Here at WavePark we’re always trying to keep the guests safe and having fun. Before they get barreled out on the reefs we offer some basic safety techniques. Having some ocean knowledge in the ocean is a great way to make sure guests get back to their families in one piece.
What NOT to do:
Bailing your board safely helps save your board AND your head. The WavePark Resort video above describes the technique. To drive the point home, I thought I would throw in some really corny graphics.
The guy above is not going to be taking his board home in one piece. Notice the board has been left lying perpendicular to the falling lip. His board is disadvantaged by having the wooden stringer and the glassed rails totally exposed to the strongest part of the wave.
A better way to do it:
The guy above might get a little rolled around by this 6fter at Bankvaults. But his board will be fine and in one piece, when he finally surfaces. So if you bail your board parallel with the falling lip, there’s a good chance you’ll be taking your board home with you in one piece.
Feet down, head up.
Finally, as shown in the video, after you make sure your board is positioned correctly, go underwater. We recommend never diving down head first, because sometimes there is not as much water as you had hoped. It is safer for your feet to touch the reef than your face! We also always recommend surfing booties, because your feet are your last defense. If you get pushed way up on the reef and have to stand up on the sharp coral, you’ll be happy you have your booties on.
You’ll find other helpful tips on this site, like choosing boards with enough volume, maintaining composure, and helpful etiquette suggestions. We hope you find these techniques useful, and we look forward to hosting you in the Mentawai Islands to try these techniques for yourself.