So I have been surfing for many years now. And the only time I ever get hurt is when I bail out inside of a tube when it closes out. Small days I can usually knife through the back of the wave. But otherwise I always end up getting wrapped up with my board or coming down on my fins. Anyone got any advise on techniques to avoid this?
I was told long ago the safest spot is in the barrel and I'm a believer cuz bailing or hesitating is when I get injured by boards or reef... so my answer is if to big to punch through or cant straighten out...stay in the barrel and 1. try to make it at all costs or 2.if there is no chance ...wait to the last possible moment to carry myself as far out of the way from the peak and set waves behind me and I get deep on the foamie part of the barrel (less of a vertical fall/less power b/c it had already unloaded than if you get picked up closer to the shoulder) and as the wave compresses fall backward and kick the board forward at the same time landing flat and extended to make myself harder to pick up and throw or less likely to get impaled on the bottom
Back in my youth, when the tube was closing, I'd punch my head up thru the tube and smile and wave at my buds as I ate poop.
I just had a mental image of that and I couldn't stop laughing. And when ever I get smashed in a barrel I go into fetal as quick as I can.
There really is no way. Once you enter the river, bailing out will send you over the falls anyway. Once you are pushed out, prepare for the might of Niagara Falls, and hope for the best.
