On a side note, I have gotten minor injuries plenty of times (small injuries-few stitches here and there etc..) All these injuries happened when I'm either overtired or really hungry after surfing 6+ hours.. my point is be smart and know your limits. when your performance goes down 50%, chances are your survival instincts are also 50% lower
Ehhhh, I think a lot of the risks are overrated. I've been pulled way out to sea in Hawaii plenty of times on big days, tired as hell. You just find a way to avoid the impact zone and ride the whitewater to shore. Unless it's closing out 10-12 ft, there's no reason why you can't make it in, even when exhausted. Most of my injuries have come from just plain stupidity OR other people's plain stupidity. Fin in the head- 6 stitches. Headfirst into the reef at Rocky Point - other guy dropped in on me. Ass-first into urchin at Ala Moana...just being an idiot. Head first into rocks at Playa Negra...just bad luck. I suppose we're more likely to make poor decisions when tired, so I partially agree. Some of us, however...don't need fatigue to make poor decisions. Also, I know plenty of people do surf for 6+ hours, but I don't see the point in that. You have to hydrate, eat, etc. That's way to long for high performance activity. Also, the tide rarely has a spot working for that long. Normally, if I surf for a few hours, the tide change comes and I find myself waiting longer and longer for the sets. You can be patient and wait for the waves to come, or just accept that the session is dunsky, go get some food and rest, and come back later.
