Increasing wave size - What is it about for you?

[dtc]

Buy a very thick leash!

[Big H]

Yeah, maybe it was a windy day. Also those waves are a little chubby, not so hollow, which is why I want to use it as a step up. It's probably more forgiving and could build up my confidence to try some more hollow big wave spots.
It's the place that works best on bigger swells close to where I'll live, since other spots just don't seem to handle the conditions (probably ending up on close outs?).

The big challenge there is handle the big paddle out/paddle in and the rip currents that are quite strong on bigger days. It's not Jaws, but I think I should prepare myself for this, specially on swimming resistance. I'm working on some sets of endurance building to get my volume up to around 1.4 miles and once I finish moving I'll be able to try those workouts on the pool. So far I'm doing aerobic training on treadmills and stationary bikes. I think about using open waters swimming contests as indicators that I can handle that distance on my own, because if you lose your board there you have to be prepared to swim for almost two hours.

I would NOT surf that all at either you or my skill level....don't worry about swimming 3/4 mile in open ocean riddled with rips and currents....do worry about swimming over to you buddy who is there watching your back.....what if you fall on a wave and dislocate your shoulder? That is common! Or if your big wave leash rips out your leash plug....Be smart please.

[Big H]

Check this out....have it saved in favorites and just saw it again....

http://indosurflife.com/2015/05/video-t ... -wipeouts/

[benjl]

That second photo is probably like 8ft?? Even if you could paddle out and had the skills, you'd need to make sure you had a board that could handle it!
A lot of boards can handle that 2-6ft size but bigger and you're looking at a serious step up required

[IanCaio]

Hello guys, sorry for taking a while to reply.

OMS,
The 2 hour swim was more of an estimate I've read on a surfing website talking about the spot. Don't know if it considers bodysurfing to the shore, but anyways I think you can only body surf up to some point, then you have to keep swimming to get to sand.

DTC,
For sure! Even though I don't want to rely on leashs, like being lost and panic in case mine breaks, having a thicker leash is a safety precaution on any stronger swell.

BigH,
I know I might have sounded like a "suicidal kook" , but as I said, it's a long term plan. I don't think of hitting this spot any time soon, because I lack the skills and preparation to do so. But I have it as a goal, and I think it's a good thing for me because it will make me work harder than if I just waited until I was ready. I also don't intend to surf this place by myself, specially on my first time, so maybe I'll have someone watching my back. But I think I should be ready in case I've to deal with the paddle/swim in myself.
I've seem the video, this sort of training is becoming more and more common with big riders, getting breath holding fitness through simulation. I hope to be able to do a similar course in the future.

Benjl,
Yeah, that second picture seems to be on a bigger day in that spot. I've seem videos with smaller and more mushy waves though. Guess I'd need a bigger board, like a semi-gun. I'd for sure not paddle out on my 6'0", don't think I'd even reach the line up before tiring my arms

[oldmansurfer]

When I was a young man I could swim about 4 miles in 2 hours.

[Big H]

You need one of these (7'8")...

[IanCaio]

OMS,
4 miles in 2 hours sounds pretty good! You could compete open waters swimming contests with times like that

BigH,
That boards size seems a good fit for those waves. They're not too big for you to need a 9'+ board, so this size seems like a good call for a good paddling power/flotation keeping some maneuverability! You use it on bigger days there in Bali?

[Big H]

Bigger days, bigger paddle outs...it's 3" thick so it helps with long paddle outs and getting into bigger waves...

[IanCaio]

Just a small update, I've been trying to eat healthy, make exercises everyday and surf as often as I can to keep fit (or get fit ).

I've been having my ups and downs (days I shred, days I suck at the surf), but felt like posting because yesterday I got close to the edge of my comfort zone. It was probably 4ft, maybe 5ft hawaiian on series. I would say the face of the waves was a little overhead (maybe 2ft overhead). It was breaking far outside, no delays between series. I'm not sure wether I'm sad I didn't perform at all, being caught inside and not finishing my paddle out, or proud I tried twice.

