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Carno · 12-06-2004, 09:24 PM

I have been held underwater many times while surfing, sometimes long enough that I began to get scared, but the only time that I almost died, and the only time that I REALLY thought I was going to die was on a particularly big day.

The waves were probably 8-10 ft that day, and breaking top to bottom and hard as hell. When I was on the boardwalk walking over the dunes I could hear the concussion as the waves broke. Anyways, I had made it out okay and had caught a couple of good waves and had taken a few thrashings.

I was outside when the biggest set waves rolled through, and I caught the second wave of the set. Well, experience tells you to go for the LAST wave of the set so you don't get trounced by the following waves, but I was impatient, so I caught the second wave. Anyways, I dropped in and stood up just long enough to get taken out by the lip of the wave. I wasn't expecting to wipe out right then, and didn't have enough time to get a good breath before I hit the water. Well I got flipped around so bad while underwater that my leash tied my legs together. It wrapped itself around my ankles all the way up to my thighs. That, coupled with the fact that I didn't get a good breath of air, caused me to panic. I started thrashing my way to the surface, using up the rest of what little air I had. had been underwater for a long time at that point and my lungs were burning to the point that I couldn't stand it any longer and I started to black out. I was still underwater but I went ahead and took a breath..

Well, the waves were hitting so hard that day that it was causing the water to be super bubbly and foamy. It's kind of hard to explain unless you've been in the ocean when that type of thing happens. I had risen high enough that when I took that breath, I was in the foamy part and inhaled a lot of bubbles, not water. I still took a lot of water in my lungs, but not as much as I would have had I been a foot lower underwater.

Well, back to the part where I mentioned that it was bad to catch one of the first set waves... I had just risen to the surface and was so busy taking in huge gulps of air/foam and I didn't notice the next wave of the set bearing down on me. I was only up for a few seconds before the next wave hit me. Luckily this time I got pushed all the way to the bottom, but hit it standing straight up. I kicked hard off the ground and came back to the surface. My leash was still wrapped around my legs, but I got to the surface again and unwrapped it.

I ducked under the next wave and then clung weakly to my board as I hacked out all of the saltwater that I got in my lungs. The only thing I could think of was how I had almost drowned and how stupid I was to have panicked. I just sat outside on my board for like 30 minutes before I worked up enough strength and courage to catch another wave.. Luckily that was my only bad thrashing that day.

EDIT: my chest hurts right now, just remembering that time..

12-06-2004, 09:24 PM	#59 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	I have been held underwater many times while surfing, sometimes long enough that I began to get scared, but the only time that I almost died, and the only time that I REALLY thought I was going to die was on a particularly big day. The waves were probably 8-10 ft that day, and breaking top to bottom and hard as hell. When I was on the boardwalk walking over the dunes I could hear the concussion as the waves broke. Anyways, I had made it out okay and had caught a couple of good waves and had taken a few thrashings. I was outside when the biggest set waves rolled through, and I caught the second wave of the set. Well, experience tells you to go for the LAST wave of the set so you don't get trounced by the following waves, but I was impatient, so I caught the second wave. Anyways, I dropped in and stood up just long enough to get taken out by the lip of the wave. I wasn't expecting to wipe out right then, and didn't have enough time to get a good breath before I hit the water. Well I got flipped around so bad while underwater that my leash tied my legs together. It wrapped itself around my ankles all the way up to my thighs. That, coupled with the fact that I didn't get a good breath of air, caused me to panic. I started thrashing my way to the surface, using up the rest of what little air I had. had been underwater for a long time at that point and my lungs were burning to the point that I couldn't stand it any longer and I started to black out. I was still underwater but I went ahead and took a breath.. Well, the waves were hitting so hard that day that it was causing the water to be super bubbly and foamy. It's kind of hard to explain unless you've been in the ocean when that type of thing happens. I had risen high enough that when I took that breath, I was in the foamy part and inhaled a lot of bubbles, not water. I still took a lot of water in my lungs, but not as much as I would have had I been a foot lower underwater. Well, back to the part where I mentioned that it was bad to catch one of the first set waves... I had just risen to the surface and was so busy taking in huge gulps of air/foam and I didn't notice the next wave of the set bearing down on me. I was only up for a few seconds before the next wave hit me. Luckily this time I got pushed all the way to the bottom, but hit it standing straight up. I kicked hard off the ground and came back to the surface. My leash was still wrapped around my legs, but I got to the surface again and unwrapped it. I ducked under the next wave and then clung weakly to my board as I hacked out all of the saltwater that I got in my lungs. The only thing I could think of was how I had almost drowned and how stupid I was to have panicked. I just sat outside on my board for like 30 minutes before I worked up enough strength and courage to catch another wave.. Luckily that was my only bad thrashing that day. EDIT: my chest hurts right now, just remembering that time.. Last edited by Carn; 12-06-2004 at 09:29 PM..