10 Tips to Stay Safe in The Waves When You Are Surfing. (11 minute read)
This is general surf water safety.
Water Safety is an essential part of surfing. The more safe you feel in the ocean, the more confidence you get in catching those waves. So here are my top 10 tips for giving you more peace of mind.
1 — Learn where the rips are, and how to read them
Here is a picture of a rip tide:
Australian kids learn about rip currents (or often called a rip tide which is misleading) in school, but it’s something we should teach in all schools. Understanding how rip currents work can save your life.
As surfers we actually like the rips as they provide a free conveyor belt out to the waves.
You ride it out and then paddle across it sideways, parallel to the beach to enter the waves either right or left. Then you catch the waves in. cool 🙂
So as you can see from the diagram rip currents form generally in between where the waves come in or sometimes next to rocks or piers.
As the water pushes into the beach it finds the easiest way to come back out and join the source by finding channels under the water. Making it funnel and build up speed.
The rip current will naturally lose its power just beyond the back line of the waves.
DON’T TRY AND PADDLE OR SWIM AGAINST A RIP!!
If you find yourself caught in a rip whilst swimming and you’re being pulled out to sea, then swim across it (like crossing a river from one side to the other). Then put your back to the waves and body surf your way back in. The waves will always take you to shore. Same thing if you’re on a surf or boogie board. 90 degree angle or perpendicular to the current flow. Paddle across and then place yourself in front of the waves, and use the waves to push you in.
Ask local surfers or lifeguards where the rips are. And if you’re swimming, avoid these calmer looking waters in between the waves as that’s where the rip will likely be.
2 — Your surfboard is your life saver!
NEVER ABANDON THE BOARD.
If you get into a situation that happens a lot when you start surfing, that the waves are too big or too strong for you, then don’t panic just keep hold of the board!
The waves will always pull you and especially the board, towards the shore to safety. So head to the white water part of the waves so you don’t collide with on coming surfers.
Ideally you can paddle your way back in by lying on the board. But if the waves are too big for you to do this and you don’t want to get slammed, then hold onto the rails (the edges of the board) with the rest of your body to the side of the board in the water and let the waves pull you in this way.
Don’t be behind the board holding on, from in the water as the waves can rip the board out your hands and the fins may cut you. So position yourself to the side.
This is a common way to get out of the water too, when waves are dumping/ crashing very close to the beach.
Here is my beautiful stick woman picture of what I’m talking about:
Another thing to consider when you’re trying to paddle back in and are afraid of the bigger waves, is to use “the lull” — the gap in between the sets when the water is a lot calmer and it appears as if the waves have gone or at least got a lot smaller.
Use the lull to make a quick dash for shore before the next set of waves comes.
PRO TIP!
If you’re scared by the size of the waves, then don’t paddle out! Don’t be peer pressured by other surfers. It’s ok to have some adrenalin about going to surf, that’s normal. But if the waves are much bigger than you’re used to and you’re really afraid, don’t go! There are always other days to surf.
3 — Have a good leash (Leg Rope) and make sure it’s tied tightly!
Your leash will save your life, as it keeps you with your board. So make sure your leash is in great condition, no tears. And that it is VERY tightly velcro wrapped around, above the ankle bone with the chord coming out to the side of your body.
It will loosen in the water, so the tighter the better on land.
4 — Know When To Rest!
You can always rest. Your board is your buoyancy aid. So you can rest lying on top of it or off to the side with your arms stretched across it holding onto the far rail. Remember to keep the nose (the front) of the board facing the beach when you do so, in case a rogue wave snatches it out of your hands.
The place to rest when you’re having your surf session is out the back behind the wave line. And judge the wave line by the biggest waves out the back. You won’t be swept out to sea, so if you want to keep surfing, but need a time out, then sit further out.
DO NOT TAKE A REST IN THE IMPACT ZONE!
If it’s a point break and there is a clear channel out to the side of where the waves are. Then you can rest there. But as you move across be aware of surfers riding the on coming waves. If you can’t do a long loop around, or duck dive through, far away from the surfer, then steer out of their way into the white water to avoid collision. THE SURFER ON THE WAVE ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY.
If you try resting in the impact zone you will take waves on the head, making you more vulnerable and tired, and you can easily get hit by another surfer riding the next wave along.
Even if you’re tired, paddle your way out to the rip or channel or between where the waves come through.
Alternatively duck dive or turtle roll your way back out to the back where you can rest
PRO TIP!
If you’re too tired to carry on with the session, then paddle in. refer to No.2
5. Ask the local surfers or Lifeguards.
Whenever you are new to a wave you haven’t surfed before ask the locals and lifeguards what the wave is like. They are always happy to give you information like where to paddle out, where the rocks and reefs are located and what the waveform is like.
Afterall, if you needed rescuing, chances are they would be the ones to help you, which may put their lives in danger!
So they won’t mind giving you all the tips to prevent situations from happening, so everyone has a safer surf session.
In my 17 years of surfing around the world, I never enter the sea to a new wave without talking to local surfers first.
I want to know where those rocks and rips are! Plus if they’re cool, they will give you invaluable information about how and where to catch the waves. Every wave is different and take offs can be tricky with different style waves, so you will get the best out of your surf sessions with these insider tips.
