Bodysurf Florida Tomorrow??

[cdavis]

Well its not exactly freediving, but some of the skills are the same, especially when it gets big.

Big swell on the way to Florida. The models show offshore winds and ridiculous swell size right up to the beach for tuesday, May 8, like 12 ft plus. This is an extremely rare forecast. I'll believe it when I see it, but will definately be in the water somewhere near Palm Beach, tomorrow. Anybody else interested?

Connor

[Adrian]

I'll catch a wave somewhere off Portugal and surf it over to where you are That is big, especially if you are measuring the wave surfer-style, i.e, from behind. Try and get someone to take some pics of you bodysurfing, it would be fun.

[IronLung]

Man I wish. If I was there, for sure I'd be down for that. A couple winters ago I was bodysurfing waves 15 feet on the face, good times.

[cdavis]

Those measures are trough to crest, or face measure, not back of the wave. I wish. Just checked the bouy that is recording swells which will be in Palm Beach tomorrow. 17.7 ft, 14.8 seconds. That's giant for us.

Connor

[apnea_beast]

i would totally be there if i didn't have class. i love bodysurfing. are you gonna wear some longfins?

[azapa]

those short rubber body board fins are waaay better for body surf in bigger stuff, use those ankle fin keepers too. have a blast!

[IronLung]

Yeah, long fins would be trouble, I'd be afraid of damaging them. Churchills or similar short rubber fins are better, they more for short sprints such as catching a wave. Though I have wide feet so I routinely go without fins, thankfully I'm a quick swimmer otherwise I'd be out of luck! those fins hurt my feet too much.

[cdavis]

Well guys, sorry you missed it.

General concensus was double overhead, say 12 ft on the big sets, glassy, offshore wind about 15 knots, wonderful. Biggest waves I've been in for a very long time. Even better, the waves were spaced out enough so getting out was fairly easy. Now get this, I had to drive for miles south to find waves small enough to surf. Everything north was tremendous, like triple overhead and breaking so far offshore as to be unreachable. Drift like the Amazon. A most unusual day for Florida.

My timing was sorry, could not get going fast enough for the biggest waves, but just being there was a real treat.

Connor

Oh yeah, I wear Churchills

[IronLung]

Ahhh, you lucky beast! I rmember some big 12+ faces some days, and just swimming out there and not riding them, just watching, being surrounded by the immense power of the waves. I remember one particular day, it was dark overcast skies with huge swells rolling in, and I would bob up to teh top of the crest, do a quick eggbeater to get up out of the water (waterpolo kick) and look and see nothing but swells rolling all the way out to the horizon. It was surreal out there, the skies ever very dark, the water looked almost black, and gave it an "unfathomable depth" look. I imagined it was ranks of soldier marching toward the shore where there was a battle raging and the huge waves crashing was the booming of cannons... pretty neat..