Having a really good surf can sometimes get a bit hairy when things don't go the way you expected. My experience when I got my "finjury" changed the way I surf forever. Looking back, my confidence is what got me in trouble - or my lack of consideration for the power of the oceans.
This particular day I had just arrived in Delaware. It was stormier surf than usual as hurricane Bill had just passed a few days before.
I had been there less than 24 hours and surfed a different break further up the beach 12 hours before with no problems. All of my previous experience surfing was in Lake Michigan so my awareness was limited even though I have spent lots of time in the oceans.
I was a couple of blocks from the beach I awoke to the sound of the surf breaking, it was a beautiful thing,
I jumped up and sprinted down to the beach...ohh it looked so nice, perfect peeling beach break.
I ran back to get the boards and my mates. As soon as we got down to the beach I was so excited I charged right for the water. ( While Alex sat on the beach stretching and watching the surf.... of which I should have been doing too! )
The tide was coming in, the ocean had changed in the span of about 10 minutes into a monster beach break, I caught one in and got a bit scraped on the sand but no worries, I started my paddle out again not really paying attention to the waves getting heavier. This time a wave formed right in front of me as I was on my way out, in haste I decided to just turn into it (as i have done with much smaller waves in the lake with no prob's) it picked me up and slammed me down, the force of the water was amazing, my board got away from me, I felt a bump on my leg but no pain....In hindsight i should have ditched the board or ever further hindsight probably not have even gone out.
That day turned into a surf rescue, there were no lifeguards. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers to carry me up the beach and call the Ambulance. My leg was lacerated from the fin, it had gone in and popped out taking some meat with it!
As lake surfer's we don't have to worry about reef, tides or sharks but our lakes can still be riddled with dangerous situations!
This particular day I had just arrived in Delaware. It was stormier surf than usual as hurricane Bill had just passed a few days before.
I had been there less than 24 hours and surfed a different break further up the beach 12 hours before with no problems. All of my previous experience surfing was in Lake Michigan so my awareness was limited even though I have spent lots of time in the oceans.
I was a couple of blocks from the beach I awoke to the sound of the surf breaking, it was a beautiful thing,
I jumped up and sprinted down to the beach...ohh it looked so nice, perfect peeling beach break.
I ran back to get the boards and my mates. As soon as we got down to the beach I was so excited I charged right for the water. ( While Alex sat on the beach stretching and watching the surf.... of which I should have been doing too! )
The tide was coming in, the ocean had changed in the span of about 10 minutes into a monster beach break, I caught one in and got a bit scraped on the sand but no worries, I started my paddle out again not really paying attention to the waves getting heavier. This time a wave formed right in front of me as I was on my way out, in haste I decided to just turn into it (as i have done with much smaller waves in the lake with no prob's) it picked me up and slammed me down, the force of the water was amazing, my board got away from me, I felt a bump on my leg but no pain....In hindsight i should have ditched the board or ever further hindsight probably not have even gone out.
That day turned into a surf rescue, there were no lifeguards. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers to carry me up the beach and call the Ambulance. My leg was lacerated from the fin, it had gone in and popped out taking some meat with it!
As lake surfer's we don't have to worry about reef, tides or sharks but our lakes can still be riddled with dangerous situations!
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