In really rough conditions I take an inflateable PFD with me, or sometimes a BCD. To be honest I generally don't take a life vest into the water with me when I hunt. Today I got caught in a bit of a rip current but I was able to break free, it wasn't that bad of a pull. It could have been worse and I would have dumped my gear if I had to but that would have been a problem if I was tether to my gear.
The nice thing about gear is that you can try to retrieve it after the emergency has passed, if you don't retrieve it then buy more gear. The trick to this is that you have to be alive to buy new gear - Be a good consumer, Stay Alive!
Tether, Tether, Tether! I am so Sick of Responding to this Silly Question. I've never dropped my scoop where I couldn't retrieve it, ditto for my detector and I hunt conditions that most surf pirates wouldn't dream of jumping into. Curl some weights and get into decent shape, either that or stay in the wet sand.
BDA