Getting out past surf

[lococoyote]

I'm experienced in pools swimming with smaller fins.

I just got a pair of cressi gara 2000HF's and I wanted to try a quick swim in the ocean - don't have a mask so just swimming

How do you guys get out past the surf with those monsters on??? The water is shallow... maybe 5ft deep for about 100ft out and then its deep, kelp. I found myself just getting my ass whooped by 6ft whitewater, really hard to stand up and walk through that with those fins on. There are shallow rocks so I can't just swim without getting bashed onto the bottom.

Do you guys strap the fins on your back or something until you get out into open water? Or do all of you dive off boats or what?

 

[Morg]

Hello and welcome to DB

I am sorry to say that I don't have a lot of experience on this matter. However I do have an idea that might work.

Leave your fins on and just swim under the waves. That 5 feet should allow you to swim right under near them quite easily. Like just swim on the surface until a wave is coming at you and gets close enough then just dive under it kicking really hard. (Depending on how big the waves actually are of course )

 

[desertbake]

Next time you're watching espn and a surf contest comes on, pay attention to how the guys dive under the waves with their boards when a wave is on top of them.

Same idea here, just like the previous post said. If you time it correctly you won't get pounded at all. Just have fun with it.

 

[smellsfishy]

Start out walking backwards if your fins are on then do what these guys said. Of course I'm the last guy who should comment, I got by butt handed to me by the surf last week. Just make sure all your gear is secure before you go in.

good luck

 

[Morg]

Is there a lot to see out where you guys go?

From the beaches that I have been at I really don't know what all is out there past the surf.

Oh and I bet the ride in would be fun . No more fighting just sail with those rollers :t

 

[Narsil]

If there's a rock to sit on in about a metre of water to finish putting the last of your gear on - fins etc, that can work well.

Try holding a big breath as you move over any rocks that are just beneath you, this along with the floatation of your wetsuit, can keep you higher in the water.

You can also drag yourself forward with your hands over shallow ground so you don't scratch up your nice new fins too much

 

[sickbugs]

6 foot of whitewater? must be pretty big waves out there, hmn... if your gonna try finswimming through it, which is easier than walking, just duck-dive when the whitewater is about 8 feet in front of u, go down for the bottom, but curve your body, the force of the wave will usually push u right back up behind it.. whitewater can be a bit more turbulent, but the general effect should be the same. a spot i shoredive from gets like that sometimes, i havnt done it in my longfins yet, but with shortfins i would duckdive it, besides, couldnt walk through 5 feet of water easy...

 

[Mr. X]

The South African booklet by Len Jones has a section on entering the surf. I'll see if I can dig it up somewhere. I have not had to enter big surf yet, so walking backward is usually enough. I think swimming through the waves is part of Len's strategy (bit like paddling out surfing?). May be one of the SA spearos has some suggestions? (SurfNSpear? Miles?)

 

[Adrian]

Don't forget finsavers - thay strap around your feet and over the fin under your heel to secure them from being pulled off in the surf or strong currents.

 

[SurfnSpear]

sickbugs describes it well....put your fins on....move down to the water and enter and swim out just like a seal....looking ahead and swimming on the surface and then duck diving right under the wave and popping out behind it when it's about 8ft in front of you.

cheers

 

[sickbugs]

i found this pic of a shorebreak wave at my fave surf spot, not even 6 foot of white water... well maybe just about 6 foot, and i definately WOULDNT try getting out through it to dive... surfing is a different story i was the only guy out for that whole morning

oh.. i dunno who those people were rofl

 

[jimqpublic]

Lococoyote:

You're in luck. Do one of the 3R's (Rocks, Rips, & Reefs) seminars put on by the Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers (GLACD) and the Los Angeles County Underwater Instructors Association (LA Co. UIA). The price is only $5! It's aimed at scuba divers but the seminar is done freediving (no tanks).

http://lascuba.com/3rs.html

According to California Diving News, the next session is this Saturday at Deer Creek Road.
http://www.saintbrendan.com/June06/scubcalendar6-06.html

Jim

 

[lococoyote]

The fin savers would come handy for sure. I was afraid they'd come off...

