Surfing Waves

How'd all, quick question, what do you do for damage limitation during a substancial wipeout ; curl into a ball, go limp, try fight it in some way, panic!!!....suggestions?????

All depends. You surfing a killer reef break, or a nice sand bar? Overhead pounding monster waves, or slow glassy 2 footers?

I've never surfed a reef, so my only major worries is taking a 10" longboard fin to the head. I just cover my head as best as I can, and go along for the ride.

You can fight all you want, but you'll never win against the ocean, even on a two foot day.

cover your head, try to jump to the side or in back of the board.
it is best if you manage to get in back of the wave.
Whenver you fall cover your head, relax and then go to the surface when the wave has passed, watch for your board

Yep cover your head and go along for the ride. Nothing you can do except go with the flow. Also when the wave seems to have passed you by stay under for another 2 or 3 seconds. You probably have no idea where your board is and if you come to the surface right away you may encounter your board coming down out of the air and slam you in the head. It happed to me once and I know better than to do that.

On a beach break dive as deep as you can and just chill! On a reef just try not to go deep otherwise you'll be nailed and pulled across it..just try and stay shallow and let the wave do it's thing!


Bigger the wave...the longer you have to hold your breath. Just don't fight otherwise you'll waste your precious Oxygen!

Cover the head and pray.

on a reef try to land spread eagled and flat: The shallower the better, with a sandbar hitting the bottom isn't as bad but it's still not a pleasant experience. Oh yeah and on bigger waves try to not ever land in front of the wave, thats always a bad move.

Thanks, yeah no danger of reefs were i surf so continue on as I was doing by the sounds of it, avoid the board, hold ur breath, cover ur head, chill the f**k out and enjoy the toss up, suppose there's nothing else u can when ur up againist the power and the might of the ocean. Just thought I'd throw it out there in case anyone had some magicial technique I hadn't heard of....

if i can i will dive away from my board, if i cant then il curl up and wait till i stop rolling around

Protect your noodle, go deep as you can, go with the flow. 'nuf said.

yea, but make sure if your jumping backwards off your board that no one is infront of you, just in case they take a board to the face, plus you must have trust in your leash to do this, but depends on the wave really

ive always wondered how do people with reef surf protect themselves? cover their faces heads like normal and pray not to get cut up badly?

greg@hoodatsurfco wrote:ive always wondered how do people with reef surf protect themselves? cover their faces heads like normal and pray not to get cut up badly?

no u try and lay as flat as possible and as close to the surface as u can... u dont cover ur face with ur hands cuz then ur elbows can be scratched up u just try and float...

that makes sense.. but wouldn't it be a better risk to cover your face? just thinking i would rather my elbows and arms get tore up than my face.

not if u lay as flat as possible u probably wont hit the reef but if u try and cover ur face ur elbows might...

hm..
Anyone heard of neck fracture in shallow water after wipe out??
does it happen?, This scares xxxxx out of me

cow wrote:hm..
Anyone heard of neck fracture in shallow water after wipe out??
does it happen?, This scares xxxxx out of me

Yep. It happened here (Wrightsville Beach) this spring. It was pumping and a guy fell and broke his neck and drowned.

I guess you will have to weigh between the risk and the fun and decide if surfing is for you.

Here is the link,
http://luminanews.com/article.asp?aid=860&iid=58&sud=30

so bad thing happens..

yeah it can happen. its a risk im willing to take.

cow wrote:so bad thing happens..

Yes, bad things might happen.
But I'd hate to safely get to 100 years old, and to look back and think 'fleshin' heck, 100 years and every moment of it was dull'.