First time I went on a straight line forward (the short but hard way). I paddled a lot, duck dived tons of waves, and started getting my arms really tired. When I looked further out the surfers were still a little far (maybe 100 meters, or 75, not sure). I got close but exausted myself and saw a serie coming, so I catched a ride back on the white wash.

Stood at the sand a long time talking to 2 life guards, one of them is a local surfer, and even invited me to participate on some free functional training he does with some groms here! Really cool guy. I realized there was a short cut I could take to the outside avoiding the big breaking zone. After a while I convinced myself to take it, and could reach the outside, sitted for a while when a bigger serie came and I took a few in the head. My arms were getting tired again, and I was between the waves and some rocks, so I thought it was a wise idea to get myself away from the rocks (I was not close, just between waves and them) and get back to the sand.
Wave score: 0
Maybe I should be happy I didn't panic?

I think I'm still not close to being as fit as I want to. It's not a day job though, I'll keep on my efforts and expand my surf size limitations.

By the way, this spot is mercyful, because even though the wave face was big, it isn't hollow, so you don't get pounded too hard. But I'm asking myself if my duck dive really sucks like I think it does or if I'm expecting too much from it..

[oldmansurfer]

Yeah there in lies the importance of physical conditioning in big surf. You need to be able to deal with the repeated pounding of getting caught inside by a set. Mental preparation won't cut it by itself, although good for you for not panicking, you need to be fit and physically conditioned so you can effectively paddle when a less fit individual would gas out. If you will be going out in big surf don't count on duck diving to save you. Paddling in the correct place at the correct time will but duck diving is for smaller surf. I think the bigger the wave the deeper you have to dive to make a difference and if the wave is breaking or just broke then it has to be really small or you have to dive really deep.

[IanCaio]

OMS,

For sure, I'll keep working my cardio and strenghtening my shoulders, to get fit for bigger days.
Indeed, there's a point where duck dives are useless (provably easier to just ditch the board and dive if there's no one around), but I just wonder if I'm doing it properly or getting too much drag because of diving low. Sometimes I screw up my timing too, but usually when I'm tiring out .
I just ditched my board once saturday though, the wave just broke and I was sideways, facing a little to the beach. Didn't know I would have time to face the wave and duck dive, so I looked around and jumped from the ship! My small waves leash is a warrior, even after lots of battle cuts, and survived another day

[mjames]

Saw this on Reddit today... "How Not To Surf Todos Santos" ... talk about being caught on the inside!!

[RinkyDink]

More good big wave surfing. This session amazes me.

[IanCaio]

mjames,
I've seem this video a while ago, guess the worst part of being caught inside on big waves is that you can't belly ride the foam. If you want to go in you'd have to take it on the head until the waves dragged you far enough from the impact zone. You can paddle to the canal if it's a reef break, but if it is a beach break I don't know what would be the options!
By the way, is it just me or those GoPro angles really sucks at giving us an idea of the wave sizes? 20+ footers and it doesn't portrait it that big on the footage.

RinkyDink,
I'll watch the full video. One thing about cloudbreak (and Teahuppo) that surprised me and made me have even more respect for the surfers who still charge it when it's big, is that you still have to worry about hitting the reef, even on those big days.

[oldmansurfer]

I think in the first video there were rocks along the shoreline that the surfer wanted to clear otherwise he could have just let the wave push him in. The main thing he did was to get over sideways a bit. Sometimes at some breaks there is like a reform where there is a rideable portion or wall that builds right below the whitewater after you get pushed in a bit. I agree that gorpo in that first video seemed like around 9 to 10 feet Hawaiian (maybe 20 foot face). I just watched a video called Teahupoo uncut. It was amazing. The thing that amazed me is the reef is nearly dry in front of the wave. It sucks the water off the reef leaving very little water. Then when it breaks the force is rapidly dissipated into the reef. I hear Cloudbreak at that size can pound you mercilessly. I am not a fan of shallow reef breaks other than just to watch

[RinkyDink]

RinkyDink,
I'll watch the full video. One thing about cloudbreak (and Teahuppo) that surprised me and made me have even more respect for the surfers who still charge it when it's big, is that you still have to worry about hitting the reef, even on those big days.

