Instagram story viewer> @beachwise> Posts

Eva - Ocean safety made simple

@beachwise

26.5K

followers

522

following

💥Safety, adventure & gear tips for your beach days, beach vacations and beginner surfing
🌺Surfer, mom of 4 littles & USLA National lifeguard champion

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

97

54

a year ago

My approach might seem haphazard at times, because I really don’t want people to be terrified of the ocean. But it is to be respected. Take it seriously! But don’t live in FEAR. Fear causes panic. Respect and understanding should be your foundation with the ocean 🤩 by @beachwise

53

4

a year ago

Everytime you go to the beach, ask them to notice these 7 things, and talk about it. Or you can literally use these questions to teach yourself how to read the ocean, to learn to surf, play in the ocean, get better at surfing etc!

1. Which way is the wind blowing from(+ you can start to teach them cardinal directions- we name the winds from WHERE they come!)

2. Ask them to notice what the waves look like from shore. Do they look big or small?

3. Notice the tide, is it high or low, or does it not change much where you live?

4. Do you see any tide pools? These deeper channels will be where the rip currents are later.

5. When you’re in the water, see if there’s a long shore current(left to right or right to left) that matches the direction of the wind.

6. When you’re in the water, ask them to tell you if the waves looked bigger from afar? Ask them to notice the strength of the waves- Are they powerful or weak?

7. What type of waves are breaking because of the wind? Are they crumbling and choppy because of an a wind that’s blowing on the shore? Or are they glassy and steeper because of a wind that’s blowing off the shore?

👇Comment below if this was helpful! And reshare to help people have badass beach days 🌺💧

#beachmom #groms #beachlife #surfmama #learntosurf #costarica #florida #hawaii #beachday #beachvacation by @beachwise

99

15

2 years ago

Which one is your favorite tip? What’s your beach experience been like? by @beachwise

25

3

2 days ago

Where are you at in your surfing journey? Are you a beginner, intermediate? Did you skip the longboard step too? by @beachwise

16

2

9 days ago

When I started surfing when I was 10 in 2005, I could go on YouTube and find a few videos through SURFLINE TRICK TIPS!! It was great, but I didn’t know how to apply the info and also even back then it was information overload. Nowadays it’s EVEN MORE info overload.

I tried applying tips haphazardly without realizing I was skipping major steps. That’s why some surfers look so awkward(me too for 10 years LOL), because they are getting ahead of themselves, trying to do snaps and top turns, or even pump, without being at that step yet. It’s like if a beginner musician tried to skip steps. Or a carpenter. You get the picture. There is a progression that one must go through so that they have the foundations down. When you master the basics, or go back and reestablish a poor foundation, then you can finally discover your own unique style. You can surf like YOU. by @beachwise

25

8

13 days ago

If you don’t know how water moves at the beach, it’s going to be quite scary when a wave crashes on you, or when you feel yourself get pulled away from shore. Really scary. Like who in their right mind wouldn’t panic?? But I believe that if you know how water moves, you can equip yourself to stay calm and eventually learn to work with the ocean to have a ton of fun. That’s what watermen do. They learn the literal rhythms of the ocean and work with it or challenge it, when needed.

There are some legitimate scenarios where you should really try to get back to shore as soon as possible, such as if a current is pulling you toward a structure in the water, like rocks or a pier. In fact, it’s best not to swim near those. Even surfers and fisherman have to navigate around those structures with care.

But in many situations that I have seen, people get pulled 5 to 10 yards away from where they feel comfortable in the water, and start panicking. They can’t get back to shore because they either hit a dead zone or water, where it’s kind of slack— not moving forward or backward, OR they are getting pulled out by a rip current. A lot of times they’re not even that fast moving, truly. But it FEELS FAST because WHAT IS GOING ON?! so, if you know what’s going on, you can just calmly swim out of the rip current by swimming to the waves. The waves is where the shallower water is— hence why the waves are breaking. And once you get to the waves, you can swim back in with them, letting them push you in. If there are big waves, you’ll have to swim under them to not get pummeled though.

There is so much nuance to this. All that to say, if you ever end up getting pulled out to the surfers, ask them for help. They can help you navigate your way back in!

