We're gonna need a bigger foil.
We cannot deploy our brave crusaders on electric foils soon enough. A chilling Great White attack on California’s Central Coast was recounted this morning by the brave college student who was gifted 50 stitches as a reminder and let’s read his tale in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
For Nick Wapner, Tuesday morning at Montaña de Oro State Park was a typical day of surfing with friends — an activity that’s been his lifelong passion — as he paddled in for one of the last waves of the day off Sandspit Beach.
Wapner, a sophomore communications major, had met up with some fellow surfers and Cal Poly students to ride the waves on Tuesday.
Then, it happened.
At about 10 a.m. after about an hour in the ocean, Wapner said, a great white shark came up from beneath him as he paddled into position for an incoming set.
He didn’t even see a splash.
“It all happened quickly, but I turned and saw that it had one of my legs in its mouth,” Wapner said.
The shark thrashed and bit down on the lower part of his legs around his ankles in a skirmish that he estimates lasted a “full second,” before Wapner kicked hard and wrangled himself free.
He was rushed to the hospital, got his stitches and promises to keep surfing, thank goodness.
Montaña de Oro, where he was attacked, has some good “secrets” like the lefts at V-Land. There’s a wave there called Hazard’s and, to really enjoy it you should park right by that one Eucalyptus tree then walk down…
Oh just kidding. But I really am excited for BeachGrit’s Guide to the World’s Most Secret Lefts, Rights, A-Frames and Green Rooms with forward by Kelly Slater.
It will be very helpful.
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And in other shark news… https://www.nytimes.com/201…
I’ve seen the victim show there too. Chill in the lot and drink beer after a surf and enjoy the entertainment. I knew someone who shot some footage there 15 years ago and ended up selling it to America’s Scariest Home Videos or some show like that. Then they wanted more footage. Begging to buy more from him. It was summer, there was no fresh footage. They tried to get the location of said spot from him so they could send their own camera crews and get their own footage. He never told them where.
Not core enough for Red Asphalt?!
Not hard to figure out. Inside obvious mush outside good and yes high tide. Sd doesn’t really hold big swell at spots I like this place does though.
I hope his mates give him the nickname TEABAG ?
My fantasy is rekindled !
Once that wall goes up, Scott she’s back to bizzo as normal.
Miami will rise again, I’m sure of it.
A friend of mine knocked whitey out in the water at Hazards. I had watched his bullshit for years. After the one punch KO, he was never the quite the same and became a lot quieter. The best part was when he regained his senses and my buddy told him paddle in or I will drag you in and beat you to a pulp. The loud mouth went in. Cant tell you how many people out that day were stoked and thanked my friend.
Scoreboard:
Non-Hazards Local from Santa Cruz: 1
Whitey, Hazards’ “local”: 0
That story has happened in one form or another at every localized spot. Always entertaining
I wonder what he’s telling the guy?
“Just point the damn thing at the beach and hold on?”
Probably thinks he’s a hell dude.
“We’re gonna need a bigger foil,” early candidate for best Beach Grit sentence of 2019!
Well, there ya go.
A false assumption and a gross generalisation crushed.
Gonna go down the goat club, tell lies and talk bullshit with fishos now.
That’ll make me feel better.
Kelly started his own club now?
Not that I’m aware.
But I’m on the outer, outer of that elite surf circle – a bit like Ben Gravy without the tears and a couldn’t give fuk attitude.
Nah, it’s my slang for the local Boat Club – filled with yuppies, greenies and wannabe commercial fishermen that never have been and never can be – destined to be forever, “recreational fishermen.”
Sad perhaps, but true. God, they hate comm fishermen and ex-comm fishermen, I’m proud to say.
I ponder, in fishing do they call it off and head back to safe harbour when the fish are biting too hard?
A fucken good question !
Back in Ye olden days we’d try and sink the boat ! It truly was, at times, rape n pillage.
But those unreal times were sobered remembering plenty of bummers.
No freight, no pay. Fuel, stores etc added on to cost of next trip. So yea … hard sometimes.
