First "barrel"

[surf doc]

Ok I put this in quotation marks because by no means was it a large hollow barrel, nor did I intentionally end up getting covered up mostly it just happened by accident.

Today was mostly 3-4ft sets with some 4+, and glass all morning but a long wait between rideable waves. I guess nobody works on thursday in ventura because the lineup was packed with older guys on long boards and younger kids on summer break and it was a struggle getting priority on a wave. I had been sitting pretty deep for 10min+ just watching others drop into waves, when I saw a peak on the horizon. It lined up perfectly, I dropped in hardly having to paddle (love it when that happens) and pulled a bottom turn and headed left along the face. I remember seeing a nice shoulder open up in front of me and was foaming at the mouth to do a turn, when I noticed everything getting darker. I guess I had reflexively crouched down, because at that point I was in the tube of the wave. It lasted for 1-2 seconds, then I came flying out. I saw the wave curling up again, tried to pull back in and instead it hit me on the side of the head and knocked me off my board and I tumbled several times underwater (this probably looked completely ridiculous). I came up covered in seaweed and sand and totally stoked, seems like some of the best things I've done on a surfboard seem to happen first by accident.

Anyone else remember their first barrel?

[behindThePeak]

stoked for you dude. well done.

i totally remember: i'd been focused on it for a while but i never could line up right, or i'd chicken out at the last second. When i overcame that i'd always outrun the curl. Finally on a morning session before work i was out in headhigh beachbreak. I dropped in on a fast one, lined up, saw the lip start to curl in front of me and felt my normal instinct to work my rail and make the section. But i fought the urge, stalled a bit, and shoved my arm elbow deep into the wave face. I'd read about this trick recently and hadn't planned on doing it, it just sort of happened. i hung on and watched the lip curl right over my head. it was awesome; one of those moments that remains vivid in my memory years later. super satisfying.

[Rickyroughneck]

Sweet stories, thanks for sharing! Yet to experience mine, Welsh mush so not expecting much. Hoping to hit the reefs this winter though.

[jaffa1949]

Sweet stories, thanks for sharing! Yet to experience mine, Welsh mush so not expecting much. Hoping to hit the reefs this winter though.

Hoping there will come the hour
that below the lip you'll feel the power,
and get your barrel on the reefs of Gower.
Go get tucked and the hand stall is a great way to support a tube habit

[esonscar]

My first barrel ? - Oooooohhhhh yeaaaahhhhh: I got totally drilled into the sand by the lip at the end of the ride !