Surfing is fun but it’s always important keep a bunch of safety rules in mind. It will spare you bruises and other injuries. We’ve prepared 7 surf safety tips for beginners which will help you stay safe in the water.
1. Cover your head
Always protect your head when falling off the board. Also, don’t jump off the board. Instead, fall flat, which will prevent you from hitting the reef or the sand bottom in shallower water.
2. Hold your surfboard
If faced by an oncoming wave, hold your board and turtle roll. Don’t let go of your board unless you really have to but first make sure there is nobody behind you.
3. Don’t keep the board between you and the wave
If you’re off the board, make sure you keep it to your side. If you keep the board between you and the wave, you are at risk of getting hit by the board when a wave comes your way.
4. Keep distance
Make sure to keep distance between you and other surfers when you’re in the line-up or paddling back. Also, use the channel to paddle back to avoid getting in the way of other surfers.
5. Face the beach or the wave
Always face the beach or the wave. Don’t position yourself along the wave when the set is coming. The wave will roll you over and you are likely to end up in a washing machine.
6. Follow surf etiquette
Respect other people in the water and follow the surf etiquette. It makes the surf safe and more fun. Also, listen to your instructor as they’re there to ensure you learn as well as keep safe.
7. Take a proper surf lesson
You will learn much quicker if you take a proper surf lesson. Surfing is not just about learning the technique but also reading the waves and following the surf etiquette in the water. As a beginner, you are much safer if you paddle out with an instructor or a surf guide, as not being able to read the waves or not knowing the rules in the water, you can be a risk to yourself and other surfers.
