Early AM a not long ago. It was the first time this winter that I was fully suited, being 4/3, booties, gloves and detachable hood. It was so nightly dark and I was alone on a overhead morning. That's about when I saw the most beautiful black mountain closing in on me, so I scratched with all my might for deeper water. For me it was the best wave I've seen all year. As it started to crest I had that choice, to duck dive or spin 180 and go for it. I couldn't let it go I had to try. It didn't even take a heartbeat until the realization of my late timing. Slam down I go. Not sure what everybody else does underwater. I myself go into fetal position, knees to the chest to protect my belly from underwater objects knocking the wind out, hands around skull. This is how I stay until I feel the leash pull on my foot. Then I will spread arms, legs out like a sea anchor until the pull stops. Then I will often open me eyes and swim towards the light. This is when things got interesting, there was no light! It was to early for any light. I was in dark water not knowing what was up or what was down. Just relax I've got on my 4/3 and I'll just float on up. Wow it's taking to long. I can't even fell the air with gloves on. I was lost and need to breath bad. I couldn't hold it any longer exhaled!! I inhaled expecting water. No water or air was found? What happened? Detachable hood pulled over my face, flopping around on the surface blind and lame but alive. ..
just ****ing with you. not worth it. i just think you read to many forum posts to actually experience what your writing. but i guess you could just be obsessed with the forum, which explains the recovering dopeheads support as i assume you were once an obsessive dopehead?
Bro, you really need to heal yourself by reading the dude's post til you understand it. It's clear that the place you mentally reside is so nightly dark it makes you feel alone on a overhead morning. He's telling you not to duck dive what you fear and instead spin 180 and go for it. Listen to the man.
That is the absolute worst part about wearing so much rubber, you can't even get a gauge of how close to the surface you are. Personally, when I get worked I go into the Sumo/sea anchor position as soon as I feel like I've been pushed down as far as the wave can push me. This works great in shallow conditions too because you can get all Sumo on the sandbar/reef and keep from getting washed in too far.
Yes, I try to identify where that bottom is and hopefully my feet are what's hitting it. I like what you say about kind of putting on the brakes so you don't get pulled to shore. I look for the light too but feel that unless you get thrown further down where there's little light around you other than where "up" is, that it's less clear where the top is given a lot of light around there. Then again, you're closer to the top at that point so it's ok. How far do we really get thrown under even if we were to go over the falls on an OH+ thrasher? It doesn't feel like it's that deep, and I think about this while duck diving too. Not that duck diving is an easy task, but it seems you don't have to get too far below the water to get shott out the back successfully. Which then tells me that even the heavier waves only push a few feet below the surface upon breaking. The barrell is rolling through spin cycle just below the surface. Accurate? Learn me good if not brahs. The OP should provide us with more poetry on the purification of getting worked. Before we can have anything, we've got to give up everything. Within the realm of staying reasonably safe, I think that goes for what conditions you charge in as well as the waves you paddle into.
when I first started reading this,i could of sworn the dude was surfing mavericks or some elite big wave spot.kind of reminds me of cheech n chongs up in smoke with cheech on acid and he pulls his hat over his face.the water on the eastcoast is only chest deep where the wave breaks and maybe 7 -8ft on the outside.funny story tho,sounds scary,i probably would've torn my wetsuit in 2 to escape.the rubber usually keeps u afloat and sucks when your caught inside.when your already goin up the face about to have it curl over u,all u gotta do is punch through under the lip.now when the wave already broke 5ft ahead of u and u have a 10ft wall of whitewash,i just kick and scratch to the bottom with the board to the side,once u stop flapping around ur going to come right up and get annihilated by the whitewash.sometimes its fun tho,but not in the winter
Haven't seen a wave capable of a hold down in about a year and a half.... All i have are distant memories. Deep sea hold downs of years gone by. good to be alive.
Zach, I'm not being snarky here. Are you upset and regretting your move from Sand Diego to South Carolina? You seem a bit touchy lately. Are things not the way you hoped they'd be? Again, I'm not be snarky, just concerned. I do have some classes under my belt, but I naturally understand people and their minds. I identify with everyone from Westlake Village, CA to Overtown, Miami, FL. If you need help let me know.
I appreciate your concern. I guess it's just time to finally remove the OB from my location tag.... but seriously, I wasn't being all whiny, I seriously have not witnessed a wave capable of a hold down in over a year and a half... It is sad but true. And I am on every swell that touches this southern armpit. Not saying that there are never good waves, but even during the Sandy swell, which was by far the heaviest ive seen down here, there wasn't a whole lot of juice behind it. With the offshores and 4-6 foot size, it really didn't teach me any lessons. It was just playful, well groomed lines... Can't complain, but I have had tons hold down in Delmarva back in my Havre De Grace Days, but somethings rotten in Denmark down here. Hey, wait, we do have something in common. They call Jersey the "Armpit" of america, and South Carolina is the armpit of the southeast... I think that means.... we are like.... brothers....
So, are you masochistic and want to be held down for long periods of seconds? You keep talking aboot getting held under water. Getting worked sucks. Maybe you should head to Florida and get in touch with Wayne's crew. Oh come on, I'm just kidding. Are you a big wave hero or something? La Jolla cove and sh!t? You had to know South Carolina sucked before moving there, right? Ok, South Carolinians, don't take that personally. It is what it is. You moved to the third worst stretch of coast on the east coast, man. Sorry. What, is Harve De Grace a dope area? Nahh, I never needed to head out of the South Jersey/Philly area, we're dope heavy here. Man, it sucks when you get a bag of Bisquick. Ya know what it is that I be sayin'? Pieces of sheet rock or wax sucks, too. Zach, I don't know what to tell you, man. You now live in South Carolina. I'm sorry the waves aren't meeting your needs. I wouldn't have made that move, especially if surfing is a big part of your life. You guys have anything today? Should be some three foot kegs here this afternoon. Jersey goes-off, brah. EVERYBODY, I'M GOING SURFING TODAY!! MAKE A NOTE OF THAT. TEMPERATURES ARE DROPPING TOUGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THAT MAKES ME TOUGH TOO.
Last time I went out I tied a couple 20 lbs weights around my neck, just to remind me of what it's like being held down.
theres no such things as hold downs,or currents,or closeouts.do I see a myth debunking thread in the future?
