Every Surfers Worst Nightmare... 

As a surf photographer I only have one more tip for these situations: - Think always about the next one. It doesn't matter if a big wave is going to smash you, while you are diving you have to think "the next one is worst" instead of "just this and I'm safe". Think always there is a next one because many times will be. That with the calm and the breathe made myself to escape from many dangerous situations for me and my camera.

My preferred technique is to watch videos on the Internet.

In my younger days I could hold my breath for almost three minutes. I've never had a hold down that even came close to scaring me. I used to LOVE getting ragdolled when it was inevitable. Going limp and just letting the water do it's thing was one of the most relaxing experience ever, like a big massaging washing machine.

Old surfer here. I surfed in the days before board chords, in the 70's, at Hanalei. My mantra was to wrap my arms around my board when going over the falls. I've been tucked many a time washing machine fashion. Also relax and let the wave action have its way with you. If/ when you loose your board stay in the white water as it will push you to shore. Stay away from all channels as all that water is rushing off the reef and rushing back to sea. The white water is actually your friend and body surf it back to shore. Never surf big waves when you are physically tired. Rest on shore and surf another day.

Three years ago, I was a lower-level intermediate when I first went over the falls. I was paddling in for the evening at Kings Beach in Queensland, Australia. I reached the shore break and thought I would try to catch one. It was really dumpy and the wave looked like it was closing out; I hesitated thinking about what to do and then pulled back- one second too late. I failed to throw my board to the side and got slammed down over it when it hit the seafloor. Cracked two ribs and coughed up blood. It turned out not to be serious, but I couldn't lie on a surfboard for four weeks it hurt so much. Lesson learned: hesitation is a surfer's bane.

I surf the North Shore of Hawaii Island and I've had some pretty bad hold downs. Letting my board go is definitely a last resort, because it will be destroyed on the rocks if your leash breaks. Having said that, when a 20' wall of water is coming down on your head, you definitely don't want to be near the surface. Holding your board won't matter, because it will absolutely be snatched out of your hands like candy from a baby. Even if you have your arms wrapped around your board and your hands locked together, there is no way you'll be able to hold on. It really is incredible to have something as big as your gun, ripped from your arms instantly, like less than a tenth of a second. If you do somehow hold on, you'll lose so much yardage, it's a real possibility that both you and your board will be dashed on the rocks. If it's a mountain of whitewater, I'll make an effort to duck, but if it's too big and I can't get under the initial impact, I know I failed immediately and I'll just let my board go and continue my duckdive without the board. I usually lose less ground this way, but the down side is, you have to reel in your board and if it's upside down, you'll be swimming under the next wave too and so on. 🤔 Now that I think about it, why do I even do this, it's insane. 🤣

i used live in California and id surf most everyday when i was a teenager. got to play around in some bigger waves and learn the ocean at the same time. i am 33 now, I haven't surfed in many years, but i still have dreams of being trapped in big waves when my life is in turmoil. the feeling of being powerless and tossed around is a unique one, not easily forgotten.

Great presentation! Although I'm now 70 years old and never really surfed I appreciate what you surfers are doing and applaud you all!!!!

I was surfing Carpentaria as an intermediate all alone in the 90s when a rogue set came through, twice the size of what was rolling that day. I was stoked and went on the first wave, only to eat it and then suffer the scariest hold down of my life. I came up from the first hold down only to face a bigger second wave. When that one was through with me, I came up and number three was even bigger. I recall being under and thinking, "This is it; I'm gassed. If there's a fourth, it's over." I surfaced, gasping, to see a beautiful, flat ocean that let me paddle in and live to surf another day.

Scariest hold down I ever experienced, I wiped out while on the face of the wave....seemed like 50', when it was probably 10-12' at most....I got clipped by the heavy lip of the barrel, wind knocked out of me immediately when I crashed into the bottom of the wave hard, than I got sucked up by the wave, felt the weightless free fall as I'm going down sideways through the air/over the falls and impact the water hard again ....rinse and repeat....two more waves the exact same size come charging right at me....one bigger than the next....kept calm, controlled my breath, knowing when I fell on the first one what to expect... Than I opened my eyes....EVERYTHING BLACK.... Absolutely scared me to death and I panicked, didn't know which way was up, didn't know how my body was even orientated to the surface....literally thought I'm going to drown, I have the wind knocked out of me, I remained patient for what seemed like an hour and now I can't even find the way out....pitch black all around, f***ing terrifying..... Next wave hits, boom....thank God, it wrapped my leash around my mid-section as I went through the washing machine again, so I was able to unravel it real quick and follow the leash to my board on the surface....and than boom, hit again, but at least I took the biggest one second inhale any human has ever done before..... I have never experienced such a time in my life such as that where I resigned myself to dying..... Finally find the surface after the set....I'm stuck inside at Sunset Cliffs, SD and the waves keep firing....no beach, inside is only cliffs....took me 45 minutes of continuous duck dives to finally make it out of the cove and not get pummeled against the rocks.....thank God I was young and in good surfing shape, otherwise I think there would be some makeshift cross with my name on it up along the road/tourist spots asking the cliffs

