I fell in to a burning ring of fire...coral
So, today our swell filled in and some of the spots around here had some size. Bankvaults was probably 10' but really onshore so unsurfable; same with some other spots. It was a weird swell and it completely shut down some places we thought would be working but we reckon the tide has a lot to do with it. We boated around for about an hour and ended up right back in front at 2 of the breaks here. So, 1 guy and I jumped off the boat and took a look at the left, Karambat. That right there was a very bad choice. The wave was small(er) and a bit sketchy and I had no idea how shallow the reef is; not a good combination on your backhand. Below is a photo I took holding my camera just below the surface maybe 6" on the widest angle possible.
Looks beautiful, eh? The coral you see with the white tips is called fire coral. It has some bacteria in it that when you touch it, let alone get cut by it, burns like fire for about an hour then starts to itch and goes away in a day or less. Well, I took off on my first one way too deep and couldn't get out and here comes the reef. The next couple photos show the aftermath of my poor, poor decision.
Looks beautiful, eh? The coral you see with the white tips is called fire coral. It has some bacteria in it that when you touch it, let alone get cut by it, burns like fire for about an hour then starts to itch and goes away in a day or less. Well, I took off on my first one way too deep and couldn't get out and here comes the reef. The next couple photos show the aftermath of my poor, poor decision.
And here's the real beauty...
Yeah, it was not a fun session to say the least. There are other places that got scratched up, but not quite as bad. It's nothing too serious and more just a good story and some smaller scars, maybe, but nothing like some of the stuff I've seen from some other guys that came here from somewhere else or got injured somewhere around here. The problem was that my leash got wrapped around a coral head and I couldn't move so I was stuck as wave after wave came through and I was unable to move and the whole time I was standing on the coral that was least damaging. After about 2 minutes I got free and tried to paddle away and the water sucked out so I was laying on the dry reef sraping my hands across the coral; needless to say the poor board is all gashed up again and the fins need a good sanding and my hands are bathed in bactine, once again.
I don't care what people say about Hawaii or this place or that place, Indonesia has the gnarliest reefs by head and shoulders over the competition. Our guide Ray used to live on the North Shore for several years and has traveled everywhere in the world surfing and he says that he thought he knew what gnarly was until he came here. So I guess it's good to know it doesn't get much worse than this and I'm getting my lumps on the gnarliest reefs around!
After I came back in and got some "good on ya" from the mates and cleaned up all the wounds we went right back out :) C'mon, you didn't think some annoying cuts and lumps are gonna keep me out of the water, did you?? It hurt like hell, or rather, burned but we ended up getting 4 Bobs the biggest and best since we got here. I caught the wave of my life, size-wise, as I grabbed one of the bigger ones which was probably around 8-feet. Some of the sweeper sets were bigger than that but for the most part is was around 6-7' the whole session. I got pinned down on one of them and was being dragged in which is a scary feeling since it was low tide and the reef even shallower as you're pulled blindly toward shore with no way to stop until you either hit bottom and slow down or it lets up. Thankfully it let up and I only hit my ankle (on more fire coral) and I paddled back out and decided to call it a day. Maybe another session later tonight but the Indies Trader III is here now with the Wave of Compassion guys, including 3 pros, so we've all the sudden become crowded out front.
As I type this I'm finishing up a conversation with Brad Gerlach as we all wait until the shaman ceremony this evening which should be really cool. He's a local medicine man and he's full on witch doctor; voodoo, ancient medicine, all that good stuff. I will be sure to post photos tomorrow which reminds me that I gotta sign off and go charge up the camera. Talk to you all later.
Yeah, it was not a fun session to say the least. There are other places that got scratched up, but not quite as bad. It's nothing too serious and more just a good story and some smaller scars, maybe, but nothing like some of the stuff I've seen from some other guys that came here from somewhere else or got injured somewhere around here. The problem was that my leash got wrapped around a coral head and I couldn't move so I was stuck as wave after wave came through and I was unable to move and the whole time I was standing on the coral that was least damaging. After about 2 minutes I got free and tried to paddle away and the water sucked out so I was laying on the dry reef sraping my hands across the coral; needless to say the poor board is all gashed up again and the fins need a good sanding and my hands are bathed in bactine, once again.
I don't care what people say about Hawaii or this place or that place, Indonesia has the gnarliest reefs by head and shoulders over the competition. Our guide Ray used to live on the North Shore for several years and has traveled everywhere in the world surfing and he says that he thought he knew what gnarly was until he came here. So I guess it's good to know it doesn't get much worse than this and I'm getting my lumps on the gnarliest reefs around!
After I came back in and got some "good on ya" from the mates and cleaned up all the wounds we went right back out :) C'mon, you didn't think some annoying cuts and lumps are gonna keep me out of the water, did you?? It hurt like hell, or rather, burned but we ended up getting 4 Bobs the biggest and best since we got here. I caught the wave of my life, size-wise, as I grabbed one of the bigger ones which was probably around 8-feet. Some of the sweeper sets were bigger than that but for the most part is was around 6-7' the whole session. I got pinned down on one of them and was being dragged in which is a scary feeling since it was low tide and the reef even shallower as you're pulled blindly toward shore with no way to stop until you either hit bottom and slow down or it lets up. Thankfully it let up and I only hit my ankle (on more fire coral) and I paddled back out and decided to call it a day. Maybe another session later tonight but the Indies Trader III is here now with the Wave of Compassion guys, including 3 pros, so we've all the sudden become crowded out front.
As I type this I'm finishing up a conversation with Brad Gerlach as we all wait until the shaman ceremony this evening which should be really cool. He's a local medicine man and he's full on witch doctor; voodoo, ancient medicine, all that good stuff. I will be sure to post photos tomorrow which reminds me that I gotta sign off and go charge up the camera. Talk to you all later.
posted by Bryan at
12:27 AM
1 Comments:
Bryan,
NICE....Sounds like you are having loads of fun, wish I was there with you, even though I don't know how to surf.
It looks dangerous, almost as dangerous as skydiving. Good to get away like that with all of the hustle and bustle far away; just relaxing and hearing the ocean in the background.
You are envied right about now but you deserve it dude. Keep having fun and we'll see you when you get back.
Later,
Eddie
By
Anonymous, at 7:32 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home