This all started one cold winter morning on the north shore of Oahu. My dad and I were heading over to my friend's house to pick him up and head to the beach. The forecast for the surf that morning was about five to eight foot waves up north. My dad and I decided the night before we would head over to Ehukai beach park in the morning. Sure enough when the morning came we were up and out the door heading to the beach.



When we got there it was crazy for a bit, there was just about no way out into the lineup. The reef had been sticking out of the water in select spots so it made things a little tricky. Regardless of that I started to wax up my board and get ready to go out. After a while of watching the waves and where we could get out, my friend and I went headed into the water and off we went.



When we got out to the lineup we started to notice that the waves were getting a little bigger. It also started to barrel with the bigger waves. After a while of catching some not so good waves, I decided to head a bit farther out than most of the crowd. I noticed that most everyone would either be out of place to catch the bigger waves or just not go for them. So, I waited for a bit and sure enough big waves started to roll in.



I let the first and second wave pass by and went for the third wave in the set. I started to paddle and paddle and keep paddling till I finally felt a pull on my board. Then I knew it was go time, I was at the point of no turning back. I either commit to catching the wave or go over the falls trying.



So, as soon as I felt that pull on my board I sprung to my feet. I immediately grabbed the rail of my board with one hand, stuck my other out and into the wave and slowed myself down. As I quickly went down the face of the wave but what felt like forever, I noticed the water being sucked off the reef. Then I saw the lip of the wave starting to curl so I got into place and started to get covered up.



When you’re surrounded by water like that you start to feel at peace. Everything is in slow motion and you don’t want to leave. Who knew that a wave like that, something so terrifying, so treacherous, so dangerous could bring so much peace to one. But just as soon as it started it ended. When I got out of the wave I remember looking back and thinking that was something I would always remember.



After that I caught some more waves and surfed till about noon and then headed in for a rest. From experiences like that and when people ask me why I surf, I think back to moments like what I had that day. Then I tell them ‘ I surf because I can’t get enough of it and thrill of it is something I just can’t get anywhere else’.