How to Duck Dive When Surfing

When you're paddling out, you'll need to learn how to duck dive, turtle roll or bail when you come to breaking waves. See related eHow: "Paddle Out when Surfing."

Instructions

1. Keep paddling until the wave is about two or three seconds in front of you in preparation for the Duck Dive.

2. Grab the sides, or "rails," of your board just in front of your shoulders.

3. Plant your knees in the middle of the board, raise your torso over your arms and nosedive your board, in one movement, as deep as you can make it go.

4. Paddle your board with all your strength as soon as you can regain control upon surfacing. Keep up your efforts until you're beyond the breakers.

5. Consider the Turtle Roll if you're riding a long board, a board with a wide nose, or if you're small in build.

6. Cling to the board with your knees and hands, and roll over onto your back.

7. Keep clinging to the board while you are upside down, and try to angle the nose down into the water so the wave can't grab it.

8. Roll back upright and continue paddling with all your strength when the wave has washed past you.

9. Check over your shoulder to make sure that nobody will be in the path of your flying surfboard if you'd rather just bail. If there's someone behind you, you must duck dive or turtle roll and hang on to your board.

10. Bail off your board and dive for the bottom, if the coast is clear, right when a big wave is breaking in front of you.

11. Surface once you've felt the wave go over you. Then recover your board, get back on and continue paddling out.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your board in your hands when you duck dive. If you do the duck dive well, the wave washing over your feet and the tail of the board will push you and the nose of the board up on the far side of the wave.

• Don't bail or lose control of your board in a crowd. And keep in mind, when you bail, your leash might break.

• Surfing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.