make sure you have accurate information about the risks.

[oldmansurfer]

I used to body surf fairly big waves (up to 20 foot faces) before I ever used any kind of board for surfing. Body surfing taught me how to deal with the wave and getting pounded and which situations resulted in strong pounding and which resulted in being held under a long time. There is a lot that you can do to avoid hitting the bottom but basically it involves being aware of what the wave is doing and what you are doing and where the bottom is in relation to both. If you jump in the shallow end of a swimming pool and hit the water with your feet together and you arms tucked to your sides depending on how big you are and how deep the water is you will most likely hit the bottom and may even break some bones so don't try this. But you can learn to turn your legs to a position parallel to the bottom as you go in you change from penetrating the water perpendicular to a horizontal penetration. The same thing will happen if you jump off your board. If you find yourself going head first you can learn to roll over or aim for a more horizontal plane if you are headed that way anyway. When you roll in the water it stops you from penetrating by quite a bit, you still go in but way less. On small steep waves I will sometimes wipe out and kick my board (once I am sure there is no one near that could be hit) and land flat on my back parallel to the beach and the wave and roll as it goes over me and that will usually stop it from sucking me back over the falls. So a different use for rolling since I landed on my back for minimal penetration already but roll to keep from being taken over the falls and back down again. If I end up being taken over the falls on a wave I try to orient my body parallel to the bottom and the wave so that I don't penetrate much during that slam to the bottom. If I can I try to also use my arms to protect my head. All of this came from bodysurfing 50 years ago (and swimming and diving off cliffs and bridges and in the pool)

[RinkyDink]

I used to body surf fairly big waves (up to 20 foot faces) before I ever used any kind of board for surfing. Body surfing taught me how to deal with the wave and getting pounded and which situations resulted in strong pounding and which resulted in being held under a long time. There is a lot that you can do to avoid hitting the bottom but basically it involves being aware of what the wave is doing and what you are doing and where the bottom is in relation to both. If you jump in the shallow end of a swimming pool and hit the water with your feet together and you arms tucked to your sides depending on how big you are and how deep the water is you will most likely hit the bottom and may even break some bones so don't try this. But you can learn to turn your legs to a position parallel to the bottom as you go in you change from penetrating the water perpendicular to a horizontal penetration. The same thing will happen if you jump off your board. If you find yourself going head first you can learn to roll over or aim for a more horizontal plane if you are headed that way anyway. When you roll in the water it stops you from penetrating by quite a bit, you still go in but way less. On small steep waves I will sometimes wipe out and kick my board (once I am sure there is no one near that could be hit) and land flat on my back parallel to the beach and the wave and roll as it goes over me and that will usually stop it from sucking me back over the falls. So a different use for rolling since I landed on my back for minimal penetration already but roll to keep from being taken over the falls and back down again. If I end up being taken over the falls on a wave I try to orient my body parallel to the bottom and the wave so that I don't penetrate much during that slam to the bottom. If I can I try to also use my arms to protect my head. All of this came from bodysurfing 50 years ago (and swimming and diving off cliffs and bridges and in the pool)

That's really great advice. I'm too passive when I wipe out. I close my eyes, for the most part, and let the chips fall where they may rather than try to position my body in some way. It makes perfect sense to me, though, that it's probably best for your body to be parallel with the horizontal line of the wave rather than perpendicular to it. I don't know how much control you have once you hit the base of the wave, but I'm going to practice trying to roll my body into a parallel position when I go down. I always try to remember to cover my head. I think I'm going to keep my eyes open longer so I have a better idea of my position relative to the wave.

[Big H]

It is better for your board too....parallel to the wave rather than taking a direct lip shot perpendicular if you find yourself in that situation....

[oldmansurfer]

Something I figured out recently. When you are riding small steep reefbreak waves, don't try any major maneuvers until the tail is down the wave. I often watch what the nose of the board is doing to determine when to do what but on a small wave the tail is still in the lip when the nose is at the bottom and it makes it all different. LOL I guess you can tell I don't ride small reefbreak much