Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Waves of Valor...They served us.. It's the least I could do to serve them!

         GO TEAM IRMA!!!!!

This past weekend .. Saturday to be exact  I was part of an event through my surf club.. 

We participated in "Waves of Valor"  and helped Vets learn how to surf.

For more information here is a link of the organization ...This is through Team Red White and Blue!! They organized this wonderful event .

Now you know I'm a  proud mom of an Army soldier... So this is near and dear to my Heart.( actually today ..is his promotion ceremony to Staff Sgt!!)

A few of us girls from Wahine Kai signed up to volunteer. Laura was our leader and I was an assistant and we had a few other assistants and 2 catchers to get the board.

So let me tell you about surf conditions .. 2/3 with an occ. 4 at Bolsa Chica.

Conditions were walled ..closed out and breaking pretty much on shore. Oh and we had a nice rip too.. Of course we did.

The vet Assigned to us was Irma.. She rocked !!!  This was I believe her 3rd time doing this. She was excited !

She had a few medical issues we were briefed on and worked around.

But let me tell you.. It was tough.. We even recruited a man to help our team of women!

Our goal was to get her outside and push her Into waves.. Getting her outside in the relentless pounding shore break was tough.. Then we did ..about 5 of us were out there treading water ( so much easier with a surfboard) and getting ready to help Irma catch a few waves.. 
She caught 1 nice one on her knees! Her issues did not allow her to stand up.. But she enjoyed that wave.. After her ride we all swam to her to get her and put her back on the board and get her back out again.. Ugh treading water.. Not my favorite thing to do ...and again.. Pounding surf... 
We got her into one more wave .. But she pearled and wipped out.. 
But hey that's all part of the fun of surfing!! 

We went in and rested a bit..thank goodness.. Because if I had to go back out again right then.. The lifeguard may have had to come get me!!

So after a rest and water break we went back to it and tried to get her back out .. 2 failed attempts .. I'm telling you it was tough.. We got pretty beat up by the shore break! 

But all in all it was a good time and safety was the  #1 priority ...and in the end .. Irma at least got her wave of the day.. 

It was a rewarding experience and I'm all for volunteering next year too.. 

We had one casualty.. I lost my cap that said "Proud Army Mom"...
So if you find it floating or washed up anywhere up or down the coast.. Let me know!!