Hardest you've been worked on a wave

[StuckontheGulf]

Hurricane Igor, PR. Somehow I pull off a quick trip to the island during the height of Igor. Fly into San Juan, drive over to Rincon where I'm staying and hit the beach. Go to parking lots, Antonios. Pull up to a guy leaving with a broken board, 2 guys with broken leashes and an ambulance leaving. There are never ambulances in Rincon. For some reason I lost all reason in the rush to get down there and bring only my 6'4 Orion instead of my big wave board. Start paddling out at parking lots and I'm nearly out when here comes the mother of all sets. I can see its going to break outside of me, and with all I had seen on the beach, I was afraid to try and duck dive and and afraid to break my leash, so I just turn like an idiot and take the wave on my back, I dont know what the hell I was thinking. The thing squashes me like a cockroach, is the only way I can explain it. I grab my leash and reel the board back in and get back on underwater and then I realize i'm about 10 ft under. Surely it will reach the top eventually. Finally after what seemed like forever I start heading for the top. Nearly knocked the wind out of me. Dont know what I would have done different.

[idsmashh]

That was a bomb way that we charged.

I'm pissed I missed the Japan trip. Sounds like you had a blast. I ended up surfing Pipeline. As soon as I dropped in on a massive wave, the volcano started going off. Next thing you know, I was dodging falling lava chunks and surfing for my life. I ended up just riding the wave back to mainland US. I caught the red eye from LAX to ILM in NC. I sat next to Snoop Dog and we spent the whole trip talking about gardening and surfing Africa. We then starting talking about lions. When we got off the plane, he told me that our discussion was so awesome, that he was going to change his name to "Snoop Lion." Looking forward to his next album, under "Snoop Lion."

I somehow knew that was your doing.. :P

[andrewk529]

My most recent thrashing was a big swell last November. I got to the North side around 8am, figured the conditions would be Okay, the swell was called 7 or 8 ft @ 10 secs? Don't remember the exact forecast. Anyway I had purchased a new Hynson fish about a week before that I was anxious to try out. So I suit up head down to the beach and see the conditions were going off with well OH waves. I was excited to see some actual surf that I lost all sense of reality and paddled out with my fish w/o a leash. Big mistake; there was one older local guy out who I usually see in the Fall, when it's larger and going off near end the rocks. I make a beeline to the lineup, if you call 3 guys out a lineup. I ended up getting worked paddling out when a set comes through. Had a wave detonate right infront of me. My board slips out of my hand leaving my to swim all the way back to shore from the end of the jetty. Needles to say I had quite the workout. I ran back to my car after I made it back in and broke out my 6'1 august squash.I had a hell of a session after the board change.

[Scbe]

Oddly enough it was at Dewey Beach about 10 years ago. Went out on a big winter day and it was closeing out on a sharp bar. Found myself held by current in the impact area for what seemed forever. Freezing, nautious and out of air. Finally able to get in. Haven't been back since.

[banxsurfer]

AH so many times i have paid dues. A few years back we had a Halloween swell....yeah, swell was 8-10 ft plus at like 14 seconds....geez it was Pea Island with just me and one friend out. Place was just cloudbreaking! I got comfortable after a few roll-ins and tried to pull into a bomb...bad decision! I came so close to drowning, just started praying, just seeing bubbles and a white light. It's crazy how one wave can make you re-evaluate your life. I was blessed....we all are

[soflo]

I don't always drink beer, so you should probably ask someone that knows more about it

[ocsurf32]

Harbour entrance, Humboldt county CA. huge 12+, dropped in on one shoulder on like a 7'9 and got thrown and dragged across some dark sharky harbour. almost drowned. then i went home. waves suck there, not going back

[KingJimmy]

2 footer at 1st street jetty. First guy ran over my back with a set of rubber fins, then a sponger slapped me with one of his flippers, then got wrapped up in a 20ft leash connected to a 10ft bic and almost choked til I pulled out my knife... then a tourist dropped in me ; )

[NJshredmachine]

Hurricane sandy. 20 footer. New Jersey. Nuff said!

[Gilman Photography]

at manasquan inlet. was surfing a left towards first peak to where it bowls up on the inside. went up for a turn right at the bowl and was a little late. all momentum going up and lip coming down full speed compressed knees into my chest and slammed me into the sand. broke 2 ribs on that wipeout and 6 weeks out of the water.