6. Lying on your back
If you are swimming or your leash has snapped and you find yourself in trouble, like you have no energy to keep swimming. Take a second in between waves or the lull or ideally the channel, to float on your back for a few seconds.
The salt water will help you float. Take a few breaths, get calm, then swim into the waves and body surf in.
(This is the same for if you’re stranded out at sea for some reason. It’s the no.1 lifesaver in the ocean — Float on your back and conserve energy)
Careful not to float on your back too long whilst in the waves, as you need to be aware of when the waves come, and you don’t want to get smashed!
7. Regular Currents Can Catch you Off — guard
Normal currents as opposed to rip currents will flow parallel to the shore.
As soon as you start paddling out over the first inside waves
keep glancing back to shore and see how far you are being pulled to the left or right from your entrance point.
If you have been swept sideways 50–100m in only a few seconds, then you know the currents are really strong. Perhaps consider going back to shore. Don’t take the risk with a strong side current in waves you are not familiar with.
Otherwise, if you feel strong enough in your arms and fitness level to handle the current, keep a fixed land point like a tree or building which lines up with the point break /peak of the wave and then you can see how much you drift and need to correct yourself by paddling against it into position.
See picture.
Pro Tip
Every experienced surfer who surfs a point break will get their land marker right away. Beach breaks on the other hand will shift position as the sand bars underneath the water will reform with the tides, so for beach breaks it isn’t going to work.
Either types of waves though, any entrance point land marker, will let you see the strength of the current.
8. Know When To Quit
Even the strongest, most experienced surfers can find themselves in trouble because they are too tired, and should have quit. Or they will get injured because they made mistakes with the fatigue.
For me, my best indication of quitting time is when I’m losing strength in my pop up. I go to push off the board to catch a wave and my arms are like jelly. If you’ve lost strength or speed with your pop up because you’re too tired, then you need to paddle in.
Or if you notice you can’t paddle in fast enough to catch the wave, then this is also a sign of your fatigue. Listen to your body, not the adrenalin!
Perhaps your breathing also sounds more laboured.
Now use that little bit of energy you have left in the tank, so catch a wave, even on your belly like a bodyboarder if needed or safely paddle yourself back in. “quitting while you’re ahead”
9. Never be afraid to ask for help.
So you’ve found yourself in the situation where you are too tired to paddle in, or the waves are too big and you have no more strength left. Perhaps the waves are so big you don’t believe you can get in safely. Perhaps your leash has snapped and you’re being sucked under waves repeatedly. Or you may be seriously injured.
Perhaps you see someone else in trouble, they are injured or leash snapped etc.
The international help sign is a big wave of the arm from side to side in an arch formation.
If you still have your board because your leash is intact, try sitting on it and giving the wave with both hands.
If the waves are so big no one can see you out the back from the beach. Get in the water, tip the board in the air, nose towards the sky and move it from side to side. That way is the tallest thing to get people’s attention.
If there are surfers nearby, call “HELP” out to them, and signal them the same.
NEVER ABANDON YOUR BOARD IT IS YOUR LIFE RAFT.
No one would want you to drown! Don’t be embarrassed, if it means your life can be saved.
If you really feel in a life-threatening situation.
I hope it never comes to this point as you can follow all the other tips I mentioned here before, but at the end of the day, surfers always look out for each other and for a lifeguard, it’s their job. So stay with your board and get people’s attention.
10. Try never to surf alone.
Try to never surf alone. Especially if you don’t know the location! Having waves to yourself can be fun. But if there are people on the beach, just tell them you’re going in for a surf and make a note of the time. Leave your stuff with a restaurant or bar person and say you’ll be back in 2 hours for example. But have a waterproof watch and say that you will definitely see them when you get out.
If the location is that rare, try and go with a buddy. If not, make sure someone knows where and when you were going to surf. Your exact location, your time in. Tell that person, how long you are going to be, and wear a waterproof watch, get out on time and message them to tell them you are safe.
Chances are though, if it’s a popular wave and no one has paddled out and it’s not sunrise, maybe the conditions are wrong. So ask a local. “Why is no-one out surfing today?” Perhaps there are swarms of jellyfish for example, or the currents are too strong, or the waves are much bigger than they appear!
The point is with all sports in nature, things can go wrong. So, it’s probably not worth the risk.
If your surfing solo but there are other surfers out there that you don’t know, smile and say hello, make your presence known. Surfers naturally look out for each other.
To Conclude
Again like I said in the beginning, safety in surfing is confidence. And confidence means surfing your best waves!
So be smart, keep yourself fit, and get lots of sleep the night before. Surf with a buddy whenever possible and keep your equipment maintained.
Don’t surf if you’re scared by the size of the waves. If the wave size is something you’ve surfed before but never that big at a new wave for you, then maybe reconsider your surf. Save big wave days for waves you know well.
As a ISA Surf Instructor myself, part of the course is getting your beach lifeguard qualification.
This gives you so much information about water safety, how to do rescues and first aid. I recommend anyone to do their lifeguard course as it will give you heaps of confidence for surfing and ocean swimming and general lifesaving. Contact a course director for more info. For passing the lifeguard course you do need a certain swimming level, so bear that in mind.
Have fun in the waves!! Yeeeeeewwwwww!
For surf etiquette of who has priority on waves and how you behave with respect to other surfers for safety and considerate behaviour I recommend this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCaiQYVEut4
