The cost of doing business amongst beasts.
Swell has finally but finally arrived to North County, San Diego after weeks of flat and I must admit to feeling a bit of that big wave thrill. Oh, the sets are maybe a Surfline six foot, but being out there, ocean moving and wild, white water rumbling, gave me the sensation that I might be paddling Maui’s Jaws.
Spray in eyes, lunging into the abyss.
Paddling Jaws save wild crowds on Christmas boards, though, taking off and shooting them straight. Flopping around in the way afterward, gasping for breath and apologizing.
Who could have ever guessed, I suppose, that the pandemic would have ushered in a participation explosion but here we are dodging craft and human in the land of make believe.
More serious, certainly, is dodging at the aforementioned actual Jaws and getting dealt a good sound thrashing instead of mild annoyance. And let us hurry, there, and sit at the feet of monster wave slayer Justine Dupont who has a story for all.
I haven’t paddled a wave that I’m really proud of in Jaws since my injury during the #peahichallenge 4 years ago. I ended up with a broken shoulder and ruptured knee ligaments. Since then, I was afraid to come back and relive the same experience
At the same time I dreamed of taking a real wave with a committed line to put myself in a position to make a barrel. When I saw this Christmas swell I ask advices to @carlosburle and @gerglong I took the last plane ticket that was left from Nazare. After 40 hours of travel, arrival at 2 a.m., 2 short hours of sleep, in the water at 6 a.m. thanks to @kolomona1_.
The conditions were really nice, without being too big and with little wind which is rare for Jaws. When this wave came, I turned around and paddle hard, I shouted, I said to myself wow I’m there.
A fraction of seconds later I took a coconut tree on the face ( @coconut_willie). The fins went over my foot and I felt right on the impact of the lip. Like 4 years ago I saw a lot of stars again.
Thank you @kolomona1_ @kurtischongkee and all the boys for the rescue.
I was in pain everywhere, but I really wanted to take advantage of the conditions which were magnificent so I went back to the peak telling myself that I was fine. After 1 hour I still couldn’t see well, I wanted to vomit, I had a headache and I was coughing up blood.
End of session
Thanks to @kai_lenny’s family for the help and @have_you_seen_steve for the recovery tips.
I really don’t blame @coconut_willie, I stay positive, accidents are part of surfing (I’m starting to get used to it..) but I admit that I really wanted to surf this wave until the end.
It’s time to go back to Nazare, rest and get back to Maui as soon as possible I am sur this wave will come again.
Thanks to everyone for the welcome, the good vibes and the help.
Brutal and the best of wishes to Ms. Dupont but do you blame Coconut Willie for such behavior or is it simply the cost of doing business amongst beasts?
Hmmmm.
Opting out of a proper drop in and bottom turn foiled her. Angle take off crashing right into Willie.
I’m probably wrong, but it looks like Justine briefly grabs the back of Willie’s rashguard with her right hand and tries to pull him off his board, but ol’ slick Willie slid out and got himself a clean ride.
that guy between them pulling back made it easier for Justine, but not for Willie.
I think they should settle the matter with an arm wrestling match. Justine would certainly win.
Making the drop at Jaws must be very difficult. Making it while running over a French Chick and her 10 foot board, even more so.
Heavy.
Its my favorite ride of the winter thus far
The best name in surfing
And the best move of the Hawaiian season so far
Long live Coconut Willie !
Husky Penis.
Lets all raise our glasses to Coconut Willie!
Waves of this size , and I haven’t gone near that size , actually catch you. Once you turn for it your gone.
It’s just one of those moments. Both surfers fully committed and chargers .
I think ms DuPont should be congratulated on not only going but handling herself in such a positive manner on social media.
A few famous male surfers could learn from her respect and style.
I can only respect anyone paddling a wave like that.
Yeah, well, I got dropped in on by a guy wearing ankle booties yesterday. .
It actually takes a tremendous amount of effort to get into one of these waves.
You have to paddle your ass off while keeping your head down and mind focused and totally committed . She was in the wrong though. Her line was too radical and was inevitably going to cause a collision.
He Willie didn’t mean to Dupont her like that…
Blame it on a Wet Willie fo sure….her ear still ringing.
Dick move Willie, inside surfer has right of way, always has been the rule, reverse the roles and I’m sure Big Willie would’ve been filthy on DuPont..
So many layers to this discussion I’m dizzy just trying to work out where to start.
Seems like Mr Willie is a Maui living local fellow. Born and bred? Dunno, but defo a Maui man. Thus, Jaws being on Maui and all, and Ms. Dupont having flown in barely hours earlier from Europe, well, “I grew here, you flew here” comes to mind. Fuck off blow in, this wave goes to the local.
Then there’s equal opportunity for the women and such and such. Should Willie have been a bigger Willie and given up the wave in an act of gentlemanly kindness? For me, fuck no, everyone plays by the same rules.
But yes, rules. A blatant drop in by Willie on a horribly dangerous wave that could have killed a fellow surfer – albeit a European blow in.
So conflicted.
That’s right Justine keep telling yourself it was an accident, you might feel better.
Or “Euro big wave show boat goes to jaws with entourage of photogs and gets dropped in on ” hardly news
Coconut willy made the ride ! Well done willy ! I love an underdog story
What do you call a big-wave rider who has a small penis? Just-in Dupont.
Let’s also not forget that it has been nearly 19 years since Coconut Willie’s famous uncle Coconut Pete was stabbed to death. #haveagoodtimeallthetimealwayseattheworm https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
She should have slept on the plane. Missed opportunity. Stilnox and a glass of red.
My preparation for lift off.. Two Valium’s (Xannax if my online guy posts em to me in time) and as many altitude bevvies as the lovley stewaerdeses will serve me. Two hr’s later, drooling semi-conscious zombie polo couldn’t give two fucks about the plane, or anyone else on it!
Add oxy to that and you’ve got my recipe. One five mg Diazapam, two five mg oxies, and a couple IPA’s.
Does wonders for any event or obligation you don’t feel like doing.
Thanks for the tip!
Where I used to go wrong before was too much alcohol. Two or three IPA’s and no hangover
Hearing that. Oxy’s so hard to come by here though..
You haven’t lived until you’ve woken up splayed across three seats with a raging and prominent morning boner just in time for the breakfast trolley lady to ogle.
Almost a “Dear BG” letter right their.
Or the breakfast trolley man
One of life’s most important skills.
Rookie mistake for sure.
I get it, but if I take stillnox no way I can function properly the next day.
Plus I always find my arse hurts unexplainable so bad when I wake up
I think coconut willies’ name will take a hit from this.
Definitely not.
Never drop in behind a local