Dangers of surf riding, please read!!!!!

[Crab]

From Kevins (Crashski) post on the other site:

Re: Tierra del Mar Saturday 11/15

Here is what all happened.

Jason lost his ski after doing a nose stab when he finally got to his ski it was full of water. He was holding his ski the best he could for the conditions. The only part of the ski floating was the back. Every time a wave came the ski sunk and Jason struggled to keep a hold of his ski. Jason was standing in about chest deep water for him and noticed Kyle and I coming to help him. For some reason he let go of his ski when he saw us. The story gets worse from here. I flag Tim down because he has a tow rope and start swimming for the ski. Tim meats up with me and I grab onto his ski. We get to Jason’s ski but Tim doesn't have a rear tow loop and starts to tie the rope to his ski. I try to no avail to get to Jason front tow loop. In the process of this we are still being washed out to sea. Finally Tim has his end of the rope tied off but I have lost Jason ski. We proceed to his ski and still can’t get to the tow loop. We decide to hook it to the back of the ski but again no tow loop. In the process of trying to tie it off we are hit by a wave and Tim loses his ski. I swim back to Jason’s ski and see Tim at his ski. I start yelling to Tim I have the ski and the tow loop, No response from Tim. I get hit by two more waves and still no Tim! Fighting holding on to the ski, incoming waves and exhaustion I apologize in advance to Jason and let go of his ski and start my swim back to shore. I have been swimming for what seems like forever and still no Tim. Finally as a wave hits me a lifts me up I see Tim's ski and Tim about 20 yards behind it. About what feels like a life time has passed since I let go of Jason ski I finally am on the beach exhausted and barely able to stand.

Everyone on the beach came down and asked if I was ok they said they could not see me for about 10 minutes and where afraid that I was lost. I thought to my self hey we had two running skis on the beach why didn't anybody grab a ski and come help us.

We watch the ski bobbing in the surf between the two breaks and I think to my self man it felt like I was allot further out than that. We try and come up with a plan to get his ski back and I assure him we will not leave until it’s on the trailer.

I am too tired to take my ski out and Tim's ski is hydro locked. I tell Tim to use my ski grab Tim's cart and head down the beach to meet Jason. As i am standing next to Jason with his ski only 15 yards out. I start walking toward it and the under current is so strong I turn back. As I am standing on the beach I am thinking man it is so close if I swim out I can get it! The memory of my first swim back to shore comes to mind an I decide against it. Jason is convinced he has lost his ski I tell him we will get it and ill stay until it’s on the trailer.

The ski gets washed out again and Jason and I walk back up the beach to come up with a plan and get help. Well by this time Tim has got his ski running and it is decided that Tim will hook the tow rope to the Handel pole and drag it to the beach it he can find it. Jason and I head back down the beach about a mile and we see Tim doing tight circles. A little later we see Time struggling to get the ski on the beach. Roughly a mile and a half from the no vehicle sign we finally get to Tim. To all are amazement the ski is not damaged or scratched, this is after bouncing off the bottom for about an 1 hour to an hour and a half. Jason and I load the ski on the cart and start the long drag back to the truck.

Physically exhausted we start to work on his ski. We get all the water out of it but can’t get it started.

With skis loaded and 4 1/2 hours after we lost the ski everyone heads home. It took us almost 3 1/2 hours to get the ski back to the truck and an hour of working on it.

All in all it was a good day, no one died and no skis lost. I went through two tanks of gas and had fun up until trying to get the ski back.

 

[stanton]

it goes real bad real quick. just a reminder of how nuts the sport really is.

 

[BruceSki]

damn... just goes to show you the ocean is a dangerous place... dont ride alone and dont bring too many surf rookies.

it can get scary very fast. make sure everyone has tow loops and an accessible rope. good thing no one in that story got hurt and lucky they didnt lose a ski.

 

[ADDict]

damn... just goes to show you the ocean is a dangerous place... dont ride alone and dont bring too many surf rookies.

it can get scary very fast. make sure everyone has tow loops and an accessible rope. good thing no one in that story got hurt and lucky they didnt lose a ski.

X2, that can get scary, fast. The few times I've been fortunate enough to ride in the surf I haven't had any MAJOR troubles. Had a few tow ins, no majro damage. Damn that could get bad in a hurry.

 

[LBE]

damn... just goes to show you the ocean is a dangerous place... dont ride alone and dont bring too many surf rookies.

I have trouble on big surf days when there are newer people out there. I'm always watching them to make sure they don't get pounded.

The ocean can be powerfull!

 

[rasper99]

It was great in the morning but was nasty foamy surf in the afternoon. That's when things started happening. It would have helped to have more riders.

