Greetings and happy 2024, may it be an excellent one to all of us!
There’s been great talk of an El Niño this season, which (sometimes) translates to a lot of rain, snow, and surf. Meaning, when there’s an El Niño I always get über excited!!
The early season started with a bang on the surf side, there were so many good days of waves, I felt like I was on a surf trip but sleeping on my own bed!
Those who know me know I’m a surf fanatic, and it’s excellent cross training for my snowboarding career.
The end of year and early 2024 delivered us spectacular waves, I did go out on the biggest & cleanest day I’ve ever seen at Rincon, the “Queen of the Coast”. Took many beatings and waves hold downs and had marathon sessions, I was extremely fit after a non stop week of waves.
Ands then… came a “string of bad luck”. It usually happens on smaller surf days, or when you’re tired and make mistakes.
First I fell awkwardly when taking off, and hit the board’s nose on the inside of my arm, got a bad bruise and weeks of discomfort, but it was fine.
Second, a few days later, I scored an excellent wave and went all out on it, did 2 awesome maneuvers off the top, then risked a third critical maneuver and again, fell awkwardly and hit my board’s nose on my top rib! So much pain I couldn’t breathe for a minute, at first I thought I had broken my rib, but then it subsided and I knew I was OK. Still, pain for weeks when breathing. But it was fine.
Third, a day later —I shouldn’t have surfed after that rib injury. But you just never know when the waves are gonna be that good again, I had to try! Turns out the forecast was wrong and surf was below average. It hurt so much to lay on my board and paddle, each paddle movement was a moan from my rib pain. I quickly realized I better go back in and rest this injury. Then it happened… just a rookie mistake, I fell on a pretty mediocre wave that was gonna be my last, to take me back to dry land; upon surfacing after falling, rule # 1 says “always have your hand above your head,” I stupidly hadn’t done that and hit my head on my board’s fin when I came up. End result 6 staples on my head and time out of the water.
It’s just the things I do, sometimes there’s risks, sometimes you gotta pay to play. But it’s all good and I’m (almost) back to 100%