Storm Swell

I was down at Cronulla on Saturday while my eldest daughter took part in a solar power promotion on the corso. Sydney was pounded by big swells on Friday & the lag was still apparent on Saturday arvo, with the added bonus for the surfers that a gentle morning onshore breeze had cleaned up the faces.  

While the beach was closed for swimmers, the lifeguards rightly recognising that water of this magnitude creates hydraulics that not many swimmers can counter, the surfers were out in force, & the clubbies were also out dancing around in the RIB's.

I made the mistake - once - of looking out at this sort of swell & thinking I could foot it in my kayak, about 10 years ago further up the beach at Wanda. I fluked a lull & ended up out the back while some seriously big waves rolled through, sat out there for about half an hour wondering when the next lull was coming - it wasn't - and then finally got impatient & picked a smaller wave for the glory run back to the sand. 
I had one helluva ride, right up to the point that the wave closed out & I then spent about 4 minutes underwater (it felt like 4 minutes) getting the sort of chiropractic manipulation you'd pay thousands of dollars for from a professional. Somehow I rolled, because back then it wasn't an automatic skill, & then got one final flogging which tore me from my boat & landed my whole sorry mess on the beach.
Lesson learned…..