What is your comfort level....

[BassNuts]

I fish Montauk most of the time, so it's mostly rock-hopping for me. I'll hardly ever put myself on a rock where the water is deeper than my waist...I'm not one of these swimming guys. If the surf is running too high, I'll back up a bit if I can. There's no fish worth dying for. I'm double careful at night and carry both a strobe light and a manual whistle just in case I get into trouble. You'd be surprised how loud one of those coaches whistes are!!! Oh and the safety tip of the day...NEVER turn your back to the surf while perched up on a rock. Don't ask how I know.

[FishermanTim]

I fish the east end of the canal, and occaisionally on Duxbury Beach.
In both cases, the first rule I adhere to is: "Never turn your back on the ocean!" All it takes is a rogue wave to knock you off your feet.
The one and ONLY time this happened to me, I was fortunate enough to get slammed into a flat rock. It scare the crap out of me, and from then on, I always keep at least one eye on the surf.
The other rule is: "Keep track of the tide." This applies more when I'm at the canal, and climbing up on slippery rocks is a last resort.
I also had a "dunking" two years ago. I had waded down along the jetty, and didn't realize that I was standing on a sand bar until I decided to walk back to me exit point. I stand 6' 1", and the water was up to my armpits. Needles to say, I got a little damp. This too, happened ONLY once! (Getting wet is bad enough, but when you wear neoprene waders, you also become more bouyant, so you "bob" in the water the deeper you get. Now add in an easterly current and now you start getting worried.)

[Diamond Tackle]

Originally Posted by BassNuts

I fish Montauk most of the time, so it's mostly rock-hopping for me. I'll hardly ever put myself on a rock where the water is deeper than my waist...I'm not one of these swimming guys. If the surf is running too high, I'll back up a bit if I can. There's no fish worth dying for. I'm double careful at night and carry both a strobe light and a manual whistle just in case I get into trouble. You'd be surprised how loud one of those coaches whistes are!!! Oh and the safety tip of the day...NEVER turn your back to the surf while perched up on a rock. Don't ask how I know.

Bassnuts,
I know what u mean, its a completely diff game at night. Any rock that looked easy during the day at the same tide is completely diff at night when the eyes are not so reliable. You better have an exit strategy ,a whistle and a cyalume stick is not a bad idea either. esp if you are alone.
Scariest experience late this fall was at Shagwong ,Montauk(a sand beach) late night. Wading parallel to the shoreline I stepped up to almost my chest in quicksand right where the currents converge,never expected it, completely caught off guard. Since I had waders on, 2 good waves is all it would have taken to get into serious trouble. There was not a soul around.Thats how it happens, when u least expect it.