Respect

[zgur]

ìÖ.Drink the water drink it down
This time I know I'm bound, to spit it back up
I didn't want this, salty substitute, just not going to doÖÖÖ
I need some air, if I'm going to live through this experienceÖ..î Jack Johnson


My heart is still pounding fast with adrenaline at this time of the dayÖÖ.following yesterdayís epic experience on the coastÖÖ :shock:

You know that it was windy yesterday all over the North CA coast, and the surf was booming. The last reading I saw before entering the water was 14.4 feet at 13 seconds. This was the HMB buoy, where the wind was 24 gusting to 32. The ocean has a lot of energy and it looked alive. For those who donít play in the ocean frequently, swells that are over 12 feet, when they hit sand/reef usually jack up to at least double over head. Sometimes higher.

These waves are big. This was a ground swell, vs. wind swell, which came from the Alaska direction. The location where I choose to ride, the wave were breaking VERY far outside, and when a wave was coming it, at times it felt like the entire section of the beach from the top of the reef all the way down the beach was vertical. The conditions were intense, and for those that have paid dues and like excitement, this was a good dayÖÖ.

After rigging my 9m Rebel, I took a few extra minutes to stretch and watch how the waves were breaking, when a good time to get out is, where the trouble areas happen to be. Big days require a bit more due diligence, the currents are different, waves break much further, and closer then you expectÖÖÖ.; you canít just rush out in the normal frenzy that most of us feel before a sessionÖ...

Getting out on the first reach was flipping intense. The adrenaline in my blood was pumping hard, the heart was racing, my muscles were all ready for actionÖÖout in the big water past the surf, I worked on slowing down my breathing and relaxingÖÖ..reading the swells, looking for where the sweet spot is, where does the wave start to break, where is there a clean section to ride bottom turnÖÖ.Go out not too far, on days like this, if you have to swim, you donít want it to be from far awayÖ

ÖÖ.As I was plunty powered, getting upwind was no problemÖÖ..jibe on a big freight train, glide down it to pick up some speed and head back upwind to the breakÖÖÖÖ..

Point that sweet Amundson Directional North as much as possible, head upwind to were the waves are breakingÖ..read the swells and respectÖÖÖslow down the breathing, relaxÖÖ..feet tight in the straps, cause the next few bottom turns are going to have some speedÖÖyou see when you drop down a fatty, you accelerate, no matter what your kite is doingÖÖÖ.

Ok, here we goÖÖ..here is a good setÖ..let the first two go by, the third wave looks well formed and big enough to meÖÖ..pinch a bit more into the critical section, in the smooth water after the first two waves, wait for the wave to jack up just a bit more, whip that kite, bend z knees hard, drive the rail of the board deep, drag right hand in the water, yeah, scoop the leaves out that gutter suckerÖÖ.keep flowing with speed up the face of the fattyÖÖ..

Ö..îholly macro, this wave is big!!!!îÖÖ.like really big, as Iím riding straight up for a lot longer then is ìnormalîÖ..at the top, smack that face as hard as possible, cut back, and steer the kite in the right directionÖÖ.get the kite low, set up, and repeatÖ..and repeatÖ..respect the big white water, jibe and get outÖÖÖwatch for other riders who are having epic ridesÖ..respect the big white water and get outÖÖ..îgo dog goîÖ..get over the big fatties jacking upÖÖ.îgo dog goîÖ.donít get too late or lazyÖ..you donít want to go over the falls of a 20+ foot face attached to a kiteÖ..you really donít need that excitementÖÖriding them is enough, at least of this old dudeÖÖ..

This wild roller coaster ride was repeated for several hours, as long as the body could handle all that intense feeling coursing through my veinsÖÖ :)

Towards the end of the session I wanted to go for 1 more to end the dayÖÖI was headed back out, past where the waves broke. All relaxed and breathing calmÖÖthen out of nowhere, a big/giant/humongous/really big wave is coming at me, looking very vertical and ready to breakÖÖ.I think ìwhat the hell, this far out past the white water itís jacking up????îÖÖ.just made it over the lip as the wave was starting to breakÖ.whehÖ..that was closeÖÖÖ..holly shiteÖÖ.the next one is bigger and more vertical, closer to breakingÖÖ.not goodÖÖ.wave higher then my kite when Iím at the bottomÖÖ..only 1 thing to do to survive, send itÖÖ.thank god for plenty of power and the fact that Iím used to how this Rebel jumps.

I clear the frothing 20+ angry lip with inches to spareÖ..the spray from the braking wave covers everything, including my kite. Wow that was big and closeÖÖÖ.The 3rd wave is even bigger, ohhh my godÖÖ..itís coming at me like a freight trainÖ.it looks insanely big and very ready to breakÖÖ..I try to sweep the kite to get going againÖ.after you jump, due to current, you frequently loose your planning speed, even on directional boardÖÖdefinitely no time to chicken jibeÖ..Ö.címon, címon kite, get my ass goingÖÖpleeeeeaaaaasseeeeeeÖÖÖÖÖI start planning up a bit too lateÖÖI start to ride up the VERY VERY VERY big swellÖÖÖ.itís starting to crest up above where my kite is sweeping franticallyÖÖÖ.

