woody with a view - 4-22-2005 at 06:40 PM
dec 10, 1983 - the wave of my life
six months out of high school....
jerry and i headed south in anticipation of great things. ob was closing out-out past the pier and the cliffs were maxed out. all the way down we
couldn't believe the size of the surf being produced by yet another el nino storm during that epic year of 1983/84.
a warm day, sunny skies and not much wind greeted us as we pulled up. not another person or vehicle in sight. this being our first time and all, we
figured, "what the ----?". we'll just find the trail when we get closer.
the entire walk down was like something out of a movie. as these huge sets rolled past we'd scream and yell and start running for a few steps getting
more pumped with every breath. finally we made it to the beach.
jerry was looking at the 6' whitewater POUNDING the rocks and was losing hair by the second. i told him i was going no matter what, there was nobody
else around and the waves were perfect. that's why we were there after all. my final words before i jumped off launch rock were more of a command,
"just get the picture!!!".
as i paddled around dodging the sets trying to find the take-off zone it appeared! the biggest waves i'd ever experienced were bearing down on my
little corner of the sea. without any time to orient myself with the surroundings cliffs i put my head down and scratched for the horizon. going over
the first one re-affirmed what i thought i saw. with a heightened sense of urgency, i dug deeper with every stroke, fear rising in my throat.
over the second wave and, "oh shi+, sweet mother of neptune". there it was!!! as i paddle for my life it got bigger and closer. at the last second i
spun my 6'5" single-fin around, dug both arms in and gave it one good stroke. the last thing i saw before the spray blinded me was the cliffs and
rocks out of my left eye and and landing/crash zone out of my right. i figured jerry would get the photo of the final moments of my life.
when i finally shook the water out of my eyes i quickly realized this was a day like none before, and as it turned out, none after.
the shark wouldn't bite and the bee wouldn't sting-
[Edited on 4-23-2005 by woody in ob]
woody with a view - 4-22-2005 at 06:49 PM
#2 of 6
woody with a view - 4-22-2005 at 06:49 PM
#4 of 6
Mexitron - 4-22-2005 at 07:00 PM
Salsipuedes? Nice wave!!
elgatoloco - 4-22-2005 at 07:06 PM
PacO - 4-22-2005 at 07:07 PM
I was going to say the same. I was living on Silverstrand at the time and remember getting MONSTER surf thru that whole area. It seemed like only the
points were holding.
woody with a view - 4-22-2005 at 07:37 PM
ah, salsipuedes!
when i pulled out and splashed down and looked up on the rocks jerry was pumping both arms in the air running for his board. i was on cloud 19!
needless to say, the trail was littered with guys scrambling down to the beach by this time. and in the best example of "you shoulda been here an hour
ago!", that was the best wave ridden that day as the tide was changing and it started backing off and the walls broke-up into two distinct sections.
i've never been back down that trail. 22 years, and hundreds of trips past the old beauty and i've never had a reason to return and there will never
be a reason!
Eli - 4-23-2005 at 08:05 AM
Thanks Woody, that was a great and exiciting ride I just took with you, my heart is still racing a little.
Saludos, Sara
salsipuedes?
eetdrt88 - 4-23-2005 at 08:38 AM
it means...i know but i'm forgetting
woody with a view - 4-23-2005 at 10:24 AM
exit/leave/get out if you can - due to the STEEP dirt trail during rains.
woody with a view - 4-23-2005 at 01:52 PM
overview