Keeping track of waves in a set in overhead surf

[icetime]

Hey guys, I've surfed overhead more than a few times and I don't have any fear or anxiousness when paddling out, I do have one issue though is last time I went surfing overhead conditions at the end of my session I went with my ears ringing and nose clean.
My question is, how do know which wave is the last one of the set?
Because whenever a wave is coming by it covers everything behind it so I can't see if there's another one and some times I'd go on the first or second wave of the set then get pounded if I wipeout (Take off are hard at my local break because of the shape of the outter sand bar waves jack up, odds of making it are 70/30 if you're my level, some dudes make it every time though they've been surfing for years)

[oldmansurfer]

Sometimes you can see the behind waves before they get close. Mostly what I do is stay vigilant. If the sets are consistent then you can count how many waves are coming in each set and usually that will be right. When you are at the very top of a wave in the set you can sometimes see over the top of a wave even if it's bigger than the next one. I guess I am lucky because where I surf the waves are really erratic so even if you can't see straight out in front of me, there will be a place where I can usually see the next wave coming in up or down the lineup. The times where I really want to know though is when I just wiped out and in the impact zone. Then it's just scramble to get on board and scratch for the horizon and scan for the next wave. The one after that isn't really a concern at that moment

[Big H]

Big cleanup set can have double the amount of surfable waves coming through as a usual set....experience should tell you as well......never take the first wave of a set and if you do, make the wave and make it to the shoulder.