big surf
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The coast went big today. One of the larger waves I saw peaked about five feet above a windsurfers masthead as he juiced a little extra speed out of it, barely escaping the whitewater that was as tall as his mast, which was straight up and down at the time. The swell seemed to peak from about 2-3pm and was remarkably consistent, and consistently large. Steady northerly (nice and side shore) wind in the 7-10M range. It was really cool being out there among such power and I did muster the cajones to play with some of the medium size sets. I also did some chicken jibing, playing on the inside, and watching the biggest sets roll through from the outside as they turned a mile long impact zone into a mile long foam slick. It feels like cheating not having to paddle for your life when the clean up sets come through. I must say that the 3 or 4 windsurfers were going DEEP in the pocket on some very, very large waves. No fear in the guy with the Simmer sail. Much respect to these clearly seasoned skippers. Impact zone errors came with a price and I saw a few kites down and one shredded, but no one seemed to have any real trouble of the dangerous variety. Props to the goofy dude with the full brim hat on and the North. He rode some big ones while I was watching, toeside the whole time. Respect to everyone who kited out there today, cause there was a lot of water moving. It was no joke and a hell of a lot of fun.
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big surf
Yeah, It was BIG.
When I got to the spot where I love to ride, the surfers were still in the water. You could tell that the waves were really big, as the surfers looked miniature as the swells came through. The guys who were paddling out would put in below the cliff, and clear the foam about 200 yards downind - strong current (note to self: don't go down in the impact zone, as you may not be able to swim back to the beach due to strong current....next exit point: Davenport creek 3 miles downwind). The tide was just right for the waves to break really big. The wind was a steady 10m-8m wind. I was really happy to have a10m kite, so that I could clear the monsters coming through.
Some of the kelp was torn off the reef due to size and power of the waves: This is a very good thing, as the kelp was getting pretty intense in some spots. The fins of my board, which are big fins on a directional, hit those kelp really hard and you get jarred. Don't want this happening as you are dropping in on a fatty.
It is interested when the waves get that big, over 20+ foot faces. The drop from the wave is so fast and steep, that your lines go a bit slack on the kite....my heart skipped a few beats multiple times as I was dropping down the big fatties. Looping your kite works, but it's quite interesting and intense where you are going mach 4 down a 20+ wall of water that is roaring behind you.....
I had some of the biggest wave rides of my life yesterday, and the adrenaline is still pumping in my veins. I had a hard time sleeping last night, and can still hear the sound of the water and taste the salt on my lips.
Two other interesting events....the first one was watching my bro Gabe Brown riding one of the most beautiful waves. I was on the reach going out, and was moving slow so that I don't catch too much air on the way out. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon, and the sun was getting a bit low on the horizon already (fall bites). Gabe was dropping in a good 20+ wave, setting the rail of his board and sending his kite. He made the perfectly timed turn, and climbed the wall just feet away from the curling mean looking lip. The wave was just raging and powerful, and he was deep in the pocket, in the perfect spot, making a drop for his next turn. The light caught the wave and Gabe in such a cool way that my mind will forever have that image burned. In our minds eye, every wave that we ride looks like that that and we are always in the perfect location. At the end of our sessions we discussed that wave and Gabe said he thoght of stopping after that wave ride - it was that sweet. Nice.
The other event was a bit more scary. I was getting a bit too comfortable with the big waves and was starting to hit the lip later and later - wich is good clean and intense fun to hit a vertical wall at the right time. One turn I mis-judged how fast the wave was jacking up. As I approached the lip, it picket me up, and I went over the falls with the wave. As I was flying through the air, towards my kite, the last thing I see is my kite luffing in the air....not a good thing to be doing in the impact zone on a BIG DAY :shock: . I start reaching for my quick release, but the wave is driving me down so fast as hard that I can't reach it....I'm getting pushed down pretty hard, hoping I don't hit the reef (very happy to have impact vest and helmet, as I hit the water really hard, and if I did not have an impact vest, I would have had my breath knocked out)....there is a plus to this, in that I went so deep , that my lines were tensioned. When I surface in the white foam, all I see is my kite ready to relauch. I point my bar and in the last second, my kite re-launches before the next big macking wave. I must have had some really good Karma, as 2 seconds later, my board pops out of the water right next to me. I Get back on it and charge to the outside.......happened very fast, was very scary, with a great outcome....
