Flash Back: Hurricane Igor

Hurricane Igor was a category 5 and at 500 miles across it was a true monster of a storm and promised to send some major swell our way. Friday and Saturday were choppy, small and nothing to speak of, but by Sunday afternoon it finally started cleaning up and there were a few weak, crumbly double overheads coming in on the far outer sandbar at 18th street... I'd whiz by the young surfers sitting further inside and paddle back out past them again... very satisfying. I got about an hour of surf before my daughter got stung by a man of war and we had to drive her to the lifeguard building over on beach blvd to have it taken care of. She had a big red welt that went all the way around her leg but fortunately she didn't have a bad reaction (I hear some do). In any case it's always better to play it safe.

Monday morning I woke early to catch a few waves before work. I normally don't pull dawn patrol but the forecast said offshore and big and I had to give it a check.

It was beautiful. A dim orange disc of  a sun peaked over the horizon passing in and out of view as double overhead sets cast their shadow on me then lifted me up into the sunlight just before they broke... cool spray blowing back on me from glassy giants pitching over just feet away. A perfect morning, perfect waves and only an hour to surf. Just time enough for 5 rides, two of which were as perfect as I could ever have hoped for. Reluctantly I rode my last wave in to shore and headed home to get cleaned up for work. Short as it was this was without a doubt my favorite session ever... I'd even go so far to say that for that for a few hours that morning, 18th street, Jacksonville Florida held the best swell on planet earth. 

Stay Stoked, I know I am,
DH