Wet ‘n’ Wild with Rockin’ Fig -- Rick Fignetti

he Figster returns to the Independent with your weekly surf column,

only fit for Surf City, cause that’s what this place is all about, with

beach news of all kinds.

You’ll be getting results from your several-time national champs,

Huntington Beach High School, the local scene, such as the Huntington

Beach Surf Series, National Scholastic Surfing Assn. and the U.S. Surfing

Federation.

Plus the biggies, the U.S. Open, which will have surfers here from all

over the world, not to mention local hot shots. We’ll have Assn. of

Surfing Professionals action, the world qualifying series updates, world

championship tour info and other hot topics.

We’ll have biographies on interesting beach people, surf product

information and anything past or present that deserves worthy notice.

Surf tips of all sorts from surfboards to surf breaks to weather and

tides of any beach-oriented aspects that could and might affect your

lives, every Thursday right here, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, summer is almost here -- just a couple weeks left for the

groms before they get out of school and no doubt the place to be will be

right here at our local beaches.

So there’s definitely fun to be had, and you’ve heard it before but

here’s a few safety tips that might help out.

Always swim and surf by a manned lifeguard tower. We have a top-notch

crew of experts on the beach’s watching out for ya, scanning the lineup

for possible problems and rescues. If you get hurt they’ll take care of

you or direct you to the proper care.

A good idea before entering the water is to stretch and loosen up

tight muscles so you don’t cramp up or strain them. While doing that,

survey the area for possible hazards, such as the Huntington Beach Pier,

jetties, rocks or other objects that could be of concern.

Check which way the current is going -- north or south -- to see if

you could be pulled into one of the above. The size of the surf is a

major factor. What are your limits? How big can you handle? Is there a

channel to paddle out in that will save some energy?

The sets will usually break a few at a time then there’s a lull,

paddle out then.

Surfing is getting pretty popular and it gets pretty crowded out

there. If you’re a beginner, you want to stay away from the pack. It’s

easier to navigate with less people in the way, and that’s usually down

the beach.

The Pier is the high profile spot for most of the surfers that ride

for the shops, and that’s usually where the big ripping is going on. It’s

also where the Huntington Beach surf team meets in the mornings -- on the

south side. Most of the top Huntington Beach pros train there too -- Ryan

Simmons, Jeff Deffenbaugh, the Jay “Larsenator” Larson, Timmy Reyes, Tim

and Ryan Turner, Danny Nichols and Tom Rezvan -- just to name a few. Take

a look off the Pier and you’ll see them in action when they are not on

the circuit.

Riptides usually come when the swell starts to show and goes the way

the surf is pushing. Sometimes the riptides push you down the beach, and

sometimes they suck you out to sea.

The consensus is to swim or paddle parallel to the beach with the

current so you don’t lose energy. Try to stay calm and don’t panic

because that will tire you out sooner. The lifeguards really monitor this

situation pretty well and are always watching from Tower Zero with the

big binoculars for possible rescues. If you continue down the beach you

should move out of the riptide area.

That brings up the buddy system.

Going with a friend is a great idea, whether it’s surfing,

bodyboarding or swimming. There’s always a possibility of getting hurt

and your friend might be the one to save you or alert the right people.

Plus who’s gonna see that great ride or believe that story of that

10-second tube ride or air drop lip bash that you pulled. I know my

friends don’t unless it’s caught on film.

There has been a lot of shifting sand, making holes, shallow spots and

deep spots, so it’s not advisable to be diving headfirst into the water,

maybe in a pool, but most the time in our ocean, it’s hard to see the

bottom and there have been a few neck injuries.

Hey, the water’s warming up fast and that sometimes brings in the

sting rays. Shuffle your feet as you head to the outside and that could

save you from getting the whiplash or whip gash on your feet.

Surf schools have been doing pretty well lately and there’s good ones

in town. Getting a few lessons from an instructor could save weeks of

time. The right equipment makes the difference.

Practical application of just getting out there will help the stamina

and balance. The more ya go the better shape you’ll be in. You’ll gain

more knowledge every time. No two waves are ever the same so its a little

different every time. So have fun, don’t forget the sun block, and I’ll

see ya out there.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a six-time West Coast champion, has announced the

U.S. Open of Surfing the last seven years and has been the KROQ-FM

surfologist for the last 15 years where he’s done morning surf reports.

He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.