I have been teaching windsurfing for five years and wakeboarding for two years, and have picked up more than a few tips along the way for safety. Unfortunately, a lot of my safety advice comes from personal experience or situations I have witnessed, so feel free to learn from mine and other watersport fanatics’ experiences!

So without further ado, here are a few tips that could help you. Do you have any others?

1. Make sure someone is looking out for you

Get a waterproof watch and find a person you can tell when you are going out in the ocean, which spot you are surfing at and what time you expect to be back on land.

It’s important to let your person of trust know that you are back on land. If you want to continue surfing, make the effort to go back on land and let your person know, as if they don’t hear from you, they can call the coast guard. Also remember a GPS watch can only help you if it’s attached to your body. The best way to secure them is under your wetsuit.

2. Coast guard

Save the local coast guard phone number in your phone, so you can still call for help without relying on Google.

3. Take a buddy or make a buddy

This one is especially relevant if you’re going out in the ocean in rough waters or winds. Go out with someone so you can keep an eye on each other. You can also make a friend at the beach; most women are grateful if you start the conversation and have someone out there keeping an eye on them, too. We women should look out for each other. Check in on people who have crazy crashes – they’ll appreciate it and will more than likely to return the favour. Remember, though, that your own safety comes first; don’t become a second rescue case, sometimes it is safer to call for help. If they are fine, it will always be a good laugh you had with someone.

4. Don’t push it too far

Don’t push yourself too far out of your ability zone. Take it slow if you’re trying for bigger waves, going further out or searching for more wind. You don’t want to get suddenly overwhelmed by the conditions.

5. Check your equipment

Set up your equipment yourself, don’t let someone else do it for you. You will know your equipment better than anyone else and will know what needs doing. Check for ropes slowly breaking, holes in your equipment and the functioning before you go out. To the wakeboarders: Make sure your bindings are screwed on tight. Check at least monthly depending on how much you ride.

Don’t underestimate this point especially on the first ride of the season, when your equipment has been gathering dust for months. Clean your equipment from saltwater for it to last longer.

6. Lost in the ocean?

Rule number one, stay with your equipment! When the coast guard sends a helicopter, they usually find equipment before they find the person. If your surf buddy ends up calling the coast guard, they are very likely to know your equipment colour. Secondly, it always helps to wear a bright colour that contrasts against the blue ocean. If you wear colours like blue, black or dark green you are less likely to be seen. Go for that bright pink or neon colours.

7. Acknowledge when your body gets tired

We have all been there! Pumped about a great session that you never want to stop. You really want to try this one trick as you are so close to landing it or catching that one wave.

Just doing that one more bonus lap, and another one, and another one, and another hour later you struggle to get back to shore or might injure yourself. Once we get tired we will usually loose our focus first; this is because your body might be pumped with adrenaline. So here is a way to recognise when your body gets tired: when there are things that you can easily do in a warm up and they don’t work anymore, that is your body telling you to take a break.

8. Learn how to fall safely in your sport

What to do when you crash? Falling is inevitable if we want to get better. Let’s make it as safe as possible! Here are some tips, but make sure to always check with your instructor and take responsibility for your own safety!

Surfing: Curl in a ball and protect your head with your arms, so you can’t hit your head on the reef or the surfboard. Patiently wait until the waves spits you out. Don’t start swimming to what you think is the surface. It will make your body burn more oxygen.

Wakeboarding: Curl in a ball when you know you will crash. It makes catching edges so much more tolerable.

Windsurfing: Learn to surf back home even if a harness line breaks.

– If you fall, hold on to the boom and push it away from your body (like a push up position) and you will hopefully avoid hitting your head against the mast or puncture the sail with your harness hook.

– Learn to take your harness off under water. If you get stuck under the sail, get confident in diving out of it or if you can’t get free, learn to take your harness off under water.

9. Never go out in the dark or intoxicated

It’s a very simple advice. Keep in mind that if no one can see you, they will not know if you need help. Motorboats can’t avoid riders they can’t see. Also don’t have that drink to build up confidence, you are more likely to make unsafe choices. Rather have a celebration drink after with your mates.

10. Give your body a rest if injured

Let’s be honest: waterproof band aids are never really waterproof! Look out for infections, even on ridiculously tiny scratches; the ocean is full of bacteria that our body doesn’t want. Give your body rest, so you have energy for your ride and you will enjoy it more than being tired. Train on land to make your body stronger, especially when it comes to the stability muscles in your knees, or just do an unwinding stretching yoga session.

11. Location Location Location

Learn your spot! Learn the currents, the typical wind directions, and the reefs and sandbars.

Ask locals for advice, they always know their own spot the best.

12. Ask for advice

You really want to learn that trick? Get a teacher – they will help you find a safer way of learning new tricks, especially when it comes to more advanced tricks. Tell them about your fears – they are used to these questions and they might give you some good advice on how to bail out safely or how to take a step in between to build up your confidence. Also asking diverse experienced riders helps a lot. I’ve found that women have more safety awareness and someone might just say the right thing to wrap your head around the first steps of a new trick.

What did you think of these safety tips? Let us know if you have any others, as this isn’t an exhaustive list. Make sure to do more research and ask your instructor, so that you feel confident in your level and surroundings! 

Like Real Life Stories? Check out our other similar articles, interviews, podcast episodes and videos on here.