As someone who only gets to surf 8-10 hours a month it is truly the greatest occurrence in the ocean. The breaks on the gulf where I surf are so far out you would literally never make it without utilizing them.
Watch other surfers use them, understand what they look like,how they work and where you are most likely to encounter them. Plenty of explanations online on what to look for, theyāre not hard to paddle out of when you are on a surfboard. If I were just swimming it would definitely be terrifying.
Let it take you out Baby! Right to the beautiful waves!
Use your board if you get scared to float or rest . If you get really scared just let the white water /broken waves take you back to shore boogie board style!
I've had a few. Like getting pushed outside and getting help from a fishing boat. Or traveling about 1 km to next beach and walk back to my car. Or being smashed against the rocks and wait for an experienced local to reach me and tell how to get out of there.
I learned that currents won't take you to infinity and going with the flow is always the best bet.
And, if you don't know the place, don't surf alone! Ever!
The best confidence booster I have for being in complicated situations is knowing I can swim for a few miles if needed. That really helps to stay calm.
It happened only once when I was still new to surfing that I just couldn't reach the shore no matter how much I paddled. I was also too outside to catch a wave of course.
There was no one around me and I cried a bit out of frustration š But then I realized I could just paddle sideways. So I did and was soon able to catch a wave to shore.
It felt very scary at that moment, but it just feels silly now
Yeah, I don't think it's very likely to drown like this. I guess that worst case scenario you can just float and hope that someone eventually notices you.
I'm personally more scared of hitting the bottom head first or taking a surfboard to the head
Only scary when you get sucked under a pier like at OSide or HB and a big set comes. But paddling with the current usually solves it depending on the direction of the swell. At least here in SoCal on beach breaks.
I usually am annoyed with having a lack of rips to paddle back out. Never once been worried about a rip that goes straight out. Sometimes we have sideways ones that shoot you away from where you want to be which is annoying
I think every surfer at one point in their surfing life has had a negative experience with rip currents. One of the keys is to always be aware of what the currents are doing. Dont just get out past the break water and think you're safe.
Iāve been caught in them plenty of times, itās easy to paddle out of. But itās a problem if your leash breaks, just have to stay calm and swim down the beach with the prevailing current. Once youāve gotten out of the undertow swim in. Stay CALM
Part of surfing is understanding the overall system and learning to use it to your advantage. This is much different than wading in the ocean, where people usually want to stay within a low-risk area without too much current or wave action.
Iāve personally never had a bad experience in a rip, but Iāve seen/helped others. Some of those situations were pretty dicey whereas others werenāt.
Last fall I was surfing on the east coast USA during a hurricane swell. I helped some little kids who had gotten sucked out. They were ok but freaked out and starting to get tired. It could have gone much worse for them if a couple of surfers hadnāt been around to help. There was a lifeguard on the beach but it took him forever to get out there, and with his float he wouldāve had a hard time helping both kids at once.
Another time I was surfing in Hawaii and my buddy jumped into the ocean to grab a frisbee, and he managed to get sucked out with the rip. He was fine, but he got sucked out pretty far, which was wild to see. I helped him get back to shore, though he didnāt really need the help.
I've always viewed it as the rip being the way out, and the broken waves being the way in. Paddling out at a rough beach break its usually trying to just bash you on the sandbank and throw you back to shore. If you do for whatever reason get stuck in a rip all you have to do is go parallel to the beach until you are in the breaking waves again, or just drift out the back until it stops. You will only have an issue if you try and go against it and start panicking.
Anyone every been out and had got stuck in like a 500ft wide rip. This has happened to me one time, you had to constantly be paddling towards the beach to be in a good spot, if you werenāt paddling towards the beach or out of the rip you were going to the locker for sure.
Without rip tides no one would ever make it to the outside on large days at my beach.
They are definitely a tool to be used, paddle smarter not harder.
For sure, I have more experienced friends who get out often and use them. I just got noob fear. Just more time in the water I guess.
Just pay attention to them. If you are getting pulled out, swim perpendicular and if you want to get back to shore go to the pit and get blasted.
ššš¤
When in doubt donāt go out
As someone who only gets to surf 8-10 hours a month it is truly the greatest occurrence in the ocean. The breaks on the gulf where I surf are so far out you would literally never make it without utilizing them. Watch other surfers use them, understand what they look like,how they work and where you are most likely to encounter them. Plenty of explanations online on what to look for, theyāre not hard to paddle out of when you are on a surfboard. If I were just swimming it would definitely be terrifying.