A couple of other things that always made a big difference for me was also making sure you have a much longer leash for 8 - 10 foot swells and above. Also on reef breaks I found opening my eyes after getting washing machined in impact zones helped me get a much quicker orientation of where the surface was. I came very close once in the 90,s surfing on La Graciosa at el corral in the Canaries. it was a solid 6-8 foot rising swell with cross offshore winds and I got caught out by a rogue set. one of my friends who had gone in because the wind was starting to swing cross onshore started shouting and whistling and I just had time to realize a much bigger set was coming in but could not make it out of the impact zone in time. I dove down toward the reef as far as I could just before impact and still got totally ragdolled and took the second wave over me while still under. I remember opening my eyes punching for the light and just making it in time for a brief second of air before taking the third wall over me. My head was pounding and I was seeing loads of multi colored lights but thankfully I had been washed down point so was able to get some breaths in before the tail end of the fourth wave. I paddled back out and just sat there going WTF just happened before getting out which is a whole other fiddle to there in big swells lol Epic times though no regrets. Also If poss try and flatten your body out as much as you can when wiping and getting sucked over in heavy shore breaks and shallow reefs.

I don't surf. I don't even live near the beach. But this was still very interesting too watch.

Wear a buoyancy vest! Got caught inside on a 10 plus day at my local reef about 400m offshore. Had to bail, stand and dive method, got a couple of strokes down as it got hold of me. Got a breath as I came out of the back of the wave, while getting sucked over, then got obliterated. Popped up as the next one was about to unload on me. Smashed again but washed out of impact zone. Third and fourth were a mountains of white water. Leggy held and I finally got my board back spun around and got bounced by the fifth wave. I was 52! Shook me up. The vest saved my life. Just a wakeboard impact vest with stomach pads removed. Still surfing at 59 but keep it real nowadays. No 10 foot days but wear my vest when solid. Stay fit and flexible. Riding a 9”1” Takayama. So much fun. Keep surfing

Sometimes the pressure going over the falls pushes all the air out of the lungs. Doesnt matter how fit you are in big surf if a combitination of things go wrong its game over

If above 10' in a bad impact zone, I always go for option 3. Grab my board by the rails, chest on the tail and wait for the turbulent six feet white wash roll to shoot me like a rocket towards the shore. Definitely more fun than struggling to breath for a minute.

Been there. Almost died. If you're caught in huge sets, which are holding you under for 30, 60, 180 seconds at a time, curl up and protect your head and neck from ocean floor impact, let yourself float to the top, and when you get there, breath as many huge breaths as you can. The next wave is probably falling on you right about now. It's ALL about not panicking. and conserving oxygen. 1 wave (usually) isn't going to kill you. 10 in a row, will. Conserve oxygen. You will always lose if you attempt to fight the ocean.

This is actually a REALLY good tutorial. Most “tutorials” are no better than sweaty balls on a hot day, but this one actually gives good suggestions. #3, taking a moment to gather yourself and look for other surfers to help get your bearings is something many folks miss when getting hammered. It feels like an eternity, but in reality it just isn’t that long when taking a couple to the head. Being calm uses less oxygen internally. Best advice I can give folks is to practice holding your breath outside of the water. If you can hold your breath for 90 seconds, that should be enough for most surfers. Those who surf big waves need more, but for the average guy or gal who surfs, it’s rare to find yourself on waves bigger than 10-15’ faces.

Over the falls is the worst, because you are being propelled into the explosion zone like a pile driver. Being in the explosion zone is as bad but you don’t have the added momentum of the wave throwing you down. The water is your friend, it will cushion the force of the wave so the deeper you are, the safer you are.

My preferred method was to stay on the beach when the waves were overhead and mostly surf beach breaks. Yes, I was a casual surfer but I loved it!

