Well, it was another foggy morning here in NorCal, but who cares when the waves are pumping! Went down to the beach early this morning and was greeted by solid South swell #2 in full metal jacket mode. Just a thumping beach break; they don't call it Slammin' Creek for nothing! There are a few people looking at the surf, but no one out. What the f_<k are you people doing? Get out there! So, I did. Heck, I love to show off a bit for a peanut gallery. I put on my still wet suit, grabbed my 6'10" Charlie Smith classic Local Motion, and headed out. I had noticed a bit of a rip tide paddling channel while watching the waves; okay, so it wasn't really a channel, but it was at least the best strategy for making it out relatively unscathed; which I did amazingly easily, because the waves were heaving and throwing square barrels! What? I got a wave pretty quickly, kicked out and barely scratched back out. Got another same story. Then, there was a Bomb looming on the outside, I got into perfect position, no easy feat out there, I can assure you, especially when the fog is so thick that you can't see the shore and have no way to line up your positioning. It was a super late drop, I was barely able to get my nose up to keep from pearling, and flicked the TunaFin, pulling in easily. And got freaking shacked! That thing was heaving and throwing! One other dude had just come out and was paddling out with the perfect view of my best barrel in months! I stood tall and put my arms out to the sides; nothing but spittle and that roaring sound so unique to the barrel. The guy said he was hooting his lungs out, but I didn't hear a thing! I got blasted out and just made it over the next un-makable section, jumping back onto my belly and stroking for the outside without pause. I got through one wave and then came face to face with a double up grinder and it was going to impact right in front of me. I should have bailed my board, but opted to try the duck dive. That didn't work! The wave annihilated me! I got hammered down to the sand, picked up and shot into the air, back down into the washing machine, to the surface again in a cauldron, and sucked back down before it released me. Won't need to use the netty pot today. I tried to get back out, but I was in the washing machine current and wasn't getting anywhere, so I went in. Yes, peanut gallery, that's how we do it!
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AuthorKlaus Dilling is a lifelong surfer and designer with a passion for innovation. ArchivesCategories |