Island Odyssey #2
foon
brightens to the East earlier. On this Sunday morning there were light
sprinkles or mist and some cloud cover as I drove by the Lani's
parking lot, missing it in the dark. I u-turned up the road and pulled
in behind Buddy's Black pickup. Neal, Jules and hubby Steve already
there, Makani was in the truck with Bud. Intros all around then
speculation about the surf. In the dim light all I could see was white
water. Jules wondered if it was bigger than the previous Friday? I
thought not, Buddy grinned and said, Oh yeah. I could barely see
someone take a drop and it was definitely overhead by a few feet.
Everyone started to gear up for the sesh.
I was determined to share this event even though I was sporting a bum
leg. Who needs two legs when you're bodyboarding anyway. One's enough,
right? Wrong. Buddy and Makani took off to head for the juice, Neal
guided the rest of us out describing the setup and various peaks as we
went.
This day Lani's had a double black diamond peak for experts, and
moderate section for experienced and an inside peeler to the channel
for beginners. I followed Neal out to the main peak, already watching
Bud drop a few. My up close observation told me, yeah -definately a
few feet ohead, and smackin.
Usually I take awhile to size up a spot and see how it's breaking. But
within minutes the lineup was filling up with Sunday surfers of all
denominations. It was clear you had to grab 'em early. Winded from
the long paddle out I passed on a few that Neal grabbed and deboned
easily. I still hadn't had a warm up wave when Neal, blocking on the
outside waved me into -by my Right Coast Standard- an 8 foot face.
Aware this was a generous offer I began paddling glancing over my
shoulder to watch this monster wall up. My instincts for reef
surfing were all wrong. Taking the drop straight and banking off the
bottom using the speed of the drop was the way to go. But where I come
from, when a big wall stretches into the distance, we take the turn
high and try to race the lip using angle down the line speed, since
beach breaks most often close out when they are this big..
At the last moment I kooked and tried to turn high catching the
collapsing lip broadside. At first all I felt was slight pressure from
above and I thought, "Hey, this ain't that bad." What I was unaware
of was that during this short fraction of a second of serenity I was
free falling down inside the lip. Upon reaching the bottom you could
say reality came crashing in. I got stuffed like a Micheal Jordon
Slam Dunk. I waited for the downward pressure to let up then swam for
the surface, a little farther than I'm used to. My first thoughts
were, "Holy Shit!!" My second thoughts were, "Damn you Miyake!!"
Shaken up by my first try I was very reluctant to attempt the main
peak again. I moved over to the intermediate break and began sizing up
the smaller waves, catching a few and warming up to the task.
Unfortunately my leg was starting to feel like it had a hot poker
stuck in it. I was not going to perform at my best level today.
Later in the session Neal came over to check on us, talking to Steve,
Jules and myself and giving us some stoke and good advice. Then a good
size set appeared. Again generously Neal offered up the first big wave
(Starting to notice a pattern here?) which I went for and missed. As I
turned around I could see Neal scrambling for the Horizon as the set
of the day started to take a bead on me. Very unfortunately my missed
wave placed me precisely in the impact zone for the following three
monsters, every one of which I took right on the head regardless of
how deep I tried to bury myself. The second bloody bomber slammed me
so hard, it blew my fin and fin sock right off my foot. Neal had
mentioned before the trip maybe I should consider fin tethers. " HA!!"
I thought, I've been surfing for years without them. Never lost a fin
to a wave yet.
Neal, feeling guilty about gettin me stuffed, or eager to see what
kind of damage I'd incurred (like watching a car wreck) took one of
the waves in the set . I told him I'd lost the fin and sock.
Miraculously, the sock was just inside about 20 yards and he
retrieved it for me. I figured my session was over but soon I spied my
fin just 30 feet away floating in the foam. I quickly moved in got the
sock from Neal and started to put them on. It is about then funny boy
took out his camera and decided to "capture the moment."
A bit shaken by the working I decided to take a break and go over to
the channel to see if I felt like continuing this thrashing. Soon I
was feeling much better, in fact GREAT!! I WAS STILL IN ONE PIECE
DAMNIT!! Having taken one of Lani's best right on the head!! I moved
back over to the middle break and caught a series of shorter walls,
some of which were quite fun and zippy. But I was aware I still had to
go back to the hotel to grab MrsFoon for our trip to Turbo's. So after
an hour or so I went back in.
As I paddled back in I passed Ben Aipa paddling out. I recognized him
immediately from Fridays introduction. I smiled at him, said, "Howzit
Ben," and gave him my best shaka. He looked at me strangely, barely
smiled and nodded, then paddled harder. The look in his eyes said
sadly, " Dis gon be plenny bad day, wen sum frecka face Haole wit a
stoopit bazball hat say Howzit!!" Maybe he was right. Ben got worked
on his first three waves.
When we all got to talk later I asked Neal how big he thought the surf
was. "Oh it was small today, one foot, maybe two to three on sets."
hmmmmmm, I got the working of my life on one foot Hawaiian. I think
I've got the sizing standard figured out.
It works out to what ever they say (1 foot) over what you can normally
handle. I know I saw Bud or Makani drop a 2xohead that day (Right
Coast), and I wasn't that far from where they did it.
In hindsight now I am deeply grateful to Neal and the others for
giving me the opportunity to share waves with them. I have a whole new
perspective on the type of conditions they routinely have and a deeper
respect for their surfing chops. These guys are great.
Next: Parrrrrrteeeeeee
-HaoleFeetFoon
Süs
>In hindsight now I am deeply grateful to Neal and the others for
>giving me the opportunity to share waves with them. I have a whole new
>perspective on the type of conditions they routinely have and a deeper
>respect for their surfing chops. These guys are great.
Ahhh ... isn't it true! Neal and Bud really understate their skills (and the
chances they take) ... and ... they *overrate* ours <argh!!> ... I can attest
to the trial of surfing with them - makes you have to work a notch higher than
you thought you could! Sorry I missed that day - I would have been swirling on
the bottom, too!
Good to see your vignettes again, Foon.
Sus
nzsurfer
Keep up the story Foon.
nzsurfer
--
surf like each wave will be your last....
p.s My specialist cleared me today for full time surfing.. (shoulder doc
says "get out there and surf!!")
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
tow...@my-deja.com
Süs
>p.s My specialist cleared me today for full time surfing.. (shoulder doc
>says "get out there and surf!!")
Heya, good healing -- congratulations!!
surf til you drop
Sus