Sam Pa'e Paddling Thru Whitewater Vid

[Russell]

Well I don't normally surf waves where I need to paddle out through white water but Yesterday morning I gave it a go.

First thing I have to take my hat off to all of you guys who surf where you have to continuously paddle out through white water. Hard is not the word.

The technique described here really works and I think I experienced everything told here.  Yes I got a really good pounding.

If the set was only 5 waves I managed to get out but more was impossible. I managed to get 2 nice waves in the session and a really good work out.

I am lucky we have so many breaks where we don't have to go through white water and that is where I will be surfing from now on.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement to try new things.

Russell.

[Byronmaui]

Just want to revive this cause one of my friends took a board to the head today because the board was ditched. some thoughts.....

Ditch board when no one is behind you so check back of you before ditching board.

Paddle always to a safe part when paddling back out like to a channel or where the wave is less powerful.

Try Sam's technique of going through the whitewash and if all else fails kick board forward.

Just some quick thoughts and wanted to bring this thread up again. I know there are more techniques but must head to a party.

aloha

Byron

[Sam Pa'e]

Byron,

Just want to revive this cause one of my friends took a board to the head today because the board was ditched.

It would be interesting to here what happen to your friend, where was he relevant to the incident, and was he caught inside a set or someone ditched his board right next to him?

Let here what happen, so we all can analyze our own way of dealing with this situation. Maybe we can learn from this.

Aloha......Sam

[Byronmaui]

Byron,

Just want to revive this cause one of my friends took a board to the head today because the board was ditched.

It would be interesting to here what happen to your friend, where was he relevant to the incident, and was he caught inside a set or someone ditched his board right next to him?

Let here what happen, so we all can analyze our own way of dealing with this situation. Maybe we can learn from this.

Aloha......Sam

I am not sure cause benched with my injury but here is what it sounded like. Surfer A dropped down wave and Paddle surfer B was paddling out then ditched board in whitewash in front of my friend Paddle surfer C who was also paddling out. Not 100% sure but rumors or guess were flying. Luckily injured Paddle surfer C was helped to shore and looking at injury was a 3 sticher. Could have been worse. Whole incident reminded me of what a guy told me that sometimes he gets tunnel vision while riding waves. We need to really have peripheal vision while in the impact zone. Just an incident to keep us aware of the dangers of whitewash.

Aloha

Byron

[Sam Pa'e]

I am not sure cause benched with my injury but here is what it sounded like. Surfer A dropped down wave and Paddle surfer B was paddling out then ditched board in whitewash in front of my friend Paddle surfer C who was also paddling out. Not 100% sure but rumors or guess were flying. Luckily injured Paddle surfer C was helped to shore and looking at injury was a 3 sticher. Could have been worse. Whole incident reminded me of what a guy told me that sometimes he gets tunnel vision while riding waves. We need to really have peripheal vision while in the impact zone. Just an incident to keep us aware of the dangers of whitewash.

When I go to any surf spot, I approach it with a safety risk management concept in mind. Ocean Safety risk management is a systems based concept. It is the application of systemic thinking to the problems associated with making my SUP session safer and more effective.

Now to achieve this I do a random analyse of:

1) Who is in the water?
How many SUP newbies/regulars/other surfer are in the line up etc....
2) What is dangerous?
Is it the equipment, other surfer's equipment, paddle, leash, fin, Waves, reef etc...
3) Where is it dangerous?
What part of the line-up, why only in one area (surfer are surfing) and not the other, what is the tide doing (up or down) and where is it more dangerous
4) When is it dangerous?
I time the waves between set's, how many waves per set, best choice of wave, timing between (wave) intervals, Paddling out, were do I want to be paddling etc....
5) How can it be safe?
Paddle to a safe area when paddling back out, like to a channel or where the wave is less powerful, maybe stay away from ALL nobies....

How much of a problem/hazard presents can't be determined until the hazard is converted to a risk.
When the hazard is expressed in terms of how likely it is to occur, and how serious the consequences are if it does occur . . . then I can make rational decisions about how to deal with that hazard or my situation.

Maybe if paddler "C" would have determine how serious of a hazard presented itself while paddling out.... maybe a rational decisions would have been made on how to deal with this situation.

My SUP session require risk management to be very flexible.

I often make tough, complex decisions in a matter of minutes or seconds. I must be compressible and adaptable to these time constraints. On the other hand, many times I have weeks or months available for planning in case of situation that may occur. The level of detail that goes into the process depends on the time available and the extent of the risk.

So if paddler "B" would have kicked the board forward and over the wave or planned in case of this situation then maybe he would have made a complex decision in a matter of seconds

Safety is part of our responsibility. SUP'er at all levels should embrace safety as a principal element in all they do. Sustained, high-tempo sessions can put us all at risk.

High levels of discipline and training lessen those risks.

A safety procedure represent a skill and a product enforced standards, training, planning, and activities.........are all critical in success and preservation of "LIFE"

I think we all should be aware of our environment and ocean safety should be a part of our activity.

Aloha......Sam

[Shnoover]

Sam- this is a great "checklist!". I will be printing it out to use until I have it by memory.  Many thanks!

[SchUP]

Thanks for the checklist Sam -- part of going through those questions is to "slow down", and probably the hardest part for a lot of newbs (me included, still not used to the realization of carrying a paddle as an extra piece of gear out there...)