bad surf experiences

[vandangos]

just thought it would be an interesting topic to start up as yesterday i had my worsed surfing experience yet. i went saunton in north devon was about 3-4 foot and was a huge paddle out, it took me about 10-15 mins to get out their on a 7"2 mal. second wave i caught i fell as soon as i popped up, when i came up i realised my leash had snapped. i tried to body surf in but it just wasnt happenin and i was already tired from just getting out their. so i swam back out, asking surfers if i could hold on to their boards so i could get my breath back. i did this as well as swimming for the next 45mins i didnt know how i was going to get back in because no one would help me then a longboarder paddled up next to me and we both paddled back in.

so always check your leash for any splits/cracks before you go out.

just though it would be a good topic for everyone to share their bad experiences in the surf. cheers

[justloafing]

Yeah for longboarders

[surferdude_scarborough]

my worst experience was another leash story. it was very nearly double overhead at polzeath and a very long paddle out. i took off on a big seti was half way down the drop and lining up to make the section when i saw someone in front of me. so i went behind her but didnt make the section, got smashed and when i surfaced i found my leash gone from my leg. not broken gone. it was a really long swim back in through the big surf and when i got to the shore i just sat there broken for about 15 mins. not fun

[gixer]

i had one recentlly at hells mouth.pretty dumpy onshore day,but i thought i could see some waves to be had so i went out(on my 8'5) i had about half an hour battle to get out so i was drained.....a big dumping set came in and got me good and proper,swallowed water ect...i was scared about my leash cos i recon my board was the only way i was getting out of this one.....finally i got in.its taken me a while to get over that........hey ho

[isaluteyou]

my worst was also a leash experience but in close to DOH surf. No one out was surfing the south side of a pier which is all reef and in big surf its a tad trickey to come in. A big clean up set washed in and i managed to duck them all but the second to last one whipped the board from under me. When the last wave came i didnt have time to collect my board so i just went under.

I came up to see my board getting washed in. I sa a big wave and tried body surfing it i pretty much got totalled and was pinned down for ages. I managed to break free and started to swim back. But with strong currents and heavy swell it was touch and go if id make it back.

Lessons learned - dont surf a heavy break on your own

[Thibb]

Kinda makes you wonder how in an age of space polyesters they are still not able to make an unbreakable leash...

[gixer]

my worst was also a leash experience but in close to DOH surf. No one out was surfing the south side of a pier which is all reef and in big surf its a tad trickey to come in. A big clean up set washed in and i managed to duck them all but the second to last one whipped the board from under me. When the last wave came i didnt have time to collect my board so i just went under.

I came up to see my board getting washed in. I sa a big wave and tried body surfing it i pretty much got totalled and was pinned down for ages. I managed to break free and started to swim back. But with strong currents and heavy swell it was touch and go if id make it back.

Lessons learned - dont surf a heavy break on your own

wisdom in those words............

[isaluteyou]

Kinda makes you wonder how in an age of space polyesters they are still not able to make an unbreakable leash...

Yep the strange thing is all my leashes dont snap where you expect them to - at the weak points the joins and rope - but instead the snap clen in the middle very odd indeed

[ANZAC]

Repeat business... Thats why cars arnt built to last anymore..

[pkbum]

Repeat business... Thats why cars arnt built to last anymore..

Hell yeah! How's leash business going if the leash never breaks?

[Jimi]

Worst experience for me was surfing on a small and rubbishy day, on a shortboard, not getting many waves (pretty typical for me). My mate got a reasonable wave, and fell off the back of the board as I was paddling out beside the waves. She shot her board out as she fell and the tip hit me square on the cheek-bone. an inch higher and I would've lost an eye! As it was I just bled everywhere.

[flyingvee]

I had a bit of an 'experience' at Porthtowan last week. Got caught in a rip-tide and before I knew it was way out - could see the waves breaking in front of me, and gradually getting washed towards the rocks. This was 8.30 am and not many folk about yikes!! I paddled like buggery to get across the bay - away from the rocks. (I'm not a confident surfer - still perfecting my pop-up) Anyway obviously, the only way back in was to catch a wave - still paddling furiously, I turned shore-ward as a set came and paddled! I caught the wave and got the ride of my life - too bad I was so knackered I couldn't pop up!!

