Shore diving/Surf entry

[MauiScubaSteve]

Nice post. Small additions were my plan

Speed: you want to pass the break as fast as possible. There is no waiting in the surf zone. The most time consuming task is getting your fins on. Having your regulator in your mouth and your mask on might help if you're just a tad too slow. Since I'm faster walking than swimming I try to walk as far as possible and only then put my fins on. I like the fin keeper as well, but you need to practice clipping/unclipping otherwise it might do more harm than good. For me, the fastest way to put my fins on is to roll in a ball, one fin in each hand, and use my right arm to put my left fin and reverse.

Does the clip work with full foot fins?

Timing: speed won't help much if you try to go out right as a big set arrives. I've never figured that one out, but I've learned that if you're in the middle of the surf zone and see the surfers get excited and start paddling like madmen, you're about to get a beating.

Even the surfers should take a moment on shore before entry, seeing the pattern of the sets. If possible get out to knee deep froth while the big ones are pounding. After the 3rd or 4th big one here you are reasonably guaranteed the next few will be smaller.

Technique: take the small waves sideways, anchor yourself with your rear leg. If you know that the next wave will topple you, duck and swim under it. That requires that your BC is not completely inflated...

I'd add to lead with the left side so alternate is protected from wave impact; less free flow.

Strength: if you don't have the strength to recover fast after a wave pushes you back, or to get back on your feet if you're toppled, things can get nasty fast. Between the walk on the beach, getting through the surf and the surface swim, shore diving requires a whole different level of fitness than boat diving.

Not all shore diving is hard, even ocean shore diving can be pretty easy. I know women/kids who have guides/husbands/dads bring the rigs out past the medium to small whitewater to don in water.

Brains: know when to quit - or maybe leave that huge SLR rig in the car for today? I've been told that really smart people figure out that a scooter will power them through the surf without pain, but I haven't reached that level yet

I have often used scooters to get away from the low vis near surf zone, but you still have to get geared up before powering up the scooter "without pain." One of my most satisfying dives was leading tourists on a scooter dive when there were surfers actually surfing significant waves at our entry/exit beach location. I also took my full strobe camera system. We successfully ducked a couple medium barrels to get in and had perfect timing to let the last big one of a set get us close for one of the calmest sets to exit. Didn't even mess up my hair for all the sunbathers taking pictures!

 

[ptyx]

Does the clip work with full foot fins?

Probably not. You have to adapt the clip to the fins (for instance, with the standard mantaray strap, basic double enders work perfectly), and some fins just can't be clipped.
The fin keeper is mostly a convenience item - it won't help you much in the surf, but it does allow you to free your hands if you need them to assist a buddy or deal with other pieces of gear (camera, scooter, buoy...).

I'd add to lead with the left side so alternate is protected from wave impact; less free flow.

Good point, although if your secondary is on a necklace it isn't that important. Unless I have gear which forces one side (camera), I try to face my buddies and check how they're doing.

I have often used scooters to get away from the low vis near surf zone, but you still have to get geared up before powering up the scooter "without pain."

Can't you just leave your fins clipped, use the scooter to go through the surf, and then put your fins on after the break where waves are no longer an issue?