The ocean claimed another yesterday...a surfer off Yaquina Head died in big waves despite assistance from his friends and others. It's a risky endeavor in some instances...paddling out into overhead and bigger surf.
It's still too early to tell if this was an instance of an able and experienced surfer drowning for unknown reasons...or if it was a beginner, in way over his head...either way, it's a sad situation.
I wasn't on the coast yesterday...but conditions didn't look particularly friendly...35 knot winds with a short period 15 foot swell...paddling out on a day like that, perhaps points to a lack of understanding of what the ocean is capable of...if so, it's a hard way to learn.
A post on the OSP from a local I surfed with at Agate a month back on a OH & 1/2 day said:
I checked Agate several times yesterday and it was huge and out of control out there most of the day - no way was I paddling out.
Another surf associate whose opinion I trust stated:
I drove by it...It was completely out of control. Not huge and lined up just big and terrible. An experienced surfer would have never even considered paddling out into that crap and if they did they would have done what we always do when in trouble, point that sucker at the shore and hang on for dear life. Thoughts and prayers for that dude, his friends and family. I hope some of you that post and lurk here learn something form this. I had to bail a kid out who lost his board (rental) there not too long ago in DOH conditions. Scared out of his mind hanging on the rocks...
Local Report (from deeper south):
...180 degree's from yesterdays gale, easterly's early, hh and empty everywhere. ~tfd
3 comments:
File under "Stories not to share with my wife."
Very sad lesson...
ditto both the above remarks...
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