walking out into the surf??

[surfdad50]

I will admit it, I have trouble walking out into the surf with my flippers on!! ok, any tips? do you guys walk backwards? hop/skipp? flop sideways?I seem to get hammered way too often!!(even in the pool I have trouble walking/flopping through the water) any help I would gladly try out........ thanks,andrew......

[splashy]

Lift one foot THEN the other

[hart]

Lift one foot THEN the other

incredulous advice, mate (and I am sure you're not being condescending)

most guys I see wearing flippers walk in backwards..and come out the same way

give Andrew the tip huh?

He's asking for help here..

hart

[scoop]

incredulous advice, mate (and I am sure you're not being condescending)

Hart
I thought that was a Greek Parratrooper ... lol
You can always walk in without flippers/fins on and wait till depth is deep then flipper s/fins on and away you go
cheers

Tony

[boards_and_fins]

I always wade in untill about waist deep and then put my fins on. At wedge though I have to put them on out of the water, you just get used to lifting your feet higher. I bet I can run almost as fast now with vipers on then with bare feet after alll of the practice I got last summer.

[Mike Fernandez]

I have fin leashes, so I put the fins on at the waters edge, walk in frontwards/backwards, then in waist deep I put the board in and use it to HOP forward by leaning on the board and pushing.

[SFKneelo]

FWIW...

I wear tethers on my fins, so putting them on in waist deep water is a pain.

I put them on while still on the beach. Since I wear Churchill's, I can pretty easily duck-walk to some point in the water, in which I'll turn either completely backwards or side-step... depending on currents, visibility, holes in sandbars, etc.

If it's a rock/reef bottom, I'll have my leash pulled taut from the ankle and held by the hand with the board. This will prevent looping around stuff on your way out, including your finned feet.

The remainder of the leash length has some give in case I need the slack. I'm always ready to let the taut part of the leash go if I need to.

Then there's jumping off of rocks... to be discussed later...

[fooj]

At Gland when it was low tide, I turned my fins upside down and walked all the way in and all the way out over the reef, using them as reefwalkers. You're a kneeboarder be goofy and be proud.

[skansand]

i can run with my xxl ducks until im about knee-deep ..kinda do a treading-like run where the leg does a circiling motion once im in the water.....then start walking backwards till waist-chest high....its hard to walk backwards and shuffle at the same time...stingrays everywhere even now at 55 F........i saw a couple at rjs yesterday and a batray the day before....my buddy had one stinger go straight through his big toe... ...his dog just got stung as well when it was playing in the water...

[red]

Don't hop and skip like a clown because you're sure to go down.
Don't do the knee high because it's embarrassing to watch.
Need I say anything about rear end first?

Walk slowly, with dignity and pride. Glide with your feet. Don't fight the water. Make the water your friend. Become one with your fins.

Get on your board when it's kneedeep and use the wash to drag you out. If you push under the undercurrent will assist you out. Time your paddle. It's about technique and knowledge, not blundering and strength.

[john -]

I like the scoop style...I walk out when possible to knee deep and the wack the flippers on

not always possible depending on where and conditions..beachies yes

one break at 13th is a rock shelf entrance that has pot holes and crevices..it f*&$#*g trecherous with or without flippers...actually flippers can be an advantage as they provide extra width so you dont fall in a crevice

Splashy does have a point from the perspective of the 'Yoda' school..."dont think just do"..one foot after the other




sometimes the pot is seen calling the kettle black...no!

[SFKneelo]

One thing that this thread is pointing out is that there's many ways, and some are more graceful than others.

At my normal break, it works best when all gear is in place beforehand. I can think of many others where it isn't so important.

The local is a fickle wench.

With fins/no-fins, and all the break possibilities, this is a surprisingly deep topic

[mutiny]

I almost always put my flippers on before I paddle out, and shuffle my feet/legs until i'm deep enough to paddle, depends on the surf break! easier than fumbling in the shorebreak trying to put on the flippers. On my first paddle out at a boulder pointbreak in scotland, I did the rock dance in my 5mm booties to the edge of the sea entered the sea, easy! Booties are great, ( having never worn 5mm booties before)
THEN proceeded to get pummled on the boulders in the whitewater trying to get my flippers over the 5mm booties took a serious flogging.
after that experience I put on my flippers BEFORE entering the sea with any rocks or reef involved.

[Beeline2.0]

..

[zorro]

Andrew,

Never turn your back on the ocean.

Walk forwards.
When you are over shin deep water try:

For stability, have your board in your dominant hand, hold it by the rail at 90 degrees to the water surface, nose facing out to sea. Bounce it up and down a little to keep the rail buried in the water. With practice you'll find it supports you nicely for when your flippered feet stumble on unseen sand undulations.

It's easier to control with the fins facing towards you - because of the rocker. (Of course if you are walking out on rocks have the fins away from you )

Walking forwads wears your "flippers" out thou, they crease just outside the foot area. Doesn't matter tho.