Got A Good Scare

[Manhattan Beach Grom]

Hey everyone, I am sure this has happened to you all at least once, but today I was sitting out in the lineup when a GIANT porpoise flew 10 feet out of the water like 10 feet away from me. It scared the crap out of me and the rest of the guys out there. Also what made it even more frightening was that it kept on circling under water and went under some of the guys' boards. Maybe I was over reacting by getting out of the water for a couple minutes, but it sure did give me a scare. I'd love to hear any of your stories like this that you have experienced while out surfing. Just thought i'd share.

-Charlie

[drowningbitbybit]

Yup, know the feeling.

A couple of weeks ago I was surfing with Jimi in northern New South Wales, having a top session, but it was getting late, there was a lot of fish in the water, and we were the only ones surfing. So we were a touch edgy about sharks.

During a lull, we were sitting there, all quiet and suddenly a fin appeared close to us. My heartrate shot up... then shot up some more as a dozen? 20? Lots... of fins appeared from out of nowhere and swam straight at us.

My thought process went "Fin! Shark! F^ck! Lots of sharks! .......hang on....."

Then this huge pod of dolphins swam around and under us. It was superb

[dicky b]

Hey Charlie,
Yeah the dolphins can give your heart a quick race when you just catch the fin in a glance. Once you know it is a dolphin they are really fun to be in the water with. It is great to drop into a wave and have a dolphin surfing right next to you. A little humbling as they really fly down the line. Lots of times they will stay around you and just play in the waves. Stick around and enjoy them. I have never had a problem with them and I am pretty sure they will not be aggressive with you. But yeah at first glance it can scare the sh*t out of you.

[Manhattan Beach Grom]

Ya, sometimes they just have a weird look about the way the raise to the surface that makes em look like sharks. Haha, next time i'll stay in.

[imperio59]

I think dolphins secretly enjoy scaring the sh*t out of people with their fins... Evil, evil creatures, really!

[dougirwin13]

I think dolphins do too

My scarey story has been told on here before.

Surfing with a hunting Great White... No fun.

[billie_morini]

Not so much a scare, but qualifies as a special moment with nature. Was a little outside the line up at Jack O'neils old house in Santa Cruz. Was simply hanging around the kelp. A moment before two surfers came paddling by, a sea otter popped up behind me. He was mad as could be and was clearly directing his squawk/screech at me. He was close enough that I could clearly see his teeth, look him in the eye, and see how course his fur was. This went on for about 30 seconds. At that point, the nearby paddlers came along. They'd seen it all and one asked, "What's he so mad about?" I shrugged and said, "He thinks I snaked his wave." We all laughed and the otter submerged. I suspect my board drifted over the top of him while he was submerged in the kelp.

[Manhattan Beach Grom]

Ya, I think you guys are right. Dolphins and porpoises are very smart animals, so I am sure they know what they are doing when they come surfing with you. They are one of nature's best surfers.

[Tris]

Working my way past the break when I was still a learner, was a pretty good day with constant 4-5ft waves forming, the water was a rather murky brown for some reason, but anyway, I thought I was on the line-up so I sat up on my board and gave myself a moments rest. When I just got cosy I looked up ahead and there was this freak wave forming ahead of me, it must of been at least 8ft, way bigger then I ready for as a beginner. I didn't fancy trying to ride it so I tried to dive but wasn't ready, it broke right on top of me, tried to eat me. I got plunged underwater and rolled over once or twice, it was all fun, none of that bothered me really.

What did bother me was when I resurfaced, I was a bit spun out, but the first thing I could see made my heart throw a fit, a gigantic, world destroying wave, the big daddy on the last one was looming ahead of me! Inpending doom, this monster was bigger then a three story house, my eyes widened and I thought "NO!" Then I realised it was the cliffs, I wasn't facing out to sea anymore. As I said the water was rather brown that day.

[Manhattan Beach Grom]

Tris, that sounds really scary. I could see how the cliff would look like the water if it was murky brown that day. Hopefully I don't run into anything that trippy.