how I go out through the surf at a beach break

[oldmansurfer]

I usually start by looking at the surf and finding the closest to the beach that the waves break. This means a shorter distance to get outside of the break. I look at currents and stuff in the area. Where I usually go out there is a strong current to the left so I enter the water a bit more to the right than where I would with no current. I walk out and carry my board over the whitewater coming in. When I get to the bigger whitewater I lean forward and lift my board over the top of the water. When y out are walking through waves you have to lean forward or you will be knocked off your feet. This works for as high of a wave as I can hoist the board over. Sometimes I grab the nose of the board and go under the whitewater if the water is deeper. Now my goal is to get out close to where the waves are breaking and wait for a break in the swell. I don't want to be where the lip is coming down so I wait inside of that place and go through the waves till there is a break then I paddle like crazy and get outside of the break. One other method I use to go through the surf is to swim under the wave. If the waves are big enough I will let my board go and swim to the bottom go under the incoming wave then come back up and swim till I can see if there is another wave coming then I keep swimming and go under that one too and then when there is a break I get on my board and paddle like crazy.

If I can't stand on the bottom then I have a few other ways I go through waves but always try not to be where the lip is coming down. If the whitewater is really small I just keep paddling. A little bigger and I do a push up on my board and let the wave break over the top of my board and under my body, If it is too big to go under me then I push up again but push the tail down so the nose is pointed up and the wave goes under the board. If it is a little bigger than I think I can handle with that I do a half duck dive. I tilt forward and dive down while holding the board to the side of my shoulders then when I get as deep as I can go I shove the board a little deeper and pull up as the wave hits my exposed rear end and the tail of the board which are still above the water. If the waves are bigger then I do a turtle roll and bigger still and I abandon the board and head for the bottom.
I surf an 8 foot fun gun and can't duck dive it so all of these will be applicable to long boarders also and short boarders can add in a duck dive instead of a half duck dive.
When I am riding a wave and end up in the impact zone I often go sideways to the same area I paddled out before and go through the surf in that area again. Where I surf the current goes that direction so it is easy to do.

[surf patrol]

Really good post oms. Some great tips here. I think that perhaps the most important one is to have a good look before you start paddling. So many times people just pile straight out and spend twice as long (and twice as much energy) getting out. Also, have a look for a handy rip, it might be a longer paddle to the lineup but it might be a much easier one.

[oldmansurfer]

What I find more often useful than a rip current is backwash. If the back wash is big enough you can catch it out about 10 or 20 yards. If it isn't it can speed you up and help you paddle out.

[surfyeah]

And get your timing right... you've said it, paddle like crazy when there is a break in the waves and conserve your energy when there is a set rolling through.