Lost My Oar Yesterday.... and I was Lucky

[supthecreek]

Usual  early morning trek to the south side… a promising day of sizable surf. Crummy weather so I knew the crowd would be light.

I got there to find no surfers anywhere to be seen and a  local 6’ swell working through high tide. Took about 5 minutes to hit the water. I was psyched.

Only way out was to dash between a building and some rocks.
I slid on some loose small stones in the shorebreak and got sucked down the slope. The smaller wave I planned to launch over knocked me down.

As it receded down the dropoff. The next wave jacked straight up… and I mean STRAIGHT up… no curvature… just a wall of water about 2’ overhead…

I was screwed… and I knew it. Survival time. I was about to get slammed big time into some nasty rocks. I let go of everything and got small ( I know… a cardinal sin…. but I was about to die)

I watched as my beautiful Allwave sucked up the face and was body slammed into the rocks… I went along for the ride.

I was really surprised, after banging across the rocks that I was still alive. I grabbed the Allwave and dashed over the rocks to safety.

I turned to see that my paddle had successfully gotten past the shorebreak and was headed down the jetty. After several moments agonizing over the proper course of action, I decided that it was too close to the rocks to attempt a sea rescue from a paddle-less board. It was drifting 5’ from the waves smashing into the rocks…. I left the board on high ground and followed my baby down the jetty, yelling encouragement as we followed the current. My new “Primal creek” body was leaping effortlessly over the jumbled rock pile, looking for a rescue opportunity. It never came… a huge set forced a retreat. When I ran back to a high spot, my paddle was nowhere to be seen. I opted to launch from a beachbreak ½ mile down the road, with my back up paddle, to head off the drifting paddle. After standing in knee deep water for 20 minutes with no easy way through a very powerful break, I realized I had to let it go.

Good thing, cuz my super tough Allwave, that survived almost unscathed from its rock slam…. had a thumbnail size  slight dent that showed cracking of the skin around it. It could have absorbed water, had I gone out after the paddle.

5 hours of driving... no surfing
One serious beating
My paddle was gone
My board needs a cosmetic repair…..

and I left smiling. I knew it should have been worse…. much worse.
I was very lucky yesterday….
And….I’m about to go Kenalu 

On my ride home, I got a text... with the last picture below.... He was not so lucky. Cape Cod breaks a lot of boards.

[Menlo SUPr]

If you're alive to go out another day, that's always a good thing. If you and your board are alive, even better.

[spookini]

As he lay strapped to the proneboard, his neck immbolized by an air cast, all Creek could think was:  "Man, I was lucky.  It could have been a KENALU.." 

[SoCalSupper]

great write up Creek-felt like i was there-live to sup another day!

[Geoff C]

Glad your ok Rick. Bad enough getting the beat down on sand.

[supthecreek]

Thanks Geoff... I am sure it was because of my training with daily Cape Cod beat downs

Socal... thanks for that! My all time favorite write up on the Zone was your story "4 Zoners went to Mexico.... "....You should write more stories like that... you have a talent!

[raf]

Goddam, Creek, you need to find a better place to paddle out!  Those pics are scary.  great waves up my way Mon/Tue.

[lucabrasi]

Holy cow.  That looks like some mean stuff you are playing in. Glad all ok for you to tell us in a good story.

[kneecap]

This story, along with some of his other posts, has convinced me that Creek is indeed Chuck Norris. Welcome to the Zone Mr. Norris.

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[Chilly]

This story, along with some of his other posts, has convinced me that Creek is indeed Chuck Norris. Welcome to the Zone Mr. Norris.

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I picture him more like Thor, but with a paddle.

[Boludo]

Awesome story. You seem like one cool cat, living life to its fullest!  Glad you're okay.

[ron.c]

Yikes Rick

That shore break is enough to keep me from venturing off the couch!

RC

[Fark]

Glad you're alright and your board escaped almost unharmed.  Bummer about the paddle, but they make them every day.  Creeks are one of a kind.

[covesurfer]

Great write up! On top of everything else, that water looks COLD which magnifies everything and saps your strength quickly. I've proned and done stand up at the Oregon coast for a long time and of everything, that cold water is the scariest thing to me. I think you made a good decision letting your paddle go. Looking at that other guy's board, you got off pretty easy!

[Wetstuff]

Cove - I was just about to say; "Add 40 degree water to that situation."   I think I will stop whining that all I have is beach break.

Jim