Wipe Outs

[BoMan]

Wiping out is basic part of surfing. It's said that if you don't wipe out frequently, you are not trying. To get you into the spirit of this, here are a few ways to prove you're trying hard enough.

#1 Pearl

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#2 Free fall

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#3 Do a superman dive

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#4 Go over the falls

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#5 Get steamrolled

#6 Get axed by the lip

#7 and my favorite...Catch a rail!

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So on to the question. How do you control a wipeout? What can you do to avoid your own surfboard, other surfers and their boards, and the bottom? Oh yeah...and not drown

[oldmansurfer]

In the first picture why the hell isn't the guy standing up? He hasn't stood up and his board is going down the wave. That is just a beginner pearl. Once you get better you will pearl standing up (Yippeeee yeah I know). There are a bunch of methods I do but basically this instance of pearling is related to not having enough skill to take off on the wave. I generally pearl when the board is vertical and lost contact with the wave (however rarely I will try to paddle for a wave with the nose underwater and be unable to pop it back up but I end up not going down the face of the wave when I do that)

Picture 2 is likely an error in judgement so learning what the waves are going to do and what you can do will keep this from happening (very much)

Picture 3 looks like he got too high on the wave so learning to control your height on the wave will fix this. This is a controlled wipeout, he has jumped away from the board and will probably penetrate a little and not get sucked back over the falls

Picture 4 is another error in judgement as is 5 and 6. Learning more about what the waves can do and what you can do with your board will help to prevent these. If you push the edge of your skills then these things will happen more often. In number 4 he is apparently out of control and will probably take a pounding. In picture 5 unless the guy has a lot of speed he is going to be obliterated , blown off his board and tossed around like a rag doll. I don't think there is any good exit from that either but perhaps on other waves he could try to lay down on the board and ride it out but in this instance still too much power coming down to do that. Number 6 will probably be fine. He will fall down and the lip will pitch out and miss him and he will penetrate the water and hopefully not hit the bottom and not get sucked back over the falls.

Number 7 It depends on the situation. I still catch a rail on occasions then depending on the situation I may try to hang onto the board or kick it away from me. In this instance it looks shallow and there is no one else around so the surfer could have kicked his board forward then fell similarly to what he/she is doing land flat and roll with the wave

[RinkyDink]

Just watching this one feels painful.

[waikikikichan]

Nobody listens to Turtle. But he gave good advice.

[oldmansurfer]

Just watching this one feels painful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiaFxhqgpqg

Yeah that was a pounding because he fell after the drop, there was no exit there. While airdrop falls look worse they have a chance to penetrate the water and avoid getting dragged back over the falls like this guy did.

[Tudeo]

Wiping out in surfing is like a baby falling down and standing up in order to learn to walk. It's just part of the deal.

The thing is to stay healthy. U do that by slowly slowly going up in difficulty so u never get urself in really dangerous situations, like surfing a shallow reef without the skills needed to safe urself from getting hurt. Or going out in too big waves were the holddowns can make u panic so u burn all ur oxygen.

U need develop an understanding of where ur board goes during a wipeout and make sure the power of the wave will not smash u into it, especially if ur board comes to a standstill against a reef or a sandbar. Also u must learn to roll up and protect ur head and limbs AND relax at the same time. If u start fighting the whitewater u will only burn ur, in that moment so needed, oxygen.
If disoriented under water after the turbulence ends just grab ur leash at ur ankle and let the board guide u up.
Always check ur leash for damage or weak spots before going in.

This will only *reduce* ur risks cos surfing is a risky sport, that's part of the charm

[Big H]

Protecting your head and limbs like Tudeo said is key....falling with arms outspread is wrist and shoulder damage waiting to happen....hairy if you are in big surf and your shoulder is popped out.....that and practice holding your breath underwater without taking a breath....8 sec hold down is nothing but can be scary if you get slammed and do a forced exhale just before going under....

OMS has made several excellent posts on how to fall....falling flat in shallow water, penetrating the base of the wave in a closeout....protect yourself and try to hold onto whatever breath you have before going in the spin cycle then just relax and hold on.....