Amazing day. I'm honored to have played in such amazing conditions and come out with no body/equipment problems. The drive home - 1.5 hours, felt like seconds. The live version of Dark Star that I listed to was a bit more crisp, and the transition to St. Stephen was a bit more sublime ;-) My wife and kids were a bit more beautiful and precious that evening.....it's cool how events like this can help you have more focus in life.
Good wind + waves, Zeev.
When I got to the spot where I love to ride, the surfers were still in the water. You could tell that the waves were really big, as the surfers looked miniature as the swells came through. The guys who were paddling out would put in below the cliff, and clear the foam about 200 yards downind - strong current (note to self: don't go down in the impact zone, as you may not be able to swim back to the beach due to strong current....next exit point: Davenport creek 3 miles downwind). The tide was just right for the waves to break really big. The wind was a steady 10m-8m wind. I was really happy to have a10m kite, so that I could clear the monsters coming through.
Some of the kelp was torn off the reef due to size and power of the waves: This is a very good thing, as the kelp was getting pretty intense in some spots. The fins of my board, which are big fins on a directional, hit those kelp really hard and you get jarred. Don't want this happening as you are dropping in on a fatty.
It is interested when the waves get that big, over 20+ foot faces. The drop from the wave is so fast and steep, that your lines go a bit slack on the kite....my heart skipped a few beats multiple times as I was dropping down the big fatties. Looping your kite works, but it's quite interesting and intense where you are going mach 4 down a 20+ wall of water that is roaring behind you.....
I had some of the biggest wave rides of my life yesterday, and the adrenaline is still pumping in my veins. I had a hard time sleeping last night, and can still hear the sound of the water and taste the salt on my lips.
Two other interesting events....the first one was watching my bro Gabe Brown riding one of the most beautiful waves. I was on the reach going out, and was moving slow so that I don't catch too much air on the way out. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon, and the sun was getting a bit low on the horizon already (fall bites). Gabe was dropping in a good 20+ wave, setting the rail of his board and sending his kite. He made the perfectly timed turn, and climbed the wall just feet away from the curling mean looking lip. The wave was just raging and powerful, and he was deep in the pocket, in the perfect spot, making a drop for his next turn. The light caught the wave and Gabe in such a cool way that my mind will forever have that image burned. In our minds eye, every wave that we ride looks like that that and we are always in the perfect location. At the end of our sessions we discussed that wave and Gabe said he thoght of stopping after that wave ride - it was that sweet. Nice.
The other event was a bit more scary. I was getting a bit too comfortable with the big waves and was starting to hit the lip later and later - wich is good clean and intense fun to hit a vertical wall at the right time. One turn I mis-judged how fast the wave was jacking up. As I approached the lip, it picket me up, and I went over the falls with the wave. As I was flying through the air, towards my kite, the last thing I see is my kite luffing in the air....not a good thing to be doing in the impact zone on a BIG DAY :shock: . I start reaching for my quick release, but the wave is driving me down so fast as hard that I can't reach it....I'm getting pushed down pretty hard, hoping I don't hit the reef (very happy to have impact vest and helmet, as I hit the water really hard, and if I did not have an impact vest, I would have had my breath knocked out)....there is a plus to this, in that I went so deep , that my lines were tensioned. When I surface in the white foam, all I see is my kite ready to relauch. I point my bar and in the last second, my kite re-launches before the next big macking wave. I must have had some really good Karma, as 2 seconds later, my board pops out of the water right next to me. I Get back on it and charge to the outside.......happened very fast, was very scary, with a great outcome....
Amazing day. I'm honored to have played in such amazing conditions and come out with no body/equipment problems. The drive home - 1.5 hours, felt like seconds. The live version of Dark Star that I listed to was a bit more crisp, and the transition to St. Stephen was a bit more sublime ;-) My wife and kids were a bit more beautiful and precious that evening.....it's cool how events like this can help you have more focus in life.
Good wind + waves, Zeev.