Surfers use rip currents and channels every single day to make their way out to the back of the breaking waves(the lineup), easier. by @beachwise

402

8

14 days ago

I’d love to hear your perspective and expericnes with lifeguards. Beach versus pool. Pool lifeguards have very clear cut rules to enforce (which can give people a bad taste in their mouth for lifeguards sometimes), whereas a beach lifeguard is constantly assessing beachgoers, scanning, looking at the changing conditions and trying to keep everyone within safety bounds that they set for their beachgoers for that given day. These bounds could also be dependent upon perceived skill level.

🌊 If you are very skilled and want to swim out and lolligag, go have a chat with the beach lifeguard and let them know your experience and skill level and what you plan on doing. It’s that simple.

I 💯 reccommend respecting your local lifeguards advice. Ask them questions, too! They have a good reason for whatever preventative measure they are trying to take or direct you to.

For example, when I used to lifeguard at our pier, I was constantly whistling to people to swim away from the pier. If it was a busy day, I had to just whistle whistle whistle. I could tell people were annoyed, because they didn’t understand. But when I could, I would chat with the people and tell them that the pier is covered in barnacles and there are currents all around it that will pull you close to the pilings. There have been moments where someone drifts into the pier, starts panicking and grabs onto the piling and gets sooo sliced up. OUCH. No thanks!

I’d also explain that fishermen always throw their hooks right off the pier… and also their chum…. So it’s def way sharkier too.

I’d usually point them to a safer, more fun place to swim!

Who wouldn’t want that type of local knowledge?!? We eventually made signs saying “no swimming from here to here”, but we still had to enforce and explain! I find that humans usually want to understand the WHY, so I tried to chat with as many people as I could! by @beachwise

23

5

a month ago

There’s the new wave swim bouy that’s available on Amazon as a great option for adults, but I have found that the shape of the restube is unparalleled for actual flotation support and rest. Now they make a kids version too that has a longe bouy and is even narrower so that their little arms can fit around it easier. These bouts are for people who know how to swim decently but still need support. They are not for kids who cannot swim. My 4 year old can swim pretty well but I choose to keep her right near me so she can continue to practice. My older 2 kids like to paddle out and around and I have tested them multiple times on their skill and ability to get back to their board, or to find the bouy if they need a rest.

The restube is also great for beach vacations and extra support. I think if beachgoers who know how to swim ok wore these, it could help a lot. by @beachwise

11

1

2 months ago

So, if I’m sharing ocean safety and beginner surfing tips here, but I’m sharing them with people who are out of shape, locked up, and lacking mobility, then my work is only half done.

That’s why I’m bringing up the slackline. It’s been wild to see how much it’s helping my core engage again and my deep stabilizing muscles fire back up.

If you’re going to play in the ocean or learn to surf, you need to be strong. Strength isn’t everything—you also need to know how to read the ocean and understand when it’s safe to go out and when it isn’t—but strength is part of the equation.

Would you want to see more content on training your body for the ocean, not just learning how to read it? by @beachwise

40

12

3 months ago

Let me know your questions or if I missed anything! Putting brighter bathing suits and rash guards on your kiddos is also another great way to keep an eye on them! by @beachwise

16

2

3 months ago

Rip currents can be an incredible tool for surfers, watermen and skilled beachgoers to get through the waves and to the calmer waters past the breaking waves. If the waves are small, you don’t really need a rip current. You can easily get out wherever you want to go. But when the waves are really big, it is incredibly helpful to find a channel to paddle out through. Anyone can exit a rip current, but it does take determination, an understanding of how they work, and patience.

So, I’m a young Mom. I had my first child when I was 23 and now I have four kids under the age of 7 that I am, everyday, learning how to keep safe while out in this world. I never want to fearmonger people, rather equip and inspire to get curious and learn about it.

The ocean is one of those places that a lot of people like to just be able to turn off their brains and relax at. But it is unfortunately not a good place for that. Even if you’re on shore you still need to be aware of changing tides, winds, and crazed people.

When I go to the beach, I am relaxed, but I am also incredibly aware and my head is on a swivel and I’m looking at the waves and I’m looking at the winds and I’m keeping my children within a certain area that I designate and feel comfortable with. I am incredibly proactive and often am in the water with my children.

It’s funny that this is how I am in the ocean, as second nature at this point, because I have noticed that in other scenarios I don’t always have my guard up when I should.

By the way, if you’re at the beach this summer and a lifeguard whistles at you it’s because they are trying to keep you within boundaries that are safe. If you’re at a beach with the red and yellow flags that are marked off for swimmers swim in, swim in those! Your life is precious, let’s protect it while having a great time. by @beachwise

83

5

4 months ago