Tell me about surf entries and exits

[Cthippo]

I'm down on the Oregon coast for another week and am hoping to not come home with the air in my tanks I arrived with. Unfortunately diving doesn't seem to be a thing here and so finding a site has proven difficult. Odds are if I can get in the water it will be a beach entry into surf and then go explore some rocks looking for critters.

So tell me about surf entries and exits. What works, what doesn't, and what should I look out for?

 

[MB NZ]

It generally consists of floundering around (sometimes on your back), not being able to stand up and when you do manage to stand up, getting knocked down by another wave. In the end you give up and come out on your hands and knees like a diving dog. Hope that helps!

 

[Still Kicking]

Timing, timing, timing.

Watch the surf for 5 mins or so. Look for deeper channels where surf is smaller. Wait for smaller sets.

On the way out....fins in hands, mask around neck, no air in BC. I prefer reg out but you can go with reg in if it makes you feel better.

When you see a lull in sets, march into the surf. Keep moving. Shuffle your feet along the bottom feeling for rocks and holes so you don't stumble.

Get deep as you can as fast as you can. Lean into waves as they come at you. When you are chest deep, put fins on, add some air to BC, roll onto your back and kick out quickly. Generally at this point you are deep enough you can relax and ride over waves, and catch your breath but make sure a "sneaker" doesn't pick you up and push you back into the surf zone.

Your get out of jail card: If you are in the surf zone and you see a chest-high+ sneaker wave coming at you, wait until it's right in front of you, dive underneath (see no air in BC above) and hug the bottom. The power of the wave will sweep harmlessly over you and you can pop up and catch your breath. Keep moving.

Exit is basically the reverse. Hang on the surface outside of the surf zone and watch for the rhythm of the sets. When you see a smaller set coming, make your move and kick in. When you can comfortably stand on the bottom, take your fins off and shuffle backwards feeling for rocks and holes.

Always keep facing out to sea, watching the waves coming at you so you don't get surprised by a sneaker (see get out of jail above).

If all goes to sh#t and you get knocked down: Go onto all fours, reg in and crawl out. Not pretty but it will get you out.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Excellent advice above. Few other random points -

• Learn what rips look like from the shore, especially boundary/headland rips: while dangerous to swimmers they can provide a route out for divers. Get in the habit of looking for rips while surveying the surf conditions.
• In moderate surf I find turning sideways to the waves works best - you can keep an eye on what's arriving, present less area to the waves and you can brace yourself with your inshore leg.
• For exit be prepared to fall over and crawl out on all fours: this is 100% certain to happen if there's anyone onshore filming your exit. On bad days keep your mask on and reg in until you're crawled onto the beach. This will be the point where complete strangers will come up to you and ask you if you're ok.
• Clip off your camera tightly before attempting exit (i.e. two secure points to avoid swinging): you will need all limbs for mobility. Ditto if you get chest deep on exit take off your fins and use a standard carabiner/suicide clip (stored in a pocket) to clip them off onto your BC. If you do an exit in surf holding onto an unclipped item be prepared to loose it.
• As always NMOF, never ever MOF: you're a diver, not a show pony.
• For exits over rounded and slippery boulders consider bringing some secondhand telescoping trekking poles: they can be clipped off at your dive flag buoy.
• There will be days when the ocean uses you as a Brillo pad to scour the foreshore clean: relax and accept your new role in maintaining shoreline cleanliness.

Cheers
Rohan.

 

[happy-diver]

With your mask on your face, and your reg in place, walk in with your fins through the chest strap
When you find depth submerge and wrestle yourself around to get your fins on and go go go go

The below instruction is for one inch swell but you can drown in one inch swell, with your reg out

On the way out....fins in hands, mask around neck, no air in BC. I prefer reg out but you can go with reg in if it makes you feel better.

Fins in hands for wrist snapping falling on your face action, no air in bc to drown when that powerful water
grabs you and you get tipped over and submerged as you stumble around with your mask off and reg out

 

[34109411]

go backwards your tank will brake the wave (if your are backmount). In enought depth go down and stay there !

 

[Still Kicking]

With your mask on your face, and your reg in place, walk in with your fins through the chest strap
When you find depth submerge and wrestle yourself around to get your fins on and go go go go

The below instruction is for one inch swell but you can drown in one inch swell, with your reg out



Fins in hands for wrist snapping falling on your face action, no air in bc to drown when that powerful water
grabs you and you get tipped over and submerged as you stumble around with your mask off and reg out

If you are not comfortable ducking under a wave holding your breath (5 seconds maybe?) without a mask on you have no business doing surf entries/exits.

 

[Still Kicking]

go backwards your tank will brake the wave (if your are backmount). In enought depth go down and stay there !

I always liked to keep my eyes on the enemy (sneaker waves) and preserve as much air as possible for the actual dive but if this works for you, it works.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

The above is all great advice. I was always taught that the goal was to get from Point A (dry land) to Point B (just past the surf zone) - and vice versa - as quickly and safely as possible. Good luck. M

 

[gamon]

If the surf is up, I put my fins on before entering the water because usually there's a rock or something to sit on, much easier than doing it while you're getting tumbled around by the breaking waves. Once the fins are on, move backwards only, with knees bent to keep your center of balance low, using your tank to protect you from the waves. When you think you're far enough to turn around and start diving, go at least another 20 feet and then dive.