For me the 'know before you go' thing never really settled in until I moved to Hawaii.

I remember seeing guys watching the surf for a half hour or more before they would grab their board and paddle out. And for good reason. When the surf gets big in Hawaii.... it has danger written on it. H3O = heavy water.

So watching the surf, knowing if the swell has peaked or still coming up.  Counting the number of waves in a set and timing the sets so you know what's happening in the water is smart.

I remember surfing a spot on the west side one winter day when the surf was a little inconsistent with sets in the head high plus size. But, about every 10 - 15 minutes or so three or four waves twice that size would roll through. The bigger sets would almost always pick you off.... Sets with 3 or 4 waves aren't terrible, sets of 8 or 10 waves are a whole other thing. So knowing how many waves you might encounter on big days is smart.

Being in heavy surf can bring on fatigue in short order. Being short of breath can bring on panic. Being panicked in the ocean is the opposite of a good thing. As well, being physically conditioned to be in the ocean even when the surf is small is smart. There is a lot to the saying 'Know before you go'.

In all the years I've been fortunate and not gotten in much trouble surfing. There have been moments but nothing real serious. Though this one time there is no doubt if not for being lucky things could have turned very bad. You can read the story here. And another story about not being strong enough to get past in coming sets is here.

D.R. 

The difference between the point in Ventura and the other three points a few miles up the coast?

They all have their own personality but the thing about Ventura is it's the place where the more novice surfers go, especially in summer.  Summer waves are softer breaking and sand fills into the beach at the point which makes for a much more casual go out. besides the other points don't really break on the summer south swells.

What happens then is the more novice or inexperienced surfer that is a little familiar with the point in Ventura may come for a surf in the fall and winter when the surf gets some size. And, have no idea that the surf and water conditions in the fall and winter are much different than what they've experienced in the summer.

First the surf will not look as big as it really is because where you look at the surf from the beach is a good 8 feet above sea level so you are looking down on the water. As well, the surf will be breaking much farther out, the distance makes the waves look smaller.

The biggest thing that someone who's surfed the point in summer will find different in the fall and winter is the current. And that's the problem. The current moves you down the point as you paddle out. If you can't break through the surf zone it's possible to get stuck in the current and end up still in the surf zone at the pier. Imagine being swept through the pilings in the white water. Then add your surf board is strapped to your foot. It can be and has been fatal.

The experienced regular surfers at the point have been known to caution and encourage the more novice not to go out when the point has some size.... for good reason.

My son while surfing one of the recent swells after getting one of those long rides all the way down the point got out of the water down by the pier and was walking up the beach with a guy that had got swept through the pier. The guy said his dad was not going to be happy because he was using his dads board and it got buckled on it's way through the pier.

Then my son sees this guy, with surf board under his arm, eyeing the surf at the waters edge about half way between the pier and the lower stairs like the guys is getting ready to paddle out. Robin says to the guy "this is not the place to be paddling out. If you're going to go out then walk way up the point first. Other wise you'll end up being swept through the pier with the current".

There is a saying... Know before you go.

D.R.