It had been dead flat all day when I heard that perfect sets had begun rolling in at Bells 8 minutes apart. It was 8:30pm with only 30 min of daylight so my friend and I drove done and sure enough perfect waves were coming in in 8 min intervals and there was no one out so my friend and I paddled to the usual take off spot and didn't have to wait long for the sets to start rolling in but we very quickly realised that the waves were 2x-3x what were estimated from the cliff and were are least 12-15 foot (hard to tell when there was no one in the water) and were peaking a good 100 metres further out that normal. We began paddling like made to make it over the first wave which we barely made (they wave were so high that our ears popped as we went up the face) but there was no way were were gonna make it past the 2nd and 3rd and they broke right on top of use. Unlike regular waves, when these broke it was initially like being under Niagra falls and the wave would initially push you down, then after a split second it was like an explosion and you wouldnt know which way was up. One thing that does not get conveyed when seeing huge waves on video is that when the waves are right in front of you they fill up your peripheral vision as well so the wave is not just high, it fills your entire vision. Never been rag dolled so hard before and when I started paddling for the surface I realised I was actually paddling down. One other scary / memorable 'over the falls' wipeout was when I was surfing Jan Juc's bird rock at low tide where I could see the seaweed as the wave would suck up on take off. Not particularly big, 4-5 foot reef break, but has fast hollow short rides especially at low tide. On this particularly large wave I was probably six feet too far forward (the takeoff area is tiny) and was lip thrown so hard that I cleared the wave like I had been shot from a cannon and I instinctively positioned my body as horizontal as possible with arms outstretched as I expected to hit the reef but surprisingly didn't and thought 'hmmm, that didn't seem as shallow as I thought' until I stood up and found that the water was maximum only 4 feet deep. Was a miracle I didn't get a cracked skull that day.

I was surfing Ocean Beach in San Francisco on a moderately big day probably double overhead. Anyone who surfs there knows that wipeouts can be brutal even on smaller swells. I paddled into a pretty big one, but was just too late and free fell down the face. At first I thought no big deal. I hit feet first and went deep and thought OK it’ll just pass over me. But suddenly the turbulence wrapped my leash around my ankles and then I was 20+ feet down and hog tied. I couldn’t use my feet to kick up, so I was freaking out, trying to swim up with one arm while using the other hand to try and get my leash untangled. Then I could feel the next wave breaking on top and knew I was in for at least a two wave hold down. I definitely was starting panic and to see spots in front of my eyes when the drag from my board pulled from the second wave me up to the surface, and I was able to get the leash un tangled before the next wave hit. But definitely puts the fear of God in you, It’s the panic that gets you, not the wave. I’m guessing I was underwater for 30, maybe 40 seconds tops but it felt like 5 minutes.

Love it, absolutely love the sensation of going over backwards. Big tip , relax and enjoy the ride.

These guys are superhuman living through that. I can hold my breath a long time in a still environment but right after heavy paddling, maybe getting only a half breath, and facing a savage beating, I don't know how these guys do this.

ive had many many over the falls experiences, the worst kind is when you duck dive come up the other side and it sucks you back down over the falls .. its sucks the most because you think you have made the duck dive.

Great video, thank you for this. Something similar happened to me a few days ago at La Gravière in Hossegor. I paddled out from Plage Naturiste, where the current is very strong. It pushed me about 500 meters to La Gravière. Being fed up with the current I decided to paddle back to the beach so I could walk back to my starting point. I was approaching the shore when a set of three waves took me by surprise. Hossegor is a sandy beach with beach breaks and a steep ocean floor. I saw the waves coming and started paddling out like hell! The moment I realized I wasn’t going to make it, I saw a huge 10-12ft glassy wall of water-like a monster-ready to break over me with the speed of a train. My first thought was: “Oh shit, here we go!” I didn't really know what to do, so I quickly prepared to duck dive, my heart beating twice as fast as normal. I failed, and the wave lifted me up and smashed me down into turbulence I had never experienced before. Knowing there were more waves coming, I tried to get to the surface as soon as possible, but the whirlpool kept me down. Before the next wave hit, I managed to take a few breaths, but this time I started to panic. The next wave was bigger and stronger, and I found myself in a weird place where I couldn't tell which way was up or down. My lungs were crying out in panic, and then I suddenly remembered-the leash! I grabbed the leash and pulled myself up to the board. I popped up into the white foam, my lungs screaming for oxygen. I took a short breath, and once again-here we go. The third wave was smaller but still strong. It held me down, and I started to think, “I can't take a fourth one; I'm done.” After the third wave, I was closer to the shore, so the fourth one was just a wall of white water, giving me a bumpy ride to the shallow water, where I limped to the beach. I was coughing and shaking for five minutes before I finally made it back to my starting point. No more surfing for me that day. That was my scariest surfing experience-totally helpless, my heart full of fear, out of breath, while the ocean kept pushing me down.

My best hack is I only paddle out when the waves are 2-3 feet 💪

Underrated, thanks for sharing.