The funny thing about me and wave size is that I don't fear the size so much as I do the depth of the water. I was out in low tide the other day and this four foot close-out wave comes at me and I realize that I'm in about 14 inches of water. I fear those kinds of conditions more than I do a 10 foot wave breaking in 6 feet of water. I don't even want to think about 20 foot waves breaking over dry reef. I'll take off on a moderately large wave if I'm not exhausted and the water is deep. It's low tide conditions at my spot that sketch me out more than the wave sizes, although big waves can send shivers down my spine as well. .

[IanCaio]

True that! Though I never surfed waves so shallow (or strong) that would push me until the bottom. I guess I can count on one hand how many times I hit the sand bar, and it was usually because I was surfing the shorebreak (small days or just shallow sandbars).
Sorry about taking a while to answer those two posts!

Well, so far I've not really noticed any big changes on my big surf comfort zone, mostly because there wasn't any big swells hitting on lately. I can't really tell much about my paddling endurance, I still feel like I have to improve it, but think its probably better than a couple of months ago, since I'm being constantly on the water.
I've noticed my surfing has improved though! My frontside specially, backside still needs some working . But the skills that I think I need to manage bigger days are mostly physical: paddling endurance and so on. I'm still working on it, but again, I believe I might have improved a little lately.
Two things I need to improve during hold-downs: Catching a breath before going down and avoiding letting any air go out during it. Also, I need to start working on some dynamic CO2 tables. Static alone doesn't seem enough to get me used to the breath-holds I need to do during a hold down, since my CO2 is already a little up after some paddling.

I'm trying to improve my eating habits too, so they don't drag me behind. I'm eating much better than when I was in college, and its been more than 4 months that I don't drink . Now I'm sounding like an AA member

Been doing some "field research" about the big wave spot, which is mostly talking with locals about it. Major issue seems to be the current, it's really strong there. I've been advised not to try it when tide is going down, since the water moving can push you further back along with the strong rip current. There's a spot, which is in the same channel but in more shallow waters, where "smaller" waves hit. I think that would be the first step before going up to the big ones. But I think I still need to work up to it, even for this smaller spot, specially because the current can take you back to the bigger waves if you don't know it good enough or get in the wrong place.

Don't worry, I'm not trying anything crazy so soon, just a small update. Haven't forgot about this goal!

Hopefully a swell bigger than what we had those last weeks will hit the coast wednesday. Nothing major, around 3ft hawaiian, but I'll see how comfortable I'm starting to get on this condition, so I can hop into the next one with more confidence.

[pmcaero]

True that! Though I never surfed waves so shallow (or strong) that would push me until the bottom

You should read "Barbarian Days", he has a pretty close call like that in Portugal, well, actually, he's not "pushed" down....I won't spoil it for you. it's the scariest surf story I read.

[Big H]

Never apologise for not drinking......no need for a soapbox either....

Try doing deep yoga breaths when you get back out to the lineup and waiting on your next wave....will scrub out the CO2 from your tissues and you'll be ready for a longer breath hold.....settles you down too and feeds your muscles....

Think about a step up board for bigger waves....will help with paddling the rips, currents and getting into the bigger waves.....

Wear neoprene tshirt, vest, rashie or tshirt if you're surfing shallow and there is reef.....you can bounce pretty solidly off the reef without getting cut (and ensuing horrible infection) if you have something on....learn to fall flat....JJ Florence article that OMS put up, JJ calls it his starfish fall....spreads flat and spread eagle to minimise water penetration.....but if it is possible issue, protect your head first even if that means not eagling.....I took a couple of headers off the reef in the past couple of months when I thought that I didn't need to wrap my arms around my head....sure enough, slammed the reef and bounced the head a bit.....