Hurricane Conditions + Got my first overhead wave

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Hurricane Conditions + Got my first overhead wave

Postby LOLRuss » Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:54 am

We 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.
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Postby LOLRuss » Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:01 am

Image

Image
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Postby scsurf » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:12 am

Good job of sharing your experience.

I know that feeling of "I just want to go home" or "how did I get here? How do I get out?"

I think everybody has there size/comfort threshold. It depends on the conditions, the break and the state of mind that day.

Stoked on your overhead ride. Looks like you'll get some more swell soon.
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Postby justloafing » Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:30 am

Good for you!!!!! That one ride far out weighs the ones you got worked on.
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Postby mrc » Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:33 am

looks more like four to five to me but hey thats just my thought......congrats anyway
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Postby justloafing » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:02 pm

mrc wrote:looks more like four to five to me but hey thats just my thought......congrats anyway


Just looking at the one guy it could be a 8ft. face. Probably looks like 4 to 5 ft. wave and the A-Frame looks pretty cool.
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Postby essex sucks » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:05 pm

i want some
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Postby garbarrage » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:36 pm

i'd call the first one 5ft anyway, can't really tell about the second on...
good size either way... was way outside my comfort zone aswell last week and am firmly decided that 4 - 6ft is where its at... any bigger and its just running for your life!!!
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Postby esonscar » Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:00 pm

You have reached the next level.

Lol, well done.

Now you are a surfer :P
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Postby LOLRuss » Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:24 pm

lol, 4-5 feet faces eh? Yeah, those people are midgets.
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Postby LOLRuss » Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:25 pm

esonscar wrote:You have reached the next level.

Lol, well done.

Now you are a surfer :P


Why thank you, sir.
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Postby NJKILLSYOU » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:04 am

you measure waves from the back, not the face.
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Postby O_Danny_Boy » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:34 am

NJKILLSYOU wrote:you measure waves from the back, not the face.


sounds cool if your from hawaii but if your not then you just sound like a douche

arguing over wave size is lame in my book, so much striaght forward to use knee high, waist high, head high, O/H, D O/H.....................
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Postby LOLRuss » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:52 am

NJKILLSYOU wrote:you measure waves from the back, not the face.


Only if you pretend you're in Hawaii, or have tough guy syndrome ;)
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Postby billie_morini » Thu Sep 04, 2008 6:09 am

LOLRuss' story reminds me why I do it
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Postby Dmd*Grl » Thu Sep 04, 2008 6:42 am

honeslty im an idiot when it comes to taking a look at my standards... if i can paddle out and make it to the line up with no prob, then i go for the waves, and eat xxxxx! haha thats how you learn.
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Postby garbarrage » Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:07 pm

O_Danny_Boy wrote:
NJKILLSYOU wrote:you measure waves from the back, not the face.


sounds cool if your from hawaii but if your not then you just sound like a douche

arguing over wave size is lame in my book, so much striaght forward to use knee high, waist high, head high, O/H, D O/H.....................


second that, except that it doesn't even sound cool if you're from hawaii...

it's not the back of the waves i'm interested in... suppose chopes is 1ft on a big day...
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Postby NJKILLSYOU » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:29 am

i am a tough guy. eat it.
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Postby O_Danny_Boy » Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:56 pm

sure you are princess
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Postby garbarrage » Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:59 pm

O_Danny_Boy wrote:sure you are princess

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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