As a male instructor in Ventura County, let me offer some insight if I may. I am a new instructor but have so far taught my wife, 7 other ladies ranging from 12 to ~50, and 6 men ranging from 23 to ~55. I do a mix of boat and beach entry dives. Some things that can help with beach entry:
1. Sit on the beach and watch the surf. You want to time entry so that you are not entering just when a big set is going. Watch the lulls, watch the breaks, are they breaking in different locations, are the waves large or small.Do you see a lot of receding water, or is it minimal. Watching the sets now without all your gear on will help you know the timing. Do not rush to put your gear on later either. Just keep an eye on the sets.
2. Go jump in the surf zone with only the wet suit stuff on (eg suit, hood, gloves, boots). Get used to entry without gear. Feel the surge around you, get used to feeling the water push you around a little.
3. When entering the water, stay close to your buddy, position one foot in front of the other a little (off-set) and shuffle your feet a little as you are entering the surf zone. This will allow you to not have your feet sucked into the sand as the water rushes around you and creating a small pit. When the wave is at its "surgiest", don't take steps. You will lose the comfort of both feet planted when you life a foot and a wave passes under it.
4. Have no air in your BC to start. This lowers your center of gravity which will keep you a little more planted. Add air once you have your fins on and are about to flip into your back and kick out.
5. Some people advocate putting fins on before entering the surf and going in side-ways. I prefer and teach (and have had success with) advocating entering the water until the water is between waist and chest high and the using your buddy to stabilize you as you figure-four each fin on. (Put one leg across the other knee, put the fin on with a real quick adjust, then switch sides. Then help your buddy do the same if need be. Watch those sets though. Try to time fin placement with a lull in a set. Once you kick out a little, you can re-adjust your straps if you are using pull straps (vs quick straps).
6. Once out past the break, take a moment to relax.. Just C - H - I - L - L. Once you have your breath back, then you can start to kick out to the drop site.
7. When returning, try to return up the bottom of the ocean. There is more to see there and you can keep going until you hit around 3-4' of water if you want. There is no real reason to do a surface kick back if you do not need to.
8. There are NO style points for an exit. If you have to crawl out and then pull your fins off, do so. I have done this and I don't really care if others point at me. At least I made the dive and returned. I will catch my breath once I am out of the water and just go about my merry way.
These are some of the tips I try to point out to new surf entry divers. I find it amusing that PADI offers a Boat Diver cert but not a Surf Entry cert. Taking a Discover Local Diving course is a good recommendation. I think the Nov dive you mentioned you are going to go on will really help you too. Your husband will also benefit from lcoals helping him out - even if he does not want direct help, he can have a visual reference.
You sound like a solid diver that just needs more experience with surf entry and exit. You will do OK, just go at a nice pace and do not let others rush you.
Have fun and hope this long post helps..
1. Sit on the beach and watch the surf. You want to time entry so that you are not entering just when a big set is going. Watch the lulls, watch the breaks, are they breaking in different locations, are the waves large or small.Do you see a lot of receding water, or is it minimal. Watching the sets now without all your gear on will help you know the timing. Do not rush to put your gear on later either. Just keep an eye on the sets.
2. Go jump in the surf zone with only the wet suit stuff on (eg suit, hood, gloves, boots). Get used to entry without gear. Feel the surge around you, get used to feeling the water push you around a little.
3. When entering the water, stay close to your buddy, position one foot in front of the other a little (off-set) and shuffle your feet a little as you are entering the surf zone. This will allow you to not have your feet sucked into the sand as the water rushes around you and creating a small pit. When the wave is at its "surgiest", don't take steps. You will lose the comfort of both feet planted when you life a foot and a wave passes under it.
4. Have no air in your BC to start. This lowers your center of gravity which will keep you a little more planted. Add air once you have your fins on and are about to flip into your back and kick out.
5. Some people advocate putting fins on before entering the surf and going in side-ways. I prefer and teach (and have had success with) advocating entering the water until the water is between waist and chest high and the using your buddy to stabilize you as you figure-four each fin on. (Put one leg across the other knee, put the fin on with a real quick adjust, then switch sides. Then help your buddy do the same if need be. Watch those sets though. Try to time fin placement with a lull in a set. Once you kick out a little, you can re-adjust your straps if you are using pull straps (vs quick straps).
6. Once out past the break, take a moment to relax.. Just C - H - I - L - L. Once you have your breath back, then you can start to kick out to the drop site.
7. When returning, try to return up the bottom of the ocean. There is more to see there and you can keep going until you hit around 3-4' of water if you want. There is no real reason to do a surface kick back if you do not need to.
8. There are NO style points for an exit. If you have to crawl out and then pull your fins off, do so. I have done this and I don't really care if others point at me. At least I made the dive and returned. I will catch my breath once I am out of the water and just go about my merry way.
These are some of the tips I try to point out to new surf entry divers. I find it amusing that PADI offers a Boat Diver cert but not a Surf Entry cert. Taking a Discover Local Diving course is a good recommendation. I think the Nov dive you mentioned you are going to go on will really help you too. Your husband will also benefit from lcoals helping him out - even if he does not want direct help, he can have a visual reference.
You sound like a solid diver that just needs more experience with surf entry and exit. You will do OK, just go at a nice pace and do not let others rush you.
Have fun and hope this long post helps..