Blacks Beach, La Jolla, CA, is a powerful wedge that gets gnarly when it goes off. I've gone over the falls there on 6-8 foot swells that pulverized my soul. Double and triple hold downs at Blacks can make you question your sanity. It's very possible to snap a leash, if you ditch. When it gets big, it gets steep and shallow, elevating the stakes. I can't tell you how many boards I've seen carried up the hill in pieces. My preferred duck dive was the standard one but, to save the board, if I was late, I'd bear hug it, roll and get the rails vertical and try to cut through the wave...and do everything possible to save the board. Ditching was always forbidden. It was only used in extreme situations and would probably get someone's ass kicked if their board hit someone. It just wasn't done. I've gotten doubled and tripled and started getting nervous and prayed to the surf gods to get a breath, only to get pummeled again. I was a long distance runner and could swim 2-1/2 lengths of a lap pool on 1 breath. I always cleared the impact zone, without truly panicking. I can see how it can happen though, especially, after the 2nd denial. I live along the gulf side of Florida now. There's virtually no surf most of the year. I keep a longboard ready but really miss those SoCal waves.

I was born and raised on Oahu south shore although I surfed the country frequently in the winter.Summers were always a prize for a walk to the beach. Portlock Point comes off of deep water and jacks up on an 8’deep reef which u would think u have a lot if cushion. But punching 3 step ladder sets with faces upwards of 20’, the last one I thought i could punch through but the lip hit the tail of my board and i went inside over the falls and ended up hitting the bottom 8’below. Fingers bleeding and bottom of new board trashed. So u are right, itcan happen to anyone anywhere.

Surfing Black's in the 60's occasionally found us long boarders in 15 foot waves that sucked so hard that ducking would catapult us like a sling shot pointed at the beach. What I did was to duck with the board with the rail down so that the impact of the water would have less surface to sling shot. I would tuck the nose under my arm. Worked for Black's.

As someone who is from Hawaii (40 years) I have gone over the falls at every beach. The best thing to do is try to get your last good breath and relax. Don't fight the washing machine. Let it toss you up. Just guard your head and try to go over feet first obviously. Remain calm and take deliberate breaths.

Best surf channel on YT ! I’d say a,b and c depending on size, kind of wave (spilling, plunging ) and position to shore or distance to direct impactzone

One thing that was not mentioned is correct wave selection predicated on the current amount of sets rolling in for that day. For example if you watch the sets and they’re coming in three, four and five at a time, does it make sense to takeoff on the first wave????? PROBLEM, if you miss, your take off, kick our, or are not adjacent to a shoulder for a take off you have a four wave hole down tor a nasty paddle session of waves to punch through. Most surfers look at the sets and take off on the second to the last wave or speculate if it’s the the last wave of that current set. When this happens it gives some time to enjoy their wave, kick out, paddle back out, and take a little rest for the next set. This concept ensures you only have to paddle through one wave coming back to the line up. Armatures or inexperienced surfers go on the first wave or experienced surfers who are coming in for the day. BTW You are going to get hungry in the line up. Keep a protein in each sleeve of your wet suit and a capri sun in your zip chest (rip curl) of you wet suit. Nothing beats timing the tide, killer rights all morning and you have to come in to eat or 💩. Capris get the salt out of your nose after a nasty hold down.

On a day at Huntington Beach a couple years ago, waves were big, breaking outside and inside when I got sucked over the falls on a four footer on my boogie board. Separated my shoulder on a small wave...Gotta respect the ocean.

When I was 14 I got caught in the biggest waves that I've ever seen out in the water. It felt so wrong, like how could the ocean create such massive waves. I tried scratching over the first wave only to see six more on the horizon. My friends and everyone around me had already been washed down the beach by a smaller set. It was the middle of the winter at the Huntington Beach cliffs so the water was dark brown and ice cold. The second wave was absolutely massive and I was praying out loud to God. I dove as far as I could but it still caught me and rag dolled me. It was pitch black and I could feel the pressure in my ears because I was so deep. At one point my board hit me in the head which was freaky because the wave drove my board down with me. Once the thrashing subsided I swam with everything I had and barley made the surface. The foam was like a foot deep, my legs were being twisted as the current sucked me down and let be back up. I couldn't find my board, then another one landed on me and I took another thrashing. I had to fight with everything that I had to make the surface. After three waves I had been washed in from the knarly impact zone so I let the next couple wave hammer me so they would wash me in even farther. I was able to grab my board and held on and rode the biggest white water of my life back to the beach. I sat in silence on the beach for a while and didn't say anything to anyone that day about it. After that I realized that being in the water is mostly a mind game and you have to stay calm no matter what. Now that I'm 54 and out of shape I realize that your body better be conditioned too, but it still boils down to your mind staying centered in the storm.

I just Boggie Board with mild waves! I have deep respect for the power of the ocean. Had scary experience.

Some 45 years ago, having gone over the falls on my own in a mere 15-18 ft. in Guéthary, France (and received a relentless pounding thereafter), I decided I NEVER wanted to undergo the experience again. I thank God it's not me every time I watch wipe outs in big surf. Plus 6ft. I was out of there, PDQ. I took up high board diving instead. Self inflicted wipe outs were much more do-able.