[BoMan]

Thinking ahead keeps me out of trouble. There a LOTS of peaks at my break and I often have the luxury of choosing a wave at a safe distance from other surfers. (Jealous Big H?) At least they will not be hurt by my wipe outs.

When disaster strikes and there's no time to hold the board, I do a "starfish flop" off the back into the whitewater. The water is deeper in the foam pile and I usually don't have to worry about the board hitting me. If I feel a strong pull on the stringer I try to stay underwater a few extra seconds so I don't get nailed when the board springs back. So far this has worked when the waves are small.

[Big H]

There a LOTS of peaks at my break and I often have the luxury of choosing a wave at a safe distance from other surfers. (Jealous Big H?)

YES!

[jaffa1949]

Show Rinky those pictures and explain one half of the people out, think they surf really well and can be entitled the other half are clueless and just paddle for anything regardless.

Can either group give a toss, no, they have 10 days to vent the frustrations of their everyday life. It can get ugly.
That is why I head further out in the archipelago , people are always surprised 100kg 67 year old who can surf, not even on the radar!
"Oops sorry I dropped in I didn't think you could surf

[Big H]

I need to get on a boat/plane and treat myself to some waves with less than 20 people on them.....

...just in from an afternoon sesh....break was littered with Chinese tourists happily splashing around along with about 35 other punters threading their way in and out....Gong Xi Fat Cai everyone....

[RinkyDink]

That is why I head further out in the archipelago , people are always surprised 100kg 67 year old who can surf, not even on the radar! "Oops sorry I dropped in I didn't think you could surf

Jaffa, you obviously don't get it. Take off and aim your board at those kooks. Start with the manipulative girls in bikinis because they're obviously the worst offenders. And, hehe, they're probably not much of a threat as far as pushback That's how you deal with an overpopulated world.

You'd think at 67 you'd actually know better.

[pmcaero]

I don't hate wipeouts. I hate coming back up after a wipeout and seeing another wave come before I get the chance to take a breather.

[jaffa1949]

That is why I head further out in the archipelago , people are always surprised 100kg 67 year old who can surf, not even on the radar! "Oops sorry I dropped in I didn't think you could surf

Jaffa, you obviously don't get it. Take off and aim your board at those kooks. Start with the manipulative girls in bikinis because they're obviously the worst offenders. And, hehe, they're probably not much of a threat as far as pushback That's how you deal with an overpopulated world.

You'd think at 67 you'd actually know better.

I don't aim board at kooks, or self entitled anyone, but I dislike those who assume that because I'm an older guy they can drop in!
Further to that, deliberately aiming a board at someone would in the event of an accident render the aimer to legal action.
I choose to politely verbally engage the first couple of times but often an "F you" response is given.
an example on lifeguard duty recently some kids were digging tunnels into a sandhill next to where their parents had set up on the beach. Lifeguards warned that this was a great risk and advised they stop. Parents told the lifeguards to "f off" they could do what they like.

Fifteen minutes later the kids were dead and buried in the tunnel they had dug. We get the same attitude when pointing out rips or poor behaviour in the surf. Often on the worst days there are 60 to 80 people in the water. ( worse in Queensland and or Bali).
What would be your response and how would get a wave or two for yourself?
Me, I go elsewhere

[RinkyDink]

What would be your response and how would get a wave or two for yourself?
Me, I go elsewhere

I do the same thing. I don't engage in terror tactics because of overcrowding. Surfing would no longer have any appeal to me if I were forced to be a supreme d!ck on a daily basis. Crowds and kooks do not justify sh!tty behavior. I can ignore meatheads out in the lineup. And I do. There was some guy screaming F-bombs every time he missed a wave the other day. Incredibly annoying to have to listen to. I just moved down the beach. However, when that meathead goes on the internet and brags about idiotic, misogynistic behavior-- potentially leading to more stupid antics in the water-- then I'm going to point out the folly of that behavior to the person. You always say we're just trying to help and that's what I'm trying to do.

