The waves have been pumping.
Yesterday was heavy, 12 to 15ft swell, 18 second period with 30 mph offshore winds and 9 degree water temperature, hardcore.
Pulling up at the beach it looked about 4 to 5 ft. I ran down to the rocks and carefully made my way to the outer “rock jump.” By doing it this way it meant I didn’t have to tackle the savage 20 minute paddle out, instead I tackled the super sketchy rock jump.
As I hit the water a set appeared on the horizon so I put my head down and paddled towards it.
Breathing deeply, I could feel the water moving, alive, so much energy.
Looking back at the beach I tried to line myself up with the headland, I was a long way out. As I looked back out to sea the first wave of the set peaked in front of me, it was massive, probably three times overhead. My mind raced, shall I bail or shall I duck dive ? …I bailed, rolled off my board and swam as deep as I could. As the wave washed over me I got pushed deeper, I could feel my leash straining, pulling my leg sideways and then all of a sudden I felt the tension on my leg disappear, nooooooo, the worst case scenario had happened, my leash had snapped.
I got to the surface and instinctively looked to see if there was anyone near me, there wasn’t, so I started swimming.
A mate of mine Tim, used to caddy for big wave surfer Mike Parsons in Hawaii. I remember a story he told me how he once got caught by a 20ft clean up set during the Eddie Aikau event at Waimea Bay. He got drilled, lost his board and got washed around the bay, swimming for 40 minutes before rolling up the beach in the shorebreak. As he lay there exhausted one of the lifeguards walked over to check on him and said, “brah, next time swim in on your back, it’s way easier.”
….so anyway, I’ve always remembered Tim’s story. It was a long swim, so I made my way in on my back and after what seemed like an eternity my feet touched the sand.
I had been washed half way down the beach, a dude with dreddz and his girlfriend were waiting for me holding my board, “Thanks mate” I said, he smiled as he handed me my board and said “fair play man, that was heavy !!”
8AM the next day, I knew it was still pumping and I was “rattled.”
Was this doubt I was feeling? Was I a bit scared? I’ve been surfing for 45 years, surfed all over the world and I’ve felt these feelings before, there’s only one way to deal with it, you gotta put your suit on, paddle out and catch the biggest wave you can find.
So I did, I jumped off the rocks again paddled straight to the take off spot, sat on my board and waited. There was one other dude in the water, I saw him get a sweet one so I made my way over towards where he had been sat. A big set appeared, I knew one of these waves had my name on it.
I let the first one go, the second one was solid, I took a deep breath, cleared my mind and went for it. It was steep, I was a bit late but as I bottom turned at full speed a flawless perfectly groomed face awaited me yeehaaa !! I rode it all the way to the beach.
Making my way up the sand dunes I felt like the king of the world.
I got back to my van and one of my mates was waiting for me with a freshly brewed Cappuccino from the Koala Coffee truck. Smiling, he handed me the coffee and said “nice one mate, I saw your last wave, fair play, that was heavy !!”
