It's Amazing What The Human Body Can Do

The day before Thanksgiving an old friend from high school and I decided to wax up the boards one more time before the frigid waters of New Hampshire prohibit even the thickest wetsuit into the water. It was a rather warm day around fifty degrees with rain and howling winds coming from the west. If you're a surfer you know high winds from with west and heavy rains make for massive waves. I'm your average surfer, capable of shredding hard on five foot waves, but waves the size of houses? Not for me.

Its hard to set the scene, but we all have been playing in the waves at the beach as a kid and no matter how big that wave is, it has the ability to knock us head over heals tumbling back down towards the shore. It's amazing how powerful mother nature is, but it's more amazing what our body can do. Paddling out there I start to get the sense from the cold brown water coming over my thick wet suit, that today will be the most scariest day of surfing ever.

It's so foggy that I can't yet see the waves, but I can certainly hear them. It seems like hours before I finally get past the breaking sets coming in. Looking around I can only make out a few other die hard surfers through the rain and the choppy surf. And then it hits me. I don't belong out here. This isn't fun. This is down right scary.

My body goes into survival mode. I don't know what triggers survival mode, maybe the shortness of my breath or the dryness of my mouth but my body is trying to tell me to get the hell out of the water. I look for the next wave, coming in like a steamroller I start paddling in the catch it. This is tricky because surfers have to turn once they catch the wave to avoid getting slammed to the ocean floor by the crest of the wave. But doing this you're never going to get in unless you try to out run it and ride it straight towards shore. As I look behind me the wave starts to build even more, casting a shadow over my whole body.  Gritting my teeth I hold on to my board and go for the scariest ride of my life.

I dont recall much of what happened next, because I hit my nose so hard against my board or knee that I don't remember much of being under water. I rise to the surface, gasping for breath and looking for my board, the only thing that can save my life right now. I see another huge set coming in and half consciously grabbed my board and finally got the the rocks.

You don't appreciate land as much as I do. Reflecting on that day, I could have died. In the cold ocean, by myself with no final words. I just have to thank my body for going into survival mode and getting me home for thanksgiving dinner. From one surfer to you, don't underestimate the power of mother nature.

Justin Clutter

Saturday Surfing Trip

There's only one place on Earth, that I feel connected with mother nature; the ocean. The whole week I'm connected with social media, friends, and homework, and there's little time to take a break from the daily grind and go surfing. I promise you the forty-five minute drive out to North Hampton feels like decades, each road sign slowly passing me by as I go 80 MPH on the highway. I've had this gift ever since I was just a boy, that once I get a few miles from the ocean I can start to smell it. The aroma of the salty air fills my lungs and sets me free from all the drama that occurs in my life. Once I park my car I can start to hear the massive waves crashing on the rocks the knot in my stomach starts to form. The joy is equivalent to a child on christmas, quickly hopping around on one leg trying to put on my tight wet suit. As I start to paddle out to the waves I quickly forget about everything in my life, the best pain one could ever feel is the freezing water constantly splashing over their body. I'm such a different person from when I'm on the beach to when I'm out on the water. I become happy and cheerful to finally see the best waves of the year, I yell out like some kind of surf ninja man urging on the massive sets of waves to roll in. A failed test, a death in the family, drama with the girlfriend all wash away with the tide of the ocean. The long rides that are soon to come are memories that with me for my entire life. Once I'm on the wave a extraordinary kind of numbness takes over my body and the only thing that is going through my mind is "OMG THIS IS SO AWESOME". Once the wave begins to fade away it feels like a sad farewell with a close friend, but like in life there will always be better ones out there.  After about 5 hours of sweet shredding my body can't take anymore, my muscles feel like cooked pasta and it's time to head back into reality. As I leave the ocean the only things that are left on my is sand, wet hair, and memories that will last a life time.

 Me Shredding