Cmon big boy

Look at the stars ! They told you , take a chance you soft cock . You can’t always play it safe and hang out the front . Yep that little man in the back of the head is saying it again . Yeah we’l see . That’s my normal reply . They’ve made big predictions before and it hasn’t lived up to the hype . Tomorrow will tell …….. 4am I’m awake needing a pee and I can hear it . Shit , let’s see what 1st light brings Take the kids to school and get over there . Man up big boy . It’s big , real big , too big for the Southbay and nearly all of LA . I’l go for a drive only . Nah big boy put the board in the car and go over there . Whaddya got to lose ? I drive up to Redondo Beach and decide it’ll do but once again the little voice says nah , keep driving . And I do . I turn up to Palos Verdes and take the 1st right . Since I’ve got here I’ve wanted to explore the heap of little off shoot roads around the coast , but haven’t . I’ve been too content to play it safe . Lost confidence ; the culture shock of living in the LA jungle and it’s rolling maul of traffic at every turn has paralysed my sense of adventure . I head down a short winding road and that’s when I see it . The grandstand, the crowd , punters ,but not a man made grandstand a natural amphitheatre . Haggertys .. I’ve found it for the 2nd time but this time by car , There’s at least 300 cars in the car park and 70 to 80 people spread along the cliff edge. This is where the Southbay ends and the cliffs of Palos Verdes jut out into the bay . For months ive been watching tiny little white balls run along the cliff edge . Now I can see what they are .I stare and watch for 40 minutes but even the little voice says nah , too crowded . As I leave I look over my shoulder , I feel a tinge of guilt . I get in the car and drive along the coastal road a further km and pull up behind a heap of cars . I’m up high now , the view down reveals a large horse shoe shaped bay that looks a lot like some of the rugged Victorian coastline from Australia I stare and contemplate going out there but I’m kidding myself . Nah I’m playing it safe and heading back to the small protected beach breaks of Redondo Beach . As I head to the car I notice two guys getting changed that I’ve seen before . ” Ya getn out there boys ” , I enquire . ” yeah sure are , it’s gonna be fun and big , you coming out” they reply . They’re Hermosa guys and not exactly what I’d call accomplished surfers .”Hhhhm dunno” ,I reply . We nod to each other and I wish them the best . I get in the car , ready to turn back home … but . Nah big boy , if they can do it surely you can ,you’ve got these guys covered . Shit ….. I’m suiting up . I’m a bit nervous , but once the wetsuit goes on there’s no turning back .It’s a long track down and I’m almost on my way when I realise I need to prepare better . Every guy walking back has shoes or booties on . I notice each guy has that stare . Hmmm is it satisfaction or exhaustion . The little voice in my head laughs and says …get ready big boy , bring your A game . I go back and grab my runners and then descend down the track , at the bottom the bay is all rock . It’s a fair walk down . I can see guys out but I’m wondering where are all the guys who’d just left before me were at . Once I got to the bottom I saw them all gazing out in their wetsuits . There’d be a dozen of them but no one making a move . I look along the headland and spot a couple of guys on a left hander ( known as Indicators ) hugging the cliff face . I like it but it seems a long way to walk along jagged rocks . I’m doing it . I walk around the the 1st point but I realise I’ve got a fair trek ahead …… Hey big boy you haven’t thought this through . If you get around there , how are you gonna navigate your way back in to grab your shoes ? Fuck , I turn back and head back to the Cove where the other guys were . They’re all still there waiting for a sign to paddle out . The shoreline stinks of rotten seaweed and is littered with rubbish that has been swept in by the big swell . Hmmmm , forgot my ear plugs , hope it doesn’t come back to bite me . If you look at this picture above you’ll see a concrete outlet drain , just to the left of this is where I hide my sneakers and paddle out , big mistake .I lead the way , sliding out pretty quick at 1st , as I used the rip along the reef edge to drag me out . I look over and a heap of others are paddling from the other side of the cove . Hey big boy you’ve fucked this up . A huge set comes in and pounds me dangerously close to the exposed rocks . I fight for the next 15 minutes to get out , at one point debating wether to quit . One problem . I’d have to ride my board back into to the rocks and risk life and limb to get in . Eventually I get out . This picture above gives no indication of the size or the power ,but trust me it was heavy . Hey big boy ; no booties ,no ear plugs and a short hybrid board . You won’t do that again , will you ? For the next two hours I scrambled repeatedly to avoid copping an absolute hiding from sets that regularly hit the 8 feet mark . I did manage to catch 2 waves . Yes , just two waves . One probably as big as I’ve ever caught , but the board was barely able to keep traction on turning and when I got around a large section I had to exit for my life . This wave is generally known as a soft wave , often surfed by long boarders but today it’s different . The swell kept on lifting . By the time I decided to get in it took me 15 minutes navigating the reef (known as boneyards , and for good reason) .

By the time I get to the car I’m shattered and pretty shaken up . I copped a couple of awful beatings , was held down for what seemed 20 seconds and caught one pretty large wave before bailing . I’ll be back , but this time I’ll be better prepared

That night I took Leroy back to show him my war story ?In this picture below you’ll see the headland and the waves breaking along it . This is upper and lower Indicators . I later learned that the waves where I initially wanted to head to were regularly breaking at 10 feet plus on the outside . There is a rugged cliff descent that gets guys down there and its known as a fiercely territorial spot . ps , I think I’ve got an ear infection