Surfing Waves

http://www.surfline.com/community/whokn ... fm?id=1157

It's suppose to rain tomorrow where I'm going and just thought I'd look up what are some hazards to surfing while rain or after and this popped up. Just thought I should share for those who don't know.

oh wow, I never ever thought it would be that bad. The only bit I worry about is getting hit by lightning when there is a thunderstorm.

Or when I see syringes washed up the beach.

I posted this on a saltwater aquarium fourm for some of the guys and a guy from Louisiana mentioned the Naegleria fowleri or aka Brian eating ameba. They don't usually show up in salt but when the rain carries the still warm waters where they cultivate it's more then likely they'll be in shore line for a short while. I think an article talked about in the past 50 years or so almost 150 people have died from them and at a survival rate of literally 1%. Water, you some scary stuff

Lol Brian eating. I meant brain eating.

Unless you are surfing in freshwater most of that sutff is unlikely except if there is a sewage spill.

Surfline while it does a lot of good is not an accurate soruce for medical information

I've surfed in rain a few times, didn't have any disease, but I'm not saying it's safe. Maybe it also vary from place to place.
One thing I know, seing the drops of water raise that small fog of water on surface while you surf is one hell of a pretty image!

Rain dampens the wind and keeps the Hollywood surfers out of the lineup. You know those guys who just want to do it for the show. I guess if the rain was cold then It might affect me surfing. I think if there was lightning that might be a concern esecially if there were sharks around since it is well known that sharks prefer their humans cooked (just kidding)

I guess it's not as big of a problem everywhere else then it is here by Galveston. theirs at least 4 different plants that run off into one canal thst goes straight into the shore line right by the seawall. sicknesses here arent that rare to sadly say and last year I recall at least a few occasions of people catching even flesh eating bacteria near the jetties but it's mainly due to the bateria cultivating on the shellfish under the jetties. I imagine the water is clear and cleanr on both west and east side so praise to you guys who have clear water vs our brown dirty water lol.

Well I don't see why plant discharge would cause flesh eating bacteria but basically it's just bacteria that are found in many places and if you get a wound and don't treat it right away then you may get it. Dirty water has more bacteria for sure so when I go out in brown water I make sure I wash off afterwards and clean any open wounds I have.

The newest run off in town areas, can be risky. Every dog turd and and loose bit of garbage ends in the rivers drains and stream and discharges where ever, this can be particularly noxious.
When dead cows wash down our rivers near our local breaks there is this flesh eating fish that comes in , we call them sharks.
In Bali in the wet season the entire water system of the island discharges into the sea, sewerage treatment ranges from Ok to none existent.
There every stream and ditch is a plastic disposal site, a big flush of the streams is awful.
In Malibu you can get famous bacteria fro movies stars as some of the estates there have their septic systems overwhelmed when it rains
Wherever some people go out undeturd after rain

Up here in the Pacific Northwest we surf in the rain most days, it's just raining a lot during the winter which is when the best swells are coming in. It's a relatively undisturbed coastline with clean water, so I can't speak to any pollution issues, only that I've surfed hundreds of days in the rain and I have yet to catch any kind of flesh eating bacteria...

It's actually nice. The rain is warmer than the ocean water, so it's like surfing while getting a freshwater shower at the same time.

oldmansurfer wrote:Well I don't see why plant discharge would cause flesh eating bacteria but basically it's just bacteria that are found in many places and if you get a wound and don't treat it right away then you may get it. Dirty water has more bacteria for sure so when I go out in brown water I make sure I wash off afterwards and clean any open wounds I have.

not saying the plants had something to do with the flesh eating bacteria. if you re look at my post I mentioned it usually happens on the jetties where the mussels and sometimes oysters cultivate. the bacteria is known to grow literally on their shells. any unaware beach goer gets to close and has a cut or gets cut usually contracts the bacteria.

In Ireland if it doesn't rain you get bacteria!! if the sun ever does come out whole families hurl themselves and their younglings into the ocean as a precautionary measure!

Seems like it always rains after my wetsuit is freshly laundered and pressed!

Mine always gets wet after it is dried.

oldmansurfer wrote:Well I don't see why plant discharge would cause flesh eating bacteria but basically it's just bacteria that are found in many places and if you get a wound and don't treat it right away then you may get it.

Plant discharges of water used to cool will be warm and encourage faster growth of local bacteria (and ecosystem choking algaes too).
After rains here the water is filthy; all the garbage washes out from the canals of the various kampungs into the ocean. You pretty much get what you're looking for.

Good advice , in Bali I the rainy season the pyramidal the steep vertical shape of the island ensures everything meets the sea after fermenting in all the gullies.

Indonesia does not have good garbage system nor a good management of sewerage overflows, most stream beds are the local garbage dump.
Local surf groups are trying to raise awareness and get results, but still a long way to go!

Big H wrote:

oldmansurfer wrote:Well I don't see why plant discharge would cause flesh eating bacteria but basically it's just bacteria that are found in many places and if you get a wound and don't treat it right away then you may get it.

Plant discharges of water used to cool will be warm and encourage faster growth of local bacteria (and ecosystem choking algaes too).
After rains here the water is filthy; all the garbage washes out from the canals of the various kampungs into the ocean. You pretty much get what you're looking for.

Hmmm well all the same I don't see reports of surfers in certain areas getting flesh eating bacteria so I doubt that rain has any effect on it from a surfers perspective. There are certain types of flesh eating bacteria that are associated with the ocean and oysters and it may be that those varieties occur more often in certain areas but not associated with rain.