 

[GDFL]

Even the small stuff in waist deep water can roll you and scare you a bit if you aren't used to it. That's just another reminder that EVERY rider should have a tow rope and front AND back tow loops. It makes life so much easier when you can hook your tow rope to the front of your ski and put the other end in the air to wait on someone to come by and just slow down for the split second to clip in and go.

 

[MADMAT]

Yea I am always shocked how a 6" wave in the ocean will flip your ski on the beach but here in Lake Erie it would take a 2 footer +.

 

[crashski]

Actually we didn’t have any new people riding with us; everyone has been riding in the surf for at least 2 years. The tide had turned and was going out and the surf just got nasty. We had 4 people on the beach with running skis but no one helped beside Tim and me.

I think next time i ride in the surf 1 am going to take 200' floating rope so someone if need be can swin out and we can pull them and the ski in.

Here is a picture of the ski that was almost lost.

Kevin

 

[stanton]

Actually we didn’t have any new people riding with us; everyone has been riding in the surf for at least 2 years. The tide had turned and was going out and the surf just got nasty. We had 4 people on the beach with running skis but no one helped beside Tim and me.

I think next time i ride in the surf 1 am going to take 200' floating rope so someone if need be can swin out and we can pull them and the ski in.

Here is a picture of the ski that was almost lost.

Kevin

what dix! i woulda been out there in a second!:bs2:

 

[brett]

the surf you guys ride up there is crazy in and of itself....

 

[crashski]

The surf was great in the morning started turning nasty around 11:30
The first Pic is at 9 in the morning the second is around 3 while we wee dragging the ski back.

Barry has a video posted on the other site of our first ride.

 

[madscientist]

this makes me want to carry about a 100yds of repelling rope so that you can run the rope out to the ski then head to shore to recover it

 

[yamasaki]

back 'in our prime', lol, our crew had the surf safety thing down to a science. i can honestly say i NEVER worried about my or my skis safety when riding with the crew. mandatory loops and roops, hand signals, courtesy and respect.. we had that down pat.

 

[Talsivar]

normally i'm pretty well prepared with a tow rope in the tray, a loop in front,and back. but last weekend i lost the loop in back and forgot to replace it. Those waves were coming so fast and hard that as soon as we'd get close we were tossed away. Then when i lost my ski while trying to hook the rope to the sunken ski it was over. I started swimming back which sucks with a helmet in winter surf. unfortunately Kevin didn't see that i had lost the ski until a little later. It was pretty scary i really thought i was going to drown, and at that point i was just hoping for anybody to come out and help. I'm just glad we both made it back to shore ok. I think i need to carry one of those self inflating life rafts with me from now on.

 

[2ride]

I'm glad you guys are okay, If I was there You know I would be right there with you to HELP..

 

[ridethelip]

Who's gonna bring the runabout?

If your o.k. with swimming and surfing in big water than you belong.You have to work up to it.The ski sometimes provides a false sense of security for the less experienced.Once the ski is dead the beating begins.You guys worked together and that's the best thing you can do.There is a guy that rides every day at Oceanside starting before sun up.He boasted to me of making the swim back from the river mouth with dead ski in tow.I don't think that's smart and he may someday make the news paying with his life after injuring himself.Then we will blame the dead guy for getting the place closed down.

 

[tightithrash]

If your o.k. with swimming and surfing in big water than you belong.You have to work up to it.The ski sometimes provides a false sense of security for the less experienced.Once the ski is dead the beating begins.You guys worked together and that's the best thing you can do.There is a guy that rides every day at Oceanside starting before sun up.He boasted to me of making the swim back from the river mouth with dead ski in tow.I don't think that's smart and he may someday make the news paying with his life after injuring himself.Then we will blame the dead guy for getting the place closed down.

yeah i saw that guys saturday morning ride out by himself at dawn with a back pack, chris said he hasnt missed a day in 2 years. said one time his ski died and he swam 2 miles out to sea to get past the break and got to the harbor. when you first hear a story like that you go "wow that guys gnarly" than hearing a story like this and than thinking about how that guy left with no body but himself........makes you think " wow thats :skull2:"

 

[yankeeboy]

we had a similar trip this year. My superjet quit, and sunk, and my dads was a newby on his b1. So he jumped off and started swiming, getting swept out to sea. I towed my ski to the shore and went back and picked him up. Then walked my locked ski a mile back to the ramp, along the bank. That sucked! surf is scary when the odds are against you

 

[kx454]

when i rode surf i kept getting my skirt caught in the intake grate...but thats just me