Australian Surfer Dies in Mentawai

[Big H]

R.I.P. .....and be careful....

http://indosurflife.com/2015/08/austral ... -mentawai/

[Tudeo]

I don't know if it was a factor in this terrible situation, but I'm afraid the increasing crowd pressure will push more and more people to take risico's in order to find uncrowded surf.

[Big H]

Didn't mention that in any of the three articles I read about it.....but if that's something you're feeling, it's better to collide and rip a fin box than try to shoulder hop at Bingin at low tide for instance....don't be pressured into surfing the bit that shouldn't be surfed.....

[Big H]

Another article about the same incident:
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/0 ... nsw-locals

[oldmansurfer]

Does it make it any better that he died doing something he liked? I guess one may wonder why he didn't die sooner if he liked getting pounded into the rocks. Or maybe he didn't die doing something he liked. Anyway I understand the sentiment but wonder how many surfers who die surfing would still catch that fatal wave or go out on that fatal day if they knew it would happen?

[dtc]

It's interesting, in a morbid way I guess, seeing the reactions in Australia following the recent spate of shark attacks. Some people who have surfed daily for 30 years have stopped or are driving hours from some of the worlds best surf spots to surf in not so great places. Others are still surfing. Some attack victims say they will go back, others say they never will.

Surfing on reefs like that just seems a too high a risk, although I can understand the attraction when you have surfed and are used to 'normal' waves. Friend of mine was surfing the mentawis a few years ago and another boat turned up with a group of second level pro surfers (so trying to make it to the top tier). Some of the best surfers in the world; one of them stood up fractionally early on a barrel, took the lip on his head and got slammed into the reef. Lived but skull fracture, massive face injuries etc. (luckily my friends boat included a surfing surgeon). maybe I'm not sufficiently part of the lifestyle but I just can't see why you would surf somewhere when a tiny mistake can do that. Then again, beachies still give me a thrill so shallow reefs aren't needed to keep me happy.

Also, it's fascinated me how surfing has never adopted obvious safety measures, like helmets or inflatable suits. I know they are all available and I know that they are rarely needed for most surfing, but even where the risk is quite high people still don't seem to use them.

[oldmansurfer]

There are hazards to surfing and obviously there are people who prefer to take the risks. If I die surfing I hope they don't say I died doing what I loved but that I knew the risks.

[jaffa1949]

The reefs are there, the sandbank can break your neck, a shark can bite, a car can run you over, water in many forms can drown you
you put your safety in the hands of others so often, too, from food catering to bus drivers and airline pilots etc. Assume foetal position and frighten yourself to death.

Some old guys (and it is more frequent now) die of a heart attack while surfing.

Die doing something you love or you may not have really lived.

[oldmansurfer]

Probably just about every big wave surfer knows the risks of surfing big waves, however I often get the sense that when people die in smaller waves they may not have know the risks. When you don't know the risks then you die foolhardy. SO if you are going to die doing something you love know the risks or die foolishly. I think saying someone died doing what they loved is a way people deal with grief.

[dtc]

Obviously there are risks with everything. But we minimise risks all the time and judge and assess the rewards. I don't cycle down the main road at rush hour, I do swim training to ensure I can swim in if I lose the board etc. For me shallow reef surfing is too risky given what are (for me) the rewards. I don't surf big shore breaks either. Of course, having gone through several major back injuries, I'm very much aware of my body's frailty and that definitely influences my individual choices

While I love surfing I imagine I will also love sitting with my grandkids at 90...or just sitting at 90

But in no way do I say other people shouldn't do it. People have different risk profiles and assessments (and skill levels) to me. I do think they should consider helmets ...but up to them.

[Big H]

But in no way do I say other people shouldn't do it. People have different risk profiles and assessments (and skill levels) to me. I do think they should consider helmets ...but up to them.

Hahahahaha.....I looked into local availability of Gath helmets earlier today.....

[oldmansurfer]

I don't surf shallow reef breaks......well sometimes I do but mostly I don't because I don't want to injure my boards. My boards are much more likely to get injured than me. In the area I surf there are two shallow reef breaks that I sometimes surf. So far I damaged boards two times and damaged myself zero times surfing a total of about 10 times. Even when I was younger I didn't surf shallow reefs much more out of concern for myself. There is a break here called Cannons because it's shallow and hollow and spits out like being shot out of a cannon. I surfed there 3 times because I wanted to experience the feeling of being shot out of the tube by the spit. The third time I finally got a wave that spit me out. I rode it in and never went out again. Since then I have been spit out of tubes that weren't at shallow reef breaks but just as spectacular maybe even better than Cannons. I can understand why people like shallow reef breaks but sometimes there are similar waves at deeper reefs or sand breaks if you don't mind waiting for it. If I were in Bali hmmmmmmmm....that is something hard to think about.......don't know if I could resist the temptation to ride some of those beasts. Or Mentawai.......... Macaronis....hmmmm

[dtc]

Big H in a month or two ....

I think I recall Jaffa saying he wore a gath for a while and that it saved him from a drop in board once. I've spoken to a few people about them, some say that if you need to duck dive a lot then they can be a pain, and they are a bit heavy so you have to get used to that (holding your head up if you are paddling etc), but otherwise no big deal. Except the face mask part is more or less useless, fogs up all the time.

[Big H]

Hahahahaha......

I do worry sometimes though....I learned/am learning on shallow and relatively shallow reefs....sometimes there isn't much else to surf, esp. during the rainy season....falling flat etc. is all well and good; I took a big hit the other day in the ribs at balangan. Wearing neoprene but all the same the section closed out and I got caught up....boom, I'm on the reef (waist deep there at the time in the area where it closed out) and I'm bouncing off the reef....only sore ribs this time, and I'd featled and was covering my head up the best I could (reason my ribs were wide open)...wrong angle, not covering up, happen too fast and my head hits I could drown from a relatively light hit in water that I could stand up in.....something to think about....


Gath has different models....the face mask visor thing model is heavier than the eva or neoprene headband models by about 150g size to size...either way it is more weight than I have without, but at least it's 340g as compared to 510g (xl sizes). Distillation of what I learned browsing yesterday.

[billie_morini]

Ol' Man asked about the merit or value of losing your life doing something you love. I bore this sentiment deeply during many years of motorcycle racing. Death was a constant factor in the fun equation. My wife knew it, too, and even expressed it to friends. All my racer buddies held this opinion.

RIP Ronald.

[oldmansurfer]

The concept provides some solace to those who didn't die but once again if that rider knew he was going to die would he have rode? I love surfing and realize I may die surfing. I am aware of the risks but dying by drowning or getting pounded into the rocks is not what I love. Those who live take value that in him dying doing what he loved but it wasn't exactly what he loved or he would still be alive.

[billie_morini]

Ol ' Man,
superb articulation from you about this and we agree.
billie

[oldmansurfer]

another surfer dies in Mentawai doing what he loved (drunken diving)http://www.news.com.au/world/australian-adam-albert-dube-has-died-during-a-surf-trip-to-indonesias-famed-mentawai-islands/story-fndir2ev-1227511311557

[Big H]

Quick study of the mortality rate in the mentawais this season......jeez.....


Two more swells in over the next ten days.....one looks better than the last one through......yewwwwww!!!!