When the Ocean lands on your head!

I started in water photography about nine months ago. At first waist high waves seemed ridiculously massive but slowly I got used to that and started pushing the envelope. Living in Bali means there are many opportunities to get in the water and snap away. My mettle was tested one fateful day at my then favorite beach break. Me and a buddy rolled into Balangan, the only break I'd been in the water at until then whilst learning the aspects of surf photography. With no channel and at times a good current I selected this beach to learn in sometimes tough conditions other than for the waves. On the day in question the regular wave height was around head height with the freak sets rolling in at well overhead. Taking comfort in my own perceived abilities I headed for the water, big mistake.

I paddled out between the sets, I'd been sat watching the surf for about an hour so felt confident, but knew I had to be waaaaay out there as some sets were breaking outside of the bay turning everything into zero buoyancy mush. So I'd been hanging back having elected to use the 70-200mm set at 135mm so as to allow distance and time for me to get out of the way from any large bruisers. Well I got caught out. I got too deep into one set and then saw the wall of water that was steadily growing and heading straight for me. I knew my lungs were about to be tested. The first wave hit, being fresh I had the ability to get down under it and came up OK into bubble infested non floaty foam! Taking a breath I looked out and saw the second wave ready to attack, it rolled in and broke about 10m in front of me, ducking down I got hit by some of the turbulence, enough to break the security lanyard I had attached to my wrist and camera. My last thought at this time was camera. I surfaced in a maelstrom of water currents and foam. By this time I was getting tired, I could see some guys on sticks just 50m away outside of the impact zone keeping an eye on me. They'd seen the camera go and were focused on maybe one of them having to come in and get me only when it was safe for them to do so.

By this time I was farked. Its a strange thing to not appear to expend so much energy but I guess its also a fact that fear can drain strength, or maybe that is resolve. My background is military, British Infantry and French Legion, I don't consider myself a nutter crazy bastard but I have been to some crazy places, seen crazy shit and had to deal with situations that can also test one's psyche. I consider myself level headed and methodical when it comes to dealing with extreme situations. The third wave was forming. It was a huge bitch and looking intent on slamming the hell out of me. But inside I went calm, I knew what I was looking at. Yes, an image of my beautiful wife flashed through my mind, plans we have for the future etc etc. All the life stuff lined up and made an appearance in just a few seconds of reflection, for some reason I had thoughts and memories spinning through the void of my cranium that had been locked away for years.

I am not a religious man. I've seen what some people can do to each other in the name of religion. I cannot get my head around an all loving entity that supposedly created us all equal, especially not in one that has a beard. I believe there are possibly spirits and forces at work on the planet that are and will remain unexplained. As I faced down this third wave I found myself just looking at it. In times of severe stress people will always appeal to a power they may never really believe in, as I did. Just before trying to get under this last wave I uttered the words; "Please God, not this way". I guess I looked like a wide eyed duck trying to get under this beast, I got caught by the turbulence and went for a lung stretching ride across the flat rocks and reef of the bay.

With eyes firmly shut, it closes out the pain? this trouncing seemed to last an eternity. I kicked up. Surfacing with lungs crying for air I gulped down the clear life liquid and started to realize I had been under a while and, oh shit the next wave should be heading in. I turned expecting to see my next tormentor. The Ocean was flat, completely calm, not a ripple. Had my words been heard? No idea but there should have been more waves coming in if the pattern of that days sets were to remain identical. I had enough time to collect my resolve and swim out into much deeper water, shaken, stirred but otherwise OK. I lay over the deep water collecting my thoughts, gulping down air and listening to the surfers who were amazed at that last "Set from Hell" that had pretty much cleared the whole bay. A few asked if I was OK, and asked if I could make it back in OK.

Half an hour later I headed in. I could time the waves OK and going back in anyway is a much easier task. I made it to the beach completely drained. Fortunately for me a surfer on the beach had seen me go out and then found the camera washed up on the shore. Thinking the worst given the conditions he kept a hold of the rig but was my welcoming committee on the beach as I rolled in.

I spent the next two hours in a beach Warung drinking fruit juices, calming down and just getting my head around what had just transpired.

I now know my limits.
Cheers,
Mark.
liquidmocean