Hurricane Conditions + Got my first overhead wave
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:54 amWe drove around the Panama City Beach area all day Sunday looking for surf that wasn't there yet. Finally we went to St. Andrew's park, and...
there are hundreds of people there, and its pretty big. I didn't really know how big because I knew if I looked at it too long I wouldn't paddle out. I paddled out on my 11' monster through a set, it was big but very long period so I made it.
Once I get out I am in a crowd of 50+ people who are surfing the nice slow left. Its about head high. I am no fleshin' way going for a wave in that crowd three rows deep. I let the current take me further west. Its way dumpier there, and the swell starts building fast.
The water was totally clear, and these two story fleshin' glass house looking waves start rolling in. Dolphins are having a ball. I can't believe how much water is behind them, or how big and steep the waves are. It feels like a religious experience, like accepting 'there is a power greater than you,' because I am the SS minnow. Its easily double overhead outside, and the inside is overhead. Over by the jetty is reflecting and it looks like 'the wedge' with these barrels way up the the air. I crap my pants. I try to psyche myself into a wave for 30 minutes, I go for three kinda in between inside/outside but can't get on any. Too scared to commit to anything imminent. Behind me people keep pulling out of waves and shooting 10-15 feet vertical as they jump off the lip. It freaks me out, because there is an overhead close out dump inside at the beach, and if you don't turn off... ow. I don't know this beach, I don't know how deep it is there.
After 30 minutes, I figure out that I'm not getting on a wave. I am literally in 'over my head.' The waves are so fleshin' powerful, it is way above my skill level. I just want to get back to land. I just want to go home. I keep telling myself that, "I just want to go home." But I was too scared to get a wave. I spend 15 minutes paddling against the current trying to get back near the jetty where it is less dumpy to catch a ride in. Finally I just paddled in, a wave broke on me, I slid back on the board and held on and it popped me out. Stood up and rode that one to the shore.
I almost kissed the fleshin' sand. I didn't even try to go out the next day, I just drove 6 hours back to the east coast of Florida.
When I got back home there were waves. So I paddled out into overhead surf here courtesy of Hanna and got the ride of my life, an overhead right, maybe an 8 foot face, and I got on the shoulder and stayed there for about 50 yards. fleshin' amazing. Best wave ever. Two witnesses, so it must have happened!
Then I spent an hour trying to repeat that, only to go over the falls and get washed over and over.
there are hundreds of people there, and its pretty big. I didn't really know how big because I knew if I looked at it too long I wouldn't paddle out. I paddled out on my 11' monster through a set, it was big but very long period so I made it.
Once I get out I am in a crowd of 50+ people who are surfing the nice slow left. Its about head high. I am no fleshin' way going for a wave in that crowd three rows deep. I let the current take me further west. Its way dumpier there, and the swell starts building fast.
The water was totally clear, and these two story fleshin' glass house looking waves start rolling in. Dolphins are having a ball. I can't believe how much water is behind them, or how big and steep the waves are. It feels like a religious experience, like accepting 'there is a power greater than you,' because I am the SS minnow. Its easily double overhead outside, and the inside is overhead. Over by the jetty is reflecting and it looks like 'the wedge' with these barrels way up the the air. I crap my pants. I try to psyche myself into a wave for 30 minutes, I go for three kinda in between inside/outside but can't get on any. Too scared to commit to anything imminent. Behind me people keep pulling out of waves and shooting 10-15 feet vertical as they jump off the lip. It freaks me out, because there is an overhead close out dump inside at the beach, and if you don't turn off... ow. I don't know this beach, I don't know how deep it is there.
After 30 minutes, I figure out that I'm not getting on a wave. I am literally in 'over my head.' The waves are so fleshin' powerful, it is way above my skill level. I just want to get back to land. I just want to go home. I keep telling myself that, "I just want to go home." But I was too scared to get a wave. I spend 15 minutes paddling against the current trying to get back near the jetty where it is less dumpy to catch a ride in. Finally I just paddled in, a wave broke on me, I slid back on the board and held on and it popped me out. Stood up and rode that one to the shore.
I almost kissed the fleshin' sand. I didn't even try to go out the next day, I just drove 6 hours back to the east coast of Florida.
When I got back home there were waves. So I paddled out into overhead surf here courtesy of Hanna and got the ride of my life, an overhead right, maybe an 8 foot face, and I got on the shoulder and stayed there for about 50 yards. fleshin' amazing. Best wave ever. Two witnesses, so it must have happened!
Then I spent an hour trying to repeat that, only to go over the falls and get washed over and over.
