Surfing Waves

...And I dont mean 'yeah, I promise I'll call'

Surfing at maroubra on a day like today - smallish swell, too high tide - it tends to jack up with a good vertical wall, and then section, and then close out in one board-breaking detonation. So mostly, I'll take the drop, onto the face, and then out onto the flats as it closes out.

So, here's the problem... how do you gracefully get out of a wave you're riding thats turned into a heaving mass of whitewater behind you?
I tend to go for the leap up and backwards to try and clear the whitewater, but its ugly as sin, and leaves the board on the wrong side of the maelstrom.

Kicking out is impossible as there's no clean gap to kick out of. I know I could kick out before it closes out, but the rides are short enough as it is.

Has anyone worked out how to do this with some semblance of control and/or style?

i try to get off if i see it's about to close out. either by kicking out early, or just by jumping back. latter is not very graceful, but if it means i don't get pushed inside, whatever. if i'm already on the flats, i'll just ride it out as far as i can, trying to get to where the white wash isn't so bad, and then try to jump back like you do

Jumping off is a bad practice which unfortunately even pro surfers use. It's bad because it relies on the leash, one should never throw one's board away if it's possible not to.

How about riding the whitewater in ? It's harder than it looks, and it's good practice and a useful tactic because sometimes closeouts reform into something nice

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Last weekend one of my mates snapped a leash jumping over the back of the white wash, small waves too only around 2-3ft. Can always try doing the pro thing of ducking under the whitewater although whenever i try this i just get smashed.

Thought you had learnt not to surf in board breaking waves after the other board was snapped

I think i know the kind of waves you are talking about. Its not possible to do a superman launch unless you anticipate the wave closing out and going for a quick exit. I would say riding the whitewater in is probably not gonna be an option on a shortboard most instances the whitewater will consume you + should you manage it that will make for a much longer paddle back out. If you can anticipate the close out you could try ducking into the closeout barrel and pulling through the back which is actually quite fun and good practise but probably not recomended if the waves are too ledgy and fat.

So the options are slim