Tell me about surf entries and exits

[blue steal]

That's a meat grinder!

I finally had to give up diving at OML last year.
It’s a beautiful dive whether you enter at the point or the cove, but after over a hundred dives there I have seen to many injuries and the rock scramble to enter at the point just became to tricky for me.
Even an entry and exit at the cove can be quite “challenging” unless conditions are “doable” as our leader Reverend AL used to say.
But it is a beautiful dive when conditions are “doable”.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

 

[Chavodel8en]

Its helpful to know something about the site, and the particular surf that happens there. For example, Monastery Beach has particular surf conditions that call for specific protocols, that are slightly different from other beaches.

I do mask on, reg in. If you're knocked over it's nice to be able to see and breath. If the surf is sporty I have the mask especially tightened -- and the strap lower on my head -- as I go thru the surf, so I dont lose my mask. As Eric S. says if the surf is so rough that it might take my mask despite those precautions, then its time to find a different site.

General procedure is to wade thru the surf zone with fins securely in hand and then once past the surf, hopefully be able to float on back and don fins at leisure. Sometimes, if the ocean is still sporty, I put on just one fin (because I have one bum leg where its harder to don fins) and then swim out further to flatter water.

 

[Chavodel8en]

The exit is generally to doff fins outside of the surf zone, and walk out, mask on reg in. If you get knocked down, make a decision as to whether its better to get back up or just go ahead and crawl out.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Exiting at Monastery involves crawling out when the surf is up. The undertow and Monsterberries (pebbles) make walking out difficult. Avoid the center of the beach. Pick a better day to dive.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Exiting at Monastery involves crawling out when the surf is up. The undertow and Monsterberries (pebbles) make walking out difficult. Avoid the center of the beach. Pick a better day to dive.

Yeah! Crawl out baby!
The only thing I can add to that is have your BC empty of air otherwise one of those waves will pick you up and slam you down hard. I have the same philosophy about going in negative and coming out negative. I learned this by watching some divers come in once at Laguna Beach. I was visiting friends and we went to Laguna for the day just to hang out. It was late morning and divers were coming back in after the surf had increased significantly while they were out. There were probably six divers total that were coming in. I watched a dude get absolutely slammed by an 8' wave and the life guard had to go out and drag him in. At that point the life guard closed the beach to diving. Then I saw another guy coming in and I thought oh boy here goes. But then the diver was gone out of sight? The life guard was looking for him and wasn't seeing him. So the waves are crashing and few minutes later here comes this dude crawling out up the beach very successfully and very easily. He dumped out all his air outside of the surf zone went down and crawled out on the bottom letting the waves go over him.
I though wow! That's how to do it, and I never forgot that.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The absolute worst thing that can happen is not having propulsion in the worst part of the surf zone. Taking fins off outside and trying to beach climb that spot is a recipe for disaster. If you get sucked back in to water that is over your head and have no fins on, you're screwed! Your feet are worthless without fins on. You better hope someone is on shore and strong enough to drag your ass out.
Just crawl out with everything on.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

 

[Still Kicking]

I finally had to give up diving at OML last year.
It’s a beautiful dive whether you enter at the point or the cove, but after over a hundred dives there I have seen to many injuries and the rock scramble to enter at the point just became to tricky for me.
Even an entry and exit at the cove can be quite “challenging” unless conditions are “doable” as our leader Reverend AL used to say.
But it is a beautiful dive when conditions are “doable”.

I remember taking my son snorkeling there before he was old enough to get certified -- probably 9 or 10 years old. It was definitely a "doable" day. We went out from the point and when it was time to head in, we were hanging out on the surface outside the surf zone. I was looking out to sea, watching the swells and explaining the importance of waiting to carefully time our exit. After a minute or two I spotted a good lull and turned around to tell him to quickly kick in only to find him sitting high and dry on a rock smiling at me. Ah, the impetuosity of youth!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Seeing those makes me homesick for shore diving entry/exits.
I need to go out and do that soon, it makes it feel real!
I just love it