Take a deep breath, Nate! Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
Much of surfing isn’t actually surfing. The act of riding the wave is just the final leg of a surf session, and all the stuff that leads up to it can be difficult. Especially difficult when you’re surfing giant Pipeline, like Nate Florence was in the video you see here.
Nate, as you know, is no stranger to giant Pipeline. Even the best can find themselves in sticky situations because when you’re dealing with Mother Nature’s vagaries, you’re always at a disadvantage. She’s much stronger than we are and she’s prone to quick changes in mood. And Nate was reminded of that for the millionth time. Luckily, he knows his place and comes prepared.
“I tried to hold the board and got pounded,” he wrote, explaining the duck dive attempt gone wrong in the video. “I was stuck in the whitewater nearly to the beach from second reef; probably traveled 300 yards.”
After being dragged that far, Nathan decided that he’d be better off with out a large piece of foam. Generally, it’s nice to have that bit of floatation, but sometimes less is more.
“Eventually I let the board go to escape the whitewater’s momentum,” he explained. “Also, notice the strategic breaths I take when I feel I am in the air for a split second. This takes a lifetime to learn. It’s easy to swallow water, so don’t try this at home or try it only when it’s small. Now it’s more of an instinct thing to me.”
