Break Water wins 2-0

[Hinalo]

I've had either the good luck or common sense to stay ashore when the surf is big enough to be dangerous. But between the ages of 17 and about 22 I had near disasterous ass whoopings without gear on in big Waimea shorebreak and once at the Wedge in Newport in waves I had no business being out in. Even though those experiences were nearly 50 years ago they remain, shall I say, *vivid*.

 

[Jim Ernst]

After getting my gear prepped for tomorrows dive, I noticed a lot of my gear is scuffed really bad. My inflator hose on my drysuit, pee-valve and my Halcyon buckles are scuffed really bad from the collusion of rocks. Even my 19cf pony bottle took a massive hit, my Mini SPG is warped from the collusion and requires replacement, that's a $60 dollar piece of equipment for one lousy dive, not worth it!

All my gear use to be in prestine condition, but this is my mark that I made, when I dared to enter that surf that day at BW. It serves as a reminder to me, "Mike, you couldn've been hurt really bad, stay clear and have a cold one instead".

You just don't know what it's like unless you have been pummeled. I am in the pummeled club, who else has membership? If you are not in the club, don't join!!!!

Mike.

I had the bejesus scared out of me in Malibu one year, I was along with many others in our group , repeatedly picked up thrown onto the beach, dragged back out and slammed back down on the beach again over and over, until I finally was able to Crawl out and lay under the porch of some house, out of the reach of the waves until I could catch my breath, Funny thing, During all of that fear...... I kept my Camera up in the air where it was safe... No Lie!! Stupid Photographer!! Bad thing... Some did get hurt, and Most lost a lot of their gear!! I was very lucky!!

 

[bbianchi]

Equipment can always be replaced! Its the ocean's way of stimulating the economy...