Near Drowning

i had to read this twice, i thought it said spooning !

 

Similarly- CR years ago, I think near the pig farm, first time I ever saw this- but a rouge wave broke way outside, like maybe 200ft outside or more... the white water that was coming at me was maybe 10-12ft high- I figured that I would just duck dive it since it was rolling in for a while and probably lost some energy- I was wrong- it immediately, completely pinned me to the bottom (thankfully sand) and held me down forever... then once I was able to move a little, I didn't know which way was up and literally had to climb my leash...

 

This type of stuff is what makes it so nerve racking to surf in Hawaii. On multiple occasions ive had waves double to triple the normal size roll through the line up. Its freaky. You constantly stare at the horizon hoping you dont get mowed down. I was at a not popular NS spot that was maybe HH to a little overhead and a triple OH waves breaks at least 100yds on the outside. My brother looks at me and says "swim to the bottom". Deepwater spot so wasnt life threatening but it was freaky. I swam down to bottom but got dragged for a while. Thank god my leash broke so i swam in versus staying out. My nerves were shot. Doesnt bother the locals as regular board ditching moments happen all the time. Funny aspect - about 5 people leashes broke. All east coasters, all on vacation (like me). You dont think that much about your leash on the EC because its not big often enough to care about. You take that to a real surf spot and weaknesses get exposed quick.

 

I was told by my shaper to replace even good leashes every second or third season and check them all the time for draggy swivels, discoloration of them inside (means outer layers of metal have worn away to the softer inside layers) and stiffening rubber bases. An unleashed boart can not only get wrecked on the trip in, but can really mess someone up in the lineup. I don’t want either so I spend a few bucks and pay attention to my betters...

 

Iv told both these stories before. But both go to show it's not always the waves but just the scenario that can make things get sketchy quick.

First one was on a hurricane swell i believe. I hadn't surfed in a couple weeks. Totally misread the forecast. Not that any of that mattered. I was just not on my A- game and not really playing attention. Kind of in a daze. It was big but not huge. Went to long beach and paddled out on the LB. Dry hair paddle out. Everyone else was getting denied. Now i was in a daze like i said. I thought nothing of it and didn't realize everyone else getting wrecked. Set comes. I paddle paddle paddle. Got hung up in the lip then air dropped straight down. I actually landed the air drop. But as my body compressed on the landing i exhaled and immediately took the lip to the face. I got worked and was under four a bit. Not terribly long but i had no air. When i finally came up everything was black. I wasn't out, but damn close. Paddled back out. Sat to regain composure. Then had a great sesh. When i got out some dude on the boardwalk asked how i paddled out so easily on a LB. I just shrugged and said how i didn't realize how big it was til i got out. Got lucky.

Second is hard to describe. It was big and sideshore. Chunky. This is when id paddle out in anything. Got out, found a corner, rode it in then was trying to decide if i should call it or try another. It wasn't good, but i did just get an ok one. I thought i was far enough inside to be out of danger. Took a few leisurely paddles scanning ther line up. Out of no where a wave crashes in front of me. Duck dove but board got ripped out of my hand. Took a few more on the head. Everytime it was the same thing. You dive under, feel the wave pass and feel like you made it, then it's like the ocean grabs your feet and pulls you back and down and you get rag dolled. Well after a few of those, exhausted, i pop up. This all happened within mili seconds. I popped up and im looking towards the beach, somthing felt weird. Like i was being lifted. I look over my shoulder and in getting sucked up the face looking up into the lip of this frothy, sandy, chunky, gnarly looking monster. I got half a breath before getting absolutley ROCKED. Got rag dolled bad. Already tired and without a full breath i am taking the worst beating out of the bunch. At one point my face just barely broke the surface and i got a little quick "sip" of air. Came up and the border of my vision was black, and the part of my vision that i could see was not focused and wonky.

Both times i felt like i was close to going out. On that second one i actually had the thought, "this is it. At least im dieing doing what i love" and i got pretty peaceful in a eerie way.

 

I've had 4 good scares over the past 35 years.
1. A hold down to the point of nearly blacking out in big waves.
2. A really hard bounce off of a reef in a sitting position that knocked the wind out of me underwater and could easily have caused spinal damage.
3. Surfing alone got hit in the head by longboard with no leash and nearly blacked out. Funny thing about this one is the board hit me above my hair line kind of above my right eye and I ended up with two black eyes. Probably should have gone to the hospital instead of driving home.
4. Surfing alone in the winter and got one of the worst hamstring cramps of my life while in the impact zone. One of those cramps that pulls your heel up to your ass and pins it there while the muscle feels like it is self destructing. If you've ever had one of these you know how excruciating the pain can be and how scary it can be on dry land let alone in the impact zone on an overhead day. Took everything just to cling to my leash and board and get washed in. Pretty sure the leash saved my life on this one.

 

I have now been surfing for about 56 years or so. Small waves, medium waves, some rather large waves.
I have never ever been near drowning in surfing, or, otherwise.
Are you guys a bunch of morons or retards??
AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
LEARN TO SWIM!!!!!!

 

That’s fucking crazy you got lucky !

 

I don’t remember ever being so scared in my life since Man. Truthfully. And it’s pretty common in that kind of work. Guys working long line boats get hooked all the time - if you ever watch the movie “Perfect Storm” you’ll see how.
Funny side note is my uncle was totally deaf in one ear from a childhood injury, and those Diesel engines are loud AF ... he just happened to see me going over but said later he never heard me yell.

 

Hahaha, I call BS Cuda!!

 

Why, your drowning right this very moment!

In scorn for your fellow morons hahahahaha

 

That's fkn insane. I used to hate setting gear, especially those first couple trawls.

 

I took a LB to the dome also. Concussion and stitches. Wasn't big (chest) but big enough when your all dazed and seeing stars. Stumbling and swaying. I too drove home and waited for my doctor's office to open to get stitched up instead of going to the hospital.

 

Hahaha DP never dropped in on anyone, cuda never almost drowned.... those two should hang out!

 

Never said never, stop lying! Haha

 

Yup. Waiting to see if they go over onenat a time or get rope knot caught and three go over in a ball. In the dark. In a good 3-5’ chop and wind... ahhhh, the good old days right? Or the grand ole oprey days of 4’ wood coffins with 6 brick for the deep water sets? Running and stacking them?
Then you wonder years later why you have replacement joints in your 40’s

Haha, sorry gang! Back to regular channel

 

Why does this not surprise me at all lol

 

Does near suffocation by a face-sitting, big-butted Dominatrix count as a near drowning?

 

If she’s a squirter, yes.