Shorebreak

[scuba steve]

I was out at Bournemouth today and as the tide got fairly high a hefty shorebreak appeared. I found the waves out back really easy to ride and great fun, set waves around 3-4 ft.
I actually saw some people get barreled, yes on the south coast!
But my problem was getting in through the doubling up, dumping waves hitting the shallow water without getting pounded, which is what happened and I kept getting sucked back out for more.
At least the waves were'nt that big, so no long hold downs.
After this I found it hard to get the courage up to go back out to the line up.

How do you guys deal with getting in through dumping shorebreak?

Oh and also any good tips for getting water out of your ears??
It's so annoying

[MyanRellick]

getting water out of your ears??
It's so annoying

This works, all the time for me, even though it's weird..

Plug the other ear, tilt head so bad ear is facing down. Hop on the foot that your head is faced down towards, while banging your head sideways as you hop.

It always works.

[Sar]

I was at bournemouth today also and found a few problems with the break - it was even worse at boscombe (i dont even want to think about that anymore).

Consider yourself lucky you're not learning in the white water....that crappy horrid shore break is what I call home for my surfing at the moment.


With the ear thing - do not stick cotton buds in your ears, the water will come out when its good and ready.

I would have thought that is should do straight away - it probably is a bit of wax that has softened cos of all the water - in which case definately do not stick cotton buds anywhere near your ears.

[bluesnowcone]

i was at boscombe today and the way i delt with the dumping on the shore was to time it right and run at it dive over it with my board and paddle my ass off. but got it was nice today biggest swell for along time, and pretty clean ecept at mid to low tide it just closed out, but from about 9 onwards at boscombe it was just perfect long rights with steep faces.

the ear thing i get it and it just makes a woosh woosh woosh sound realy fast then it just stops and the water falls out.

i bet b'mouth was crammed full of people

[tomcat360]

Be careful though with that shorebreak, one of my buddies broke his ankle riding it a month or two ago.

[scuba steve]

Sorry, I actually meant getting in to the shore through the shorebreak, I found getting out alright, I just duckdived through most of the waves.
My problem was every time I tried to catch a wave in the wave would double up in the shallow water and slam me and my board down and I kept getting pounded.

The waves were great though, and yes B'mouth was absolutely packed right up at the pier. There must have been at least 50+ people in the tiny lineup.

[northswell]

Nowt like complaining about crowds. Good job you don't surf the ECoast, shore breaks stand up and brace yourself

[adrian]

Face one ear to the ground (tilt your head on the side) and jump up and down. You might have to pull your on your ear-lobe a bit too to help open the ear canal.
You can also buy ear drops from the chemist that dry up the water in your ears (to avoid infection etc).

As for getting back in when there are epic shore dumps...
I get as close to the shore as I can (without getting dumped) and i get off my board and undo my leash. I then basically swim in behind a wave while holding my board (the wave will pull you along behind it a bit). As soon as you touch sand get up and run before the next one comes along (get clear of that impact zone and you will be fine).

Hope this helps

[scuba steve]

I get as close to the shore as I can (without getting dumped) and i get off my board and undo my leash. I then basically swim in behind a wave while holding my board (the wave will pull you along behind it a bit). As soon as you touch sand get up and run before the next one comes along (get clear of that impact zone and you will be fine).

That sounds like an interesting technique, I think I'll give it a go, but what if the wave pulls your board away from you??

[WooD]

One of the beaches I hang out at has killer shore break. You walk out about 5 foot in knee deep water then it drops off to around 7 foot deep. You actually have to climb out of the water when your coming in. The waves break outside on the sand bar, then reform, and break right on the beach.

When I come in I usually get off my board, while holding it near the nose with my right arm, I kinda swim in with my left arm. This is a 10 foot board now.

More than a few times when I thought I'd made it in, a wave wood pick me, and my board up, and slam me @ss first right on the beach.

Its hard to figure if the pain is worst than the embarrassment.

[bluesnowcone]

he way i got onto the shore through the shore break was to body board it on my surfboard, and pull out at the last minuet pick up my board and and run out, but a few time sit didnt work and i got smashed on the rocky sand

[scuba steve]

Yeah I found it kinda annoyin when I did that a couple of times because the waves kept reforming unexpectadly and dumping onto the shore with me body boarding on it.
Quite embarrasing

I never experienced shorebreak before and I found it quite tough.
I guess there is no real simple technique that gets you through it then.
Just grin and bear it I suppose.

[scuba steve]

This looks fun:
http://www.sharkbait.co.uk/gallery.htm
(Click the 'surviving shorebreak' link.)

I guess thats the only way to do it.

[Bonus]

haha class

[GowerCharger]

theres only one way to get out of dumping shorebreak - as quickly as you can.

When i get water in my ear i just dip that ear into the water as im paddling along and that usually sorts it out

[adrian]

Hey.

In response to your question Scuba Steve - just hang on to your board.
I have it floating beside me (or slightly back a little). Also, i ride short boards which are easier to manage in shorebreaks.