Waiting patiently for the seabreeze to build, myself a few mates sit on the fence at Trial Bay as the light nor-easter slowly built and was finally enough to head out. As usual I'm first in the water, the others waiting to see if I'd get going or not. I rigged the 6.4, grabbed the 111 Carve and hit the clear blue water.
The first run out was sweet, powered up nicely with few ramps to hit on the way out. 500 meters past the point I start looking for a swell to gybe on, but its hard going, vision is near gone as I sail directly into the afternoon sun. Then a swell builds with a nice shoulder-high berm so I sink the rail and throw the board around. Mid-way through all is good, carving sweetly and thinking about rotating the sail for a nice planing exit. It's then I look into the depths below and see nothing but black. Totally bewildered for a split second, I'm thinking reef? shoal of baitfish? Then the 50 ft shadow becomes gin clear as the huge tail is sweeping up towards me. Confusion turns to panic, and right on que I catch the rail and fall on top of it. The tail is still on the way up, so I frantically swap the kicking legs in open water for climbing on the translucent sail and watch it sweep up and thankfully past, perhaps 3 meters away. Then I bob wildly as the water boils all around me, creating a 10 meter hump of window clear water that lifts me 30 cm above the rest of the ocean. At this stage I'm ****ting bricks, half on the board, swirling about and shaking uncontrollably. The only thought was, Farrrk that was close!
I usually never up-haul, but I stood on the board like a wobbling learner, looking nervously for more black shadows. With great relief I grab the boom and feel the breeze fill the sail. Straight in, took a few deep breaths near the beach and contemplated shooting out again. Surely that can't happen again I think to myself, but sure enough, 30 minutes later- and this time in only 15 ft of water- another 15 meter shadow glides by me, thankfully not directly beneath me. Nerves were pretty well shot by then so I called it a day. Hopefully tomorrow is a little less eventful...
I'd be wailing and blubbering if it was me. That second sighting was no fluke either!
Great story Phil. Wish you would write for a magazine or something. Sounds like a whale of a time (yes bad pun intended).
Between the sharks and whales, you must be about to give up.
Lots of aquatic wildlife up that way Phil. A great story and one you will remember for the rest of your life.
Select to expand quotePhilSWR said..
Waiting patiently for the seabreeze to build, myself a few mates sit on the fence at Trial Bay as the light nor-easter slowly built and was finally enough to head out. As usual I'm first in the water, the others waiting to see if I'd get going or not. I rigged the 6.4, grabbed the 111 Carve and hit the clear blue water.
The first run out was sweet, powered up nicely with few ramps to hit on the way out. 500 meters past the point I start looking for a swell to gybe on, but its hard going, vision is near gone as I sail directly into the afternoon sun. Then a swell builds with a nice shoulder-high berm so I sink the rail and throw the board around. Mid-way through all is good, carving sweetly and thinking about rotating the sail for a nice planing exit. It's then I look into the depths below and see nothing but black. Totally bewildered for a split second, I'm thinking reef? shoal of baitfish? Then the 50 ft shadow becomes gin clear as the huge tail is sweeping up towards me. Confusion turns to panic, and right on que I catch the rail and fall on top of it. The tail is still on the way up, so I frantically swap the kicking legs in open water for climbing on the translucent sail and watch it sweep up and thankfully past, perhaps 3 meters away. Then I bob wildly as the water boils all around me, creating a 10 meter hump of window clear water that lifts me 30 cm above the rest of the ocean. At this stage I'm ****ting bricks, half on the board, swirling about and shaking uncontrollably. The only thought was, Farrrk that was close!
I usually never up-haul, but I stood on the board like a wobbling learner, looking nervously for more black shadows. With great relief I grab the boom and feel the breeze fill the sail. Straight in, took a few deep breaths near the beach and contemplated shooting out again. Surely that can't happen again I think to myself, but sure enough, 30 minutes later- and this time in only 15 ft of water- another 15 meter shadow glides by me, thankfully not directly beneath me. Nerves were pretty well shot by then so I called it a day. Hopefully tomorrow is a little less eventful...
Thanks for sharing your story Phil, Trial Bay has it all! 
No GoPro?
"Thanks for sharing your story Phil, Trial Bay has it all! No GoPro?"
Hey Tom, nah, didn't take it, didn't think it was going to be windy enough- pity...
