Just back from a lovely little high tide surf at my favourite beach. Started to get big towards the end of the session as the Hurricane swell started arriving. It's building overnight and predicted for 29.5ft swell tomorrow with 50mph winds. The main beaches will be no go areas, but there will be a few little sheltered spots that will light up tomorrow. Trouble is they will get crowded if people start broadcasting where will work Funny everybody at the beach asking each other where they are surfing tomorrow and the replies 'Erm... just this little spot that I know' ...'Oh where's that then ?'...'Erm... it's just down the road and round the corner from that other spot ..... '
Yes Mum Seriously though, I won't be surfing at any of the main beaches as it will just be storm surf and totally out of control. There should be some little spots tucked away in coves and behind headlands that don't normally get any surf, that will light up tomorrow as the swell is so big, it will wrap around into the sheltered spots. The spot I'm heading to, should be around 5ft-6ft and sheltered from the winds .... we'll see. Gone are the days when I would paddle out into massive surf in a reckless way. Since I had my daughter I've realised that it actually matters a huge amount now if I drowned !
I can remember I got caught once. Wave really hit me. I went under and couldn’t seem to get to the surface as more and more water kept coming down on top. I was getting bounced on the bottom too! I really thought for a second or two that this was it! Luckily, I managed to fight my way to the surface again. But I can still remember how helpless I felt.
Yeah it's horrible isn't it. I've learned to relax in those situations, because the worst thing you can do is panic as it uses up your oxygen quicker. But sometimes the fear and need to take a breath just takes a grip. The worst hold down I had was on a reef in Ireland at a spot called Crab Island. The surf was massive and looking back I was totally out of my ability zone. I was with some lads who are pros and **** hot surfers and I thought I could take it on. I was ****ting myself out there and thought I'll just get one wave so that I can say I've surfed it. I took off on a ****ing monster and the thing just threw me over the lip into the reef. There was so much whitewater that it dragged me under for around 30-40ft over the reef and I couldn't get to the surface. I got the full rinse cycle, tumbling around and just when I thought it had finished and I was swimming to the surface I realised that I was upside down and I was swimming to the bottom. Never known panic like that, I seriously needed to take a breath but fought the urge, thankfully I surfaced and managed to grab a huge lung full of air before the next wave washed me further in over the reef and into the shallows. Needless to say, that was the end of my session
Yes you do. I like to think I have a healthy respect of the Ocean, but you always have to push your boundaries. That day though I was completely out of my depth, in terms of the skill needed to surf something like that. As I said, these days now I have a young daughter I'm content to surf smaller waves with my mates. I don't need to prove anything to myself and I don't need to take on reckless and dangerous surf.
How olds your daughter mate? When she gets older you will probably want to take on everything reckless and dangerous Do I really need a parachute? I reckon if I bend mg legs and roll on impact of will be OK and if I don't they can have the insurance money for a big wedding and I don't need to know the guy
She's four. She's started coming out with me on the board in ankle high waves, so I'm hoping she'll turn into a little shredder one day. I can just see it now in 10-15 years time she'll be like 'Come on fatty, hurry up and paddle out'
Somebody, I don't really know personally, offering a 2 year old staffy to me via a mate Not sure as I want to get a pup so I know its nature around kids etc. Previous owner is a youngish lass who had a kid and can't look after it. IMO the kind of background she has is similar to the male chavs with "hard dogs" Lovely looking dog though
I have 2 mate. Youngest is nearly 10. Oldest in her 20's . I sometimes wonder who the dad is and who makes the decisions Oh and I got fat because they don't let me do anything. I get THAT look and "at your age" comments Oh and I have 5 sons too (long story but all my kids live with me ) and the girls rule
