This are some of the important rules to take into account when paddling for the waves:
THE DROP-IN RULE (fig.1)
So what's it all about, why can't you just catch any wave you want? Like driving a car, flying a plane or sailing the seven seas there are rules. They exist not only so matey boy on his mini-mal can get nice long rides with a few reos for good measure, but primarily for SAFETY.
When you take off in front of Johnny Boy Bloggs on his needle sharp thruster with skegs like meat cleavers you run a high risk of getting minced.
The drop in rule goes like this:
CLOSEST TO THE CURL OF
THE WAVE HAS RIGHT OF WAY.
Sometimes you may find that although you have right of way someone may already
be up and riding further out on the shoulder (long boarders usually being the
culprit here). In this case it is often better to let them go unless they have
seen you set up for the wave and in which case a short, sharp shout is in order.
How ever if they are up and riding and dropping into the pocket and you take off
behind them this constitutes "snaking".
SNAKING (fig.2.1 & 2.2)
In every line up you will find somebody who isn't content to sit and wait their turn for waves, instead they will slither past, around or even on top of you to get priority. Taking off behind someone or angling your take off to get behind another rider is a slippery way of getting waves and it's not that big or clever. Snakes hate to get bitten.
PADDLING
OUT
In a desperate attempt to get through the masses of white water it is important
to be aware of other riders who may be coming towards you on a wave. Try your
hardest to get out of the way either by paddling quickly over the shoulder thus
giving the rider clearance or if you think that will result in a collision then
head for the broken water behind the ride. It's better to be trashed by a wave
than board or fists! There is nothing worse than having someone floundering
around just when you are about to do the move of the session, especially if you
are Maurice Cole, Johnny Boy or some psycho!
Dropping in on a fellow bodyboarder is a NO-GO! Guys who have been bodyboarding for years have gained respect by pushing the limits and abiding by the rules. Dog eat dog attitude is detrimental to our sport and burning others will only give you and bodyboarding a bad name.
So there you have it, simple
rules for what most of us is a way of life. Remember if you do drop in
accidently (and it happens to everyone now and then) apologise and be friendly,
it kills any vibe that may have developed. Be cool not a fool.
Like me, you want to bodyboard all the time, so if you don't want to stay at home when all your friends are having fun with the waves, while you are ill or injured because of being, let's say, incautious with the ocean, you should take some precautions. Firstly, we should take care of the sun. To do so try to avoid being exposed to the sunlight in times that it is dangerous. Try to use sunscreen and lycra with UV protection. You all know that you shouldn't get into the ocean when it is too dangerous, when you are not feeling well, in the night, alone, etc. Be aware of the tide changes and all that stuff.
Riding prone develops
more the lumbar muscular mass. This causes a curve position of the back. When you are riding a wave you should help with your legs and abdominal
muscles to absorb the shock. The wrong muscular balance between the back and the
front part of the body makes that, when you land (from an aerial for example)
the resources to absorb the shock are reduced. The lumbar muscles, stronger than
the abdominals, causes the īscorpionī posture with the feet touching the head
.To prevent this you have to do abdominals every day, and stretching is also
important.
See the surf and learn to understand it - the more you know about how waves, wind and tides affect the behaviour of the water, the better you'll be able to keep yourself safe.
Let the ocean win
If you wipe out surfing a monster wave, you're in for the dunking of your life. Relax when the wave takes you, let it churn you around. If you follow your instinct and try to fight to the surface, you'll rapidly use up your air. Just curl into a ball, cover your neck and face in case your board hits you, and only start swimming when the wave has passed over. Be warned, that can take some time - favoured Hawaiian training for such events is walking along the ocean floor carrying heavy boulders.
Avoid rips
Know your rips. The signs include (see diagram below):
1) Water rushing back out to sea, sometimes carrying seaweed and debris.
2) Water that appears dark and dirty.
3) The absence of a wave break.
4) a deep green "gutter" formation at high tide.
Generally a rip will run only run for a couple of hundred metres at the most, in large conditions. It has a mushroom shape, with a narrow entry zone and a wider head out further.
If you are caught in a rip and you're a weak swimmer or tired, simply float with it until you end up at the back of the break area - don't fight it, you'll only exhaust yourself further. From there, you can swim across, parallel to the shoreline for about 30 to 40 metres, to the sandbars and make your way in to the beach or signal to someone that you need help. If you're a strong swimmer, and only if you're a strong swimmer, swim diagonally across the rip, in the same direction as the current (AND NEVER AGAINST IT) until you're out of the rip zone (or until you reach the breaking-wave zone), then you'll be able to make it to shore. If you need help, raise your hand above your head, as if requesting the bill from a very short-sighted waiter. Just don't panic - it just wastes your valuable energy.
If the water has a darker or murky, brown area, a smooth surface alongside broken waves or a rippled appearance in otherwise calm conditions, there's probably a rip just waiting to drag you under, so always be on your guard! An important rule to remember - the larger the surf, the stronger the rip.
