Blowing It
I need to preface this article by stating that when the best East Coast swell in recent memory hit – the classic July 2001 swell – I was laying prostrate. Didn't catch a wave for the entire three days of the event. Pinched a nerve in my neck just before that almighty swell made landfall and I missed the whole damn thing.
It wasn't the first time I'd blown it and wouldn't be the last. When I was younger, back before the time of internet forecasts, I'd never leave the coast for fear of missing a 1 in 20 year swell. I knew I'd struggle if I did. So I passed up many pre-planned wine and cheese tours of the Hunter Valley and god-knows-what-else to hang tight just in case. I paid my dues and yet I keep blowing it.
Take today for instance. Everyone knew the swell was coming in hard from the nor-east, it had been building for days. And everyone knew the wind would swing sometime during the morning, we'd been predicting that since last week. So it was obvious that today would be epic at places that like north-east swell and south wind – and there's a few of them on our fair coast.
I began the planning on the weekend, clearing the deck of family duties and even clearing the family off to the in-laws for the week. On Monday I chose boards and packed them into the back of the wagon. I had delusions that my Hyundai people mover was Brian Conley's modified Ford truck. Dubbed the "Hurricane Hunter" Conley's vehicle has satellite connection and is a fully self-contained, weather arresting machine built to chase Central American storms. I removed the baby seats from the Hyundai, squeezed the boards in and stretched my imagination to fit.
The surf was huge at first light, but the nor-easter was still howling. I wanted to get the feel of the ocean and a new board before the wind swung so I paddled out at Fairy Bower, Manly, as the sun came up. 10-12 foot sets broke wantonly on the outer ledge mixed up with nasty north-east chop and strange side waves. It was a mess but also thrilling.
After thirty minutes of dodging and weaving it came time to pay the piper; a set broke beyond me with no chance of escape, I slipped off my 7'6" and sucked it up. The thrashing wasn't too bad – two on the head, washed to the inside – but underwater my board hit me in the head and split my lip. When I came up I was spitting blood. I let myself drift in.
To the carpark and then to the hospital. I parked in a 15 minute zone at Manly Hospital thinking that would be all it takes to stitch me up. Long story short, I walked out of there five hours later, my lip, which was throbbing and oozing thick red blood, still stitchless.
If I didn't have an internet surf column I'd probably be typing a letter to the Manly Daily right about now doddering on about the state of the public health service: whinge, whinge, fucking whinge, it doesn't matter till it happens to you. But what does it matter now anyway? As I lay there listening to various doctors offering me differing opinions I pondered all the medicines piled in the cupboard (Wonder what lignocaine does? Hexachloride sounds exciting) while my phone lit up with news from friends at Shark Island, Sandon, and places further south. A quick search of the wind obs told me their claims were valid – the wind had swung, first west, then south-west – and many a reef was pumping.
After midday I told the doctors I couldn't wait any longer and left the hospital in a self-righteous huff. Despite knowing better I drove past the beachfront and saw the Bower and South Manly pumping, the taste of salty blood was fresh in my mouth.
The waiting room at the local GP was full but I saw a doc before I'd finished my coffee – which was sucked through a straw. Dr Tony took a keen interest in the wound and I quickly found out why. Over anaesthetic he told me he spent years living in Sumbawa working as a doctor and surfing the breaks between Yo Yos and Scar Reef.
Fifteen minutes later he'd lined up the cut with five stitches and sealed it nicely. "How long am I out of the water for, doc?"
Tony the surfing doctor took his time to answer then looked me in the eyes: "Three days."
"And say, for instance, the cut was to get wet before the three days was up, would that be a problem?"
"I'd normally advise a week," said the good doctor, "but I understand what you're saying. How long is the swell going to last."
"Three days, " I replied.
"That is a problem."
But it wasn't a surprise, like I said these sort of things always happen to me. Leaving the GP I took one last look at the Bower, still reeling off at 8 -10 feet under a blue sky and offshore wind, and headed for the bottlo. I'm now three dosages into my self-medication program trying to dull the pain of blowing it – yet again.
Comments
Beer is the answer. Or the problem, depending if youve drunk the night before and blown it with a hangover.
At least you got in the water.
ha ha Stu thats bad luck but if its any consolation, I waited for the wind change and it didn't clean up checked everywhere Northern beaches Makaha, Whiterock, South Narra (rumour was it was good), Bungan, sharkies (a few scored early b4 change came through). No waves and then for the past two hours Manly Point was the best I have ever surfed it in 14 years sorry.
I have some tape that will stop the water getting in, otherwise I have a good camera you can use.
Cheers Mick. Wondering if you've seen the photos Craig got down south? If you haven't you probably dont want to...
My Aussie/French neighbour just got in pumped from his late session. He was doing the full jibbering surf talk with a Frog accent - great stuff. Don't think he'll be sleeping for a while.
Hey Stu, you dont have to miss out. The Swellnet Manly cam is time delayed by about 3 hours and 25 minutes. So according to the cams its still daylight and pumping in Manly and pitch dark everywhere else. On this basis you can surf 72 hours after you spoke to the doc so the Friday late session is definitely on for you!
