Catching that bigger wave...

There are guys in these forums who are amazing paddlers & get out in some seriously big waves.

I'm not one of them, but my wave size is getting bigger, and each time it's an adrenalizing experience.

Last week, a bunch of us were lucky to make a trip up north. There's a break where unabated Indian Ocean swells hit a coral reef and the waves stand up tall and heavy. It's a decent paddle offshore.

This particular day saw me mucking around in the shore break with some mates who were learning to SUP. We were all having an awesome time - those brilliant days when your mates catch their first waves and wear that huge big cheesie, yell out, fall off, then punch the sky! Fun days.

Over my shoulder I could see the main break sending through some awesome sets, and I couldn't resist. I paddled out on my own.

This place is shark central - they're everywhere. We've yet to catch a fish which hasn't been pulled on the boat half eaten. Just the day before, the boyz had caught what was probably a 15kg mackeral, and were left with 5kg! Scary to look at, and consider if it was your leg.

Anyways, all these thoughts are burning through my head as I'm paddling out. "Don't think about the sharks, don't think about the sharks". Can you motivate with the negative of an idea? Not really, but sheesh, hard to get them big fish out of your head!

Looking over the SUP as I headed out, the water got clearer and clear, crystal clear in fact. I see a school of over a dozen mackeral, each over a metre long zip by. There's turtles close, and whales in the distance. This place is like a zoo.

Getting to this break seems to be taking forever. It's further out than it looked. As I approach it, what becomes clear is what looked like big from afar is in fact gnarly and huge up close!

The heart rate goes up a notch. I'm now a long way offshore, in shark infested waters, by a huge break on a coral reef and I'm on my own. Hmmmm.

I paddle around the sides of the break, watching the sets, seeing how it works.

Some sets look bone crunching. Some sets have mongrel waves appearing half way up the wave faces. As the swell wraps around the reef, it's a half moon shape.

"Don't want to get caught in the middle of that!", me thinks.

I'm checking out the reef and there are craggy bits off everywhere. Lots of things to get caught up in, should you come off.

"A wise man might have a helmet" me thinks.

"Some local knowledge would have helped" me thinks.

But, I'm not going in without catching one. Just a smaller one eh?

From watching the sets, it looked like a get in and out quick situation because of the way they were closing out in the middle.

So, I paddle around in front of the reef to see what presents. A set approaches, and I start paddling. Looks bite sized, so lets go.

This wave was different to waves I'd previously been on. All of a sudden what was a "I won't get going on this!", stood up. All of a sudden I'm tearing down the face of this huge wave. I got no idea how big it was, but it more than comfortably accomodated my 9'6 with plenty of space fore and aft.

As I look down into the pit, I see coral. Aww... looks pretty .. and sharp! Mmm. Me not want to hit that. I honestly can't say if I was in peril of hitting bottom or not, but whatever the case, my body decides another surge of adrenaline was the go.

My board is fully edging, the board is belting along as fast as it's ever gone. The image I recall now is burned in my head. I've replayed it 100's of times.

I begin my bottom turn and look up at this massive wall of water and am blown away by the situation I'm in.

It's awesome, it's terrifying, it's fresh territory, it's visual candy!

Time stands still. I've not looked up at such a massive wall of water heading right at me, before.

Yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaa! I bottom turn, climb the vertical face and just manage to pull out, my heart doing 50 million beats a minute and my senses tingling and I feel alive. I look to the horizon and there's more, bigger sets on the way! This will be interesting.

I paddle like crazy to get out, but don't make it, and I dive into the wave just as it throws. I get worked. I surface and the next set does the same. Getting worked was not half as bad as I expected, and my fear subsides a notch.

Finally back on my board, and out of the zone I collect my thoughts.

My heart is pumping, I'm alert, my senses are alive. "Stuff this!" I think .. "this is crazy .. sharky waters, off shore, on my own - this is stupid! I'm going in!"

But ... jeez .. how GOOD was that! What a RUSH! I feel fantastic!

I couldn't resist, and caught a couple more, before intelligence got the better part of bravery and I started the long paddle back in. These follow up waves were not even a quarter the intensity of that first ground breaker.

As I paddled in and the adrenaline subsided, I was completely zoned out by what had just happened. I got back to the beach break where my mates were still having wicked fun in the waist high rollers. "How'd ya go?" they asked. "You looked tiny out there"..... "Huh? .. umm .. yeah .. good" I muttered as I considered what had just happened.

I feel unreal for having experienced this, and I can only wish you similar thrills from your time on the water. It's not hard to see why the big wave surfers chase bigger and bigger waves, looking for that rush from that bigger wave...

Fact is, what you really want lies outside your comfort zone.

May your next wave be bigger than your last....

Pic's or it didn't happen..

DJ

I love those waves you catch that you replay in your head hours after they happen.

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Great storey , their is nothing like a good old adrenilin rush.Ill bet you where nackered after.