Introduction
Surfing is a relatively safe sport that people of all ages can take up, but the world of professional big wave surfing is completely different. Through this report, I will be telling you about what I think is the best solution for how can we reduce the risk of injuries and deaths in big wave surfing? I will be looking at what big wave surfing is, why is big wave surfing so dangerous and some common injuries. I think that the best plan that we should try to implement is to increase the number of people being trained to become jet ski safety drivers and make it mandatory to have someone driving a safety jet ski nearby when the surf is over the size of 6.5M. Big wave safety vests will be distributed at competitions to all computers that do not own one they will be able to keep them after the competition as well. The money to implement this will come from the World Surf League and other sponsors of surf companies.
What is big wave surfing?
Big wave surfing is a dynamic sport that is different to normal surfing. Big wave surfing is all about people who try hard things to the extreme. Big wave surfing is not safe it is highly dangerous and many people die from this sport. A pro big wave surfer will surf at least 6m swell over and over which is huge but that is only the minimum size that is expected of a big wave surfer. Big wave surfing and normal surfing are different due to the sheer size of the waves. This impacts what surfers can do. For instance, you can do airs on a 2m wave but that is impossible for someone on a 6m wave as the chances of falling off are bad and it would be harder due to the size and strength of the wave. This impacts the scoring in competitions and the different moves on the waves, the chance of catching waves is also reduced due to the small amount of big swell that forms and breaks into waves. Over time big wave surfing has changed and been moulded into a proper sport. There are competitions and rules, it isn’t just some people surfing it is people putting their life on the line for a chance to win around $300,000 in a category and be the best. It has evolved from when the first people rode big waves. There has been new input and safety procedures put in place but how can we make them better?
Why is big wave surfing so dangerous and what are the risks
There are many different hazards to consider when people are big wave surfing and they are always taking risks. The main 2 things that can affect a big wave surfer would have to be their board and the environment or waves that they are surfing. Some of the problems with surfing huge waves are the elements and the huge amounts of water that strong storms that kick up. That huge swell is the main lure for big wave surfers due to the rarity of the big waves but the danger of the currents and tides that draw people out past the break. These are all factors that are very likely to happen if you don’t know the area that they are surfing in or even if they are careless and just caught out. The ground is also a problem depending on where you are surfing because of how much power these waves have. When a surfer is slammed against the ground, a rock or a reef it can be really bad. The next thing that causes injuries is the surfers' board as they have many curves and sharp points. When these hit a surfer with force those edges can deal out quite bad cuts and knocks.
What are some common injuries in big wave surfing?
Many unique injuries can pop up in big wave surfing but to try and minimise injuries I will look at some common injuries. Surfing without a surfboard is impossible but it is also one of the biggest contributors to injuries. This is caused by knocks, fins and points on the board which is uncontrollable when surfers wipeout out a huge wave. This is why many people are injured by their board. There is also stress on the head shoulders and neck when paddling for long times and duck diving while trying to get out the back to catch a wave. This can also affect injuries when being slammed on the sea floor or other injuries. Stretching can reduce the strain on your muscles while surfing. This is good, as the tension can be bad when accelerating down a big wave in surfing and can cause pain and make surfers lose their balance or just not focus which can be fatal on a big wave. Stress on the muscles, bad cuts and bruises are very common for a big wave surfer but they are not what is dangerous unless left unchecked.
Numerical data
I was able to make a graph on some data from 3 different surf spots that have had over 6m waves, these places were Ohua in the US, Victoria from Australia and cromwell from the UK. this graph shows the percentage of the places of the injuries from those 3 places.The most common place for injuries in all of these places was the head this was probably caused by there own surfboard or their head being smashed on the sand, this can lead to back injuries and neck damage as well as spinal in injuries.
What are some of the worst injuries or deaths within big wave surfing?