Broke my nose by being held down on a wave, smacked the sand like being hit by mike tyson. Everything you said is good information, the ocean is very powerful and demands respect.

I always used to hold on to my board for dear life as it would always find the surface, have had quite a few non surfing related injuries though and haven't had a paddle for the past 30 years.

Excellent Coverage, nice slowing down the Video. Recommend using Red Arrows to show some details also. Another RU-vidr Brad Jacobsen always does an excellent job with his Visual Arrows and extremely slowing down his Videos. Your under water duck Videos are the best I’ve ever seen. Great job on that 🙏

Biggest fears over the falls = tangling with my board/fins or getting slammed then dragged across shallow, urchin-covered reef. Or getting dragged towards barnacle-covered rocks.

As an avid free diver I’m good with breath control but was very surprised by the power or big waves. Im taking maybe 10 feet in the Pacific. Was use to shorter period waves of the E coast. The first long period 10 footer that I wiped out on was a BIG surprise. Wow, what a difference.

ive almost finished my patented design for a life saving device called Lastbreath for big wave surfers, worn like a watch, sometimes holding your breath dosnt work when 100 tons of water presses your lungs flat ant you have to take 2 or 3 on the head.

Just liked and subscribed! Best video clips of heavy surf nightmares! But you quickly give the keys to survive the worst. Much thanks as I’m sure it will save someone’s ass! Most of us had to learn this by the experience in the old days!

Thanks for sharing will share out in community.

I don’t think you can explain how terrifying that looks.

Unconventional but it works to duckdive sideways and rotate a further 90 degrees, so you are deep underwater but are unconventionally facing towards shore as the wave hits you, and so instead of being driven backwards out of control, you are driven forwards with some control. This can work in situations where you are facing a huge broken wave, whilst lacking momentum. Once the foam drives you forward you can gain momentum and use your board to steer for the surface in the aftermath of the waves energy. This also can get you to a safer zone where you won't get the next wave on the head with full ferocity. It can buy you some time to get some breaths.

I used to swim in waves and try to go over the falls (thanks for the terminology!) Until I did that in a just under 4 meter (13 foot) shorebreak. There was a big set and I was in chest deep water, getting pulled up the wave and slammed right onto like a remaining 30 centimeters (1 foot) of water and sand below. It was an experience I neither want to miss nor repeat. Can't imagine what it must be like to go over the falls of a 50 foot wave, that must be absolutely insane. I was fine that day, but a lady trying the same thing (probably seeing me having fun in the waves, and thinking she'd be fine, if an athletic german dude can do it, she can as well or smth) and she broke her shoulder on a wave just like mine. Waves have incredible power and if I didn't know how to properly protect my head, I could have easily been knocked out. Needless to say I didn't stay in the breaking zone of those waves for long. Usual sets were almost only half that size that day, so it was kind of a surprise to see waves that large. //edit: the one at 1:57 explains almost perfectly the situation I was in xD

My favorite thing about 'going over the falls'? Sucking in that last giant breath as you're stuck in the time warp of that eternal moment that you wish could last a little longer.

I quit surfing in the 90s after the falls threw me onto the ocean floor leaving me concusses, with a sprained neck, jarred vertebrate that has left me with lifelong scoliosis, and two broken ribs. Never again....... I'll watch from a distance!

One time a very fat drunk woman rolled over on top of me while asleep. Breathing techniques saved my life.

My nose was one massive scab 76/77 north shore Oahu..16 years old..skipping school everyday to avoid getting pummeled by locals at wahiwa high ( leilahua high school) for just 10 cents you could take " the bus " around the whole island if you wanted..but hanging at Waimea or pipe was the norm...McDonald's serving tray , and pair of voit duck feet fins ( couldn't afford churchills) I would body surf in conditions above my capabilities..back then the life guards used megaphone to warn people that " SETS " were coming..you either swam out deep or got out...OR GOT CAUGHT IN BETWEEN as many did .. the balls of 16 year old are big and lung capacity pretty strong as well...but getting slammed into sand , reef and not knowing which way is up ..only to actually break the surface and inhale nothing but foam ..crazy shit. A GI saved my life once and someone else..I couldn't thank because they left before I regained consciousness...smoking bud at closed haleiva movie theater with owners Phillipino grandson was certainly a much safer endeavor...he let me help pick / cut colas off plants in the canefields... the potency of the weed was uncommon back then...and my nose only ran ..not bled .from coughing fits..yeah I wandered in my story..but 100% true...leaving for the east coast that spring..looking down from plane...I promised myself I would never return to that violent hunk of lava again...also thought I knew what black people went through..to be hated because of your skin color..I was a fu.king haole.. lastly..final 2 months on Oahu..long sun bleached blonde hair and a command of the pigeon English..I could pass as a Hawaiian haole ( someone who grew up there) and avoided the regular beatings that most others received on a regular basis.

