Surfing's Wow Factor: Unforgettable One-Off Experiences

Sunset Beach - West peak experience Oahu Hawaii - January 1990

As fortune would have it, I was gifted a room in Betty Depolitos’ share house situated right on the point at Sunset Beach, facing north with the famed Sunset peak to the left and boneyards and backyards literally in the back yard! Arriving in the days following Christmas 1989, through Jan and half of Feb 1990. It was roughly around the 4th week of my stay that a scant west swell had arrived.
It was my first time in Hawaii, and as an introductory to the North Shore the surf was smallish to begin with, 3 to 4 ft. graduating after that, 4-6 ft. 8 ft. 6 ft. 8 ft. The swells were generally from the North during that period, predictable, yet spectacular peaks would unfold at the tip of the wide and spread out playing field, the challenge was manageable and comfortable in most sizes with somewhat similarities to my own home break in Sydney.
Surfing twice daily maintained my fitness level, I was strong and keen, the Hawaiian ocean demanded it and by this time I had developed a learned response to holding breath under water.
On this Saturday morning I had been sharing set waves with one other, distance apart prohibited any exchange of words though we were exchanging waves for the best part of an hour from the outside as opposed to the other surfers who were generally further in than us, the swell was a mix of North to North west, however it was the one that came from the West that took the both of us by surprise, surprised me because I had never experienced how the west swells enter the Sunset landscape from the left side boundary, where your awareness needs to extend to a full quarter circle around to the left, I was about to experience how much power a 10 ft West peak would deliver.
It was around 11.00am, the wind was blowing slight offshore, when that classic looking wave presented itself, aqua blue coloured, standing tall and wide, it was quick entering with a feathering crest, a 10 ft solid West peak had appeared out of nowhere drawing volumes off the reef and throwing down its peak before us.
I was separated by about 8 metres form the other surfer, he was more toward the inside, not that that mattered to anything really because we were both there in that impact zone! But with determined paddling yet futile yearnings to get out past and over it, as quick as a flash it broke in front of us. Instinctively we ditched our boards to dive under it.
In an instant my 87 kg, 193cm tall frame was being vacuumed up, forced and zip sealed within the compressed oscillating throwing lip as I sensed my long arching ride being pitched over the falls. Following the extended freefall, I was sent deep below the surface, in the depths I opened my eyes, something I had learned to do as essential practice to know where you’re located, it was actually black space down there, apparently no light could get through the turbulence and I was down in deep territory in the still, calm and thick water.
It was a long hold down and close to my limit of holding breath, when an altered change of feeling come about me, very serene, all was calm and well and I was composed, any thoughts of panic that may have arrived had passed, the main turbulence had passed, light was apparent, it was quieter and I felt as though I had all the time I needed, like the time stood still as it seemed like I had plenty of it.
Remaining conscious of the fact that I had to surface, I made my way, upon breaking surface and retrieving my 8’3 pin tail thruster, I was confronted with the next huge wave of the set, I sat up on the board and duck-dived the explosion of the foam ball of the already broken wave, another large Sunset West Peak power house offloading its energy right there on top of me, I held onto my 3 ½” thick gun with everything I had, a bear hug, I held that board so tight to my chest and did not allow a millimetre of slippage, I put in every effort I had, thinking that if I became separated from my surfboard I would be again caught in the turbulence only this time with reduced energy left in reserve, through all the tumbling, cartwheeling and thrashing I held on to my board successfully, totally spent but relieved! Yes! Buoyed by the board and washed in to the safer and shallower zone, laying side on, off the side on my board with next to no energy, let the 3rd wave hit me as did the 4th knowing it would eventually push me into the lagoon and from there drift with the currents to make my way to the beach where I kind of walked up and laid down on the sand into euphoric surrender. Although I never saw my session mate again after that and expect he must have made it through okay.
After that experience, I fully enjoyed being relegated to a position of spectator for the rest of the day and in awe of the majestic character of Sunset beach.