Wiping Out (While Surfing)
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Wiping out is an unavoidable part of surfing. Here's how to do it efficiently, safely, and stylishly.
(Note: Non-surfers and poeple unfamiliar with surfer speak may not understand any of this. To these people, I say use your imagination and try to enjoy it anyway.)
•Point One: Fall away from your board. If you're wiping out, you're already in a bad situation (especially if the waves are big). Be sure to avoid painful sharp (and equally painful blunt) objects on your surfboard. Get as far from it as you can.
•Point Two: In shallow water, fall flat. A good old-fashioned belly-flop will keep you from penetrating to far into the water and bouncing off the bottom. This is especially advisable when surfing over shallow reef or submerged rocks. A stinging stomach is a lot better than a cracked melon. (Covering your head with your arms is a good idea, too.)
•Point Three: If you're wearing big, baggy shorts while surfing big, powerful waves, HOLD ONTO THEM when you wipe out. The whole power of the ocean is in that wave and will strip your ultra-stylish baggies off in a split second, leaving you in an awkward position when you surface.
•Point Four: You pull into the sickest barrel of your life, only to realize that you have no hope of making it out the other end before is closes. What do you do? Fall BACK off the tail onto the foamball. The foamball is an already broken part of the wave and will allow you to sink quick and escape with minimal thrashing. Jumping forward over the nose towards smooth water will only result in getting sucked over the falls.
•Point Five: Fall with style. Try to avoid flailing or screaming when wiping out, as this will only make you the target of other surfers burning wit when your wipeout is through.
•Point Six: Go with it. When you're getting wiped out, you're at the mercy of mother nature. No man or woman has ever fought off thousands of gallons of energized seawater and escaped un-tumbled. Fighting the ocean will only waste energy. Relax and get rag-dolled, let the wave do it's business with you, THEN swim to the surface without resistance. This will save your energy for paddling back out.
•Point Seven: Climb your leash. This is only appilcable for about 0.2% of all surfers, but here it is anyway. On really big days (15+ ft.) it's very easy to get disoriented while being worked over and driven deep underwater. If you're at the bottom and have no idea which way is up, grab your leash and start climbing. Your board will above you, at or near the surface (Becasue it's more bouyant thatn you) so it's an instant indication of which way to go to get that badly needed air.
There are proabably more the seven poi nts when it somes to wiping out. These should get you through most situations pretty much unscathed. Remeber, you have a brain; use it. Common sense will get you through safe and stylish most of the time. Happy Surfing.
(Note: Non-surfers and poeple unfamiliar with surfer speak may not understand any of this. To these people, I say use your imagination and try to enjoy it anyway.)
•Point One: Fall away from your board. If you're wiping out, you're already in a bad situation (especially if the waves are big). Be sure to avoid painful sharp (and equally painful blunt) objects on your surfboard. Get as far from it as you can.
•Point Two: In shallow water, fall flat. A good old-fashioned belly-flop will keep you from penetrating to far into the water and bouncing off the bottom. This is especially advisable when surfing over shallow reef or submerged rocks. A stinging stomach is a lot better than a cracked melon. (Covering your head with your arms is a good idea, too.)
•Point Three: If you're wearing big, baggy shorts while surfing big, powerful waves, HOLD ONTO THEM when you wipe out. The whole power of the ocean is in that wave and will strip your ultra-stylish baggies off in a split second, leaving you in an awkward position when you surface.
•Point Four: You pull into the sickest barrel of your life, only to realize that you have no hope of making it out the other end before is closes. What do you do? Fall BACK off the tail onto the foamball. The foamball is an already broken part of the wave and will allow you to sink quick and escape with minimal thrashing. Jumping forward over the nose towards smooth water will only result in getting sucked over the falls.
•Point Five: Fall with style. Try to avoid flailing or screaming when wiping out, as this will only make you the target of other surfers burning wit when your wipeout is through.
•Point Six: Go with it. When you're getting wiped out, you're at the mercy of mother nature. No man or woman has ever fought off thousands of gallons of energized seawater and escaped un-tumbled. Fighting the ocean will only waste energy. Relax and get rag-dolled, let the wave do it's business with you, THEN swim to the surface without resistance. This will save your energy for paddling back out.
•Point Seven: Climb your leash. This is only appilcable for about 0.2% of all surfers, but here it is anyway. On really big days (15+ ft.) it's very easy to get disoriented while being worked over and driven deep underwater. If you're at the bottom and have no idea which way is up, grab your leash and start climbing. Your board will above you, at or near the surface (Becasue it's more bouyant thatn you) so it's an instant indication of which way to go to get that badly needed air.
There are proabably more the seven poi nts when it somes to wiping out. These should get you through most situations pretty much unscathed. Remeber, you have a brain; use it. Common sense will get you through safe and stylish most of the time. Happy Surfing.
