This feature is presented by our partners at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Click It or Ticket.
To thrive and survive outdoors, safety starts the minute you get behind the wheel. Don’t overlook the first, and most critical, rule of the road: Put on your seat belt. After that, a forever-memorable road trip extends beyond the drive to etiquette and execution of the adventure itself. Planning and preparation matter, especially when you’re surfing unfamiliar waters. Close to home or overseas, you’ll also need to factor your experience level, whether you’re new to surfing or paddling. Mind these best safety practices to help ensure that you come home alive from your next surf trip or on-water adventure travels.
Surf Trip Safety Starters
Pick the right board. Pop into your local surf shop. They know the way. Find a board that suits your ability level, and leash up before you head out. Quick hint: if you’re a true newbie, err on the side of longer and wider, with more volume to get comfortable.
Bundle up. Gauge what the locals are wearing for long sessions (rashguard, shorty, or full wetsuit? booties?) and follow suit.
Watch for rips. Sections of water between sand bars, or structures like cliffs, house-sized rocks, or even piers can indicate rip currents. Learn to read the signs at your local beach.
Find a friend. Surfing alone is boring. (It’s also dangerous.) Here, the buddy system reigns supreme.
Surfing Farther Afield
Get local permission. Lineup etiquette a big point of contention for the surf community. Make sure to get an invite before you crash a new spot – or ask around to find a wave suited for beginners.
Know where you are. Gut check: How far are you from the beach? How big is the surf? Leashes don’t often snap, but if yours does, you’ll need to be close enough to swim to safety.
Mind the shallows. Flop flat instead of diving in shallow water. If you get stuck in the spin cycle, keep your arms crossed overhead to protect that pretty face.
Get insured. If you’re abroad on a surf trip, your health insurance probably won’t cover you. Lock into a travel plan before you board the plane.
Adding a Paddling Adventure
Choose your vessel wisely. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are often sized to the user. Too small, and they’ll sit low. Too big, and they’ll be unwieldy. And stay out of the lineup where you could injure other surfers. Stick to the flatwater in harbors, or paddle when the surf is really small.
Embrace the PFD. Find a Coast Guard-approved option that fits, then keep it on and buckled — regardless if you’re kayaking whitewater or cruising flatwater in a canoe or stand-up paddleboard. There are plenty of low-profile options that will save your life if you unexpectedly end up in the water.
Mind the weather. Storms kick up quick over open water. Check currents, keep an eye on the horizon, and treat the wind forecast with due respect.
Stick to seltzer. Surfing and paddling impaired isn’t exactly a new concept, but it is one that claims lives every year. Party as hard as you want — just do it on shore once you’re done for the day (and please don’t drive).
Tips for Longer Days of Paddling
Don’t layer up based on the air temperature. It’s the water temps that matter most. Dress for the worst-case scenario — i.e. falling in. Hypothermia and poor preparation can kill. Consider wetsuit/neoprene starters for your next-to-skin base layer paddling in warmer waters, then adding wicking synthetics and wool midlayers covered by a splash jacket/shell outer as the water temperatures drop.
Accessorize. In more demanding conditions, complete your paddling kit: a leash for your SUP, a skirt for your kayak, and a helmet for anything involving whitewater.
Immersion. Be ready. At some point you’re going to take a spill off your board or boat. Make sure you can get back on your board (or boat) in choppy conditions. If it’s a kayak, sign up for a roll class at your local pool or lake. Know your limits!
Make a friend. Selfies get old. Bring a buddy to safety check, heckle — and, of course, take photos of you getting rad.
See more in The Safety Detail, our film series and full activity guide to surviving and thriving outdoors.
