How to Swim Through Waves

In our last blog (common surfing mistakes) we mentioned that many people aren’t strong enough swimmers when they’re in the middle of the sea.

Here’s our little tips and tricks into how you can swim through waves with less difficulty.

Never turn your back on a wave: if you do, how do you know what’s coming for you? There’s nothing scarier than being dragged under by an unexpected wave – if you know what’s going to hit you, you can prepare.

Swim where there are people: it’s even better if these people are coast guards. If there are people nearby and you get into trouble, it’s likely someone will see when you’re in trouble and they’ll be able to either get help or help you out of whatever is troubling you.

Be aware of what’s under you: sometimes you can be swimming back to shore when all of a sudden you’ve crashed because you’re in a shallow spot. Be prepared and feel with your toes when swimming so you can feel when a shallow spot is coming.

Of course if you’re in a shallow spot you can usually stand up (if the water comes up roughly waist height) and then just brace yourself against the wave.

Duck: this is probably the easiest (and best way) to deal with waves. Swimming through them takes time and practice, so why not avoid them all together? Simply duck in the water and lean towards the wave. After the whitewater has passed over you take a deep breath, duck underwater and let the wave pass over your head.

Relax: everyone gets wiped out and chucked around by the waves when surfing but if it happens to you, just relax. Don’t fight the wave, it’ll be over in seconds (though it will feel longer). Then get to the surface and look for the next wave – after a while, getting thrown about is fun!