Waves of consequence...1st time. (Consequence is subjective)

Somehow I knew Gary’s story would finish with a happy ending .

It's times like that that you much prefer it when they spit instead of swallow.

Some good yarns there. This ones pretty funny.
I was nearly 17 but not driving yet. I lived in Sydney but loved Norah Head so I went as much as I could and this particular time by train and bus as I was unable to bludge one of my usual rides with the older crew. With me came a good friend from work named Pete. We arrived at Norah and went to the shop for 2 pies and a pint of chocolate milk. This was a staple. We proceeded to walk over the hill for a look at Gravelly to check the conditions. It was 8-10 feet and the best left hand waves I had ever seen. Pure glass tubes and one guy out. Probably one of the older Wintons. I had surfed big waves at Fairy Bower before but the speed bumps etc were tricky there sometimes. We were mesmerized by the pure long clean walls like perfect pipeline or somewhere. Pete was frothing but I'm sure he wasn't aware of the consequences of what we decided to do. I went "what the heck, we are here aren't we". Paddling out seemed fairly easy once through the beast of a shore break and we were both out quickly. Of course when the first of the rogues came through we both thought we were going to die. We made it over them and I headed up near the guy on the inside. He looked at me and at my homemade fat railed 6'6" board and must of thought "what an idiot". My philosophy was always catch the first one that comes through or else you'll catch nothing so I did...and got flogged. My board just wouldn't hold the steep wall and also wasn't long enough. I learned a hard lesson about lower rails that day. Pete got one as I was trying to get back out and got the beating of his life and washed in. I finally got out and I could see a set of at least 3 coming all bigger than the ones in front so I took the first one which was at least 8 feet. Same thing, board wouldn't hold a high line so got a massive beating. Finally surfaced and 10 ft waves 2, 3, and 4 landed on my head and I nearly drowned. Finally came up loaded with lung water coughing my guts up and washed into shore. Made it to the sand and on all fours with chocolate milk and meat pie coming out my nose and mouth. second lesson learned, don't catch the first wave of a big set. We did shithouse but had a good yarn to tell....I went home after that weekend and made a better board....

Gary IS the happy ending

Back in 1982 l just finished work and headed to kirra for a surf. It was raining and a large swell from the NE with light NE winds was not ideal for kirra but with the point about 6’ + and only a dozen guys out l borrowed a mates board , board shorts and vest . No one was out at big groin and it was solid 6-8 and ugly . I paddled out from Coolangatta side of the groin , jumping into the rip that normally sucks you out and around the groin . But today it sucked me to the end of groin and was then pulling me back into Coolangatta beach probably because of direction of swell . To my horror an huge set loomed up in front of me and when l looked behind me the end of groin was about 2 ft away . A 8ft wave landed just in front of me and l knew l was a goner , the waves impact threw me and surfboard into the air about 10 mtrs and l shoulder slammed a boulder and fell inside the groin . The next 6 waves filled me in into this hole amongst the boulders and my life was flashing before my eyes. I had rocks 6 ft above me and my board was up top on the rocks with leg rope still attached. This was not looking good and adrenaline took over and l somehow superman lept out of my hole and was now standing on top of the groin. Another set was about to hit and l wasn’t going back in that hole so l jumped of the groin as a wave hit and landed on more rocks and the set smashed me all the way down the north side of big groin. When l finally surfaced my board popped up next to me minus nose and tail and l scrambled out with the adrenaline fulling charging me and managed to paddle out to the point. I sat there in shock out what had just happened and caught a wave to the beach. My borrowed shorts and vest were shredded and l had large holes in my elbows and knees . I went to my mates place and he just looked at me in horror and said WTF . Then to top it off l jumped on my motorbike and rode to west tweed in the rain and on the last corner dropped my bike. Finally got home and my mother greeted me with a WTF poured me a bath with full bottle of detol and said get in . I was back surfing a week later holes and all but walked up the beach a bit at cooly before paddling out. It amazes me how l escaped that hole and when in life and death situations the instinct to survive takes over .

That sounds horrendous and scary ...but reading it was hilarious.
Good thing mobile phones weren't around or you would have been a kook slams star.
Wow, pinballed amongst the boulders. Glad you survived (mostly) intact.

This thread is great, thanks for all the contributions everyone.