[Big H]

What would be your response and how would get a wave or two for yourself?
Me, I go elsewhere

I do the same thing. I don't engage in terror tactics because of overcrowding. Surfing would no longer have any appeal to me if I were forced to be a supreme d!ck on a daily basis. Crowds and kooks do not justify sh!tty behavior. I can ignore meatheads out in the lineup. And I do. There was some guy screaming F-bombs every time he missed a wave the other day. Incredibly annoying to have to listen to. I just moved down the beach. However, when that meathead goes on the internet and brags about idiotic, misogynistic behavior-- potentially leading to more stupid antics in the water-- then I'm going to point out the folly of that behavior to the person. You always say we're just trying to help and that's what I'm trying to do.

Back off the insults, personal attacks and blue language rink....I never crossed that line but you most certainly have. We discuss things here and while we don't have to agree (and indeed a better discussion if we don't) there is no place for getting personal.

[jaffa1949]

Aloha and a smile used to be a code of conduct in the surf.
Don't drop in or snake.
Give a wave get a wave was pretty neat too.
Unfortunately you offer etiquette and
you get instead,
abuse and a sneer
paddle inside and resume ENTITLEMENT
drop in tune out and take over
take a wave and take a wave ..............
There is not always the option of another spot or another beach..

The whole concept of surf etiquette is shattered
For many the golden rule is reversed
Do unto others before they do it to you!
Surfing has aligned to the general ailments of the changes in our societal behaviours and it is for the worse.
Basically why I choose as much as possible to surf away from the madding crowd.

A thought about righteous anger consider the native Hawaiians, they were a sovereign country annexed by Britain and the US their lands were taken, their culture was suppressed,surfing was recovered from the bans of the Christian missionaries, now Haoles try to dominate and take over surfing through a sense of entitlement and dominance.
It provokes an aggressive and sometimes violent response. Violence is not right but the underlying causes can be understandable.
Australians at one stage bore the brunt of this in Hawaii due to personal arrogance and disrespect of local culture.
Severe beatings and death threats were issued, it took a North Shore meeting and an "enforced" trial of the Australian surfers that saved the situation from becoming beyond dangerous.
Recommended reading and or viewing "Busting down the Door". Book or DVD.
Many young people think that surfing started about the time they were born and they are the sole font of knowledge of surfing.
Many are now in the same state of mind that was evident when Aussies and South Africans thought they were "Tops".
Having been at the beginnings of surfing in Bali, surfing has done, the good the bad and the ugly to Bali.
Same for the North Coast of NSW and Queensland, the beautiful dream that was surfing has become a Freddy Krueger of over development and exploitation.
Rant over.

A positive note, the people I meet who enjoy surfing the most are out there on the mellow days taking turns sharing, talking surf and enjoying each other's surfing , may not be the best waves but are the best and most memorable surfs. Within that space is room for all levels of skill and many shared lessons for improvement .

[BoMan]

If I'm riding along the face of a wave that closes out and I can't get through the section or kick out, I will sometimes bail by jumping over the back of it. The board ends up on the beach side of the wave and I land on the ocean side.

Hopefully my judgement and board control will get better and I'll no longer need this.

[RinkyDink]

Aloha and a smile used to be a code of conduct in the surf.
Don't drop in or snake.
Give a wave get a wave was pretty neat too.
Unfortunately you offer etiquette and
you get instead,
abuse and a sneer
paddle inside and resume ENTITLEMENT
drop in tune out and take over
take a wave and take a wave ..............
There is not always the option of another spot or another beach..

I hear you. In the end, it's all Rupert Murdoch's fault.

[jaffa1949]

If you can swing a big bottom turn just before that you can project yourself and the board over the back and be paddling back out , or a really old skill you can use that drive to project the board up and over the back of the wave, a flick out.(Not as effective as it used to be as often the leash limits the flicking velocity and height you can project the board.
There used to be a hazard of flying board at the back of a big wave close out, rare now.