Some waves are so intense that afterward, as hard as you try, you can't remember the details of the ride. I caught one on Saturday that was literally the biggest I've ever ridden. I remember sitting way outside everybody else with OS and seeing a freakish swell growing out of the horizon line like a big blue carpet rolling backwards toward me, gaining size with every yard it advanced. We both looked at each other as it reared up in front of us and he said, "If you go for this one, it'll be the biggest wave of your life," to which I yelled, "I'm going!" turned, and paddled with all I had. As I popped, I saw the nose of my board hovering over thin air, a good 12 feet above the trough, then I dropped and locked in. And that's where my amnesia starts.
Luckily Hendo, a new surf chum from NZ, was sitting far enough inside to witness most of the wave, until he had to try and duck it. Rather than trying to put into words another wave-of-my-life moment, I asked him via email to describe what he saw:
"I've surfed with Chum a couple of times before, and on this day we were treated to some really amazing waves in a great setting. One wave of Chum’s waves really stands out and will be ingrained in my memory banks for a while. Chum and another buddy had paddled out in search of a couple of sets that had been breaking further over towards the rocks… It looked like they were going to be out of luck until a big rogue set reared its head on the horizon. Chum picked out a big one and went for it… Watching from the inside I was hooting and hollering as he paddled in, honestly I thought he might eat it as the waves were throwing pretty quick, but he rose to his feet perfectly and flew down the line riding nice and high in the pocket. The wave definitely was a beauty and one of the best I’ve seen ridden in Oregon, don’t quote me on size, but double overhead for a man of Chum's stature wouldn’t be far off."
I tried to draw a few pictures of what I can remember: the huge shoulder, the foamball threatening to engulf me, the tip of my 6'7, and Hendo scratching for the outside, pausing long enough to hoot me in. Thanks for the memories, Hendo.
And to the guys who filled our shoes with sand on the beach: Thanks for only using sand.
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25 comments:
Big ups, Chum! Holla back atcha boy!
-Lamont
Whoahhhh. That sounds really scary to me (a person who only likes small waves). Great job!!! Pretty momentous.
Do you think little kids put sand in your shoes?
Get on with it Sis!
12' at Boysinuniform's on Saturday? I surely must resign from internet surfing...
12 foot faces Foul...
Don't forget...
That's like 2 foot Hawaiian...
Or maybe 3...
I doubt there were any little kids running around...
And if they were in uniform...
That's hardly a good deed...
Congrats on the BWTD...
(big wave to date)
Someone shat in my back pack at the same spot and all I got was a mushy 1'er.
Why do you assume some guys put sand in your shoes?
Because of where we were surfing. And because our shoes were completely filled with sand.
BTW, as Doc suggested, there were no kids on the beach.
Foulpete assumed some dude pooped in his backpack at the same place... because there was poop in his backpack.
pack in, pack out.
So what did you do? Who'd you piss of this time? You had to do something to get sandbaged like that. Aloha is dead.
Great question, Aloha.
I paddled out with 3 other guys. There already was a group of four guys on an inside reform that was about head-high and mushy, but trickled conveniently right back into the rip. I guess they thought we were going to crowd their peak.
We decided before we paddled out to surf the outside peak to the south of them where nobody was, because we didn't want to crowd them. And that's what we did.
But I can see why they'd be bummed to see us show up at this isolated spot and cruise out in the rip at the same time. I'll bet that's when a few of their friends "sandbagged" us.
Lesson: Paddle out one at a time, even if you're going to surf a vacant stretch of ocean.
.....or dont show with an "insta-crowd"?
The drama continues... Why rock up to a low-key joint with four guys?
I guess happiness ISN'T surfing with friends...
That spot hasn't been low key for a long time. Shit, I recall some recent posts and reposts on more medically inclined blogs that included a pic. But hey four deep is a crowd and whatever your opinion, sandy shoes are better than a shat pack! Foul, maybe someones personal threat level hit defcon brown.
Like I said: I sincerely meant "thanks" to the guys that didn't lay pipe in my Vans. I got the message and didn't have to hike barefoot.
Maybe they saw that we meant them no harm and decided to pinch it off.
I was joking. The shit in the back pack is mythology from the 90s. Although, its maybe time someone did that again to renew the myth. I'd gladly sacrifice my backpack to a mound of shit, if it meant re-establishing a myth that kept people away. I was there on Sunday and packs of four or five surfers kept appearing out of the bushes. Thankfully everyone spread out but I nearly packed up and walked away. The dream's been over for quite sometime.
Thus the "mushy 1-footer" comment, which was brilliant by the way...
Foul,
Careful what you wish for. Next time I see that pack its Defcon Brown. We'll keep the legend bro, just you and me.
It is not looked upon with great favor if you show up more than 2deep, use your heads and timing.....
I wasn't happy seeing a friend roll in 3deep, he should be somewhat aware, but he wasn't.
Heard from the crew that they were unhappy with some in the water that day(I missed it). I have no idea what it was about, it doesn't take much tho' usually.
Dogshit under the door handles of your vehicle when you get back is always something to look out for, and no that isn't myth.
3 guys seems like alot...
But there are no locals there...
Of the human variety...
Plenty of territorialism tho...
Was Canteen Boy there?
No he hates pants too much!
I loved reading that post. How many times did I get off a wave not remembering anything about it, except it was big (my standard) and fast.
The nose of the board in thin air... Sight
Great post! Having just getting back from the south west of France and scoring the biggest surf of my life, the surf-amnesia is something I can relate to. So wierd, I remember feeling elated kicking out at the end of the ride but I'm not sure how!
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