By the time I reach the apex of the wave, itís already heaving in downward directionÖÖ.I just barely see the other side of the wave, as all the energy of the wave throws me 20+ down in the direction the wave is traveling, which is right towards my kiteÖÖÖas I am flying through the air towards the ocean, my body starts to do a forward rollÖÖthe lines are completely slackÖ..I hit the water pretty hard, and get pummeled by the water coming down on top of meÖ..I continue rolling forward a few more timesÖÖ.I release the kite from the chicken loop as Iím getting pushed down further and furtherÖ..it gets darkÖÖÖ..Iím starting to want some fresh air, but the wave is pushing meÖ..water is powerfulÖÖ.very powerfulÖÖthank god Iím not closer to shore, as I would be in the sand/reef, and that could be really uglyÖÖÖ

As I start to get really short on air, the kite pulls on me, still attached by safety lineÖ..it got hammered by the same white water which was pushing me downÖÖthe kite pulls my struggling ass up to the surface of the water, and I release the last attachment I had to the kiteÖÖtake a quick breath only to see another monster headed right towards meÖÖ..not goodÖÖÖ.I dive as deep as I can to avoid impactÖÖ.the pressure gets intense, Iím held down way too longÖÖneed some air really bad nowÖÖ..come up for breath and a short break in setsÖÖ.wow, things can really turn from bliss to danger pretty quick.

Oh well, no time to reflect in big fishy water. Time to swim back to shoreÖÖa few more words from the surfer turned musician Jack Johnson........

ìBe careful what you ride
You just might find
That you're out of time
To swim ashoreî

After an incredibly long swim, very happy I swam competitively, as this was key in helping me relax and hold my breath and swim in cold water, I stumbled out of the shore break, which pummeled me for a few minutesÖÖ.really glad I wear an impact vest and helmetÖ.without that gear, the waves may have held me under a bit too longÖ.who knowsÖÖ..the floatation of the impact vest was very helpful for relaxing and for coming to the surface faster for that kind O2ÖÖ..

Ö..came onto the beach dizzy, short of breath, never been so happy to touch sandÖÖÖ..lay in the sand for a few minutes to catch my breathÖÖwait for the earth under me to stop movingÖÖwait for my head to stop swimmingÖÖ

ÖÖfound my gearÖ..was pretty close to me, took it longer to get in due to current, and the gear was not doing freestyle to get inÖÖ.the kite has some damageÖÖ..the board is ok, lines ok. Body not hurtÖÖthe mind is a little twistedÖ.a little more then before.

I have always held the ocean with a large a amount of respect. The power is incredible, beautiful, and can turn from epic fun to danger in a flash of a second. My lesson from this experience is to NEVER stop being alert for where the waves can breakÖ.my long session lulled me into a sense of comfort when I was past the white water, and there is no room for this complacency when riding the ocean.

It took me until this morning to catch my breathÖÖ..that oxygen sure tastes sweet!!!!

Canít wait till next timeÖÖÖ..

Good wind + waves, Zeev.

[Fassn8]

Great post!!!

Glad I opted for 3rd yesterday.

[Bulldog]

It's difficult to fight the temptation, very human, to think you have Mother Nature all dialed in. Then you get your ass kicked.

I noticed the same thing on Sunday, in much smaller waves, you can think you're out in the safe zone and then all of a sudden it's not safe anymore.

Glad you made it home safe.

[super_monkey]

I don't mean to sound like a smart ass but with all the things that keep happening to you maybe "God" is trying to tell you something? I'm glad to hear you're ok. I can attest to the fact that this past weekend at Scotts/Waddell was not the most fun I've had but it sure was exciting. On sunday after an hour of beating at Scott's I opted for a blissful afternoon at thurd. Monday turned out to be a super day at Waddell, nicely powered on a 9m V6 and an 06 Jaime 123. I wish I was patient enough to wait for 3rd to come up.

[windhorny]

Nice post man, you are a poet.

[zgur]

Super_Monkey - no worries about being a smart ass, I do learn from the lessons that are dished out to me......note that I did not go out on Sunday into the water, as I knew that conditions would be scetchy.......and no bodily harm happened......

My lessons have been just that, lessons. Sometimes when you push your skills/conditions in which you ride, there are times when you go past the line......you learn from the lesson and move on......

I shared my story as I think the kite community likes to hear when we play with the power of mother nature.......sometimes she bitch slaps us......and it makes for a good story......

Get some, Z.

[super_monkey]

Hehe, I know all about being bitch slapped and this weekend was the perfect example of that. I see you rip it up all the time but after hearing your stories I'm just worried. On the other hand with your luck this past year you'll probably live to 105 without much of a scratch. See you on the water. :supz:

[wjb]

Awesome read!

[Greg]

Great read Z!! Thanks!

My sess today was anything but heroic. I paddled out into maybe 8 foot surf, mostly I paddled..
My shriveled raisins all but disappeared as I attempted to get into position while not getting drained on the reef. Only once, after seeing a surfer girl wave to me from the shore did I drop into a wave with any real mo-jo. Mostly I played chicken with myself..
Knowing what lay below, all the prickly stuff etc.., really didnt help. Sure, I was prepared for the worst, I had on a full 2mm spring suit and booties and even a helmet but I still felt totally naked...
Only bearly bumped off the reef once, actually caught a section in my hand, and already had an urchine spine..
I wanted to kite but I didnt have enough pow, I knew I'd get slaughtered with the swell.. FU%&, growing old SUCKS!!
Sadest part is what I thought about later on, on the ferry ride home, that-- that pretty little girl probably only came out to see if she needed to rescue me.. :tonqe:

[OliverG]

Aww, Greg, I'm sure she was just checking out your moves is all!