They waves can get as big as in the pic, other places on the coast alot bigger, but they don't break on the shore like that. I wouldn't dive out in that either. I guess I just wasn't getting enough under the water... I'll try pulling myself along the bottom when i'm out later this week.

Theres usually not alot right off the shore, but at this particular spot theres kelp, sea otters, abalone... alot of people take a boat to the channel islands about 20mi off the coast.

Is the Len Jones booklet online? All I can find is links for it for sale.

 

[Mr. X]

The fin savers would come handy for sure. I was afraid they'd come off...
...
Is the Len Jones booklet online? All I can find is links for it for sale.

No, you have to pay for it as far as I know (you are in America right?! They still use money there don't they? Oh, I see ...so that is what "Land of the FREE" means! ). Good news is that it is short, sweet & inexpensive - about 4 pounds / $7.

Even better news, Len shows a way to make homemade fin savers for surf entry. Fin savers in the UK cost 3.99. So Net cost of the book to you 1p / 2 cents . I would think the importer of Rob Allen equipment (or pos. a Rabitech importer) - Florida Divers? - probably stock it. spearo.co.uk too.

[It would be a great resource to have on line. I dare say Len would like to retire one day too though.]

 

[deep thinker]

Howzit, you should also be able to count the sets of waves coming through, normally about five to seven big ones gets ended off with two or so smaller ones. Sit on the beach for a bit and count for a while you should be able to spot this. Then with your gear on including fin savers walk backwards through the bigger waves still counting your sets as deep as you can go and take it slow. As soon as you count the last bigger and can see the end of the set coming through turn around and start swimming doing the duck dive described by the other guys. This should get you past those breakers with a little less effort.

 

[fcallagy]

one advantage loco is after you do get out, you just need to catch a wave to get back in to shore

 

[Mr. X]

one advantage loco is after you do get out, you just need to catch a wave to get back in to shore

Boogie-board spearo float?!

 

[miles]

Hiya

6' waves breaking in very shallow water IS going to clobber you!!! You MUST have a bit of water to be able to duck under the waves. As deep thinker said, count the sets and pick a lull in the swells and then swim like crazy!! I've been bashed and rolled by VERY small waves breaking!! IF wearing a mask and snorkel, hold onto them tighly when you duck a wave. Being rolled around on the sea bed with-out fins, mask and snorkel is DEFINITELY NOT FUN!!!

Some cheap and easy DIY flipper guards: get TWO leashes plus the velcro attachments that surfers use to tie the board to their ankles. Simply drill a small hole in the blade of your fin and shorten the leash and attach. Should you get wiped out by a large dumper, your fins can be ripped off but you won't lose them.

Just be VERY carefull of the tides. In some places, tidal movement is quite significant. The sea is always bigger on low tide. Cerain places, which is safe to exit the water from on high tide might not be safe on low tide. PLAN your dives carefully, taking consideration of where you will enter and where you will exit. This is not always easy, as currents often change direction, and this you'll only find out once you're in the water. Also be wary of RIP currents. Use them to your advantage. Finding a rip current is the fastest way to get yourself from the beach into deeper water. If on your return trip, you find a rip current, move a short distance away and you'll pass the rip current. Pointless trying to swim against even a weak rip current. And remember, the sea ALWAYS looks calmer from the shore!!!

Have fun!!

Regards
miles

 

[Merit]

Something I would also like to mention is..

Getting out is at times the easy part. With the size of waves you are talking about use as much caution while going back to shore as you do going out. In addition (as I learned the hard way recently) don't wait untill you are tired before going back in, the surf can make your return trip harder than another hour in the water.

-Merit

 

[XyseR]

I'm from Oregon.. so the west coast for me at least.. doesn't seem too friendly. can this only be done in cali and like florida??

http://forums.deeperblue.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=9385&d=1149642603

OMG lol that's soo huge! .. i think that'd kill someone over here.. lol. Anyone around oregon dive out into the ocea?? i know of newport and stuff, but that's like a bay. i think we have too many sneaker waves and stuff around my area..