Wave of My Life!

This surf session was fraught with bomb waves, but one in particular was stellar.  I took the Junod out today having learned from yesterday that a longer board doesn’t ease the paddle on a big day.  And today was especially big – most waves coming in well overhead.  Nearly every wave that came in was a nice beefy wave with a huge face and power like I’ve rarely seen in California.  Every ride felt like a 10.  And again, like yesterday, crowds were low, so wave count was high.

The wave in particular was my last wave (what luck!).  I had asked a near-by dude the time – it was time for me to head in, I had a lunch date to get to.  And right away this massive wave started building on the outside.  I grew and grew and turned evil.  I asked the two dudes near me if they wouldn’t mind if I took this wave.  The time-guy said, “Sure,” and his buddy said, “I don’t want anything to do with this wave.”  I positioned myself for optimum take-off and readied my paddle.  I started getting into the wave and then some rogue back-swell jacked the face up and extra foot or more and locked me into the wave.  The bottom looked a million miles away.  But a weird and wonderful calm came over me, muscle memory popped me up and I sailed down the face.  I dragged my hand through the face of the wave and stood up tall like I always see in the movies.  So fast!  I raced like a bullet all the way to the beach.  Adrenaline was at an all time high when I hit the sand.  I grabbed my board and started running full speed up the beach.  A toddler wielding a plastic shoveled stared at me as I approached.  I implored the kid, “DID YOU SEE IT?!  DID YOU SEE IT?!”  Nervously, he shook his head, “No.”  I went on, “Oh MAN!  It was AWESOME.  YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT!”  I described the whole wave to the poor kid.  He was a good listener.  Thanks, little dude.