Orca
Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:30 pm
Some of you may remember my Orca story a year back (this one is differn't) and some of you (who listen to NPR in the states) may have herd this before...
A little place called 'Shoals Point" on the southeast tip of Kruzof Island has a great little right point break. I had to Coasties and one of their friends; they had hired me to take them Surfing about 12.5 miles buy boat from town (Sitka). There is a great little Wave called louSEAL's on Low Island that we have to pass as we make are way to the point. As we pass by we can see the usual amount of marine life; whales, sealions, seaotters and a ton of seals (as the name louSEAL's lends it's self). Any way, Drop the hook in the kelp. jump off the boat that is right in the channel and paddle for the peak.
For two hours we had light offshore winds and for the third their was no wind at all. nice clean 6' faces and I had a new quad fin that really went (standing and kneelow). The middle of August - 59.4 degree water, warm sun and really good people... Man, you just close you're eyes breath deep, taste the salt on your lips and the smell of kelp and ocean. Feal the little sets run under you and the breeze blow the sun off you face, totally at peace!!!
After I ran through the five senses (as is common practice for surfing 'zen') I opened my eyes happy and calmly . I noticed a seal right near the shore. that seemed odd. Looked back out to see were the set was and looked back in to get a Bering. hmm, that seal is still their... I wonder what he is doing?
As i looked further down the point I can see a sealion pectoral fin. weird. Then there was white water behind the fin. As luck would have it the fin was about 120 yards down the point and not the fifty I had first thought, but it was no sealion.. Orca Orca Orca I yelled with three strokes behind me already. (on the Coast Guard helos you repeat emergencies three times for others around you to react- like"up,up,up" when you are hoisting to close to the mast of a sailboat)
The orca was closing a LOT of ground and fast. My buddies didn't believe me until they saw the big fish in question for them selves. I have never been so close to crying, shaking, shitting and ready to fight in all my life!!!!!
I was the first to wast deep water and looked back to see my buddys very close behind me. the freaky thing was that I couldn't see the big bull Orca anymore but that I COULD see the rest of his pod! They were right behind Steve (been in Alaska from San Fran, for less than 18hrs at this point).
The next surge and we were all on dry land. Not three feet out of the water, but DRY land. I think we were all playing the clips of seals getting taken off the beach in our head.
I ran over to the pelican case and got the digital cameras out and started hading them to their owners. "document this f*%kers!" in fast frantic motion. They didn't move.. Shock or just plain stupifded I don't know.
Now I 'm ready to start masturbating right there I'm so excited. I couldn't stop talking and moving. I going crazy trying to run on this lava stone shoreline and get in one of their photos. Nothing.
'well what now?...'
'lets see if they really leave'-
'ok'
They did and we spent the next hour giggling off our nervous energy (except Steve- he was really quiet). We checked out this old WWII army Bunker and walked back to our boards. I put the cameras back in my case and gave the water a really good look.
'the boats really not that far away guys'...
I jump in first and here two slashes soon following. weight about three seconds and turn to see Steve jumping of the end of the point. as I turned back to paddle straight I saw it out of the corner of my eye.. naw that would be to perfect... "hey guy's a bear"- Steve says "F@$koff, Im' in the water"
Shawn Looks back to smile at Steve...
and so does Matt...
Now buy the time Steve turned around the bear was standing about 100yrds from were we had just go in to the water.
This time Steve was the first one out of the water and still not say'n much.
ha ha
Food chains are fun at the store
A little place called 'Shoals Point" on the southeast tip of Kruzof Island has a great little right point break. I had to Coasties and one of their friends; they had hired me to take them Surfing about 12.5 miles buy boat from town (Sitka). There is a great little Wave called louSEAL's on Low Island that we have to pass as we make are way to the point. As we pass by we can see the usual amount of marine life; whales, sealions, seaotters and a ton of seals (as the name louSEAL's lends it's self). Any way, Drop the hook in the kelp. jump off the boat that is right in the channel and paddle for the peak.
For two hours we had light offshore winds and for the third their was no wind at all. nice clean 6' faces and I had a new quad fin that really went (standing and kneelow). The middle of August - 59.4 degree water, warm sun and really good people... Man, you just close you're eyes breath deep, taste the salt on your lips and the smell of kelp and ocean. Feal the little sets run under you and the breeze blow the sun off you face, totally at peace!!!
After I ran through the five senses (as is common practice for surfing 'zen') I opened my eyes happy and calmly . I noticed a seal right near the shore. that seemed odd. Looked back out to see were the set was and looked back in to get a Bering. hmm, that seal is still their... I wonder what he is doing?
As i looked further down the point I can see a sealion pectoral fin. weird. Then there was white water behind the fin. As luck would have it the fin was about 120 yards down the point and not the fifty I had first thought, but it was no sealion.. Orca Orca Orca I yelled with three strokes behind me already. (on the Coast Guard helos you repeat emergencies three times for others around you to react- like"up,up,up" when you are hoisting to close to the mast of a sailboat)
The orca was closing a LOT of ground and fast. My buddies didn't believe me until they saw the big fish in question for them selves. I have never been so close to crying, shaking, shitting and ready to fight in all my life!!!!!
I was the first to wast deep water and looked back to see my buddys very close behind me. the freaky thing was that I couldn't see the big bull Orca anymore but that I COULD see the rest of his pod! They were right behind Steve (been in Alaska from San Fran, for less than 18hrs at this point).
The next surge and we were all on dry land. Not three feet out of the water, but DRY land. I think we were all playing the clips of seals getting taken off the beach in our head.
I ran over to the pelican case and got the digital cameras out and started hading them to their owners. "document this f*%kers!" in fast frantic motion. They didn't move.. Shock or just plain stupifded I don't know.
Now I 'm ready to start masturbating right there I'm so excited. I couldn't stop talking and moving. I going crazy trying to run on this lava stone shoreline and get in one of their photos. Nothing.
'well what now?...'
'lets see if they really leave'-
'ok'
They did and we spent the next hour giggling off our nervous energy (except Steve- he was really quiet). We checked out this old WWII army Bunker and walked back to our boards. I put the cameras back in my case and gave the water a really good look.
'the boats really not that far away guys'...
I jump in first and here two slashes soon following. weight about three seconds and turn to see Steve jumping of the end of the point. as I turned back to paddle straight I saw it out of the corner of my eye.. naw that would be to perfect... "hey guy's a bear"- Steve says "F@$koff, Im' in the water"
Shawn Looks back to smile at Steve...
and so does Matt...
Now buy the time Steve turned around the bear was standing about 100yrds from were we had just go in to the water.
This time Steve was the first one out of the water and still not say'n much.
ha ha
Food chains are fun at the store