Here's a true story from my days as a bodyboarder...
The story you're about to read took place while I was still a bodyboarder, long before I transitioned to "stand-up" surfing. Even so, it is still one of my fondest memories as a waterman.
A Story From My Days As a Bodyboarder
Photo courtesy of Julie Macey and http://unsplash.com
I have yet to analyze how the tides work
to the point that I understand them in any thorough sense. I do, however, have some observations about tides that prove useful from time to time.
It's my impression that we have extremely high tides in the evening during the summer months, and in the morning during the winter months. This is the story of how I used that observation to good advantage one fine winter morning.
The waves were reflecting back outward...
Photo courtesy of Levi Morsy and http://unsplash.com
Wow! Not bad for a couple of otherwise flat days!
I head out during an exceptionally high tide, and find just the right "sweet spot". Near the point at Terramar, the waves are surging against the sea wall, piling up, and then reflecting back OUTWARD.
Waves were surging against the sea wall...
Photo courtesy of Ameen Fahmy and http://unsplash.com
I position myself "in the pocket,"
just a little ways out from the wall. I wait for a good-sized wave to come along, compress itself upward against the unmoving wall, and then reflect. As it changes direction, I catch it on its way back out.
These outbound rides are the best rides of the day! Given a good-sized outbound wave, I can ride as much as twenty or thirty yards out to sea.
The REAL fun, though,
happens when there is another INCOMING wave as I am riding out. I move rather rapidly outward, line up on the incoming wave, and then hit it like a freestyle skier hitting a ski-jump.
Like a freestyle skier hitting a ski-jump...
Photo courtesy of Julie Macey and http://unsplash.com
WHAM! Totally airborne!
As a matter of fact, after two days of these insane thrills, I now consider myself part of The Airborne Division of the Fraternal Order of Bodyboarders...
These jumps into space are quite amazing - I only wish I had them on film.
The effect varies quite a bit, depending on the resonance, angle, and size of the incoming and outgoing waves. Milder versions of the jumps are no more than "whoop-de-do's", sometimes sailing above and over as many as two incoming waves. Intermediate versions see me soaring through the air in a horizontal pose like Superman, and returning to "earth" only to pick up the same wave and continue outward.
Catching Air
Photo courtesy of Christopher Sardegna and http://unsplash.com
The wildest jumps take place...
...when I am on a sizable, fast outgoing crest, and encounter a steep, well-defined incoming wave. I am thrust vertically upward as the two waves come together, and launched straight into the air, much like a Poseidon missile!
Steep, well-defined incoming wave...
Photo courtesy of Austin Schmid and http://unsplash.com
I estimate that on the highest of these jumps,
I peak out with my flippers at least a couple of feet above the crest. That's based on the time-delay before the soles of my flips slap back down into the drink.
Like A Poseidon Missile
National Archive# NN33300514 via https://commons.wikimedia.org
Eat your heart out, landlubbers!
Riding the backwash is like being a kid again at Disneyland; more fun than a human being ought to be allowed to have!
Thanks for your time and attention.
I'm here on Steemit because of you, my readers. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!
This post is intended to count towards @dragosroua's Challenge30.
I have very eclectic interests and hope, over time, to write about all of them.
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