by jaffa1949 » Tue Nov 22, 2011 5:21 am
Kasabian, a really useful tool you could look at learning, is how to read your beach, what Tonyg suggested is absolutely right and the link is great, so where do you go from here?
Putborough/Woolcombe isa long sand beach with a stream entering at the Woolacombe end but the beach is long enough to have a rip at each end by the headlands and to develop a number of migratory rips along the beach itself. These will be determined by swell size and direction and wind sometime too.
Look at the indications for rips in that link apply them to the picture you see from the headland and they begin to become obvious.
Get into the habit of going where you can overlook a beach especially if you don't know it well and just see what the conditions are.
That will tell you how to approach the surf on that day.
Unless you know a beach really well sitting and watching will enhance your session and make it safer as well
You have no idea how many people have to be rescued by lifeguards and surfers because they swim where the waves are not and that is usually the beach side mouth of the rip
If you are caught in a rip paddle parallel to the shore and allow the waves to wash you in, the wave are usually on either side of the rip.
Reading the beach is your way of knowing the local traffic rules.
I've taken up troll hunting just for fun, instead of a rifle I'll just use a pun! 冲浪爷爷