I'm a gentle waves soft breeze swimmer, no surfing at all. I've been in some very rough water though with a fast current into a coral wall. It takes good lung capacity, a strong will to live and a mind that can calm in the worst situation. The exit is counterintuitive: to swim further out to be clear of the current and then rest on your back for long enough that you can safely swim for the shore. I would never surf especially on an 80-foot wave. I think these surfers have a death wish but that's just me. I'm a CCRN, that is, Critical Care Registered Nurse and there are things that I've done in the exercise of my profession that most people would say, "Well, I'm glad there are people who are willing to do that but no thanks." My point is that we all have our passions some of which defy death. CCRN is one of those that if you don't practice with caution and accuracy can kill you. But I would never deliberately fall off a 100-foot wave with the shoreline coming at me at 60mph. If you're willing to become a quadriplegic for the sake of a thrilling 20 seconds, that's your choice, but not mine. As for methods of bobbing back up from a wave tumble, a good life vest and a big gulp of air with a dive under the wave have always been my choice when swimming in (not so) rough water. My best experience of ocean swimming was off the coast of Maine meeting a Right Whale. He came up to say hello with an eye the size of a dinner plate. He was very gentle with me, allowing me to touch him. He pushed me to the surface to breathe which we both did and ducked under me to give me a ride on his flipper. He was so huge he could easily have killed me by dragging me under or hitting me with his tail flipper but I think he was as curious about me as I was about him. I also have "a way" with animals. It has been lifelong, I don't know where it comes from and it's not for me to ask. They simply know I won't hurt them, that I am one of them. I don't know of anyone who has had such a meeting with a Right Whale. To me, that's a joy of the ocean I'd wish for everyone. We all find joy in different ways.

My biggest wipeout, was back in the late 70's. Imperial Beach, South of San Diego was breaking 20ft faces, twice as big as I'd ever seen it. The waves crashing sounded like jets taking off. I dropped my 10' 2" Con longboard onto the beach, as I knew I wasn't going to make it outside in such a huge swell paddling an aircraft carrier! I decided to body surf it so, getting outside to the swell was no problem. I just dove my way to the swells. The water was 54* (I had no wetsuit) The air temp was near 80* one of those warm January days in San Diego. I saw my wave, swam into it as hard as I could and started the "drop in" on a glassy left. Now, I had body surfed for years, so I felt confident of what I was about to do. To make a left, I would normally put my left hand into the face of the wave and make my turn near the bottom. However, this wave was really moving, and it walled up so steep so fast, that my right arm popped out automatically, in front to keep me from free falling into the air! I dropped in straight down like Superman! I knew it was a left so when I hit the bottom of the wave with both arms out in front, I tried to make my turn. At that point, I knew I could be in trouble, as my speed decreased. I made the turn, and then I stalled. I looked up to see a barrel you could've driven a semi-tractor trailer through! I had that brief moment of, "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" Then suddenly, it got very dark. I tried to bail diving into the wave. I got that last breath (thank God) and then got sucked up, weightless then, over the falls. I felt a building crush me into a sandy bottom. I started to try and struggle towards the surface, immediately realizing that wasn't going to happen! I pulled my arms and legs in, curled up like a potato bug, and conserved what oxygen I had left from that last breath being tossed about like a ragdoll. Weightlessly, I went over the falls a second time, hoping nothing would get snapped off my body on the bottom. I was locked in the washing machine. Twisting, turning, not knowing up from down, or left from right. Then again, weightlessness as I went up, and over the falls yet again for a third time! I finally felt that wave decide to release me, and I pushed off the bottom to the surface! I inhaled hard, sweet air of life!!! Then, I turtled under a smaller second wave, taking another beating, not nearly as bad as the first. Finally, standing up in waist deep water I made my way to the beach. I was completely out of gas, and damn lucky to be alive. I went back out 30 minutes later.

The entire time watching this I just kept thinking of the worst hold downs I experienced and almost drowning multiple times

My favorite strategy for avoiding all of these dangerous waves is staying inside and playing video games. 100% effective!

Over the falls when body surfing causes fear of breaking your neck or back. Pulling into a ball is safer even though you're likely to hit bottom. Defend yourself at all times, especially from surfboards. When you come up for air, don't open your mouth until sure that another wave doesn't hit you in the face--better to be facing the shore.

Before I would start surfing, I first would learn how to keep my breath as long as possible to be able to stay under water for longer periods. It's a crazy sport. I stay with windsurfing.

“You have now learned the experience of a surfer’s nightmare…” Not by watching this video or listening to you, Brah… not by a long shot. The video doesn’t hurt and hopefully it scares the newbie, but like a Grateful Dead concert, there’s absolutely nothing that compares to the real thing.

