Surfing Waves

I'm lucky that there are fewer surfers around here (north of Eureka, CA). But it often means I am surfing alone. It's great to have every wave to myself, but I worry a bit about the added danger.

Is it really that much more dangerous? Have you personally had an accident or shark attack in which having someone else around was critical in your survival or at least lessened the impact of your problem?

Thanks,

Al

I surf on my own a bit. Less these days as the sport has seen an increase in popularity in the last few years. Its always in the back of my mind, and I tend to not enjoy it as much because of this. Have a read of this thread, lucky guy, would have been in serious trouble without someone else around:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19407&p=155614&hilit=shark+attack#p155614

Luckily, we don't have sharks here but the fact remains, when you are on your own and something does go wrong, it does it in a big way. Will this stop me surfing on my own? Probably not, but I treat it as a calculated risk by avoiding remote spots, shallow reefs, and surf size that pushes my comfort zone. Crowds suck, but a surf with a few cool people is miles better than a surf on your own.

would have been in serious trouble without someone else around:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19407&p=155614&hilit=shark+attack#p155614

That post lead me to start this thread, partly because it seemed that his friend lent moral support, but that if the guy had been alone, he still would have made it to shore.

Banana wrote:

would have been in serious trouble without someone else around:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19407&p=155614&hilit=shark+attack#p155614

That post lead me to start this thread, partly because it seemed that his friend lent moral support, but that if the guy had been alone, he still would have made it to shore.

Made it to shore possibly, but if no one had been there to administer first aid and get help?

How much more dangerous if you're alone? I guess that depends.

I suppose if you surf in an area that isn't inherently dangerous (not sharky, rocky, reefs) and stick to conditions well within your capabilities/experience, surfing alone isn't that much more risky than surfing with others. You're playing the odds and betting that the chances of something happening to you that you can't deal with alone are pretty low, and I guess it's a decent bet. I live and surf at a beach that's pretty deserted 6 months out of the year, and I've played those odds a lot.

How much risk are you willing to accept?

I've had a mate dislocate his arm at the shoulder on a fairly rippy reef and have to be dragged in lying on his board. No way he would have been able to paddle it. Could have been really bad if he was on his own. You could be knocked out, who would administer CPR? You could get a bad cut from a fin (like Parko last year), what if you hit an artery? Would you fancy trying to drive to a hospital while stemming the loss of blood?

The point is you never know what's going to happen. You asked if surfing on your own is more dangerous. I don't think you can feasibly argue that it isn't. When you are on your own something trivial can cause you huge problems. This applies to other things too, like hill walking/mountain climbing. A broken leg/arm where you have access to a phone or a mate who can get help isn't usually life threatening. Same thing happens when you don't have either of those things and you could find yourself in big trouble.

I have enjoy paddling out, and surfing alone. It is a whole different vibe out there when you are alone. I guess I enjoy the sense of adventure and danger from surfing alone, because often you do not feel alone. Yes I do think about sharks more, but I work on blocking those thoughts out of my head. I try to remember I am probably safer in the ocean than I am driving on the Hwy. I think up here in Oregon you have to paddle out alone sometimes or you won't get to surf much. Often after I paddle out alone as a guinea pig, others join me, and then I am no longer alone. I agree surfing with someone else is safer, but surfers do not always do what is the safest. I also know Mark Foo was out with a lot of his friends when he drowned at Mavericks. I think his friends just figured he paddled in. If I was giving advice to a beginner I would say surf with a friend, and don't go out alone. I think we all know surfing with someone else is safer. I also have a friend who was given CPR and his life was saved because he surfed with a friend.

Made it to shore possibly, but if no one had been there to administer first aid and get help?

Right. Although there's no one surfing with me in the water, there are often tourists or other people on the beach, so presumably, if I could make it to shore, I could get help.