Lagundri Bay - Nias

, originally uploaded by m_hagen.

After four days of rain, onshores and not much surf the swell came up this morning. I went out and caught a few early but it was still pretty bumpy from the outer water winds. It was looking better later in the afternoon when the wind switched to a stronger offshore and started to smooth the swell out into some straighter lines. My first wave in the afternoon was about 8' on the face. Started with a nice clean drop to a mid-face cutback before pulling into a nice long tube. Actually came out clean with a little puff of spit. Stoked! What a way to start a session! I actually considered going in after that one wave it was sooooo good. I then caught a couple of pretty average waves and then the crowd started to fill in. After watching a couple of sets roll through and not being in position for any of the waves I made a classic mistake.... Paddled for the first wave of the set. I was a little too deep so I held up and didn't drop in. Before turning around I could sense something monstrous approaching from the outside. The swell was building and a solid 12'+ wave was heaving onto the reef just in front of me. I didn't even consider duckdiving. I pushed my board away from me thankful for the long leash I'd decided to use, and dove for the bottom. The lip of the wave broke about 10 feet in front of me so I took the full impact right on the head. The initial impact drove me straight to the reef in the prayer position, (ironic huh) scratching the tops of my feet. Down for awhile I started scratching for the surface only to be hit from a second explosion and sent back to the bottom for some more prayer time. Eventually I found my leash, orientated myself and made it to the surface, only to take a quick 1/2 breath before the next wave mowed me down. Fortunately, by this time I had been washed through pretty far to the inside, so the impact wasn't too bad. Nearly a two wave hold down though. That's never fun! Once safely in the channel I checked out my wounds and found them to be pretty minor, then I thought,'No way I'm going in like that. Gotta catch one in.' By now the crowd was pretty well filled in. I kept looking for my wave but just couldn't find the right one at the right time. People paddling too deep, pulling back and trying to jockey for position. The swell was on the rise still and I was determined to redeem myself for the earlier destruction. A good sized set was approaching and Aussie Glen whose been visiting since the mid-eighties was stroking for it from waaay outside. I turned for it thinking I was in a better position for it and started paddling hard. Just before getting to my feet I looked back to see Glen still there. I slowed up so I wouldn't crumble the lip on him and at just that moment he pulled back and yelled for me to go. Well as you all know, if someone calls you into a wave you can't hold back. I put my head down and took a couple of hard stokes but it was too little too late. Didn't even try to get to my feet. Pushed the board aside and got launched standing straight up with the lip on a solid 10' low tide dredger. After the wash cycle I paddled to the beach with my tail between my legs. Mother nature showed me who was boss today.