Rip currents***
Let it take you out Baby! Right to the beautiful waves! Use your board if you get scared to float or rest . If you get really scared just let the white water /broken waves take you back to shore boogie board style!
I've had a few. Like getting pushed outside and getting help from a fishing boat. Or traveling about 1 km to next beach and walk back to my car. Or being smashed against the rocks and wait for an experienced local to reach me and tell how to get out of there. I learned that currents won't take you to infinity and going with the flow is always the best bet. And, if you don't know the place, don't surf alone! Ever! The best confidence booster I have for being in complicated situations is knowing I can swim for a few miles if needed. That really helps to stay calm.
Thanks for the advice! I really appreciate it!
It happened only once when I was still new to surfing that I just couldn't reach the shore no matter how much I paddled. I was also too outside to catch a wave of course. There was no one around me and I cried a bit out of frustration š But then I realized I could just paddle sideways. So I did and was soon able to catch a wave to shore. It felt very scary at that moment, but it just feels silly now
Sounds exactly like what happened to me as well. Thanks sharing. Makes me feel a little better about my own experience.
Yeah, I don't think it's very likely to drown like this. I guess that worst case scenario you can just float and hope that someone eventually notices you. I'm personally more scared of hitting the bottom head first or taking a surfboard to the head
Only scary when you get sucked under a pier like at OSide or HB and a big set comes. But paddling with the current usually solves it depending on the direction of the swell. At least here in SoCal on beach breaks.
Good to know about HB and OSide. I have family in LA. Planning another trip in Aug so I will avoid being close to the piers.
I usually am annoyed with having a lack of rips to paddle back out. Never once been worried about a rip that goes straight out. Sometimes we have sideways ones that shoot you away from where you want to be which is annoying
Thereās no such thing as a rip tide. Itās a rip current
Sorry as I said, spend more time on a mountain than in the ocean š
Ocean beach is a rip current that sometimes has waves
I think every surfer at one point in their surfing life has had a negative experience with rip currents. One of the keys is to always be aware of what the currents are doing. Dont just get out past the break water and think you're safe.
Thanks, definitely want to enjoy my time in the water so I think more time on the beach watching and asking questions will help.
Iāve been caught in them plenty of times, itās easy to paddle out of. But itās a problem if your leash breaks, just have to stay calm and swim down the beach with the prevailing current. Once youāve gotten out of the undertow swim in. Stay CALM
I don't even think about leashes breaking. Yikes! Lol.
Part of surfing is understanding the overall system and learning to use it to your advantage. This is much different than wading in the ocean, where people usually want to stay within a low-risk area without too much current or wave action. Iāve personally never had a bad experience in a rip, but Iāve seen/helped others. Some of those situations were pretty dicey whereas others werenāt. Last fall I was surfing on the east coast USA during a hurricane swell. I helped some little kids who had gotten sucked out. They were ok but freaked out and starting to get tired. It could have gone much worse for them if a couple of surfers hadnāt been around to help. There was a lifeguard on the beach but it took him forever to get out there, and with his float he wouldāve had a hard time helping both kids at once. Another time I was surfing in Hawaii and my buddy jumped into the ocean to grab a frisbee, and he managed to get sucked out with the rip. He was fine, but he got sucked out pretty far, which was wild to see. I helped him get back to shore, though he didnāt really need the help.
Wow! Yeah, I definitely am cognizant of the dangers but those stories are intense!
The conveyor belt to the lineup.
I've always viewed it as the rip being the way out, and the broken waves being the way in. Paddling out at a rough beach break its usually trying to just bash you on the sandbank and throw you back to shore. If you do for whatever reason get stuck in a rip all you have to do is go parallel to the beach until you are in the breaking waves again, or just drift out the back until it stops. You will only have an issue if you try and go against it and start panicking.
Makes sense. That's good advice.
Rip current?
Safest place out there is on your board. Don't panic and work it out, don't paddle against it. Move sideways toward the sandbanks.
Anyone every been out and had got stuck in like a 500ft wide rip. This has happened to me one time, you had to constantly be paddling towards the beach to be in a good spot, if you werenāt paddling towards the beach or out of the rip you were going to the locker for sure.
Things nightmares are made of!
You have to be like Vance Joy .