Hurricane waves can make you feel like you’re going to drown even if they’re only five or 6 feet, the undertow is tremendous !

Being uncertain around the lip of the wave is the problem I have found. Commit and tuck in the barrel. I once backed out of a 8ft shorebreak, that thing chucked me into a pretzel on the sand.

Going backwards over the falls also has your board in very close proximity to you, it can/will hit you. I've got several dents, and stitches from this highly unwanted activity.... yet, I'm paddling out again later... duh. Never quit, never surrender!

Happened to me the day after "The Perfect Storm" at Rye New Hampshire. Was held down for about 2 minutes. Knew to relax and wait for my buoyant wet suit to float me up. When I popped up, I looked around for my long board. About 30 seconds later, my board surfaced like a Poisidon missile. Guys around me yelled that I should have worn a leash, but I'm sure that it would have ripped my leg off!

I once had a wave break on me where I was in a bubble. It was crushed by the water and seriously slapped my eardrums so hard it stunned me. Scared the crap out of me cause I was aware, but couldn't move and another wave was coming down.

It was at Newport Beach, The Wedge where I had my first Over the Falls moment and It was about mid day and the waves were pretty average at about 4-6ft. But then a huge set came in and I decided that these waves were the perfect ride..I underestimated their break and the first wave I came about, I was pumping the barrel and got too close to the body eventually looping over and falling on a mound of sand instead of water. However after I landed on the sand whitewater swept over me and thankfully the only injury that I had endured was a jammed finger: Note this was on bodyboard

I had a severe herniated disc once from being pommeled headfirst, going upside down onto the shallow sand at a shorebreak wipeout. Six weeks of painful recovery, but I was lucky I didn't end up a paraplegic.

1998 Andy Irons Pipeline Masters wipeout was insane. AI’s board broke in 4 pieces & he grabbed another board & paddled right back out.

You're correct brother Stay cool and calm Shore break is a different story Unlike the outside

Can confirm. I don’t even have many hours of surfing..the last time I went i learned what going over the falls meant. It meant getting absolutely tossed and body slammed underwater…rolled around until disoriented completely, and dragged along the bottom about 50 yards until I stood up half dead in shin deep water. This was *maybe* a ten foot wave 😂

It’s more than that, possibilities, blown ear drum, dislocation of limbs, hold downs….

Read a few comments. No one mentions a tip in Surfer Magazine which when I read it around 1969, thought was silly. Once thrown off your board or going over the falls and being mangled underwater, OPEN YOUR EYES so you know which way you’re swimming. Sounds kinda stupid, right? Happened to me on a big day (8-12) at Haleiwa. (North Shore, Oahu) Over the falls on a big one, slammed at just the right timing to knock the air out, came up just in time to breathe in choking salty foam, second wave breaking on me and tossed around again. Calmly swam to the surface only to hit my head on the coral. I thought I was surfacing and let out most of my air. I remember looking up through the bubbly water, seeing the sunlight dancing so gaily and all out of breath, I thought I was knocking on heaven’s door. Open your eyes so you know which way is up. Turbulent waters will disorient you.

Truer words have never been spoken..no matter what you must control your breathing..stay alert and..as much as possible relaxed.

Don't fight with falling waves. What you do is get rid of the board coming towards your body. It is over time that we learn to be calm with the air so as not to start drinking water out of desperation. So the right thing to do is to do a lot of apnea control exercises and stay calm, never despair. Practice swimming and control apnea and stress control, so you don't act desperately and relax when you feel like you're in a washing machine in the water.

Fun fact… first time i EVER went surving was on a like 13 foot wave and i was ragged under water for like 20 seconds 😂 not knowing what to do i thought i would die, but it was a valuable life lesson! Im happy that it acctually happened to me even though it was kinda brutal 😊❤

Right. Thanks for filling my dreams again tonight. Woo-yaaaaa

Very good information . I learned in south florida and got a chance to go west and surf southern Calif. Been rolled into the reef cut up on my back. Im 53 now i live in florida and the waves are short in height and mostly short ride...

Broke my femur in Maui going over the falls and hitting the reef. It was a freak wave where 2 waves seemed to come together. The lip hit my shoulders and SLAM, it happened quick. Paddling past the inner break was torture with my bone sticking through my wetsuit. Sucked.

There was a like 14ft wave and I went under at the wrong time I got carried to the top and smashed on the ground! Very scary

Boogie board. Got sucked over at Blacks in a winter swell. Machined but not too bad. At least I knew there was sand below. The worst however, again at Blacks, was when I was about to get one large on the head and ditched my board. Leash wrapped around my leg and I got pounded by a couple more. I never ditch now.

