I officially retired from surfing today.

[Monster8V]

Yup, it was the grand finally of my life. Ive never seen waves this big and consistent in SD in my life. Ive been surfing off and on in SD since 1980. Ive seen lake type conditions, ive seen glass so smooth its a shame to carve it up. Ive seen big waves that were total crap for surfing. Been so cold ive damaged nipples on the sex wax. Seen so much chowder its a wonder I never got sick.

So today I decide to take off work early and see if I can get a few in before the day is over. I had dreams of shooting the pier again. I went down to PB, Crystal Pier area. A place ive been going to from the get go. Personal favorite spot of mine. MY BEACH BITCH!

I drooled as I approached the water. The closer I got the bigger the waves looked. Some sets were true monsters. I havent felt fear in the water since I was a kid. Now its back, this shit is BIG!

It took longer than normal to just paddle out. This worries me because now im tired like ive been out there an hour and its been maybe 20 minutes. Theres alot of non locals out there too trying to snake waves.

I sat out there a while watching and seeing whats going on. Big sets, non stop. Pick one and go. Grabbed a couple to warm up and get a feel. Not a good day to skimp on the wax! I decide to pick a smaller looking wave, maybe a 15 footer, most of them were 15-18 feet sets. After I committed to this wave, it becomes clear that this thing GREW under my board to one of the biggest waves id seen yet. I dropped in, made a quick bottom turn and was in awe of the size of this thing. Thoughts of cutting the lip entered and just as quickly left my mind. I bailed out.

Paddled back out and thought, that wasnt so bad, lets do it again! So, I catch another one, went to do my botton turn and the wave closed out on me. Wipeout and im pounded to the soft sandy bottom. Good thing I got a good puff of air before I went under, I was down there a while. Just went rag dolling for a little bit. Got a cheer when I came up from the shoreline. A blood thirsty crowd had gathered.

I decide on my last catch of the day and drop in. Shortened up the bottom turn a bit to keep from repeating the incident earlier. Was so smooth, just let me carve up as much as I wanted. Did a 360 off the lip into another deep bottom turn which put me right back into the barrell just in time for the ride to end. I rode the foam to the shore quite content with that ride. It was over so fast and I was beat. Couldnt see how I could do better really. So I retired, all done with it. No reason to go back out.

Never did shoot the pier, that would have been instant death for sure.

Hope you too, can someday experience that.