Been to the island a few times, aguadilla, rincon, Isabella, etc. After multiples sessions a day and one hard reef bounce I found that I had stepped and had urchin spikes in my foot and knee. Just wondering how people surf Middles at a low tide man those things are anywhere any tips on reef walking? Spots like jobos you can walk/paddle right out and paddling in shallow water can. Damage your board or fins. Don't wanna sound like a kook but I'd like to save the tweezer harm.
don't step in any crevices or holes, that's where they like to live...only put your feet down in light colored areas of the reef...anything dark or black like a hole or urchin avoid. As soon as you can float without your fins hitting, start paddling. Sometimes it's unavoidable.
Soak your foot in vinegar itll make the process much easier when removing them. Sometimes they slide right out. Otherwise, its pretty hard to avoid.
always tell people that urchins don't jump - the rocks don't jump either u have to step on them - I did hear that they jump in mexico tho so careful if one has floated over to Puerto rico from there. has something to do with beans in mex - I dunno - anyway u like my seeester - also heard that a little of your moms pee or your best friends moms pee works real well on urchins - bottle some up and bring it with you - pour it on and you good to go
I avoid the reef at all costs, in PR... even the cost of scraping the bottom of my board of fins on a rock. But most of all, I try not to put myself in those positions to begin with. Some say it's unavoidable, but I've managed to avoid it my whole life... so far.
double post... sorry... so I'll tell a quick story... Was surfing this kinda sketchy spot west of San Juan... it's a reef you can paddle out to, but you need to scramble down a cliff to get in in the water in this little cove, then paddle through this really narrow, shallow pass between two rock cliffs. You have to time it right, and paddle when a wave comes through the passage and surges because it's too shallow to paddle through when the water sucks back out. I was standing waiting my turn to get in the water, and I watch this other visiting surfer NOT time it right. As he's paddling the stabs his hand into an urchin. He stops, looks at his hand, than gets off his board and attempts to stand up, stepping on urchins with both feet. Ba-bye...
Sounds similar to my buddy jobe at table rock, miss timed wave and got put on his back! Day before thanksgiving.
If you really want to freak, go snorkeling at domes, marias, wilderness, etc ... you don't want to know whats waiting...
have u ever even snorkeled marias ? cause if you have you would be more concerned with the steel ladders from the shipwreck there that have eroded and sticking str8 up amongst other objects there that will do you in. and don't even think of surfing the popcorn section or indicators those breaks will hurt you real bad - just paddle the dome and surf with black albert and the queen of montauk
Yo, wife got it pretty good on the inner ankle a couple years back at wilderness on a heavier day. Now she knows to never put her feet down when reef is around.. Buy the way she surfed the next 6 days after fixing her up. What a trooper!
This is a message from the one and only - shredmachine - he shreds these breaks all the time, we are talking complete KFC turns here... This is what the shred says: 1- at all cost- stay on top of the water. It's kinda like this- if the police pick you up, jump out of the back of their car and crawl on top of a toll booth or something. Do the same In the water. 2- protect your shred stick- and paddle out thru the shallows with it upside down. Avoid the shallows and paddle around to save your shred stick. The shred explains it like this- when running from The police- find a good place to hide, like your moms basement in Lakewood nj or something. Why waste your time on those places anyways? Just head straight to Belmar nj, best waves around
uh yeah I did, but probably didn;t go out far enough to see the whatever .. but did swim over near pistons... it was the size and prevalence of urchins that got my attention... and some large turtles
Chuckle, Chuckle. No urchins at Jobos. 'Course not, you guys stepped on all of them plus all the pollution at that break now. Jobos *used* to be the worse. The keyhole at Wilderness is huge... try the one at ****house Tons of santeria at that place called Pistons... And don't take a bad fall at Bridges, homies!