I duck dove a wave large enough that it severed my ACL. The same knee injury so common in the NFL. I wasn't even standing. There was talk of amputation because of the hardware in my knee from a previous knee reconstruction( MCL with tibial plateau oclusion);was not removable and in the way. But with 18 months of physical therapy, I got strong enough for the surgery to be of benefit and I kept my leg and am still surfing. So yes, I concur, there are waves that should not be duckdove

Excellent and interesting video content! Thanks for sharing!

I once I ditched my board at Hazards Canyon Montana De Oro CA, on over 10 foot sets total of six in a row. I checked my 6 and no other surfers were following, but still regret ditching. Had a weak not neoprene coated bungee cord leash that snapped. The board washed up and the rest was easy just dive before the break on the remaining cleanups. I dove so deep I saw some fishes on the reef ..very cool. I used a technique when sucked up in the face. Point the nose of the board toward the shore, hugging the tale tight. Punch then pull the board through the face, if sucked over hold onto the board very tight and its possible to ride out the soup. It's a rough ride with some flips but eventually you'll fly out of the soup. Hold downs never last that long though seem like forever in a panic. Getting caught inside will always suck, but becomes less of a nightmare over time.

I had a 3 wave rouge set hold down at Chuns when I was young and strong. I wiped out in the impact zone on the drop and the heavy trades blew my board back into my face...it was only double overhead but the beating left memories. There was so much air bubbles in the water I would not float or start to rise and when I did make it up, there was another lip coming down on my head. I still like Chuns...,

I was surfing south shore Oahu on swell, was pretty confident on my double up positioning but all of a sudden the wave jacks up to head high and it feels like I’m jumping off the roof. Moved my board so I wouldn’t hit my fins and took it. High tide that day, thank god

As I someone who does surf (not huge waves at all), this made me feel like I was about to be thrown over the falls 😂

I mostly body surfed Maui South shore. I think I was at White Rock, next to Kea Lani 30 years ago, and I didn't quite make it out in time. I took the lip of at least an overhead right across my shoulders and just pounded me into the sand. My worst, going over the falls at Makena 2nd entrance. Again, at least overhead and I stiff armed the sand. The beach was very steep and I was fighting to not pass out from the pain and have the rip take me back out unconscious. That was a not-gonna-make-it moment. Tunnel vision and all.

Another tip, Spend ample time in a swimming pool or in the ocean during super calm conditions. This is when you should condition yourself and learn the limits of your breathing, not during pumping swell

I avoid Mooloolabar beach (QLD Australia) because I got dumped and my cheek landed on the sand twisting my neck. I heard it creak. I had a graze on it from the wave pressing me down against the sand and it scraping my face. My ex broke a vertebrae while catching waves in the same beach. I choose deeper waters. My worst fear is not being ragdolled, but being pushed against something solid while being ragdolled.

The bigger the board the harder to duck dive. Once I went over 7’ I had a hard time duck diving. Never been on waves over 6’ so I won’t ever have to worry about the monstrosities in this video.

"When the wave is here, you don't want to be here" - Turtle

Ahh yes the All too well known Proper Rinse cycle 😅’B’ Take a deep breath.

If you are a bit older, don't hold onto your board as much. The sudden impact of the white water can strain or tear you rotator cuff. That is a long recovery. If you take the Surf Survival Class from Eco Divers, they teach you blood oxygenation pre-breathing that will double your breath hold. Most of all, relax during the mayhem and think of something nice, that you want to last (eating a mango? Lol). Don't think about the time passing. If the surf is beyond your limits, catch an insider to the beach. Have fun. Be safe.

Ya mentioned hitting the bottom but barely mentioned hitting your surfboard. I have more friends hit their board going over the falls than the bottom with one losing an eye, and couple others breaking limbs. Hell, even the legendary Gerry Lopez landed on his rectum hitting his board going over the falls. He was in the hospital for a long time and almost did not survive.

What if you are using one of those beginner boards that you cant duck dive in

Duck dive everything unless a lip is gonna impact directly on you, or if someone else is in front of you. Ive gotten worked but have been able to float immediately back up with my board and start paddling vs the guy who did 4 cartwheels, has to swim up and get to his board or even call the session quits because their only leash snapped. If its a beach break and I know Ill have a way better time going in to find a rip current that pulls me out easier, ill usually do that

Going through the washing at 56 and a torn shoulder hurts now in any size wave cant imagine what GMAC feels like with that busted up body he lives with🤙

Been there done that!!! Bosa Chica State surfer with all my friends in 1960-70s surfer dude.

The scariest thing is when you see fish swimming around you and your leash broke.

Definitely no duck dive on those Nazaré waves in Portugal!

I almost always try to duck dive because my leash has been snapped to many times throwing the board to the side. Long swim back to the beach and can be dangerous if you really got hammered.