Beach disaster with getting fins on and not being able to get up

[Shasta_man]

Hopefully some day we get to see TSandM running like hell into the breakers!

 

[dytis-sm]

I followed this approach when diving Malaga Cove in So Cal for the first surf entry ever in open ocean. Just walking over the rocky beach and not do a face plant right there was dangerous. The closer I got to the breaking waves the bigger they got and I realized I was in for a good beating. When I finally got to the water i stood sideways and I timed the waves and had regulator in my mouth. With fins on, and assistance from my buddy, I made it. Will I dive there again? Nope, not until they clear a path to walk in sand to the water and also install a trolley to take me back up the five mile hike uphill. I think it was 1/4 mile going downhill, but that's a dive for the triathletes...not me.

Sorry to go off the main subject but could not help it. Malaga Cove is one of my worst beach dive experiences too...You are not alone to think about it this way. Hell of a ride down and up the hill and the entries are a pain. Worst if you attempt to climb from the first rocks you sfind into the ocean. Yes it is a nice spot but a very challenging one that personally is worth the drive to other similar beaches but with easier sandy entry...

For the OP, if he has not figured it out yet, properly fitted spring straps and gloves make all the difference in the world while beach diving. But before doing all that, it is important to learn how to enter with out any gear at all, just fins and mask. That should be good practice.

 

[shoredivr]

Interesting how many recommend spring straps...when the OP has stated he *has* spring straps.

 

[oncor23]

Just had my first "true" beach surf experience on the Big Island, Hawaii. My experience on local lakes and Bonaire didn't prepare me for the surf I was facing. We shore dove Pebbles Beach 6 times. The first four times, my buddy helped me get my fins on in shallow water and helped me waddle out deep enough to swim for it when the waves were small. The last 2 dives, I did the run down the beach and into the waves as far as I could get...then walk in waist deep water to the drop off and jump in. Once I was floating, I had my back to the waves and put on my fins with the new bungee straps. Yeah, I did start to fin out as soon as I got the first one on. My buddy's technique was to carry his tank and BC vest, along with the mask and fins attached, as far as he could get them into the water and then swim them out past the breakers before putting his fins on.

I'm not talking big surf here by any means...at least when we dared to go, but Pebbles is a steep beach and there's a pretty good break regardless.

The bigger challenge for me was getting back in and getting my fins off. Typically, I was going in too far and couldn't stand up...so I was sitting there trying to get my fins off while the waves beat on me. Once I finally realized that I needed to stand up as soon as I crossed up over that drop off closest to shore, I was able to stand, support weight with the BC still floating, take my fins off, and walk in.

 

[tracydr]

So today I set out to do a shore dive in Monterey and I had a challenge getting my fins on past the surf layer. I fell on my butt and could not get back up after bruising my ribs. It was embarassing as folks from shore had to carry me back to the parking lot. What can I do in the future to prevent this? I had a rough time getting my fins on my feet after I was about 10 feet from shore in Breakwater today as surf was kinda bad.

No advice but I know how you feel. BTDT.

---------- Post added November 22nd, 2013 at 02:04 PM ----------

Haven't been to Monterrey, but I've been in a lot of heavy surf.

Put some air in your BC, move out into chest-deep water, then put your fins on. You can't fall over when you're floating. (well, you can but it doesn't matter).

You don't actually need the air in your BC to do this, but if it's rocky on the bottom, being buoyant will keep you from getting banged up on the rocks.

flots.

Very helpful advice. I think my biggest hang up with surf dives is that divers that are invariably bigger and stronger,always want to start putting fins on too early. I'm 5'1" and I'm always getting knocked down by the durn waves. I do pretty well in places like Bonaire with lighter tank/weights but in CA not so well.

---------- Post added November 22nd, 2013 at 02:06 PM ----------

What previous folks said with one key addition: turn your back to the surf while you put the fins on and then kick out on your back (going backwards) until you're past any breakers.

I was always taught to turn sideways, so that you're a smaller footprint when getting hit by the waves. I've also been taught to swim down under bigger surf, since trying to go over it can be difficult or even impossible at times. I never turn my back to the surf. The time or two that I did it by accident, boom I fell down.

---------- Post added November 22nd, 2013 at 02:08 PM ----------

Oh, man, I don't want to turn my back to the surf, not EVER! Sideways, yes, but I always want to be able to see what's coming.

I'm really, really bad at surf entries. But what has worked best for me, assuming that the site doesn't have a really bad shore break like Monastery, is to clip my fins to my BC and watch the sets. When I think there's going to be a good lull between waves, and smaller ones, I run like a scalded cat out through the shallows and try to get past where the surf is breaking. Then I put my fins on (and I use spring straps, too). This has afforded me the most successful entries of any technique I've tried.

I've got to get a clip if/when I surf dive again. This sounds like the very best method for me,too.

---------- Post added November 22nd, 2013 at 02:17 PM ----------

I also changed from an undergarment that was restricting my movement to a more flexible fleece undergarment.
I now have dry gloves but haven't had a chance to try them. To be honest, after my last bad surf experience, I'm not very interested in surf diving again. If we moved to an area where that was my main form of diving, I would certainly work to perfect it but I've just found it to be too stressful. Not bad in warm water but torture in places like CA.