Surf School Stories: Big drops and near death

Today was a big day. I was out on a long board and Tim paddled a group of us out back together. Apparently the waves are supposed to be getting really big and really rough the last few days I'm here, so this is one of our last chances to get out the back and paddle onto some unbroken waves.

I think today is the first time that I realized just how rough this sport can be. Exhilarating but rough. The waves were pretty big today (at least by my reckoning), and as Tim brought us out back, I got caught slightly behind the group. I paddled and paddled until my arms felt like they were going to fall off, but I missed the lull between wave sets and suddenly the waves were just piling on. I rolled under wave, after wave, after wave. It felt like and unending pounding with a massive struggle taking place between me and my board as I tried to hold on under the tumbling water. Finally, finally another lull set in and I was able to make the rest of the paddle out.

Wow. I dropped onto one wave right from the peak. I felt like I was staring down a cliff in the Cinque Terre it seemed so high. Before I could even process it, I was on my way down and the board kicked right out from under me. I was overwhelmed by it all. I couldn't wait to get back out and try again.

And then I had my near death experience. The waves pounded with unceasing force and I paddled desperately towards the surface only to realize that both I and another girl in my group, Mary, were sitting right under the crashing peak of another wave that tumbled us together like we were the most insignificant flecks of seaweed. We gasped for the surface together and started to clamber onto our boards when we realized that the wave had twisted our leashes together and another wave was about to bear down on us right then.

As soon as we came back up for air again, Mary pulled off her leash and we hauled our bodies on top of the boards. Mary started to turn back but ended up rallying and together we turned around, determined not to be shown down by a few waves.

It makes me appreciate just how much you are at the mercy of Mother Nature when you're out playing in the waves. And it gives me a much better idea of how long I can actually hold my breath. It's funny how the first time you go down and you scramble for the surface of the water, you panic a little, but after that, you relax. Somehow I knew that I would get up to the water's edge before my breath ran out, even if was going to be pounded by another wave as soon as I broke the surface.

Afterward, exhausted on the beach, Tim had us running drills to learn how to make a series of turns on an unbroken wave (I managed to fall over on the sand during my turn and broke into peals of laughter, as did everyone else as they laughed at me lying on the beach, all three coaches included). Over lunch, Mary and I both agreed that we are now quite good friends given out shared near death experience and we should plan a surf trip this summer. I think might actually try to go to Ireland to surf with her sometime in June if I can break away from the work madness.

What a day.