The waves were once again beautiful for the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Event held in Lincoln City, Oregon February 2, 2013. It was the 3rd stop on this year’s Big Wave World Tour and the event shined with perfect 20 foot waves. I rode my 10 foot board that I built to paddle in to larger open ocean big waves and it worked well especially the extra paddling capacity it carried with the full rails, enabling me to move around with the heavy currents and large lineup. The board was hemp and 6 oz glass with handmade redwood fins 2+1 setup and a redwood tail-block. The board broke on my last wave of the swell right before the final getting detonated on the inside section in the late afternoon side shore conditions. I ended up swimming around looking for the top 2/3 of my board as I was left with the tail and wasn’t about to ditch it. I found it after 15 minutes floating in seafoam between the outer reef and the beach break half a mile offshore. I then spent another 20 minutes getting sucked back into the impact zone with no one to come grab me until finally someone radioed from shore who saw me drifting. Thanks to that board as it got myself and a few friends some memorable rides through several years and many big wave sessions. The board finally broke but not from a bad grass job! The latest model is on the shaping rack as we speak and the big wave board fire is lit under my planer…for many shapers the most pride in their work lies in the big wave gun…it means so much more that simply catching and riding waves…it is beauty in feeling comforted by your board as you lie on it amongst giant waves scared shitless knowing the two of you are in it together…
Photos courtesy of Gwynne Jackson (a nice lady who was watching the event…no relation!)