Foaming mountains of whitewater??

I got back from my first surf trip with a mat over the Xmas period. I spent most of the time on a long board, but had quite a few memorable sessions on the mat...

Probably the best and worst was an overhead day at panorama point with a hefty long period swell. The first wave was long and very fast, never felt that fast on any wave and that memory will stick with me for a long time!

It was wave 2 when things started to unravel... It was a serious set wave which really ramped up, made the take off but ended in a huge closeout and 2 problems

1) how do you manage to get off a chunky lump of whitewater pushing you onto the rocks? It seemed to take a good 4 or 5 seconds with my whole body vertical to get off the wave, there must be an easier way...

2) What do you do when you're stuck dead centre in the impact zone? I could manage the duck dive in the riders guide to get under breaking and smaller waves, but got absolutely pounded. 2 waves picked me up and threw me all the way down in the lip, thankfully the set abated and I paddled like hell for the channel. What do people do when its too big to duck dive?

This might sound a little sad, but I loved bigger waves on the mat, and definitely want to get some more hence the call for a little advice.

Thanks in advance

Sean

Well done mate.

In terms of getting off white water, bear hugging the mat and doing a forward roll off it works well. Basically deliberately pearling the mat. You pop up behind the wave. Watch your lips on the valve though!!!

Waves too big to duckdive can often be managed with a turtle roll. When you're right in the impact zone paddle hard at the wave as you would for a duckdive and then roll last minute applying an arms and legs bear hug. I've done this on some pretty heavy waves and it works pretty well. You get a bit of a rinse still but usually get shoved out the back as the wave dumps.

On duckdiving, I always try to kick through once I'm under and sometimes use one hand too as I come up to stop getting dragged.

I'd certainly rather try a mat than a log in those circumstances!

Practice is the key I guess.

Hope that helps.

G

Sounds like a turtle roll is the thing to try next time then!I just need a little decent swell to test it out.

The mat was certainly more fun than the log that day, and might be again today, charts look good for a few small peelers today.

Thanks

Sean