Surfing and ocean safety quiz
At Willis brothers surfing we believe knowledge is power when it comes to staying safe in the ocean environment. Before participating in surfing or any other ocean activity it's a good idea to know some of the risks and ways to avoid them. Knowing what to look for or what to do in certain situations helps ensure everyone's safety.
Will you know before you go? Take the Willis brothers surfing and ocean safety quiz and find out just how much you know before you go. (Answers are provided at bottom and elaborated upon, but don't peek!!)
1. Every time a surfer goes to the beach he or she should?
A. Pick up trash.
B. Check for friends.
C. Do a complete beach and ocean observation.
D. Shower afterwards.
2. Where are rip currents generally located?
A. Along side or in between waves washing in.
B. Where the waves are washing in.
C. In between and where waves are washing in.
D. Way beyond the breaking waves washing in.
3. What is the safest way to swim in from a rip current pulling out?
A. Relax and go with the flow.
B. Yell for a lifeguard.
C. Swim side ways parallel to the beach.
D. Swim in the direction of the nearest waves.
4. What is a beach marker?
A. A water proof felt pin?
B. A reference point to help a surfer maintain his line up with the beach.
C. Someone who draws pictures in the sand.
D. Someone who doesn't pick up after their dog.
5. What is the "stingray shuffle".
A. Sliding feet and kicking up sand to shoo off stingrays when walking over sandy bottoms in the ocean.
B. Latest California dance craze.
C. A crafty way to deal cards.
D. The motions a stingray makes while swimming in the ocean.
6. What should you do if you step on a stingray?
A. Pee on the wounded area.
B. Soak wounded area in ice water for at least an hour.
C. Squeeze the wounded area to help remove poison.
D. Soak wounded area in very hot water for at least an hour.
7. A surfer that wipes out should?
A. Call out to warn other surfers.
B. Fall back into the wave.
C. Fall in front of the wave.
D. Dive head first.
8. A surfer that wipes out shouldn't?
A. Dive head first.
B. Relax.
C. Not panic.
D. Wear a loose bathing suit.
9. What are the A.B.C.'s of surfing?
A. N.B.C.s competition.
B. Surfer talk for Always Be Cool.
C. The way surfers grade wave standards.
D. The learning stages for beginning surfers.
10. What procedure should a safe surfer practice before coming up for air after wiping out?
A. Kick hard to get to the top sooner before coming up?
B. Close your eyes before coming up.
C. Put hands above head with elbows in front of face before coming up.
D. Try to scream for help underwater before coming up?
11. If a surfer is riding a wave in and another surfer is paddling out who has the right of way?
A. The surfer riding the wave.
B. The surfer paddling out.
C. There is no right of way in surfing.
D. The stronger surfer.
12. When two or more surfers are riding a wave which surfer has priority?
A. Surfer furthest from the breaking part of the wave.
B Surfer closest to the breaking part of the wave.
C. Neither surfer.
D. The best looking surfer.
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Answers:
1. C
Waves generally come in series, take time to observe conditions, wave heights and currents before ever venturing into the ocean. A helpful tip is; Waves often appear much larger when your in the water than when your looking at that from the land.
2. A
Rip currents are easily spotted by the seasoned or trained eye but difficult to spot if you don't know what your looking for. When waves travel to shore they leave a residue of white water bubbles behind them. Where you see the white water bubble lines water is coming in. In between or along side bubble lines thereas with no whitewater bubble lines is where water is going back out, this is where rip currents occur.
3. D
Rip currents can be unpredictable. Some rip currents are stationary while others are mobile. To escape from a rip current by far the most effective way is to swim in the direction of the nearest waves. The waves like a good friend will help bring you swiftly back to the beach.
4. B
Besides rip currents there are "long shore currents" which on west facing beaches run either north or south (depending on the swell direction and time of year) along the beach. To prevent drifting up or down the beach it's a very good idea to always have a stationary visual reference such as a tree, house, or mountain
to line up with.
5. A
Stingrays are beautiful, easy going non aggressive (toward humans) creatures but when tread on they will react defensively. Surfers, swimmers and every beach goer should always slide or shuffle their feet when entering the ocean and walking over a sandy bottom to shoo stingrays away and help prevent being
a victim.
6. D
Stingray wounds can be very painful to excruciatingly painful. Thank goodness in most cases soaking the wounded area in very hot water eliminates the pain in approximately an hour. Adding Hawaiian salt to the hot water is also helpful.
7. B
Many people mistakenly believe surfing big waves is more dangerous than surfing small waves. Big or small the safest way to fall off a surfboard while riding a wave is always backwards into the wave where the water is deeper and the wave will push the surfboard safely away.
8. A
In truth small waves can be as dangerous as big waves and in some cases even more. Small waves occur in shallow water, thus try to never ever fall off a surfboard head first to help prevent head and or neck damage.
9. B
Though surfing is mega cool the A.B.C.'s of surfing-- Always Be Cool-- is meant more as in cool, calm and collected than say movie star cool as in Brad Pitt.
10. C
Even if you get free medical and dental it is a good idea to cover your head when coming up for air after a wipe out. Another tip is do not be in a hurry to come up, wait until most or all off the waves energy has passed before rising to the surface.
11. A
Surfer has the right of way over paddler, if you find your self in the path of a speeding surfboard and don't know what to do the best thing is to stay stationary and let the rider go by or head in the opposite direction from which the rider is coming so the rider can more easily pass by .
12. B
In reality no surfer has priority over another regardless of his or her position on the wave. No one owns the waves fortunately waves belong to everyone. Non the less simple courtesy goes along way in keeping surfing line ups happy and safe. If another surfer is up and already riding let them have that wave, remember the golden rule; treat others as you wish to be treated and there is always another wave!
If you only got three correct you are a high candidate to be another victim for the lifeguards to save.
If you got six correct stay in front or near lifeguard towers, heads up and enter at your own risk.
If you got nine correct your pretty aware, you should have fun but stay alert.
If you got all twelve questions correct congratulations you are a safe surfer and a benefit to others. You know before you go ---help others do the same--pass surfing and ocean safety knowledge on. Keep the wave of knowledge rolling!
View More Articles:
*Winning with Waves
*Surviving Wipeouts
*Surfing Zone
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