Many different types of bad injuries happen in surfing. These injuries can change and there is a wide range of injuries that can happen. An example of bad injuries is Tom Carroll who had his whole ankle dislocated and disfigured. Another example would be when someone's hamstring was ripped clean from the bone and they had to glue it back together. Spinal injuries are also very dangerous for big wave surfers as when they are slammed against the ground there is a high chance of something being at the bottom. When a surfer is going for a big wave there will be a huge force pushing them. If they fall off in the case of a big wave surfer they would be pushed to the bottom in seconds and the impact would be horrible. The biggest wave surf spots will have reefs or rocks on the ground so if they are slammed on this at speed with huge force they could become paralysed, die or drown. They get hooked, so many other problems could occur that would threaten their life.
What have people done to minimise the chances of injuries in big wave surfing
Big wave surfing is a very dangerous sport but there have been things made to help and try to save people from drowning or being injured. There are also many regulations in place but the safety equipment is limited when doing such an intense sport. The 3 main, crucial gears are the life vest, jet ski and the surfer's board. Depending on these 3 things they can increase their chance of coming back alive. The board is important as if the shape, size or width is changed the whole board can feel and ride differently. The boards can be custom made to be able to ride better on these big waves. The next is the jet ski which can save you from getting thrashed while the waves roll in, this can save people's lives while getting them out of the way of sets or helping surfers by pulling them into the waves to help them catch them. The last is the life vest which can stop you from getting kept underwater for as long and bringing the surfers up to the surface. This is crucial for a surfer as the force of the waves can be terrible and life-threatening.
Pros and cons of safety jet skis
There are many Pro’s to having a safety jet ski which can help surfers in many ways. A key part that safety jet skis have is reducing the chances of getting the surfer out of the way of the next wave which could smash them this can help reduce the surfers fatigue well surfing and lower the chance of mistakes. Another key part of a safety jet skis job is to be there to help if there is a accident, they will be able to provide surport and have much faster access to the beach this can be cruel when there is a major injuries. There are also minuses to having a safety jet ski which should also pay atention to. More people out in big surf could cause injurys if they are careless and that could also lead to colisotions of jet skis and surfers. The other big factors is the cost to by the jet skis train the riders and the fuel cost this will all add up in the long run.These are some of the major pros that I have found and could be a problem or be realy good.
Pros and Cons to big wave life vests
These life vest are well known around the big wave surfing community and have saved many lives. These life vest help reduce the chance of hitting the bottom where there can be rocks or coral reefs and with force they can prove fatal and very bad to big wave surfers.They can also help surfers stay afloat after a wave this can be very good as it can keep you from being pulled under right after you have gotte back up for some air, they are also pretty small and compact which is helpful when trying to actually catch waves. There also some cons to these life vest that could change your mind. The life vest aren’t guaranteed to pull you up if a big wave smashes you over and over it is bount but there is a limit to how high it can float you up. It could get hooked on something and keep you down if its by a rock or a reef and keep them down this is also hazerd to keep in mind and it also may be harder to swim in. These are what I think are the main pros and cons.
Things to think about for big wave surf boards
These are many important things that could and can change depending on the type of waves and what tricks or style they want to surf. Most surfers will have a preference to what waves they want to surf and to there boards as they will try to find the best board for there waves these boards can change depending on how big, dumpy or clean they could be as well as some over variables. Big wave surf boards need to be stable to deal with the force coming from the waves this can be done by adding weight or width. Adding weight is the perferrd choice as the jet skis can tow you into waves even if you can’t paddle into them, also if a surf board is to wide it can affect how it floats. The size and volume can also play a big part in the surf board as it can change how it floats this can be a problem on the big and powersurface of these waves. Big wave surfers have to think carefully about there board designs and equtmint when going out to surf.
Conclusion
Through this report, I have gone for the dangers of big wave surfing, what big wave surfing is, the safety equipment used and other important pieces of information. I have explained many reasons why I think my thesis should be implemented so that the rules and regulations can help and save many people's lives.
Bibliography
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https://magicseaweed.com/news/worst-injuries-in-surfing/11113/
https://beachahoi.com/worst-surfing-injuries/
https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-most-common-injuries-in-surfing
https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/common-injuries-surfing/32389
https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-most-common-surfing-dangers-and-hazards
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