It doesn’t matter if you’re a family looking for a good time on the water or a watersports enthusiast searching for a challenge—paddleboarding has something to offer everyone. However, you should keep a few important safety tips in mind for paddleboarding in the ocean before you leave the beach.

Can You Weather the Weather?

Don’t leave home without checking the weather forecast first (and, to be clear, we aren’t talking about peeking your head outside and saying, “It looks like a clear day.”) Make sure you’re aware of the forecast for the whole day. You never know when an hour-long trip will turn into a longer excursion. When you see a storm in the forecast, don’t go paddleboarding. Full stop. Winds and waves change too quickly to take the risk, so save your energy for a clear day later in the week.

Find a Buddy, Buddy

Friends are great for a lot of things—when paddleboarding, they upgrade your fun and safety. You’ll have someone to chat with as you explore the ocean, and there will be a person around who can assist in case of an unpleasant surprise. Never forget—there’s safety in numbers!

PFD, SVP

It’s never a good sign when you have to explain a joke, but we’ll do it anyway—PFD, SVP is another way of saying, “Please wear a floatation device,” like a buoyancy air or waist belt. The exact translation from acronym to words is “personal floatation device, s’il vous plait.” Listen, we tried really hard to come up with clever names for tips, and our cleverness had to run out eventually.

The most important thing to remember is to bring a personal floatation device when paddleboarding. It doesn’t matter if you’re a strong swimmer—the ocean doesn’t care. With riptides and invisible currents, wearing a PFD on your composite paddle board could be a matter of life and death.

Now that you know these important safety tips for paddleboarding in the ocean, head out on the water with your well-being at the top of your mind. Paddleboarding is a ton of fun, but don’t mistake fun for being totally danger-free.