Official Waterman Group A tribe for surfers,divers,kiteboarders,windsurfers,wakeboarders,& watersportsmen

Gearing Up For Watersports

Before going into the water, there are a few things to think about; Sun saftey, what to wear, and water saftey.

Sun Safety; make sure you are wearing sunscreen at all times. The best thing to do would be to put it on without your suit on. This does not mean to strip down to your birthday suit on the beach. This means put it on before you put your suit on (at home) and wait for it to dry before putting your bikini or board shorts back on. 

Now that you are a waterman, you want to use a product that is safe for the ocean ( see June post “Dude, Only Wear Biodegradable Sunscreen in the Ocean”).  Some of the most harmful ingredients that many sunscreens contain PABA, octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, oils, chemicals or the preservative butylparaben.  If your sunscreen has any of these ingredients, it is not safe for use in coral reefs.  We found a really great one at L’Occatane- Sunscreen lotion high protection SPF30. It is a little more expensive ($26 for 5.1oz.), but it is not greesy and stays on like a champ. It also smells pretty good. 

What to wear: A wetsuit keeps you warm by allowing a thin layer of water to form between you and the wetsuit, which your body heat quickly warms. They come in several different thicknesses. The first number represents the torso thickness, and the second number represents the thickness for the arms and legs.  The most common one is the 3/2 (say “three two”) that can be worn all year long. The 4/3 is the next thickness that is used in Winter.  The wetsuit should fit you snug while still allowing you to move freely. It should not be baggy or loose or it will fill up with water and….well…that wouldn’t be good. When putting it on, the zipper or opening goes in the BACK.

If it is warm enough to skin it (no wetsuit), make sure your board shorts and bathing suit tops are tied tight so they don’t fly off. If you are wearing a bathing suit, make sure you get one that is a little tight. You may want to even go down a size from your normal suit size. Waves and salt water tend to pull and stretch your suit out.

A rash guard (a nylon and lycra fitted shirt found in surf shops) is a good option for surfers to keep wax off your suit and chest hairs in tact. They are used to prevent chafing under a wetsuit and so your stomach won’t get irritated from the sand and wax combination on your board. For free divers and scubadivers, the rash guard prevents chafing around the neck when you are below the water looking around at all the beauty of the ocean world.

Water Safety;  The most important thing before paddling or swimming out is to know how to swim. The second is to be respectful in the water. For surfers, make sure you practice paddling, turtle rolls, duck dives, and catching whitewater where there are no other surfers. Don’t go to the most popular spot where the waves are perfect and get in everyone’s way. When practicing, don’t let go of your board! Make sure the board is never parallel to the beach. Aim the nose toward the line-up or toward the beach. If a wave is ready to smash you, grab the part of the leash that attaches to the surfboard and push the tail of the board down below the water and hold your breath.

These are just the basics to get you ready to practice your skills.  

Have fun!

Diagram of a Wave