I'm Going to Have the Biggest Bruise

I learned an important lesson yesterday about riding waves.   I knew it before, but yesterday I had it tattooed on my leg:

Do not stay on an overhead wave that is about to close out on you, no matter how much fun you're having.

Here's how I learned:  On my third wave of the day I was shooting down the line (that's what it felt like...it's more likely I was modestly riding a nice right) 6-7 feet high, when I saw the closeout coming.   But I felt so good I thought "maybe it will all work out," and stayed with it instead of kicking out or diving off.

The board with me on it inverted and then crashed down, hard.  I rolled up into a ball with my arms around my helmeted head.  About two seconds into the wash cycle my board hit my left thigh hard.  There was a goodly amount of pain, and after I managed to get back to the outside I needed to sit on my board for five minutes until the pain mellowed.     For the rest of the day I excelled in kicking out, jumping off, changing direction and petitioning the gods to keep me from riding into a close out.

Driving home after the sesh I noticed the thigh throbbing.   When I got out of the van twenty minutes later, I could not walk.  Nearly 24 hours later and my thigh is still swollen and in pain.

Do not stay on an overhead wave that is about to close out on you, no matter how much fun you're having.

Jon Ford and Scott have advised me thus every time we've been out in the waves, windsurfing or SUPing.  I no longer need to be told.

I am in pain.

Comments

[scott k.]

real sorry to hear that mike, you were having such a good sesh. massage, massage & get better soon theres more coming !

[Michael]

I look forward to more soon! Meanwhile how about you wearing a helmet, as my board also bonked you on the head (in a different fall)?

[george markopoulos]

war wounds

[scott k.]

yes my head hurts a liitle but its just about as hard as a helmet haha. hold onto your board as much as you can !

[Bunty]

Lots of ice packs 3 times a day or more. How about a pic of the damage?? Bet it's black and blue by now.

[Michael]

No color yet, Bunty, but if it colors in the way I think it will I will post a photo.

[cd]

kielt should have ducked, next time yell "Fore",Jeff and I saw the Bonk! Sorry to hear about your injury, it comes with the turf. you looked good out there! CD

[scott k.]

jeff wheres the video??? cant wait to see it. funny watching c.d. rubber legs getting s.u.p. down !

[Jeff, aka Peconic Jeff]

Scott, I'm wading through 12 GB of video from the 3 days as time allows, but a couple screenshots have been submitted to the editor.

[scott k.]

thank you jeff, my anxiety has been calmed a bit & my impatience cooled down.nice shots. i know the video is going to be awesome.

[bowsprite]

do you guys even have ice packs? are you not immune to ice by now?
hope you're feeling better!!!

[greg]

I dunno if this lesson will ever sink in for me, despite a couple of chipped teeth and some technicolor bruise memories. Ah, well, next life I'll worry about baling out just in time. This life, I'm grabbing every flippin' milli-second of joy I can.

[Michael]

Sounds like a plan, Greg!

Speaking of plans, I had one to post photos of my bruised leg as the bruises came in, but the photos are...well...unattractive. Suffice it to say that large swathes of leg are black, purple, blue, and reddish brown. Normally I've got the basic pink skin thing going on, so two weeks after impact I've still got some healing to do.