Mullaghmore Massacre
BOOM! The wave exploded. Sometimes when you fall, you wait for the impact. I had no waiting to do. It hit me like an articulated truck. I was concerned, as I had seen the reef virtually drain just before it hit me and I thought I might end up hitting the bottom.
I put my hands over my helmet to try and protect myself, but the violence ripped my arms and legs out like a star fish before rag dolling me. Something glanced off the side of my helmet; I'm assuming it was my board on its way to the surface.
The wave grabbed my helmet and filled it full of water like a bucket. I felt like I was being swung around underwater by King Kong holding on to my head. My chin strap was pulling tight into my jaw and throat, my eye lids and lips were getting blown open and shut. I had flashbacks of times when I had been training holding my breath.
I kept thinking about the two minute mark, as I knew I felt comfortable to that point and anything after that would start to concern me, but that is in a controlled environment!
I was in the middle of my worst wipe-out to date. I had never experienced violence like this. I have said that so many times over the years as I surf bigger and bigger waves and pay higher consequences each time for doing so, but this felt like I was getting...
continued in Surfing Mennie Waves available...
Image Credits:
Aaron Pierce,
Conn Osbourne