The Famous Last Run
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:38 pm
I have had tons of fun on my "gee I'm just gonna go for one more here" adventures. It applies in a lot of sports: skiing usually where people blow out their knee cuz they were way too tired, the last round of inner tube river rafting in that super cold white water u've been in all day, windsurfing on that last puff that then isn't enough to bring you in.
Today went like this: marginal lulls at times but super fun day, usually quite powered on the 4.7. I make my way out again cuz I feel the pain in the body subsiding and the wind "is surely picking up" (mistake #1) "would you just look at those rollers". I head off body dragging through the onshore break that is Klover, flossing with seaweed and other items I'd rather not think about. I waterstart on starboard and head upwind but the wind lulls, I see I'm not gonna make the point...but hey, it's gone pretty darn good today, maybe I will after I get a puff. I keep on. (mistake #2) Nope, ain't gonna cut it, I jump in right at the barnacle infested point as there's no room to gybe, sail flip to head back to gain more of an angle. Mid flip I turn my back on the ocean to waterstart away (mistake, ooooh big mistake I have made before, #3).....I see a large roller arriving "WTF did that come from??", looks to be 12' (reality perhaps 5 ), I think "bummer" and a few expletives escape....It picks me up with my rig, chucks me right onto the point, my ass impales on barnacles. I clinch my gear in an outstretched arm thinking to save the sail from damage instead of trying to immediately stand up (mistake #4). The roller's 3 friends arrive repeating my pounding, me lying in supine turtle position on the barnacles (shredding a good portion of the harness instead of my back, thanks!) and raking me and both hands/knuckles/ass and the kit across the rocks 5 feet at a time.
I finally gain my feet, a few needles in them as well, bail the hell outta there and sail off, pulling small chunks of barnacles out of the bases of my hands. I neglect to check the board for damage since the sail is unscathed (mistake #5). When I quit a crappy slogging, pumping, somewhat powered time later, I am rinsing the blood off the sailcloth. I note the 4" gash in the midrail of the board w/ small chunks hanging off and road rash through the cloth on the base of the board as if it survived an encounter with a Sabretooth. Small surprise I was a bit more underpowered....... Nice we have few Great Whites here Now, where's that epoxy
What's yours
Today went like this: marginal lulls at times but super fun day, usually quite powered on the 4.7. I make my way out again cuz I feel the pain in the body subsiding and the wind "is surely picking up" (mistake #1) "would you just look at those rollers". I head off body dragging through the onshore break that is Klover, flossing with seaweed and other items I'd rather not think about. I waterstart on starboard and head upwind but the wind lulls, I see I'm not gonna make the point...but hey, it's gone pretty darn good today, maybe I will after I get a puff. I keep on. (mistake #2) Nope, ain't gonna cut it, I jump in right at the barnacle infested point as there's no room to gybe, sail flip to head back to gain more of an angle. Mid flip I turn my back on the ocean to waterstart away (mistake, ooooh big mistake I have made before, #3).....I see a large roller arriving "WTF did that come from??", looks to be 12' (reality perhaps 5 ), I think "bummer" and a few expletives escape....It picks me up with my rig, chucks me right onto the point, my ass impales on barnacles. I clinch my gear in an outstretched arm thinking to save the sail from damage instead of trying to immediately stand up (mistake #4). The roller's 3 friends arrive repeating my pounding, me lying in supine turtle position on the barnacles (shredding a good portion of the harness instead of my back, thanks!) and raking me and both hands/knuckles/ass and the kit across the rocks 5 feet at a time.
I finally gain my feet, a few needles in them as well, bail the hell outta there and sail off, pulling small chunks of barnacles out of the bases of my hands. I neglect to check the board for damage since the sail is unscathed (mistake #5). When I quit a crappy slogging, pumping, somewhat powered time later, I am rinsing the blood off the sailcloth. I note the 4" gash in the midrail of the board w/ small chunks hanging off and road rash through the cloth on the base of the board as if it survived an encounter with a Sabretooth. Small surprise I was a bit more underpowered....... Nice we have few Great Whites here Now, where's that epoxy
What's yours