Surfing Waves

Look at this video, is really scary.
This people really don't think before jumping into the water.
[youtube]0f_jDrE5syI[/youtube]

Wow, that's some dangerous *xxxxx! Reminds me:
1. early swimming rule: don't jump or dive into place you are not familiar with
2. got caught once in rocks on way in from surfing (because not familiar with location; was stupid)

Some of it was not really "Surfers vs. Rocks" because some of those kooks never made it out TO the surf. I wonder if he had a Hypto Krypto or a 5'3" Fish, would he have made the jump ?
[youtube]0f_jDrE5syI[/youtube]

Pretty sure if he had a paddleboard he would've made it

just make sure you don't bring the "good" board.

I used to surf a break that had fairly good sized waves 10 to 15 foot faces and broke right in front of a cliff that had a pile of boulders at the bottom. I am sure there could be many videos of people and boards getting trashed there if there were video cameras back then (but video cameras weren't invented then and neither were leashes). I guess I have to say I was extremely lucky surfing there and never got my glassed in single fin broke off or boards broken in two or damaged beyond repair and I most certainly never got trashed there but I used to do a thing I called boulder hopping for fun basically just finding a stream bed with huge boulders then jumping from one to the next so I was particularly skilled at retrieving my board off the pile of boulders. Also I figured out pretty early on to use a big rock near the base of the cliff as shelter from the oncoming waves and wait to time the rescue mission between sets.

I try to make plans for what to do when I get into life threatening situations. Here are a couple I've come up with regarding rocks. My scenario goes like this: The swell is really big and I find myself either on the rocks or right next to them. I'm not talking about the lone rock sticking out at some surf spot. I'm talking about rocks at the base of a cliff or a rocky cove or a rock shelf jutting out into the water (those are the rocks I actually see at my surf spots on a regular basis). By the way, these guidelines are rules I came up with for myself. If anybody has good advice on this topic or better advice, I'd be glad to hear it.

1. Don't panic. You can see the guys who are panicked in the video. How do panicked people think? Rocks, terra firma . . . I can just climb onto the rocks and find a path that will allow me to walk out of here.

2. Don't try to climb onto the rocks. You'll wear yourself and get injured. Unless there is a brain dead obvious, simple path onto the rocks along with a safe way back to safety (e.g., handrail and steps that aren't overwhelmed with water slamming into them), I'm going to move away from the rocks as fast as possible. In other words, don't make the mistake of trying to plan your escape once you first climb onto the rocks. Make your escape plan while you tread water a safe distance away from the rocks. (I'm aware this could be difficult with a current that's working against you, but in that case I'd probably use my energy to follow the current along the rocks to find better conditions for an escape). My reasoning is that getting hit by a 5 foot wave as you're pinned next to a craggy wall is probably equivalent to getting drilled into a wall by a 400+ pound linebacker. Sure, you might be fine after the first slam, but it doesn't take too many of those hits to knock you out or just crush you outright. Try to get yourself somewhere you can come up with a reasonable escape plan. If that means you tread water and scream for help while you wait for a rescue boat or jet ski, then do that. Just don't climb up on the rocks, that's where the grim reaper is hanging out.

3. Bail your board if you're in the rocks and getting pummeled. Don't go into the rocks from the water to retrieve your board. Try and get it from a safer spot maybe from on top of the rocks where it is safer. I got caught in the rocks once when I was younger. I tried to make my escape along a cliff wall that had sandy little patches of beach along its base. I could run across those sections when there wasn't a wave slamming me into the walls of the little micro coves. Anyway, I gave up trying to get out of there with my board in hand. I threw it up on top of the rocks after using it as a shield against the slick 8 foot cove walls I had given up trying to climb over as wave after wave rammed into me. I was able to get the board back later, but even if I had lost it, it wouldn't have been the end of the world.

Anybody, have other tips or experiences that help with with rocks?

RinkyDink wrote:Anybody, have other tips or experiences that help with with rocks?

My only tip would be don't get in there if there's rock. The first year of learning to surf I went into dangerous places where there's giant boulder in the middle of the break. I learnt how to turn on this spot because it forces me to turn or else I end up crashing into the rocks.

5 years of surfing, I'm a better surfer. I know my ability and don't even try and get in the water if I know it is risky.

