Saturday, November 26, 2011

Just call me Chicken....or Sane?


Picture of Blackies when we just got there,right before the tide was getting high.

I know I have not surfed in a while. It was either raining, or had just rained on my last couple of days off!
So I was so excited to see the rain did not arrive on Turkey Day, so I could surf on Friday. Seriously I am not into getting hurt or injured or pepper sprayed for a discount on some consumer item, So was all too happy to skip the Black Friday hype to surf.. and was hoping everyone else was shopping.. WRONG!
When I put the call out a few girls said they wanted to surf. I said cool I will catch up with you all on Friday morning and make a game plan!
Friday morning came and I get reports from friends about the monstrous high tide..of course when I am headed out to surf. I thought that meant the tide would be too big and waves would be swampy?

Look how big it got!

Well The tide was high, the water washed all the way up to the wall at Blackies. BUT the waves were HUGE too. I say easily average wave was 6 ft. They were also fast. I know for some or most surfers that is what they want. BUT it was too dangerous looking for me. AND crowded. I saw so many wipe outs. Boards flying up into the air when the wave closed out. I saw so many people almost get beheaded by surfers while some were paddling out, others whizzed right by their heads. Looked like rockets. I also saw surfboard after surfboard wash to shore with out a surfer attached. Talk about dangerous. One surfer also hauled in what looked to be a big piece of plywood from the surf.. OUCH that would hurt if it hit you!
Two of my friends were out there. One said after catching one wave she was wondering what she was doing out there. SHE is a talented surfer, So I knew if that is what she was thinking, I would die, just die if I attempted to paddle out. My other friend loved it out there. Just it was crowded and people were all going after the waves, Dog eat dog and everyone was out for themselves. So after a few she came in.
Watching the show from shore was crazy, My stomach was hurting with all the excitement.


Even after watching all that I was still antsy..but I knew better. I really didn't feel like dying that day, I have grandchildren I want to watch grow up, and I can't afford a hospital stay or any injury for that matter, Since I am the one who seems to be financially responsible for mostly everything at this time....
I even walked to the South side of the pier,(I felt like my chihuahua who walks back and forth with anxiety when I put him outside, and he wants to come in,that was me walking up and down the beach looking to see if I can get in)any way.. South of the pier is usually smaller when the North is going off. BUT it was pretty big too, and was like a washing machine and the powerful waves came in different directions and just closed out. So I decided not to go out at all.
I was gonna drive North to Seal. But the hubs was with me and he didn't have that desire to look for surfable waves that I did. He does not surf, he fishes..(now if we were talking fishing, that would be different, we would go anywhere for fish.) Next day I was informed Seal was pretty big too, So I guess I saved some gas there. It just did'nt matter where I went.
I am happy though my experienced surfing friends had a great time up and down the coast. I got a few reports from some super stoked surfers so that is good.
I am hoping tomorrow.. Sunday... will be a bit smaller, I hear it should be... because I am.. as I said getting antsy, and I think I am gonna attempt a dawn patrol before work tomorrow. Drive 70 miles round trip to get in the water by 6:30 and out by 7:30 to be home dried and dressed and at work by 10 am.. doable..right?

4 comments:

  1. Seriously though.. if it was not so crowded.. I think I would have attempted to paddle out..so I can get over my fear of bigger waves.

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  2. So happy to have come across your site and to read about your adventures. I started surfing this year and have been searching for surf blogs written by women and moms so thank you! Looking forward to reading more.

    Christine
    lovelifesurf.blogspot.com

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  3. Thank YOU Christine. I will look up and follow your blog as well. I too look for surf blogs written by women and moms. I have a few I follow. Intruder in the Surf, Mom's who surf are rad, Eat, Surf, Love. All of these are women and moms who surf and their blogs rock! So check them out also! All the other blogs I follow are almost all surf blogs and well written and fun to read as well!

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  4. Agree. Next time you should try those big days... because if you challenge yourself in big conditions, then medium size waves will appear so friendly to you and you'll gain in confidence.

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