The story you're about to read took place while I was still a bodyboarder, long before I transitioned to "stand-up" surfing. Even so, it is still one of my fondest memories as a waterman.
to the point that I understand them in any thorough sense. I do, however, have some observations about tides that prove useful from time to time.
It's my impression that we have extremely high tides in the evening during the summer months, and in the morning during the winter months. This is the story of how I used that observation to good advantage one fine winter morning.
I head out during an exceptionally high tide, and find just the right "sweet spot". Near the point at Terramar, the waves are surging against the sea wall, piling up, and then reflecting back OUTWARD.
just a little ways out from the wall. I wait for a good-sized wave to come along, compress itself upward against the unmoving wall, and then reflect. As it changes direction, I catch it on its way back out.
These outbound rides are the best rides of the day! Given a good-sized outbound wave, I can ride as much as twenty or thirty yards out to sea.
happens when there is another INCOMING wave as I am riding out. I move rather rapidly outward, line up on the incoming wave, and then hit it like a freestyle skier hitting a ski-jump.
As a matter of fact, after two days of these insane thrills, I now consider myself part of The Airborne Division of the Fraternal Order of Bodyboarders...
These jumps into space are quite amazing - I only wish I had them on film.
The effect varies quite a bit, depending on the resonance, angle, and size of the incoming and outgoing waves. Milder versions of the jumps are no more than "whoop-de-do's", sometimes sailing above and over as many as two incoming waves. Intermediate versions see me soaring through the air in a horizontal pose like Superman, and returning to "earth" only to pick up the same wave and continue outward.
...when I am on a sizable, fast outgoing crest, and encounter a steep, well-defined incoming wave. I am thrust vertically upward as the two waves come together, and launched straight into the air, much like a Poseidon missile!
I peak out with my flippers at least a couple of feet above the crest. That's based on the time-delay before the soles of my flips slap back down into the drink.
Riding the backwash is like being a kid again at Disneyland; more fun than a human being ought to be allowed to have!
Thanks for your time and attention.
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