BaNZ wrote:My only tip would be don't get in there if there's rock. The first year of learning to surf I went into dangerous places where there's giant boulder in the middle of the break. I learnt how to turn on this spot because it forces me to turn or else I end up crashing into the rocks.

5 years of surfing, I'm a better surfer. I know my ability and don't even try and get in the water if I know it is risky.

I agree. There are some spots I don't surf because I wouldn't want things to go south on me there. If you're a beginner and going out somewhere a little dicey, then you should really spend time watching the spot. Your first paddle-out should also be on a small day. If you still feel anxious about the spot, then find a different spot. Surfing should be fun. Worrying about rocks and hazards is too much to think about when you're a beginner trying to focus on getting your popup working.

When I was in my first year of surfing in Australia, I went out to an empty spot by myself that I hadn't surfed before. After getting dumped by a wave, I found myself getting pushed over to a rocky cliff by the current. I didn't panic and tried to just work with the current and make my way back outside, but I soon found myself in an eddy that would just spin me around until another set wave would roll through. I was basically stuck inside and starting to fatigue from all the duck diving and paddling. I finally decided my best worst option was to try to time the waves to take me into the rocks without smashing me against them and then try to scramble up. After several desperate attempts (and some dings to my board) I finally managed to get some purchase and scramble out of harm's way. As I did, I noticed that the beach patrol from the next beach over were already heading along the cliff in my direction to make sure I was ok. Someone had apparently seen me and informed them.

They told me that I was lucky to make it out that way and that a better option than trying to make it back out to the break waves or back inside to the beach, would have been to use the water sucking out off the cliff to paddle around the point and to the next cove over (about 2 miles north). It never occurred to me in the moment that the safest route might be the furthest route and in the opposite direction of my destination.

It was a pretty humbling experience, to say the least. And yes, it also taught me not to overestimate my abilities, or go surf a challenging location by myself for the first time without any local knowledge.

Just found this story from a few years ago. Same beach that I was at and similar situation with much, much worse results:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/surfer-matthew-richell-dies-at-tamarama-beach-20140702-zstl2.html

Tamarama beach is quite dangerous , the narrow width of the beach and the rocky headlands either side with the SE direction it faces make it a heavy duty pounder with severe rips!
Noted for lots of rescues!

Where you get your rock at Dee Why Point, skills needed wave judgement , timing, , an invincible turtle roll, we called them Eskimo rolls, no leashes back then. O and lots of bandages for failure



Smaller day above, atrocious day below



These photos are by Neil Campbell who has a whole series of DeeWhy and the Northern Beaches over many years, well worth a look!

If you want to do rock entry and exits first watch what others do. If there is doubt about your ability to do the same don't go out. Try it first time on smaller days when the consequences are much reduced. Continue to go on small days until you are completely comfortable then work your way gradually up to bigger days. If you have a problem with panicking don't do it. In order to avoid panic you can plan ahead of time. Sort of like
Plan 1 I am going to do just like the others.
Plan 2 I screw up so I am getting raked over the rocks so I will use my board to keep me from getting bashed into the rocks
Plan 3 That doesn't work then I am taking off the leash and letting the board go then I am going to get away from the rocks with whatever is left of my board
Plan 4 That doesn't work then I am coming in over the rocks with the waves and hanging onto rocks to keep from getting swept back then running up away from the surf as soon as the waves recede.
Plan 5 That doesn't work I'm dead.

oldmansurfer wrote:If you want to do rock entry and exits first watch what others do. If there is doubt about your ability to do the same don't go out. Try it first time on smaller days when the consequences are much reduced. Continue to go on small days until you are completely comfortable then work your way gradually up to bigger days. If you have a problem with panicking don't do it. In order to avoid panic you can plan ahead of time. Sort of like
Plan 1 I am going to do just like the others.
Plan 2 I screw up so I am getting raked over the rocks so I will use my board to keep me from getting bashed into the rocks
Plan 3 That doesn't work then I am taking off the leash and letting the board go then I am going to get away from the rocks with whatever is left of my board
Plan 4 That doesn't work then I am coming in over the rocks with the waves and hanging onto rocks to keep from getting swept back then running up away from the surf as soon as the waves recede.
Plan 5 That doesn't work I'm dead.

I've always hated plan 5