attack big water

[headmount]

Anyone has been out in fair sized surf knows that there are some waves where you get to the edge and add things up.  In a millisecond you decide whether to push over the top or pull back.  A clean runway means go but ragged bumps on the pathway down present unknowns to your possible success.

And for DW paddling the song remains the same.  When small glides first begin to appear and they're difficult to catch, it's easy to set your mind to attack each one you can.  You know that your speed will never be overwhelming and you can attack with abandon. 

When the wind gets up over 30mph it begins to get much easier to catch glides but slopes are longer and potentially steeper.   Then the issue is whether you're set up correctly to drop in without biting the nose of your extra long board into some crossing mogul on the slope down. 

Days like yesterday had up to 15 min stretches with the wind over 40.  Looking down the ragged moguled slope of some swells gave me moments of hesitation and in that moment, that swell would roll under me.  Hesitation that comes from the fear of falling and difficult re-standing. 

But even without dropping in, there's no relief from the intensity of wind roar and large rolling swell.    My board point would flounder around, which only added to the sense of being out of control and lack of stability.   That forced a moment of refocus, that the board, when planning, would be more stable at speed.  Napoleon was famous for his phrase, L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace.  If you've chosen to be out there in big wind and big water, then you only have one choice... always attack.

[PonoBill]

I don't generally have that problem since my point of attention is about three feet in front of the nose. I just look up, find myself in deep blasting down a face at Mach 1 and say "Oh shit". Or I use my signature phrase: "Yikes".

[headmount]

Well I've driven with you and know you have no hesitation wired into your psyche.

[paddlestandingup]

What do you think is was blowing on Thursday when I was out there with you?

[headmount]

Airport read out was 25-35 mph.  Out in the open we get gust and periods where it's more than the airport read-out.

[LaPerouseBay]

If you've chosen to be out there in big wind and big water, then you only have one choice... always attack.

Agree, particularly at camp one.  When the water changes color from deep blue to light,  I have to pay attention and get going.  He who hesitates is lost.  The last time my ski got sideways in there I got 3 stitches.  My mantra is "you're not in Kansas anymore."

I've heard Jeremy say "when you catch a big swell, that's when you should work the hardest."

Here's my video from the day HM is describing.  At camp one I'm barely in control of the boat.  Fast swells push the tail around.  For some stupid reason I pull my right foot from under the strap and lift it up - trying to balance.  A ski's rudder has no self centering spring, so a lack of light pressure on both pedals lets the rudder swing free.  In this case it locked out violently to the left, nearly ejecting me.  Turn the sound up and you can hear it bang the stop.  Fun times.