Yeah I don't take it seriously when I biff hard, unless I tweak something. I laugh pretty hard watching others flail, unless they're a danger to everybody else...then I paddle up and let them know it. The sheer kookery at my local during the summer can get out of hand sometimes. My wife says that it looks like people are doing cartwheels. That always makes me laugh. Almost 40 years of surfing and I never thought of that analogy, almost a perfect description.
I like the guys (always guys) who stand there all silent staring at the water with a half-sneer. I like when my 95 lb overly excited dog "accidentally" gets off the leash and jumps on them.
Lightning, sometimes sharks, ice chunks, sickness, debris, and in general really big surf keep me out of the water. TOH is my limit, depends on the break too. My record is still on the east coast 15ft on the face. I wanted to beat it in Hawaii but failed, I will try again next year
Stayed out kinda late one time at Ala Mo saw everybody headed in so i figured i would grab one and then call it a day ,it was dark when i started to paddle in real dark when i got insidet, kinda freaky tryin to avoid coral heads and stuff that yu cant see til your right on top of it, never did that again.
Not bashing at all. I actually find this funny. Iv surfed in lightening, legit ice chunks, super dense fog, at night, and while sick. All those things don't bother me at all. Well the lightening a little. But I'll still do it if its only a strike here or there. TOH though..... no way. DOH it depends on the break. Just funny that all those things keep you out but TOH your cool with.
I get out first lightning strike I see or even if I hear thunder close enough. I ain't ****in around with lighting