These days we have a glorious quota management system, complete with scientists that know stuff. Ya know sciency things that dumb fuck fishermen can’t understand. This system is often touted by leaders and politicians as the best in the whole wor.. the best in the Southern Hemisp … well, it’s the best in NZ.
Anyways these bright people understand the significance of things like biomass and based upon their recommendations – politicians sign off on how much of each species is allowed to be caught. A Total Allowable Catch. It’s all rather complicated and aheerrm, self funded (read, comes out of some poor cunts pay packet). So the moral of the story is – don’t be a dumb fuck and catch more than what you have quota for. They have heavy law and serious fines that comm fishermen respect.
Recreational fishers have limits, too. Most respect these limits. Some don’t.
We also have another group of people who have Traditional Rights but that is a whole other story altogether.
I bet you’re sorry you asked ….
Hell no not sorry!
I’m adding “Friday Arvo Cliff notes in NZ commercial fishing” to my resume, profits!
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Pretty good in sd today
Far from messy
“We’re going to need a bigger foil”. I laughed my neat Eagle Rare Bourbon through my nose.
Today was pretty storm-fucked — and I had a deadline — but I take a look around tomorrow, maybe. And yah, avoiding bad decisions is my motto over here 🙂
I’ll confess I laughed at that photo, for reals. I mean, glad the dude is safe! But so much bad decisions club there.
There was a six-foot tide this morning on top of the swell, so easy for the inexperienced crowd to get caught out up there in IV.
Meanwhile, there were apparently multiple rescues today in Isla Vista, including a bro on a Wavestorm and a heli extract. People are not getting smarter, is what I’m saying.
“People are not getting smarter”….the exact opposite….dumb as.
Think how stupid the average man is….and just imagine the other half is dumber!
Society is going to be toast with the coming economic correction.
So many adult learners out today in solid conditions. I enjoy watching them getting destroyed, I do.
Why do these ignorant sluts think they can handle bigger waves?
It’s amazing, ain’t it? I’ve been thinking maybe I should start interviewing them. In the interests of science or something! Like, why are you here? Are you trying to drown.
They don’t know until they know is all.
I’m imagining your opening line options..
Commiserate? Offering Helpful tips? Just seeking info for a friend who’s doing research at SB city college, etc.
“Hey man you got pretty slammed on that one! It’s tricky out here!”
You got this Jen.
Sandspit, aka: Shark Inlet.. bit of a rebrand there..
When will DR post a review of Bohemiem Rhapsody?
Is that the story of Freddy P and the Rock ( at the front end of the rainbow ) ?
He discovered one of the hazards of Hazards, hazardn’t he?
Hi CB , it’s just so sad that our man ( get well soon Nick W ) was studying communications and not Chemistry robbing us of all the HAZCHEM Material , red diamonds ♦️ and codes ? Though I do suppose at a molecular level we are all budding involuntary chemists boiling and bubbling in a Hazardous World made even more so by the Hazard of the deep ?1 part white shark 1 part adrenaline 2 parts of shit in my shorts ……
If he loses that leg he’ll be surfing haphazardly.
By hazard he may end up a ParaOlympian ?
Just looked up the Six types of Hazard and this one definitely falls into no 6 Biological :
Biological – Infection by bacteria, virus, fungi or parasites through a cut, insect bite, or contact with infected persons or contaminated object.
I hazard to guess this may be an opportunity for him to bite on. He’ll be swimming in endorsements!
According to BFB there are six hazards and one drazah. I don’t doubt her.
did they vandalize the sharks car? some really good herbs up that way.
Stop name dropping spots kook
Know your audience. You’re only encouraging Chas. Try reverse psychology. He’ll, hell we’ll respect you more for it.
I don’t think a shark attack is going to blow your spot out anyway.
No doubt right?! Best case scenario Laird stays away for a period of time.
Seriously. If you’ve surfed the right at Hazards at any size, you know the wave does an excellent job of policing itself.
Some great days I still remember and some scary days I was happy to make it back to land that I definitely still remember too.
What about V-land?
I hear there’s a mysto left that NOBODY knows about.
OOops. sorry.
I know, why would he do that? I guess he never plans on surfing that area again.