Mavericks question
Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:32 am
I"ve wondered for a while if I was the first person to kneeride it. Let me qualify that by saying that "ride it" is subjective.
In early December 1994 (before Mark Foo died, maybe early in the same swell or the one before). I was driving to my wife's parent's house in Monterey from SF. Surfed Ocean Beach that morning, double-o and long interval and not super consistent so the paddle wasn't horrible. Big enough but easy to pick and choose. Had heard of Mavericks, so on the drive down parked out on the point and it was breaking, not huge but clean and backing off pretty quick. Middle of the day and no one was out but the paddle was all open water and easy looking so I walked down and paddled out on north side of the break. Time was limited and I shoulder hopped two soft lefts, cruised a couple of big turns as they backed off and rode the second one out until I had to paddle to get back in. It was hard to find the peak as it was pretty flat between sets and I was being careful to stay clear of getting caught inside of the right as it had some energy. Very likely I wouldn't have gone near the pit any way even if I knew where it was gonna be. In and out of the water in about 45 minutes as I figured I wasn't going to get centered enough to pick off one of the rights anyway.
Technically I rode it, as inglorious as the two ten foot mushburger shoulder hops were compared to OB that morning. Not really sure you can even call that riding it, but was I the first kneelo? In a way I hope not and that it was someone more intent on charging it.
I do a couple of snap shots of the day (not me in then though of course). If I can dig them up I'll post - kinda fun to see that wave breaking with absolutely no one in the water.
In early December 1994 (before Mark Foo died, maybe early in the same swell or the one before). I was driving to my wife's parent's house in Monterey from SF. Surfed Ocean Beach that morning, double-o and long interval and not super consistent so the paddle wasn't horrible. Big enough but easy to pick and choose. Had heard of Mavericks, so on the drive down parked out on the point and it was breaking, not huge but clean and backing off pretty quick. Middle of the day and no one was out but the paddle was all open water and easy looking so I walked down and paddled out on north side of the break. Time was limited and I shoulder hopped two soft lefts, cruised a couple of big turns as they backed off and rode the second one out until I had to paddle to get back in. It was hard to find the peak as it was pretty flat between sets and I was being careful to stay clear of getting caught inside of the right as it had some energy. Very likely I wouldn't have gone near the pit any way even if I knew where it was gonna be. In and out of the water in about 45 minutes as I figured I wasn't going to get centered enough to pick off one of the rights anyway.
Technically I rode it, as inglorious as the two ten foot mushburger shoulder hops were compared to OB that morning. Not really sure you can even call that riding it, but was I the first kneelo? In a way I hope not and that it was someone more intent on charging it.
I do a couple of snap shots of the day (not me in then though of course). If I can dig them up I'll post - kinda fun to see that wave breaking with absolutely no one in the water.