The quick way or the hard way?
Trying to sidetrack mother nature to get out in the lineup doesn’t always pay off. Jumping off the rocks instead of paddling out through the sets might seem like a great idea, but that’s only if it works out perfectly. When it doesn’t, expect to be dragged over that jagged stone, have your board cracked and creased, and experience a deep sense of embarrassment. You can multiple the embarrassment tenfold if there’s someone filming your debacle and they decide to upload it to YouTube. But hey, it sure makes for some good entertainment, right? Now you might laugh at the misfortune of these unlucky surfers, but just remember, it can happen to the best of us!
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Tommo’s Takedown
Now we all have our bad days, and for Sean Thompson this was most certainly one of them. What started as an otherwise normal paddle off the rocks at his local spot turned into a day he would never forget… largely due to his cackling pal filming his torment. A mistimed step, a slip, a slide, washed up on the rocks, an undignified retreat, he didn’t even get out there for a surf…
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Charge!
A sponger squad mistakenly think safety in numbers will protect them as they attempt a rock jump paddle out. As a surfer takes a seat to watch the show, two get sucked over the ledge while another just about holds on. Without his buddies there with him he eventually turns his back on the ocean too…
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Ocean Ejection
Now over to Manly Beach in Australia, where we bear witness to a surfer who joyfully skips down over the rocks to the water’s edge, looking confident and ready, standing strong. What happens next probably still haunts him to this day. Words simply can’t do this clip the justice it deserves, so just click play and see for yourself…
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It Happens to the Girls Too
Burleigh Heads has a notorious rocky jump off spot to paddle out from, and after watching two guys get out there successfully this girl decides to give it a go herself. With more of a fall than a leap, see ends up right on top of the rocks with a set coming to wash her up. That doesn’t stop her though and she keeps paddling out, let’s just hope she made it after all that effort…
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Don’t Forget to Jump
While one surfer gets his pals to film him on the rocks, the unfortunate guy in front gets caught on screen royally screwing up his paddle out at North Stradbroke Island. With an audience laughing and taunting the poor fella, he was left to fend for himself and there was no way he was turning around to face the camera…
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The Other Way Round
What about when you’re paddling in from a surf and need to exit via the rocks? Just as treacherous perhaps, as this surfer found out at Margaret River. As he approached the cliff his buddy looks on and then turns to paddle out again! After that he’s left clinging to the rocks as the set gives him a good rinse…
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Take Mark Visser’s Advice!
Worrying about your next rock jump paddle out? Concerned your rock jump paddle out technique isn’t quite up to scratch? Are jumping off rocks holding your surfing back? Never fear, Mark Visser is here! The Aussie big wave surfer shares his wisdom on how to improve your rock jump paddle out game and not end up like one of the suckers you’ve seen in these videos!
