Getting smoked by a barrage of set waves can be the most frustrating thing at your average surf spot. But finding yourself in a similar zone at a wave of consequence is an entirely different animal.
Few places require the experience, confidence, and knowledge of the nooks and crannies of its reef like Pipeline. When and where do you paddle out? And if you find yourself catching waves on the head, what’s the safest way to get out of trouble?
Nathan Florence provides a pretty great public service here, breaking down film of himself and Ben Gravy getting caught inside at Pipe/Backdoor. The first is GoPro footage with a play-by-play analysis of his own wrestling match in the impact zone. In the second, he watches Ben Gravy navigate a particularly hairy moment. Not only is Gravy caught inside, he’s separated from his board thanks to a broken leash.
Florence uses the moment to articulate how useful your surfboard can be in these situations, as opposed to the sometimes instinctive (poor) habit a lot of surfers develop by letting go of their boards in the face of oncoming waves. Yes, there’s a time and a place for it in heavier conditions, but your average everyday session probably won’t be it. And Florences show how losing his board created an even worse predicament for Gravy when trying to get to safety.
It’s a good reminder to keep your head on a swivel at all times. Even if your home break is nowhere near as heavy as Pipe.
“Whether you’re solo or with your buddies — whatever the situation is — you should always keep an eye out because you never know what may have happened in the water or when someone’s at their breaking point,” he says. “Their breaking point may be way lower than yours.”
Editor’s Note: Learn to push yourself, keep calm, and manage fear in heavy surf from one of the best big wave surfers on the planet in Mark Healey’s Guide to Heavy Water.
