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Surf protection for you and your surfboard
Surfing is a relatively safe sport, however when you are learning to surf it is a good idea to take extra precautions. One of the easiest ways to protect yourself and your surfboard is to use a protective nose guard.
Also, have you checked the sharpness of its fins? The glass on the fins can be very sharp! In fact, fin cuts are probably one of the most common surf-related injuries. It’s a good idea to take a piece of sandpaper and lightly sand the sharp edge of the fins. Check for fins, which have a rubberized edge to help reduce the risk of lacerations to yourself or others. Available at most surf shops or online.
The Stingray Shuffle – How to Prevent Bites When Surfing
At some point in your life as a surfer, it is very likely that a stingray will bite you or someone you know.
Sorry, I don’t want to scare you … but it’s inevitable but somewhat preventable. This post is designed to help you (the beginning surfer) reduce your risk of being cut by those pesky little ‘water scorpions’. After all, if you are a beginner surfer, you are most likely the one most at risk.
First of all, what exactly are stingrays? Stingrays are large and flat with pectoral fins that look more like wings than fins. Stingrays like to roam the seafloor and sometimes burrow into the sand to protect themselves from predators. They are named after their barbed stinger, used exclusively in self-defense.
Stingrays are docile creatures by nature and do not aggressively attack humans. However, if stepped on, stingrays can feel threatened and cut their barbed tail directly at the unsuspecting surfer’s ankle or leg.
The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to practice the ‘Stingray Shuffle’ when entering or exiting the waves or when walking in shallow water. The Stingray movement is simple – just move your feet along the sandy bottom trying not to lift your toes and heels off the ground as you walk. This will kick up sand and cause the stingrays to swim away. If your toes bump into a stingray, it will likely lift the scared fish away from you.
Stings can be extremely painful but are rarely life-threatening. The barb contains venom, which can cause swelling and muscle cramps, and possibly an infection if not cared for properly. In some cases, surgery may be required to remove the stinger fragments. If you are attacked, seek immediate help from the nearest lifeguard.
How to escape a rip current in 3 easy steps
Rip currents can be dangerous and undoubtedly cause thousands of rescues and drownings of lifeguards each year. However, don’t panic. It is actually quite easy to escape most rip currents. This article will show you how.
What is a rip current? A rip current is basically a current that returns water (and anything else that floats on the surface) into the sea. You can usually spot one by looking for an area of slightly choppy and / or brown water. Rip currents are nature’s way of causing water to be trapped by waves of lime back into the sea. The bigger the waves, the more water is trapped inside by the breaking waves, so the greater the chances of rip currents. That is why whenever there is a high surf advisory, it is usually accompanied by rip current warnings.
How to escape a rip current:
Step 1: Take it easy. The biggest mistake you can make is to panic and try to fight the current. Unless you’re like Michael Phelps and have some kind of superhuman swimming ability, fighting the current puts you at greater risk of drowning, not less.
Step 2: Nothing parallel to the coast. Rip currents always run out to sea and follow the path of least resistance. All you have to do to escape is swim parallel to the shore. Rip currents are usually narrow and you will soon find yourself out of the rip.
Step 3: Once you have swam out of the rip and are no longer being swept out to sea, begin swimming back to shore.
That’s! Sounds easy enough, right? The key is to stay calm and understand that all you have to do is swim parallel to the shore until you come out of the current and only then start swimming back. Oh, and it helps not to think of sharks too!