How shallow is it when your 5" deep keel fins drag on the reef?
The end of of the life of my (then 1974) "magic" board started when this happened while surfing Big Rock one early October morning with the tide a bit too low.
I'd paddled out in the gray of predawn to 4-5' dredgers groomed by stiff offshore winds. Nobody out yet.
After about 40 minutes and 5 rides, I pushed myself a bit deeper where the little bit of crumble, at the top of the wave, allows for that extra instant of accelleration behind the ledge. It was the first wave of a set. (In retrospect I should have let this one go to put some water on the reef.)
Made the drop, set an edge then stopped dead as the beast heaved over.
Dove through the face, swam out the back, broke surface to catch a breath, then got sucked back over.
Some how I managed a soft landing, feet first. (I think the soup bouncing back up cushioned the impact.)
When I surfaced again, the first thing I saw was my favorite board, back lit in in the red / gold rays of first light, spinning on axsis, falling from the sky............... only to hit the reef on one of the swallow tail tips.
