Paddling out can be one of the most frustrating things in surfing. And on this big day in Los Angeles a few weeks back, professional surfer Kei Kobayashi found out just how frustrating it can be. He got caught inside on a big day of surf and had an absolutely brutal paddle out.
The waves that day were big and they were very consistent, making the paddle out hard for everyone. The inside was detonating in shallow water, meaning all the weight and heaviness and power of the wave is coming directly down, either on you or directly in front of you.
Kei showed up and paddled out easy on his first try. He got a big ol’ wave all the way into the inside where it detonated. That’s when the struggle ensued. I was able to sit and watch as he dove beneath the whitewater at least 17 times. It was an amazing show of will. Check it out.
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