Nearly drown experience sharing (Yesterday)

[frostless]

I know there have been tons of similar posts in the forum (I actually been searching them since yesterday seeking some kind of comforts) But I still feel like sharing it to make myself happier (I dare not to share with my wife)

So yesterday I went surfing with my mate. I surfed a day before already and felt really sore everywhere But I go anyway. I been told heaps of time that surfing more is the most effective way to improve so here I am in the beach. Checked the surf forecast it indicates a "pretty good" day with wave size 3-5 feet and strong wind. I have surfed 3-5 feet before with no problem in the same beach So I did not give a second though. Only when arriving the beach I can see from the carpark the waves were roaring huge and no one was in the water. I hesitated a bit but still want to give it a go. (After some lessons and some time in the water in different condition my ego is up up). Once in the water I could still feel the soreness in my arms ( I recovered really slow) But I paddle out bravely nearly to the back only found out my mate did not catch up so I turned around and caught a white wave in.

We decided to go to another spot to join other surfers and to make us feel safer. Then the real problem began. I followed my mate all the way to the back, I was tired already before entering the water but I managed to paddle out eventually. While sitting in the back I found me and my mates are the only two this far and I was a bit panicked and then started to paddle back in. A wave approached. Good I have been waiting for this so I paddled really hard for it, it lifted the tail, I was in , but then I dropped straight down from a seemingly 2m+ wave and wipe out. I never really figure out how to transit from a catching position to a riding position correctly. So I was rolling under the water. After surfaced another big one came. I dived and feel the leg leash pushed me very hard under the water. I started to lose my breath and started to panick. Then a set came, I was held down/up/held down for how many times I dont remember But I was really suffocating, Every Time the wave smacked me into the sand bar. My eye vision went from green to not that green to white then to the air. At that moment I swore if I managed to go back to shore I will never come back here. Eventually some whitewash sent me in,and although I lied back forward in the board I nose-dived a few times before reaching shore. I lied down on the beach but still felt nausea/dizzy.I puked and it took me an hour to recovery. I couldn think of the consequence of drowning.

This incident made me want to quit surfing. But maybe I can still keep on?/just surfing on small days/play inside? Ironically My mate went out few times without any problem. He is really ripped so I blame my fitness one more time. What makes me happier is I did not see any one really ripping out there Many be condition is not that good.

[Big H]

Lesson learned....people DO drown in the ocean ALL THE TIME. News lasts a day, three at the most. It is entirely on YOU to take care of YOURSELF.

That said, imagine if your leash broke on that first wipeout.......what would have happened then?

Do not surf when you have questions about the conditions....your survival depends on it.

Getting to the beach, sizing things up and deciding that you would in over your head due to the combination of the conditions, your condition and your ability and be able to walk away after an honest assessment can be construed as growth in my book.

[BaNZ]

The thing that I'm most annoyed about is when someone drowned on the news is shared on facebook and the comments on there infuriates me.

-Surfing is a deadly sport, only idiots would go surfing
-That surfer deserved it for surfing in such big waves(video shows 3-4 feet clean wave)
-Why are we wasting tax payer money to provide helicopter/boat rescues for these idiots
-One less idiot in the gene pool

So please look after yourself and don't drown. When I tell people that I surf in the ocean, they always tell me about there near drowning experience. They are all very capable swimmers in the "swimming pool".

[jaffa1949]

Thank you for sharing, there is no shame in this, others can learn . We have gone through this!
Please go back a few steps, if in doubt don't go out!
Take some time to read the beach, your earlier posts and your videos show you are not paddle fit.
Your mind knows it too, that is why you panicked ! You have to have skills to handle the conditions of the day!
Being able to get back in is vital.
Don't let the ability of someone else cause you to go well beyond your ability.
Idiotic bravado will get you drowned.
Look at your videos, you are a raw beginner, get fit get surf knowledgeable and do it by small steps.
A set of tough calls but we are not here to encourage you to drown.
Step by step fun levels.

[dtc]

Many beginners go out in conditions they shouldn't and discover they don't know what they don't know ie that big tough waves are tough. Then you know!

So, for what it's worth, many people find out the hard way that they shouldn't be there. You aren't the first.

You need obviously to learn from it as big H so accurately said; but also not to be too conservative in the future and only go on really small days or you will never progress. Be honest with your skills but not frightened. Step by step as Jaffa says

[pmcaero]

So I was rolling under the water. After surfaced another big one came. I dived and feel the leg leash pushed me very hard under the water. I started to lose my breath and started to panick. Then a set came, I was held down/up/held down for how many times I dont remember

I think the term "held down" is used in a different way in the surfing world, definitely not something that would happen to you in 3-5' waves.
Taking wave after wave on the head is annoying, and discouraging, but the important is to not panic, breathe between waves, and try to get under to let the white water pass over you.
Now people will say to hang on to your board, no matter what, and that is good advice, but it can be hard for a beginner, and if you really panic maybe you should just dive under the wave on your own. Don't do this in very big surf where the leash might break, of if there are people in the water near you.

The board will pull you through the leash towards the shore. The surfboard is very buoyant on its own so it will generally pull you horizontally, not down. But if it pulls on your leg, it might try to render you horizontal as well, which will feel like your head is being pulled under.
Also, if it helps you relax, remember that in a wetsuit you are pretty buoyant and you will surface eventually, while panicking will exhaust your air supply quickly.

[saltydog]

In addition to all the good things that are already mentioned, make sure you always have enough energy reserve while in water. If you are mentally or physically off, don't paddle out on big messy days. Hope you are going to surf with cautious optimism from now.

[oldmansurfer]

One of the things every surfer must do before entering the water is observing the conditions and learning to judge if it is something they can deal with. It doesn't matter if there are other surfers out. It's what can you do that you need to learn. When I go out I always keep in mind how hazardous the conditions are and hold a reserve of energy to be able to swim in in case I lose my board. It's good that you survived this and can learn from it. But taking a lot of waves on the head are always a possibility. The break I have been surfing lately can deal some severe poundings but I have been careful to mostly avoid the multiple wave poundings it can deliver. Learn to not panic, it doesn't help and work on your cardiovascular training specifically get in shape and then exercise so that you are out of breath and then keep it like that for as long as you can (on land). This will get you used to not having enough oxygen. At least now you know what it takes to get back to shore on a day like that and can figure that you shouldn't go out unless you get into better shape.

[drowningbitbybit]

I think the term "held down" is used in a different way in the surfing world, definitely not something that would happen to you in 3-5' waves.

You definitely can be held down in 3–5' waves. If the wave has some power and is heavy, 3' is more than enough to hold you down if the wave breaks on you.

Having said that, I can't imagine that the OP was really in 5' waves or is talking about a 'real' hold down – newbies do get all overexcited

[drowningbitbybit]

This incident made me want to quit surfing. But maybe I can still keep on?

It happens, and it's part of surfing.
If you carry on, it'll happen again. What feels like a "near drowning experience" now will just be a heavy wipeout in the future. As the waves get bigger, the hold downs get scarier.

You need to know your limits, you need to be fitter, you need water skills, you need to know how to get out of trouble, you need to be calm enough do deal with a hold down, but most of all... it will happen again.

Just don't drown.