Evasive Manuevers

[BoMan]

When riding a wave, we have to navigate around obstacles. The main ones are other surfers, sections, and rocks.

What advice can you give to avoid bad stuff, make it around white water, or get through the flats?

When you can’t get around, do you kick out, straighten out, wipeout or something else?

[BoMan]

I've never been abIe to turn my log very fast, so I always study the break before going out...even at Bolinas that I know so well. Storms change the sand bars which change where the water flows. Last time out, the best waves angled over submerged rocks that could snag your leash at mid tide or break your head at low tide. Keeping bad spots in mind makes me safer.

Watching the break also helps to avoid collisions. I look for folks who paddle up the gut, bail their boards, takeoff without looking or cannot turn at all, and make a point to know where they are. When picking a spot in the lineup, I also imagine how the line of my rides will not run over other surfers. This can stretch the mind when a crowd's out.

As an old guy I have to plan ahead to make up for my lack of agility. Any more advice to share?

[oldmansurfer]

Obvious to study the break. Go to the same breaks , even better since you have cumulative knowledge of the break. Don't go to places like the first or second picture. I imagine the first one is a bodyboarder doing and air going left and the surfer doing an air going right. With that kind of stuff happening it might be difficult to avoid collisions. I make sure that when I take off there is no one in my way. It is much more difficult (at least for me) to anticipate the outcome of a takeoff than the outcome of getting through a section down the wave. I often just cut out if there are too many surfers in my way because I lack the confidence and possibly the skill to weave through them. In the second picture just say no to situations like that. I surf often where there is a bunch of rocks that are an obstacle but am very careful to keep track and not take off in front of them or do any critical maneuver in front of them. I will go straight and pass on the near side of them rather than try to make a wave where the rock is too close for comfort. If I happen to wipeout right in front of the rocks then I make sure I am quick at getting back on my board and paddling to one side or the other of the rocks before another wave pushes me into them.

Making sections.....well that is what surfing is all about to me anyway since I surf sectiony waves mostly. Keep track of what the wave is doing down the line. I have pretty good wave reading skills but get fooled sometimes. Learning to read the waves is a constant ongoing process for me. In addition I surf a sand break and it changes all the time so you have to figure out what it's doing right then. A technique that you might be able to use for both sections and when you hit the flats is to suddenly crouch way down and crank a projecting bottom turn (which means you are leaning forward.) Depends on the exact shape of the wave as to what you do then but if you can get back up to the top of the wave and aim it back down again or do a cutback. If it is a section that broke you might hold your turn and see if the board will get around it. I pretty much only get into the flats on hairy steep waves where I have no way to do anything else but in those instances I have so much speed I can just turn back up the wave no problem. But when I drop down a wave and find myself slowed down I sometimes force a turn out of it by crouching suddenly and turning. On weak waves you have to provide the power.

[oldmansurfer]

To eject from a wave where it has passed me by what I do depends on the situation. But generally if there is no one near me I jump off the board usually kicking it forward and falling backward so I land on my back. If there are people I may just try to ride it out or lay down and try to ride it out.

[waikikikichan]

Go to the riders PAST, do not go to his/her FUTURE. A lot of newbies/beginners try to scramble for the shoulder to outrun the oncoming surfer and don't make it. Or even worse, HALF-make it and the rider gets a tail or fin in his eye. ( I've even seen a un- strapped leash rip someone in the face ). Better to go to the broken lip of the wave and get hit by the foam than destroyed by fiberglass.
Another way like Mr. Miyagi says "best way to avoid punch, is not be there ". Learn to surf the wave to the side and end near the return channel. Going straight keeps you stuck in the line of fire.