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Zeev,
Based on one of your earlier posts, I'm assuming you were riding the Amundsen custom wave board you have.
I had a couple of questions I was hoping you'd be so kind as to answer:
What length and width is the board (I'm guessing its sub 6'0)?
Was the skip, hop and jump factor big on the faces at high speeds?
Are you planning on going longer, such as 6'0 or 6'6 anytime soon?
Thanks,
Jon
Based on one of your earlier posts, I'm assuming you were riding the Amundsen custom wave board you have.
I had a couple of questions I was hoping you'd be so kind as to answer:
What length and width is the board (I'm guessing its sub 6'0)?
Was the skip, hop and jump factor big on the faces at high speeds?
Are you planning on going longer, such as 6'0 or 6'6 anytime soon?
Thanks,
Jon
Amunson board
Fox - I was riding the Amundson YT5 Wing custom board. It is 5'2" and 43cm wide which is - just right. Here is a link to John's site http://www.amundsoncustoms.com/MainFramset.html
I am getting the larger, 5'6" pin tail board, which is 42cm wide. A bit longer but also more narrow.
John's work is incredible - his craftmaship is second to none!!!!!
I am not going to go longer thn the 5'6" - not sure I see the need for that, as the 5'6" will get the job done well. Regarding skip/hop/jump factor it depended on many factors including: size of the wave, what number of wave in the set (1st, 2nd, etc.) and most important, where on the reef the wave was breaking. There were a few insane large mothers that were smooth as glass. Others where more like skiing moguls, where you had to really suck it up....most interesting where the waves which broke in the kelp, and you had to jump the kelp to aviod eating it hard as you were taking the drop or setting your rail for a bottom turn....twin tips have less of an issue w/this.
Later, Z.
I am getting the larger, 5'6" pin tail board, which is 42cm wide. A bit longer but also more narrow.
John's work is incredible - his craftmaship is second to none!!!!!
I am not going to go longer thn the 5'6" - not sure I see the need for that, as the 5'6" will get the job done well. Regarding skip/hop/jump factor it depended on many factors including: size of the wave, what number of wave in the set (1st, 2nd, etc.) and most important, where on the reef the wave was breaking. There were a few insane large mothers that were smooth as glass. Others where more like skiing moguls, where you had to really suck it up....most interesting where the waves which broke in the kelp, and you had to jump the kelp to aviod eating it hard as you were taking the drop or setting your rail for a bottom turn....twin tips have less of an issue w/this.
Later, Z.
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Z, wrote a very similar story for my magazine two issues ago. He definitely conveys the stoke!consumer wrote:zeev you should write for the mags.
It's no lie...yesterday was borderline life changing.
Z, I passed out at 8:00 last night...did you really have a hard time sleeping.
Also - were you so pumped up when you left that you left your wetsuit on top of your truck? As I was coming down the hill to Waddell, I saw what looked like a small person in the road. I was going too fast and there was too much traffic to stop by the time I realized it was likely a wetsuit.
Jamy Donaldson shot video yesterday but you will have to wait for his movie to come out next year.
Z - you had some bombs yesterday!
Gabe Brown
sometimes Gary Bronson...
sometimes Gary Bronson...
Z,
Dude, u need to keep it on the quiet. Yes, Scotts is not a secret but people do not always go there. If you advertise it everytime you go, people will start going, "Gee, I need to go there." Last year, same size waves, there were only 5 kites out and 5 windsurfers. On Sunday, you could see how busy it was out there. Next weekend, the waves may be smaller and there will be 50 guys out there. We are all stoked and like to ride big waves but keep it to the bros on the beach.
Just trying to keep the waves empty...
Thanks, Jono
Dude, u need to keep it on the quiet. Yes, Scotts is not a secret but people do not always go there. If you advertise it everytime you go, people will start going, "Gee, I need to go there." Last year, same size waves, there were only 5 kites out and 5 windsurfers. On Sunday, you could see how busy it was out there. Next weekend, the waves may be smaller and there will be 50 guys out there. We are all stoked and like to ride big waves but keep it to the bros on the beach.
Just trying to keep the waves empty...
Thanks, Jono
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