Near Death Experience

                                                                                    Near Death Experience



The clouds cover the sky so full it was almost pitch black out. Winds are so strong I am barely holding my ground. I am helplessly tossed around like a tumble weed in a sand storm. I am desperately clinging on to my surf board as the wind tries violently to tear the board from my grip. The enormous waves tower over me like sky scrapers stealing what light was remaining. The waves hammering the surf so furiously the ground shakes below my feet.



The rain drops are as big as golf balls fiercely slamming the soft sand all around me vibrating my feet. As I approached the intimidating surf I stopped to tighten my ankle leash knowing full well my board is the only chance I had to survive. As I took my first step into the freezing cold ridged unforgiving water I felt the broken shells pierce my skin like shards of glass.





Upon entering the dark murky water I immediately felt the sheer power of the rip current pulling at my feet like an out of control treadmill full power in the wrong direction. Deeper into the water past my waist, and I can no longer feel my legs; they are numb from my toes up. Easing on my board ever so slightly not to rock too much from one side to the other I reach a decent balance, enough to engage the dark hellish like abyss.



Suddenly, as I am paddle slowly further into the Godless void. The horizon began to transform; it breaks its level appearance, and grows larger and larger. I am abruptly facing two difficult actions I can paddle faster toward the wave trying to beat it to the break, or submerge deep underneath to avoid the wrath of this 10 foot wall of aggressive water.



Paddling forward I make a split second executive decision to swim as quickly as humanly possible over the monstrous wave. Approaching the wave I knew it would be a battle to beat the break. I am just about to reach the lip of the wave now. The wave gradually begins crashing down on me with all of its weight, body slamming me on the surface of the water knocking the wind out of me, and submerging me under water.









Tumbling around head over heels helplessly lost I had no idea what side was up, I couldn’t find the surface. Just thinking this is the end I catch a break, my feet are grounded by the surface, and I take the biggest breath of air I have ever taken in my life. I am determined to get out to a reasonable distance I will surf a wave today.



Growing wiser I decide to try to time the cadence of the wave. The ocean appears to have its own language, and what it was saying is stay out. Someone once told me,

“It’s not brave unless you’re scared, otherwise you’re just stupid.”

With that thought in mind I am NOT going to give up, and believe me I am scared. A falling tone in the voice of the waves rhythm, and this is my queue to go now or never. I get a running start from the shore line dive head first with the board under me, and glide forward as my board makes contact with the water surface again.



You may have won the battle, but you haven’t won the war. Swimming at a fast rate of speed I am more than determined to reach my goal passing the frontline of this barrage of waves. Not this time I engaged the first wave I go underneath escaping the mouth of the beast, and this is by far a greater more effective approach.



Finally, reaching the outer strike zone of the immerse wave sequences I’m in a safe zone, or so I think watching the shore line; I’m drifting left in a hurry. I am now facing a bigger problem; this is the biggest rip current I have ever encountered dragging me right into a massive rock piling. Now I am thrown towards the shore line, here is another rock piling forming an L shaped death trap, and all of the force is pushing in to the crest of the L it forms.



I am fighting not to get crushed in the waves relentless fury to smash me into the wall of boulders, thinking things can’t possible get any worse I lose my board to a wave. I am swimming away, and at the same time my board still strapped tightly to my ankle pulling me in a direction I don’t want to go.



There’s only one thought that comes to mind, and this is the last thing I want to do. I have no choice I have to detach my board, or it will ultimately bring me down. I loosen the strap just enough, and jolt free from its heavy grasp. Now I’m all alone running out of energy with nothing to keep me afloat.







Peering over the waves, and through the rock piling I spot a tiny glimpse of red. Barely able to keep myself above water the blurry red object gets closer. It’s a life guard, an off duty life guard who just happened to be patrolling the beach for idiots like me. The life guard yells,

“Are you ok?”

Which I reply in an almost sarcastic tone,

“Yea I’m fine having the best day ever.”

He grabs me around the neck, and with life saving water rescue device pulls us both out of the water on an angle to reach shore. I immediately collapsed on shore almost lifeless. I look up to thank the life guard for saving my life, but he has already disappeared.

In the end I never got to thank that life guard for saving me, the only thing I can imagine is he had a very busy day. He had no time to stand around, and exchange pleasantries. Is this a life changing event? I have never been surfing after that long day, and I can truly label this a near death experience.

                                                                                                                                               

      Word count: 1,026