Monstered

Friday saw some of the biggest surf I have paddled out in this year, and it felt great. Although before I sound too heroic, I might add that never before have I paddled so far for so few waves and felt so scared !

It all started with a quick scan of the locale and a decision based on wave height, interval and projected forecast for the next couple of hours. Magic seaweed seemed to be pretty accurate, although by the time we did actually paddle out, solid 5-6 ft sets were pushing through.
After about twenty minutes of paddling through the mush, we were finally sitting out back and Mat, Andy and myself just looked on in amazement at the sets looming on the horizon. For the next hour we managed to talk about everything other than wave height in the water, amd it wasn't until we reached dry land that we collectively bleeted about the sheer size (forecast to 7.5ft). Its not often that after paddling out so far, and finally reaching the rolling swell, that the relief quickly turns to panic, and you are scanning the horizon for something more palatable.

In the end, it was great just to confine yourself to the fact you were going to get monstered, and so we did. By the time we individually strolled back up to the cars, each one of us had a different tale of how we finally got back in and confronted the pounding.