Yo are you from NS? I 've been scouring the web for good clips from up there and thought I'd find more. Not much out there besides this dude surf donkey who I really enjoyed. Also saw a couple clips from a younger dude a while back who would take the LB out in some meaty stuff. Both awesome. You got any links/clips to anythin heavy? If only had a nice blog but they're gone? Damn. RIP.
Now that is thinking outside the box...like somebody(I think Peajay) said before, it takes me a few minutes to sync up w/ what's going on in the water, after a couple waves I'm in rythm w/ the ocean and I'm good to go. On a bigger day it helps if i get worked once to get it out of the way, then I can properly charge.
Iv noticed this too. On a smaller day my first wave is usually a great ride, I wont say best though because I spend the rest of a session trying to top it. Sometimes I get a better one, sometimes I don't. Conditions have a lot to do with that I think. But like the post above me, on a bigger day I sometimes eat it on the first wave, laugh it off, then get down to business. I must say though when it is big and you paddle out and catch a great first wave its definitely a huge confidence boost