While I have not done much in the way of surfing I know that I am afraid of the really big ones because of an event years ago where I must of dropped in on the wave at the wrong point and it faceplanted me into the sand and I felt my neck crunch on impact. I suppose it was really stupid for me to be bodysurfing shorebreak but that ended my day of bodysurfing that day. I am a bit traumatized by that and feel the fear any time i am in the ocean now. Have you ever been completely wrecked by a wave? I bet you have.