I can only do this if its real SoCal surf (not Seattle "surf" or those ankle slappers in Rick's pic...) and if I have the deathstar in my other hand...
:blinking:
Things to remember:
Make good decisions now. Look at the tide charts and look at the sets. Remember, any fool can get in - its getting out after 80 minutes when you're cold, weak and tired when problems can occur. If it looks bad now, will it likely be worse in an hour?
Be scared. If you're not puckering every time you take a step into the zone, or every time you're about to come at it from the back on the way back in, you're going to get rolled. Being scared keeps you sharp, and it beats the heck out of sand-water-sky sand-water-sky.
You're alone in the zone. You're buddy also has a scooter and is trying to get through. This is the only time on a dive when you're truly on your own. If you crash and burn, you need to be able to self-arrest. A buddy bailout in the surf is a myth.
Get ready before you get wet. Mask on - always. Reg in - always. Any danglies stowed - always. Mask cleaned. Gas on. Never go in wearing fins. This is a point of contention in SoCal - some divers do the Donald Duck into the zone. Please. Speed is the most important thing, and you can't run in fins. Never turn your back on the surf. If its not attached, prepare to lose it. Turn on your focus lights on the camera so you can find it if you drop it or if it gets ripped off of you. If the surf is over my chest I put my mask inside of my hood. I always have a spare mask for shore dives.
No parking on the dance floor. This is the biggest mistake people from out of town make when they come to SoCal. They're not thinking speed. Speed is everything in the surf. You need to watch the sets, charge the lull and run like hell to get out. Same thing coming in. Time it, charge it, run out. This means having a fin stowage solution. We made the CK-FK002 (below.) I can't carry the deathstar, the scooter AND my fins. If you're diving a drysuit you can unplug your DS hose, thread the fins on it and then re-attach the hose for entries and exits.
Once through, give it a moment. You will be breathing hard. We train for this and we live here, and we're breathing hard. Give it a moment before you drop.
Scooter protocol our team uses for surf entries:
- Prepare - mask rinsed and on. Regs in. All danglies stowed. Fins attached to fin clip.
- Clip the scoot to you. Make sure the props are pitched.
- Walk to the water's edge. Time the sets, watch the lull and tip toe out. I prefer to have my wing deflated. I want to be on the bottom as long as possible.
- Grab the shroud with the left hand, the trigger with the right and full speed ahead through the zone (high surf.) For low surf I'll just walk through the zone, shoulder into the incoming or ducking under the waist high waves.
- When out of the zone, signal buddy that I'm OK, and then re-group on the surface.
- I'll stop outside of the waves, inflate the wing, unclip the fins and put them on.
Scooter protocol our team uses for surf exits:
- Pull up just outside the zone and watch / count the sets to determine the lull. Pick an exit point. Left of the rock, just to the right of the hottie on the beach towel... whatever. Tell your buddy, have consensus on the exit point and then one of you goes first.
- Clip off the fins. Stow the danglies. Tuck the light. If I need to run out I'll clip off the long hose (the around the neck clip off so its not a trip hazard) and breathe off the bungee back up.
- Grab the shroud with the left hand, trigger with the right hand and gun it in.
- When I reach water that I can stand in (2' or so... not chest deep stuff) I stand and bolt out. I have a strap on the front of my scooter just for this purpose.
- Get onto shore, turn to look for buddy. If no problems, give thanks. If problems with buddy, drop scoot and camera on sand, and wade into zone to assist if required (do not remove gear.)
There is a lot of experience that goes with this. Feeling the draw on the way back in so you're not running against it, or trying to stand up as a biggie is coming in to knock you back down.
There is nothing indignant in crawling out of the surf. Any surf exit you can walk away from is a successful exit - whether standing or crawling.
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Ken