I was really excited to get back to the coast and do some surfing, and what better place than Puerto Escondido, the Mexican Pipeline! When we got here yesterday I sat on the beach and watched what I thought were some pretty damn big sets roll in (see photo below). I talked to some guys who said the swell was average. I sat on the beach some more. At the end of the day I was still sitting, unable to muster the courage to paddle out. The wave at Puerto Escondido is unlike any I've ever surfed. The sets roll in slowly and then at the last minute the wave jacks up to completely vertical. The guys I saw making the drop were pretty much free falling down the face. Those that didn't make it took the brunt of the wave on their heads. The wave also breaks very close to shore, meaning it can be shallow. This morning I woke up early determined to catch my wave. I didn't drive all this way to sit on the beach. I stood at the water line for about 10 minutes with my board waiting for my moment to paddle out. There is no lane at Escondido so you really want to time it so you're not caught in the middle of a set. I timed it perfect and before I knew it I was sitting outside in the lineup. Ten seconds later I was wondering what the F@ck I was doing out there. The wave looked twice as heavy from the outside. I paddled around for about 45 minutes pretending to try for a wave here and there. Mainly I was trying to figure out how I was going to get back in without getting pasted on the beach in front of a crowd of spectators. The only thing worse than death is a lifeguard rescue at Escondido. I made it back to the beach in one piece. I don't think the pro sponsors will be calling me anytime soon and I don't expect to be appearing in the next issue of Surfer Magainze, but at least I dressed down. We're heading south again to try and find a smaller wave. TREE
No, this is not a photo of me! Here's a guy making the drop at Escondido. He made it. Stevie and I watched for a couple hours and saw some sick rides.
12 comments:
I admire a person who will admit when something is above his skill level. It may not always be that way, but to have the courage to admit it right now, when its true, is is just plain WISE.
Well son, I can only try to relate to your experience sitting outside the breaker wondering how the F... you going to get onto the beach. Kind of like combining Lava and Crystal, then sitting above in an eddie, you can hear the thunder of the waves pounding the rocks, the deep holes and 15' standing waves, and you cannot see the correct line...you just have to go through it. I'm still in the eddie!
Sr
from Diane...
As you know I have not responded to each of your blogs, but you have to know that I await and read each that is written . . . I am pretty excited to not only read about your physical journey to date, but the emotional journey you both are and seem to be on . . .Stevie, as I read what you write about the realities of the world, and thus discovering more of your in depth conscience . . .’the world is not right’… ‘this is not okay’… but then ‘what can I do to make things better?’
And then Tree, your writing with that bit of irony, satire and humor....seeming, as you continue to write your experiences, to be discovering within yourself the courage, wisdom and maturity to make wise choices.
Wow… as the daughter of a writer and journalist… you both seem to incompass my father’s writings in personal awareness and discovery ...I love it...just Diane and I love you both
ohhhh dude! you paddled out, that was ballzy.
elude the cartels to get smoked by a wave........
glad your safe, i could feel the lump in MY throat!
Chris
I was almost drowned at a beach in Hawaii that sounds very similar...Sands Beach. I was walking on the beach and the water came in and was about a foot deep...when it rushed back to the ocean it flopped my ass down and began dragging me very quickly to the breaking waves and the undertow I'd been warned about. It took all my strength and my friends to pull me out of that shit... That Ocean is big and doesn't discriminate...
I love how you describe your journeys! So glad you are gonna chill on some smaller waves! You guys are smart and trusting your instincts in what you do. Muy bueno! Love you!
Tree, you know I'm not going to let you off that easy! I would equate this little tale to something like kayaking for first time in your life on the Potomac at flood stage or climbing X-rock with no rock climbing experience, no rope, and then rappelling off it with a single piece of pro.
Oh wait this is all shit you made me do. Are you getting cautious in your old age? If you were a manly MexiCAN (not Mexican't) you would have posted how you dropped in on your first day at Puerto on the SUP!
C'mon man shake the butterflies out of that moustache and drop in!
Young people risk their lives recklessly because all they have is their egos, so looking like a hotshot is the most important thing. But as we learn to LOVE our lives, we develop the courage to only risk it for IMPORTANT things. And its up to each person to decide what their own important things are - no one else can make that decision.
I admire that you decided not to take a wave that you recognized as not right for you. And I admire that you had the honesty to write about it. That's good journalism. And that's honoring your own wisdom.
That it ! The hole story. You need to get on the horse and gritty up. The waves looked great in the pictures, figures all you did was watch. You should fly the Dragon out so he could paddle your board and catch waves for you. Lorenzo is over and out
OMG, that wave looks gigantic. How do you even get out past it?
Nice post & blog. We didn't even THINK about getting in the water in Puerto Escondido - just a pool. I assume you are headed to Oaxaca city? Great place to relax and there is some good camping on an agave farm just up the hill.
Happy trails!
Jason
Can't wait to meet Lorenzo and Dragon
-Little Lava
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