11:00AM I spent the next hour swimming around shallow reef trying to get to my gear. It was low tide and it’s impossible for any boat or ski to get inside. I had to walk on super sharp rocks to untangle my gear from a coral head and then swim it to the inside where there is a little lagoon for the ski to pick you up.
I rushed back to the ski as quickly as I could to get new gear.
12:00 NOON I sat once again in the line-up waiting for my turn to get a bomb. The wind had dropped again but with my adrenaline and confidence at an all time high I wanted one more. I waited and waited, as I only wanted the biggest sets. Another hour went by. Then another. On the horizon I could see there was something massive but didn’t really have time to re-position. I was already sitting about 20 feet outside the furthest surfer so I thought I was good. We went over the first wave. A huge south set was already upon us breaking way up the reef and outside our position. There was no way to get out of the way. I sat on my gear trying to relax and lower my heart rate as the white water approached me.
These are the times you have to keep your shit together and focus. As I went down under the whitewater I heard the mast pop instantly then I tried to curl into a ball and deploy the CO2 suit. This helps but only to a certain extent.
After I came up, everyone else started popping up around me in the white foam and I knew then that my day was done. The wind dropped to zero right after that set and I was so tired and exhausted I was happy to make it back to the boat in one piece.
I would like to thank the many people of Namotu Island that helped me on this incredible day. I would also like to thank all the video guys that walked over shallow reef and braved it out on the boats to get the shots I needed. We all love what we do whether you’re on or off the water. I love working with motivated people. I wish you all the best for the rest of the 2014 season.
Back to Hawaii for me to prepare for the winter.
