Most picture hell as a very hot place. Well sometimes it can be being very very cold.
There was this time I was in the water just off of the world famous Bonazai Pipeline trying to imagine what it would be like standing in the shadow of a 50 foot wave. It was summer so the North Shore was very flat so imagining the presence and violence of such a thing in such a peaceful place seamed surreal. I still remember the light breeze and warm sun of that day as I looked north towards Alaska mentally plotting the path of such a thing, then I realized if I looked to the west I was looking towards Vancouver.
I was thinking of that day when we left for Tofino two weeks ago. I was thinking about standing in the water and looking back the other way. I had a feeling that things would not be as expected. Even before we left we were already down one rider who for some reason thought we were leaving the next day. On the island driving over the mountains it started to snow. That was the most damn snow I've seen all year. And when we arrived there were a lot of surfers in the Long Beach parking lot, but after an hour of waiting and drinking they all went home (must have ran out of drinks), which wasn't an option for us so we went in anyways, us and one other guy that was way down the beach.
My brother called it the washing machine. It was terrible. Totally random waves coming from every direction with no predictable breaks. But according to some of the others on the beach and the park ranger guy that was the best we were going to get that day. And besides we just wanted to...get our feet wet. So with out a hat or gloves I decided to go for the total California look and go in without bootys either. And as soon as much feet touched the water they went completely numb, it was like magic. So I spent my whole first day having to look at my feet to make sure they were on the board 'cause I couldn't tell otherwise. That night we drove down some logging trail and camped in the van at some clearing on the side of the road. It rained all night.
The next morning we checked out Long Beach again, much the same but the waves were a lot bigger. We check out some place called wreck point (there was another Spanish sounding name but I forgot it) and as we came down the trail I saw some beautifully lined up sets coming down for some real nice long rides and stared to get exited. Till we got closer to the point and saw the vicious ripe tide I've ever seen and just as quickly my excitement was dampered. The third spot proved to be it. It was called (I wanna say Coquihala) just down a place called Lynn road. As soon as we pulled in was say a lot of locals driving up with their wet suits already on, on bikes with the boards racked on the side, aswell as little kids running around looking like bi-pedal seals in their little wet suits. Also there was this gang of cute local surfer girls. The surf was good. Tons of little waves for us to play on with like dozens of breaks so everyone was like spread out in ones own little area. And out a bit there was one really good break for the better surfers. With bootys on I ventured forth. The breaks were still kinda random so every once in a while a big wave would break right on your head or in your face. The first time that happened I got an instant slurpee head ache. Like being hit by lightning right to the brain. Althou my head and hands were freezing (the only warmth was from the warm snot dribbling down my frozen face) and the fact that it was raining and generally freezing out; I had a blast! I actually forgot to look out and think about Hawaii. What was actually running thru my mind was the last scene from the movie Point Break (the rain and general misery of the weather) when Patrick Swayze was paddling out. That day I got 'El Cabonged' and I fell on a fin tearing half way thru my suit. If I wasn't wearing a wetsuit I think I could have been impaled. My bro got tossed in the air and landed on his hip in hard ass sand. He's still limping.
After lunch it was agreed that we weren't going to warm up enough to go back in. Soon it started to hail so hard we couldn't hear the movie on on DVD player so it was decided we would head home a day early. So to home we were delivered thru the rain, sleet and snow, aswell as a ferry ride. Can't wait to go back.
This summer I was thinking of organizing a camping trip up there for whoever is interested.
Rhoel.
posted by R @ 2:59 PM
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