It Was Just A Matter of Time

[jorluivil]

So my buddy Tone and I opted to stay local and launch out of Cabrillo on the open side. Got the truck unloaded, gear setup and headed to the waters edge. We sat there for a minute or two and saw that the sets were no more than 1' - 2' high so off we went.

I go first....yak in the water, board the yak and as the first set comes it's larger than the sets that we saw coming in, I take it head on and YIPEE!!! I got some water over the bow and got my first soaking but I made it though my first surf launch.

A quick celebration turned into a quick WTF when I saw the next set coming...it was at least 50' away and still building . THIS IS IT, NO TURNING BACK NOW!!!!! bow straight, gear fastened down, hatches closed, cell phone, keys and money in the pelican box and before I know it WOOOOOSH!!!! The crest of wave was at least 2' maybe 3' higher than the top of the kayak. The bow crashes into the wave just below the crest and SPLASHOLA, DIRECT HIT TO THE CHEST AND FACE, it even knocked my glasses off.

I took me at least 2-3 seconds to gather my thoughts together before I realized that I made it through my first ever large breaker.The entire sitting area was filled with water, my glasses are being held by one ear and before I realized it my fish finder was missing. The wave actually knocked it off the mounting brackets, it was floating in the water a few feet away from me. My buddy Tone was a few feet behind me and he was able to pick it up.

Mid afternoon comes and we decide to call it a day. My buddy Tone is a little worried about his first surf landing after what he saw me go through. He asked for a few Words of Wisdom, I said, "Good luck". As we were preparing for the surf landing we happened to come across some lady that was in a kayak/rowing outfit. My buddy asked her is she had ever made a surf landing and also asked her for some Words of Wisdom, she said, "Make sure everything is fastened down". He got to the point he figured he had no choice, he headed in and caught little to no wave height on the way in.

My turn. By this time my buddy Tone was already on the beach and it turns out that so was the lady we were talking to. I sit right in an area about 100' from the waters edge, look back and see a set coming in. I wait and it soon as it passes I make my move. Before I know I can here someone yell out, "PADDLE HARDER, PADDLE HARDER" as they're pointing at something behind me. I look back and it's easily going to be another large wave, at least 3' - 4'....just my luck. I paddle for dear life, it crashes behind behind just short of the stern and started to take me in. My Yipeee turned into prayers as soon as my yak started to turned to the left, before I knew it I was parallel to the wave. The lady that was in the yak grabbed me before I could overturn.

All in all it was a great trip, we had a successful launch, caught some fish and landed safely...with some help of course.. Next time I wait a few more minutes at the waters edge to see what the sets will be like. This is the last time I will say, "Looks good, lets go". Whoever that lady was that helped, THANKS!!!!