So in this article I’m going to cover the most important aspect for beginners, and that is safety. I know, I know, you just want to go surf, but it is extremely important as you will not be the only person out in the water. I’m going to cover general ocean safety and also give you some pointers on how to keep the people around you safe as well. Once we get through this, we’ll move onto what you came for.
Tip #1: When in doubt – don’t go out
This is something every surfer keeps in mind even as they get to an advanced stage. So what does this mean? If the waves look too big for you, or if the ocean is not as inviting as normal, or if the beach you showed up at is empty, simply don’t paddle out. It’s a fairly simple concept, but sometimes hard to practice, especially as a beginner because wave size can often be deceiving from shore. It’s also hard to tell as a beginner what to really look for, but this will come with time as you get to the beach more frequently. As your progress, keep this in mind, don’t get too confident with your abilities too soon, the ocean has a way of making you pay.
You should always be thinking:
“would I be able to swim back in from the break if my leash broke?”
“Are there any beach advisories?”
“If something happens, is anybody around to help?”
“Can I handle myself in this size surf?”
I can’t stress this enough, if you have any doubt in your abilities to handle yourself in the water on a certain day, don’t go out – and that brings me to Tip #2.
Tip #2: Get a surfing buddy
If you are a beginner, you should NOT be going out alone – especially to any beaches without lifeguards or remote beaches where nobody is around. All it takes is for one weird wave to take your board and knock you out. You can drown in a couple inches of water if you are out cold.
I understand that this can be tough for some people, not everyone can find somebody who is just starting to surf or who wants to surf at the same time as you. But when you are first starting, and you are getting those early surf sessions under your belt, make a solid effort to find someone. Use craigslist, meetups, ask people at work/school, whatever. At the very least, try to go to beaches where there are a solid amount of people and lifeguards on duty.
I consider myself an intermediate surfer and I still don’t like going out alone. I do it, because my schedule doesn’t always line up with people I usually surf with, but it’s not ideal.
Tip #3: Observe before paddling out
So you just got down to the beach, you are amped up to get in the water, so you throw your suit on, strap on the leash and boom you’re out surfing. Wrong.
Spend some time observing before you paddle out. Look for rip currents, do I need to paddle around so I don’t get stuck somewhere? Is there a channel I can use? Ask yourself – Where are the peaks? Where are the other surfers? Am I at a crowded beach with families and people standing around in the water where I might be surfing? Is there a certain area of the beach blocked off to only surfers or only swimmers?
It’s good practice to watch for 5-10 minutes so you can get a good idea of what the ocean is doing. You need to make sure that you didn’t show up during a lull in between waves and that there are no rogue sets coming in that are outside of your comfort zone. This will also give you time to see where waves are breaking and where you want to be sitting in the water.
Tip #4 – Triangulate Yourself
Triangulating yourself in the line up is not only important for safety, but also helps with catching waves.
So what do I mean by triangulating? Triangulating is a method of making sure you are in a certain spot by using landmarks and other people as reference points to figure out where you are. The water is always changing – tides, wind, currents will have an effect on where you end up in the water. Without keeping track of where you are, a rip current can pull you down the beach before you even notice it, or worse – out to sea. So how do you triangulate myself?
Once you are in the water and sitting on your board, first – look towards shore. Find a landmark that you can remember, maybe it’s a house on the bluff, a lifeguard tower, somebody’s beach chair/blanket, a statue, a tree, or any other static object that you can find. Either way, remember that reference point. This will be useful so you can tell if you are drifting up or down the beach.
Second, look to your left and right, find two points (one on each side) and draw a line so that you’re in the middle of that line. This could be other surfers, or it could be a landmark on shore in the distance if the beach curves. This will help you avoid getting sucked out to sea.
The combination of these references will allow you to paddle back to the same spot every time and allow you to feel confident about where you are in the ocean. If you picked the wrong spot, no problem, move to your next spot and re-triangulate yourself. It’s really easy to not feel yourself getting pulled a certain direction, so it’s good practice to keep checking your reference points as you are waiting for waves so you don’t end up in a bad situation.
Tip #5 – How To Fall and Handle Yourself in the Ocean
Pancake, pancake, pancake! Here’s the thing, a lot of times we don’t know what’s underneath us. If we’re lucky, it’s just a friendly beach break with sand. But you may be at a spot with random rocks or shallow reef. It’s good to just get in the habit of falling flat so you don’t hurt yourself. Don’t dive off your board head first, you don’t want to get knocked out. And don’t jump in feet first, you don’t want a rock or reef through your foot!
If and when you go under water, don’t panic! Wait for a second, count one or two Mississippi’s before you come up. I promise that you can hold your breath for one or two Mississippi’s, just relax and enjoy the chaos for a second. When you start to come up, cover your face/head and slowly come to the surface reaching out with your other arm to find or block your board. Your board might be flying around and you don’t want to get hit in the face with a fin.
And one other thing, sort of related to falling – always be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of who’s surfing around you and who’s in the water around you. Don’t turn your back on waves, even a small wave that you aren’t ready for can ruin your day.
Tip #6 – Tell Somebody You’re Surfing
Last but not least, always let somebody know where you are surfing. I’ve done this since I started surfing, and I still do. When I’m about to paddle out, I text my wife and let her know where I am. Ideally the message would include the location, what you’re wearing – wetsuit color, boardshorts, and board color in case the coast guard has to come look for you. I also text her when I’m out of the water. This is helpful in case I get into an accident or don’t end up home right away, at least she knows that I’m not in the ocean.
I would encourage you to do the same, find somebody who cares about you and just explain to them that you need an emergency contact and that you’ll be giving them your location when you surf. Hopefully you’ll never need this information, but it’s always good to be prepared!
If you guys have any questions or comments about any of these tips, feel free to leave a comment on my YouTube video or shoot me an email. In the next episode we’ll get started on the fun stuff and I’ll help you pick out a surfboard to use as a beginner! Yewwww!