Shore entry/exit can be really challenging and dangerous!

[Z Gear]

I've not tried walking backwards in fins, but it seems to me it's too slow and here in Laguna you risk getting hit by a wave as the periods run around 15 seconds and you can't see it coming.

Most here don the fins in the water once you're around chest deep. Waves tend to come in sets so I enter on the first small wave. Chances are the next one will be small as well. BC partly inflated, one fin clipped to bolt snap so I have two hands to don the first fin. Mask on and reg in mouth. You have two choices after you don the first fin, either fin with one to get through the surf zone, or quickly don the second before swimming out. My mask is leashed with a short length of bungee to a D ring and fins use bungee straps.

It sounds like you are comfortable using that method, but if you wish to try the fins first method, practice walking backwards with your fins on for a couple of times until you feel more familiar with this feeling. Then try it on a calm day at your beach. Your just trying to get used to walking backward and knowing how it affects your balance, its better than trying this on a day that is to challenging. Its a pretty fast way of getting out past the surf, at least I thought. Its all about what works for you, its seems like your method works good at Laguna.

---------- Post added October 20th, 2014 at 08:12 PM ----------

To enter with high surf: inflate BC and let it float alongside you. Get out far enough to don fins, kick out while towing the gear past the surf break point, don gears, go diving.

To exit with high surf: Body surf in like an orca attacking baby seals, after you've beached yourself, crawl out of the water on your hands and knees then doff the gears. Sure, it looks undignified, but it works.

I don't know if I would be able to hold on to my gear while the constant is pushing. Towing my gear just doesn't sound good to me, but I have not try this so I really can't knock it to badly. I am just thinking that some of these waves might just rip the gear out my hands, especially if a stronger sets comes in unexpectedly.

I like the Orca exit this I can do!

---------- Post added October 20th, 2014 at 08:19 PM ----------

Infalman's method gives you the thrill of body surfing with tranquility of diving.

Not to mention what an Orca feels like when its going after baby seals!

---------- Post added October 20th, 2014 at 08:22 PM ----------

I used to live/dive in San Diego and, as I recall, most were fin on entries.

A couple of points to add to the conversation:

Be prepared to fall. If you start losing your balance it's better to guide yourself down than fight it. All you need is about 18" to start swimming anyway.

If you can wade out before putting on your fins, a trick I still use is to pull on one fin then use it to kick past the break before futzing with the second.

I saw another one suggesting the one fin first approach, I'm going to give that one a try. I know that I can accomplish that task quickly.