Went back to the car for a sit down and clean my wettie!!!!!!

[gerk86]

Repeat business...

3 month old leash snapped on me and left me with a long swin back to shore. Not buying that brand again.

[Surfing-Innovation]

Can I be honest??

If it took you 15 minutes to paddle out at Saunton (looking at the webcam yesterday, it wasn't that big and was pretty clean really - so comparatively easy paddle out) - then I'd suggest you should have stayed on the inside!

God loves a trier and all that, but using up ALL your energy getting out back is just asking for trouble.........

I'm no super surfer and my paddle fitness leaves a LOT to be desired - but if I feel as though I'm killing myself to get out back, then I know all I'm going to do when I get there is be too tired to catch anything and potentially put myself, or others, in danger.

Part of learning to surf is learning when to admit defeat.

I've seen people paddle out at Saunton and you just KNOW that they're in over their heads, but they struggle on and normally end up flailing about when a cleanup set comes in, bailing their boards or doing other dangerous kooky things.

Not saying you're any of the above, but just learn to accept your limitations and you'll have more fun..........

[bluyan]

Can I be honest??

If it took you 15 minutes to paddle out at Saunton (looking at the webcam yesterday, it wasn't that big and was pretty clean really - so comparatively easy paddle out) - then I'd suggest you should have stayed on the inside!

God loves a trier and all that, but using up ALL your energy getting out back is just asking for trouble.........

I'm no super surfer and my paddle fitness leaves a LOT to be desired - but if I feel as though I'm killing myself to get out back, then I know all I'm going to do when I get there is be too tired to catch anything and potentially put myself, or others, in danger.

Part of learning to surf is learning when to admit defeat.

I've seen people paddle out at Saunton and you just KNOW that they're in over their heads, but they struggle on and normally end up flailing about when a cleanup set comes in, bailing their boards or doing other dangerous kooky things.

Not saying you're any of the above, but just learn to accept your limitations and you'll have more fun..........

i think he was meaning friday and if he was then i would imagine it was a reasonable size at saunton,i was in at croyde and it was getting pretty big.

i went to saunton yesterday morning around 7 ish and yeah your right it was small,weak and extremley slow,it was like watching slow motion never seen it like that before.

anyway,my worst experience was from late last year at hells mouth down near the reef,whilst sitting there in clear water watching a large object swim below and slowly start to rise,until it seem to start to wrap itself around my foot.....fookin xxxxx myself and paddled like a frantic pussy as fast as i could.....the worst bit is,apparently it was kelp and i dont think i'll ever here the last of it.

btw i will be checkin my leash every session after hearin some of your tales

cheers
ian

[gixer]

no ian...you wont be hearing the last of it,bear in mind alans told that story so many times i feel like i was there,althogh crying a lot less

ahh bless

[parrysurf]

a bad day surfin beats the hell out of a great day at work.....


Had a bad week once.....broke the nose off my board....while in repair I borrowed a board from a friend....the next night both boards were stolen from my patio.....so now I have no stick..so I borrow another from same friend.... went to beach and promptly broke that one in half....now I have no money, lost my stick, and I owe my bro for two boards.
That was an all time low in my life.....at that time I was ready to kill if I found out who stole my sticks!!





Thieves are reincarnated as toilet paper, and urinal fresheners.

[M1K3AA]

jelly fish wrapped around my leg, or i think it was a menuwar, or something, in jax at the mayport poles.

it was when i just started surfing too oh my god it wrapped around my leg, i felt the sting in 8 different places so i start punching where it hurt trying to get the thing off me when i realize i'm punching my leg and the thing is on my hand so i scream like a little girl and paddle back to shore so fast. just got up and ran with my limp ass left leg with the board dragging in the dirt behind me.

my friends were telling me to pee on it but at the time i thought they were joking so i didnt do it, but i'm pretty sure you're supposed to do that.. idk..

[bluyan]

no ian...you wont be hearing the last of it,bear in mind alans told that story so many times i feel like i was there,althogh crying a lot less

ahh bless

the odd thing is,alan was right behind me paddling just as fast

[vandangos]

just incase anyone was wondering (Surfing-Innovation) it was on fri at saunton. if you took your time to read the post correctly you would know this as it says it was posted on sat and in my description it says that this happened yesterday therefore making it fri. cheers


a pic of what it was like on fri...