Caught in a Rip

It's unreal. miss piggy jacks every fukkkkin tread. It is destroying the Fourume. Begining to wonder if it is austina's wifey.

 

Located another video that could help save lives...

Air Force Pararescue - the water training begins @10:15, while most of the remainder is necessary cross-training.


[video=youtube;9ZxvYHCQH6M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZxvYHCQH6M[/video]

 

A Melbourne, FL, 39yo surfer died two days ago. He had been surfing Domes with his brother, leash broke, got caught in the current, swept around to Deadman's Cove (in front of the Lighthouse), thrashed against the vertical cliffs. Longshore current has been very strong the past week with large swells and tons of wind. There are a few lessons to be learned here.

 

Holy sh*t! Got a link or a picture of this dude?

 

It was really big there this week. I just returned Saturday and there was another dose of reinforcing swell moving in and that area hadn't exactly winded down much from the previous few days (6-10+ groundswell). Last year we witnessed a few people make the mistake of fighting the current to make it back to domes on an even larger N swell. We were up on the cliff helping guide people for a few hours. Once you get sucked in front of that cliff the best thing you can do is paddle like hell with the current. One guy had a set wave land right on top of him in front of the cliffs trying to get back and snapped his board in half. Thats a really jagged, awful stretch of reef. Its kind of a heavy prospect to paddle away from the break, especially since you have to attempt to hug the coast at the same time to keep on track towards marias, but its really the only bet here. Best to check the maps of the breaks and have a good understanding of the surrounding areas before you head out on big days just in case the currents are more than they seem. Really sad to hear this happened.

 

fuggin scary!

 

Yeah, I can see it happening like that. I would never want to be stuck in that situation, it's pretty gnarly in that area you described, I tried telling some folks about this just the other day on here. Some were saying 6-10' wasn't too dangerous. I beg to differ.

 

All this stuff on rips reminds me of the story of ****ie Cross. Here's a link to an interview with Woody "Spider" Brown" telling the story. You can probably find on video too, as I've seen him tell the story in a movie once.

You have to scroll down almost halfway down the page to the section entitled The Death of ****ie Cross, 12/22/43

http://files.legendarysurfers.com/surf/legends/woody.shtml#****ie_cross122243

 

If this happens, paddle OUT to sea away from the Lighthouse, not along the shore. The currents will then take you to Marias, and then just prior, start paddling in towards shore, and enjoy a big wave in.
A lot of deaths in recent years along that whole stretch. Funny how news does not make Surfline or anything like that. Sounds like the tourist industry again....."no, no, never here!! Come stay here!!"
Condolences to family and friends.

 

Yeah the problem with this is that it goes against your intuition in the moment. It's something that everyone should think about before going out on a big day at an unfamiliar break. You need to have an exit strategy and/or know the surrounding areas. It's a damn shame and I really feel for this guys' friends and family.

 

Sad indeed.
Seen people sucked around the lighthouse point into Deadmans on head high mellow days. No way you are paddling back up against that current to come in a Domes.
Was Domes even working on 10 foot swell?

 

Always sad, prayers...
Someone told me that he opted to head north to Auggie, then down to Matanzas on the way back home, and ended up with a great weekend for it all.

 

It wasn't that big on Sunday after noon, not close to 6 to 10 ft, closer to 4 to 5 ft., but the side shore current was working strong from the storm surge (from swell and wind). A lot of people are out in conditions they were not prepared to deal with. Some wise comments noted above. An exit strategy is always a must wherever you surf, but I usually get blank stares when mentioning that. As Bary Cuda and PA_Kook said above.

 

Oh wow, I thought it might have been bigger than that.

 

wha?

 

http://rinconsurfreport.com/surf-report/rincon-surf-report-sunday-jan-15-2017/

Waves this past Sunday when this accident occurred.

 

Looks so playful, but never know, sh*t happens.

 

I prefer to mix good news with bad news.

 

'tis good for morale.