BY Chris Charpentier
It was a nice day. A big storm and passed through the two previous
days and I decided to find a beach that faced north. I looked at my
guide book for New Zealand surf breaks and decided on a nice river
mouth break that can handle a good size swell and offers nice long
right rides. I woke up early and found that it was a nice 4-6 with
light offshore winds. Went for a long 3 hour surf and had a blast.
I fell way to many times but right hand breaks are not good for me
(I love lefts). Had some lunch and waited around a bit cause my arms
were tired and I knew I'd only have time and energy for one more surf
anyway.
The waves were breaking pretty far out, but didn't seem much bigger
then the morning. So I paddled out and realized it was a little bigger
then before. I was still trying to catch rights, which were really
scary for me to try to catch at this new increased wave height. I
ended up getting caught inside before I ever caught one and some huge
waves rolled through and pushed me most of the way into the beach.
I was determined to paddle back out and despite my best efforts I
found myself getting nowhere and 500 meters down the beach ten minutes
later. I got out and walked back to the river mouth where a current
gets you out passed the waves pretty easily. I stared at the waves
for 5 minutes thinking I should just give up cause the waves were
getting too big. But I'm stubborn and since it was a sand bottom and
despite being big the waves weren't terribly mean if you caught the
mellower lefts, so I decided to give it another try.
I got out and paddled way out passed where I thought the waves could
possibly break so I could rest and get an idea of where I should be.
The other 4 people out surfing were all mostly catching rights so
I was on my own with the lefts. Well the waves had even stepped up
another notch since I was pushed into shore and down the beach. Some
of the waves were taller then a house. No doubt in my mind at least
8 foot waves, possibly some of the bigger sets were as big as 10 or
even more! If you don't know that means the wave was 16-20 tall from
the bottom of the ocean to the top of the peak. I know this is starting
to sound like a big fish story that was really only a little one,
but in the end they were huge to me. I'm starting to think that I
shouldn't even try to paddle into them, I need a tow in by a jet ski!
But, the other guys are getting a few waves so I can too. Well I paddle
at a bunch of waves with no luck. Its hard to get onto big ass waves.
Finally a nice big one comes and looks like I'm in the right spot
to get it. I make my skinny little noodle arms paddle as fast as they
can and I feel the wave taking me. I stand up and go flying down the
face at an amazing speed. Somehow I keep my balance and fly down the
face like I know what I'm doing. I have to look way up to see the
top of the wave but its peeling nicely and I'm OK. The wave finally
hits the channel for the river and sputters out. I made it! Wow, I'm
hooked. No doubt I'm paddling back out and catching more.
So I end catching 5 waves total. The next one I catch I stand up and
go flying down the face as before but lose my balance and wipe out.
The one after that is even bigger then the first. It almost takes
me out at one point but the damn thing is so big I am able to get
around the breaking wave cause I am going so fast and the wave is
so big that when it crashes there is still some wave that you can
ride at the bottom. The next wave was a complete failure. As I'm standing
up the wave crashes and sends me flying feet first. It felt like I
jumped off a roof. I got rolled around and was finally let up for
air after a few too many seconds. As bad luck would have it more big
ones follow up and make my life miserable. When they finally let up
my arms are crazy tired and I am struggling to make it out before
the next set comes. I finally make it out and rest my arms up. I'm
starting to think one more and I'm going in, but think to myself that
it'll be dark soon and I should just keep going. But eventually its
down to me and one other guy out there. I know that guy was with one
that already went in so when I catch another wave and have a good
ride, but get some more big ones after it pushing me back to shore
I give up, turn and get my butt to shore. As I try to unlock my van
and get changed my arms and hands won't stop shaking. WOW!
I stay the night at the beach and the next morning the waves are back
down to 4-6 foot and I got out for another awesome surf. I'm riding
the right handers again because the lefts don't really break in the
'smaller' swell. I catch a bunch of good ones, but near the end when
my arms are beat again I catch probably the best right of my young
surfing career. Rode the wave well for about 200m. Am I actually starting
to get good? Probably not, but not bad for a Canadian that only started
surfing when he was 23.
So after that amazing surf I left and headed to some hotsprings for
the evening. I'm not sure why I left, after all the waves were still
great, but in a way I feel that it can't get any better then those
3 surfs so why push it. I can always surf somewhere else tomorrow
and Whakatane River Mouth will always be remembered as epic.
Well that's my surfing story. The other guys out there confirmed the
8 foot plus size I claim, but you'll never know that. I guess size
doesn't matter...just hope you enjoyed the story...I know I enjoyed
living it :)
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