Big Waves vs. Small Waves

This just in from the shredmachine:

"HH to DOH I just work on my car or hit the gym. You groveling pu55ies can have it"

 

I try to remember 2 things:

Other than that I try to remember I can make many more sections than I'm used to because of the extra speed. Too many days of mushburgers and I forget what may not be a makeable section when it's waist high will be entirely makeable on an overhead day.

 

1. make sure you have the right board. being undergunned is not fun.
2. make sure you know the break, and what it involves when it gets big.
3. make sure you are in the right physical shape to deal with being caught inside.
4. trust your rail. you need it when dropping into a hollow 12 footer in a completely different way than you are used to when messing around in "normal" east coast surf.
5. pay attention to those around you. not seeing a set coming can be costly. if someone perks up and starts paddling for the horizon, do the same before you even can confirm a set is coming. you'll be first in line for a wave if there is a set, and if there isn't one, who cares...

 

Depends a lot on the location. In the perfect point waves of El Salvador, I loved being able to ride HH+ long period power on the same 6'2" quad that i ride in chest high waves. Doing a bunch of playful turns and roundhouse cutback on 8 foot faces is a huge rush.

In HH+ beach break with offshores, I ride a longer board to get in earlier..for me that 6'2" is gonna stay home and I'll be on a 6'6" or 7'0". Around here those waves are mostly fast and barrelling so turns arent that much of a factor anyway. But thats me, my friends will still be on their shortboards.

Paddle harder, earlier, more committed, and with the nose pointed a bit down the line to get the rail set quicker once I'm on my feet...scrubbing speed on a true bottom turn too often gets me axed. The guys who surf better than i do can pull off the bottom turn to stall to barrell in the big stuff but i just seem to get crushed.

I'm goofy, and when the conditions are like that i tend to really look for the lefts because i find those wave to be a lot more makeable frontside. I can usually get a couple of quick mid face pumps front side on the takeoff which is huge. Backside on the rights, i usually end up doing a bottom turn and losing a bunch of speed right when i needed it on the takeoff.

 

Equipment and technique wouldn't matter. But I would make sure I mailed my life insurance payment, finished up my will and wore floating dog tags.

 

this picture is so badass!

 

That is such a gnarly spot...unreal.

 

There's a thin line between "gnarly" and stupidity. Well that picture is amazing to look at, but that guy has obviously crossed over into stupidity. What if he made a mistake on the drop? He's probably be paralyzed or die.

 

if i remember the story correctly, he got towed in. but yea if he didnt he would have gotten ****ed up

 

young guys are indestructible.

 

Thats most breaks with long period groundswell...As for sitting, waiting for the sets or getting busy on the inside: It comes down to personal preference. Do you just want to get your wave count up? Or catch an outsider. Are the set waves the BEST waves in terms of shape?Are the outside waves mushing while the inside is barreling? All things to consider. There are more options when there is more wave energy...

 

Being killed doesn't make you "tough". Being paralyzed is a nightmare. Yes you can get killed falling in a bathtub. It's all about percentage chance. For example, driving against oncoming traffic in the wrong direction while drunk at 100mph has a higher percentage of death than falling in the bathtub. I don't think you can compare danger of 2 foot beach break vs riding a wave in that picture. And in all honesty, there are plenty of waves that break heavy and aren't close to that danger level. That picture makes pipe look safe.

 

It's 90% fitness and paddling strength / 10% commitment, for a large large majority of the beach breaks we see, equipment changes make little to no difference. A little more size can help you get more paddle speed, but limits you when you spend most of your time taking off under the lip as it is. Bigger on a beach break just means dredgier.

 

I'm no laird hamilton, so take this with a grain. A hand full of DOH days is the extent of my war stories.

agree with not being undergunned. Bring enough board to...

Get in early. You don't want to be dropping in late if conditions are critical, at least not at first.

Be smart. I tend to ride everything in sight in vb and that has gotten me in trouble on trips or during storms. A big meaty closeout is no fun at all.

"when the wave breaks, don't be there!" so true! Don't get stuck inside! Taking a few big ones on the head will ruin your day.

Man up! It usually takes me missing a good one to get in the zone. "Don't be a pu55y Lee!" The reward is ultimate.

 

+1

Or being out with a buddy when you're both feeling the nerves a bit, and your buddy turns and goes. Whether he makes it or gets buried, after that, I always make myself throw myself over the ledge to keep up.