Did you knock out the Bower cam so there is no video footage of your untimely demise?
Good thinking Barstardos! And don't you sound chipper, you get a few today?
Not sure what's happening with camera gremlins, though Bower should be working tomorrow.
Given up looking at surf photos after those SA shots...its just too much.
Stu,next time contact...you missed out and the crew that hit the pools also missed out
Hey RS,
Didn't get a chance to respond to your email, away from the computer most of the weekend and Monday was manic. Hope you scored it good. We're gonna have a few photos from places south of Sydney on the site later today.
Maybe next time,the swell has eased big time.Wonder how long it will be till there is another swell with so much north and size in it.On a side note I can't see that east groundswell yet.
That east groundswell is arriving overnight and peaking tomorrow morning RS. I was down around your way and it was amazing to see so many reefs and offshore bommies firing that I didn't know existed! Love watching such a large and clean swell marching into the coast.
Stu, that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard, you swell dodger.
As for me, I was all suited up and ready to paddle out when I noticed that my balls had shrunk to the size of tic-tacs, so I had to go in and see the doctor.
He told me it was a heart condition.
:-) :-)
Did it actually get that good, didn't seem like the winds co-operated that much around these parts, and the swell was a little roguish and messy.
Mind you, Coogee beach, yes the beach, was about double overhead+ on the biggest sets yesterday evening, as I went for a constitutional with the missus. Biggest I have ever seen it and a few out there. Even Iggy would have said it was 4'+ (5-6' for everyone else)
North Coogee reef (or Gordon's Bay, or the Pebble, whatever) wasn't getting the same amount of energy, strangely.
Craig...Yes your right and there is plenty more places.I have a bucket list to take care of before I get too old and I wiped one off the list yesterday while others were frothing at the usuals.
Stu,At the very least you can say that you got injured in 8-10ft surf, something that should not be sneezed at.There was plenty watching and at least you had a go!
How is the lip holding together Stu? I trust ignoring medical advice was fruitful this morning.
Ha ha...doctors, what do they know? The bandage came off after the first real duckdive but the bog held watertight. QB was a bit inconsistent but still worth a paddle. Jagged a few at NS on the way in. Smooth as butter on a 7'6".
You get a few...?
Saw Mick cop that set on the head, got it on camera as well. Weird how QB never really got going this swell. Looks to need some magic numbers re direction and period to fire.
Been having a ball rolling into waves on the 6'8". Everyone's happy when there's swell, and there's a few more days to come!
Here's Mick blowing it by sitting too far inside, haha.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q10/sasurfa1/IMG_9031_edited-1_zpsf00...
He got some nice ones as well but..
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/537163_5520513981...
I had very limited time this morning so was reduced to scrapping with the hordes at the Manly end. I got a few. And I even got some groundswell sets on the head, just to prove that long range swell had indeed arrived.I had more fun yesterday on the 7'0"
Just curious what the typical crowd/hoard size is for you east coasters?
Crowd? I never see anyone when I paddle out.
Don't hear 'em either.
Who is Mick and what was he riding?
Mick is someone who reads Swellnet and he was riding a jelly dong.
Off the topic who is the oldest person to do an air on a surfboard?
Stupid fcuken question surfwanker - how on earth would anyone know that? Let me guess tho - you? Kelly Slater?
You should start a new topic if you go off topic....
Thanks for taking the time to eloquently answer Wanker's question MM. You put in words what I was thinking.
@mitchvg. Rode a 7'6 at bombie. Last time it was big guys getting waves had 9 footers like Hayden and his friends. Unless you keen to ride a SUP check out Jan Bruuns paddle on fb for a good photo of bombie
They would have to be older then Slater.Maybe Potts?
Someone in web land must have seen some old guy punting.
Who cares?
I would love to see a 70 year old punting!
Any Saturday arvo at the TAB and you'll see plenty of them.
Good point zen.How old will it be possible too do an air?
I don't know mate.
I've got a friend in his late 40's who still busts one out every now and then.
So there's your starting point.
Thats sick!I have been looking on the net pottz is 48 this year he would still been doing them but there where guys doing them before him.I have a mate thats 54 and still getting absolutely kegged but there is no way he could do an air or does not no how. Will Slater go to the air when he is 70?
Ha! I think I've been under gunning myself, as silly as it would look to mates, maybe I should save up for a real hum dinger! Rode my 6zero on Sat on the Sunny Coast open beaches for example, because my 'big board' (6'4) is so creased the stringer is poking through the deck. I'm saving it for one wave on a day like last Sat. Shoulda just thrown it in the car I spose
3 days? you're lucky. that same weekend I tore my left hamstring playing touch footy. tonight was my first training session back. guess what I'm doing right now while the rest of the boys are still training? sitting on the loungeroom floor with a bag of frozen meat strapped to the bottom of my thigh......hooray for me.
Bummer. Sounds like it's couch and video time. Either that or buy yourself a bodyboard.