Getting out of the white water?

[knic27]

So, I'm a very beginner surfer. I was surfing this morning and the wave broke behind me and I got caught in the whitewater once it crashed. This was all well and good and I was pushed forward by the whitewater as I laid on my board. I wanted to end the ride since I didn't want a long paddle back out to the lineup, but wasn't able to actually get out of the whitewater. I tried kind of tilting my board to turn back into the whitewater, but am pretty sure the water would have just rolled me once I got parallel to it. If I were standing, I would have moved my weight to my back foot and kind of stood up in it. Anyway, I got pushed all the way in to shore and ended up with a long paddle back out. So, if you're laying on your board like a body border, how do you actually get out of the white water? Thanks!

[oldmansurfer]

There are probably many ways to do this depending on the size of the wave. You could stand and step on the back of the board or turn it around, you could lean and turn the board sideways if it's small enough, you could sit up and lean back on the board maybe even just sitting will stop the board, you could jump off and let the leash stop it if there is no one around that the board might hit. Lots of ways to acomplish that just make sure you don't endanger others (or yourself)

[waikikikichan]

Easy, just become Un-hydrodynamic by scooting back and dragging your feet and knees.

But think about it, if the wave is so powerful that it's hard to stop, maybe you shouldn't. If you do manage to stop, you'll turn around with no momentum to fight the next wave ( and next, and next ). Say you're at the shopping mall and are going down an escalator. You suddenly see your friend on the floor above. Should you try to run UP the DOWN escalator ? I see that's what a lot of beginners do, try and fight mother nature. Learn about the wave and the ocean. Learn to work with it, not against it.

Part of the problem is going straight. When you learn to trim and ride along the face, you'll end your ride in a better place. If you do find yourself riding the white water on your belly, try dragging a the foot on the side you want to go to that has a more clear channel to paddle back.