Australian Lifeguard magazine - Surf Life Saving Australia

More documents

Recommendations

Info

g-land on my 6’6Photos supplied by Israel Hyde.Port Macquarie lifeguard ISRAEL HYDE tells the storyof his recent trip to G-Land with his trusty 6’6’ where herode the wave of his life and also had to call on his skillsas a lifeguard to assist a fellow surfer in need.I ordered my 6’6’ one year ago for a previous trip to G-land.That trip I had only rode it a few times as I preferred to ride myshort boards…easier to change my line in the barrel, if you’veever surfed G-land backside you’ll knowwhat I mean. A few months passed andI headed to Hawaii for the late seasonin February. I took quite a few boards,the 6’6’ included. Turns out to be agreat late season and I surf off the walland backdoor religiously everyday forfive weeks. The 6’6’ turns out to be myfavourite barrel board.I planned to head back to G-land late forthe full moon of September. Rang Lukeordered a few boards for the trip. The 6’6’was still in good condition so I didn’t orderanother. Arrived in Bali two weeks beforeI was booked for G-land. Stayed with somefriends with a view of the ocean. TheIsrael Hydewhole time Bali didn’t get over 3ft.I starting to get a little worried thinking G-land might be smallfor my trip. Then with 4 days to go the ocean went totally flat!The day I arrived at G-land guys were surfing 3ft Kongs sayingthat it was pumping compared to the past week. The surf pickedup over the next few days leading up to the full moon. On thenight of the full moon Bobbies camp threw a party…traditionalIndonesian dancers, buffet, the lot. I woke early in the night,swear I felt a tremor…tried to go back to sleep but the waveswere really loud…When the sun came up, it revealed the swellwas solid. All of the swell was focused down at the pad. Solid6 to 10ft. I waited for the trades and tide to fill then hit it. Theswell was pulsing and the usual suspects were scoring on thesets. Like any world class break you need to spend time gettingto know the wave and the people who spend themost time there. G-land is no exception. Once youtake off on a set wave at the Pad , you only reallyhave one chance to pull out if you don’t think youcan make it.Once you’ve committed, there’s only one waythrough Speedies, and that’s the barrel.Anyway I was finding a little tricky catching the setson my 6‘6‘, seemed like everyone was riding boardswell over 7ft. “It’s the day of the season.” I had totry and sit deep right under the pack on the peak,looking for the double ups.A set started unloading up the reef. I decided to staydeep. It works well and the pack miss the set. All of asudden I’m in the perfect spot with no one even closeto me. What a surprise. The set is perfect and take off on thewave of the set. Did a top turn and almost blew it, bottomturned again and realised that I had one option. Pull in. I toldmyself “this is what you’re here for”. I set up with as muchspeed as I could and back-doored the cobra. Once I had theright line, I just enjoyed the view, thinking of the many stories26 · Lifeguard · Issue 5 Summer 2011
people I have looked up to had told me about this very wave.Speedies is like no other and it is the reason a select bunch ofsurfers from all parts of the globe keep coming back.I already had the bug, but now I have it bad.Paddling back after the wave I had goose bumps. I reachedthe peak again and now I wanted more, bring it on. One of thebiggest sets of the day comes and lands right on my head, fulltop to bottom barrel right in front of me. I bail. My leash snapsinstantly. I start swimming. Its solid so the only way in is to swiminto the impact zone and get washed in.Once I reached the safety of the lagoon. Another surfer startsyelling to me “F**k’n HELP” There’s another surfer in deep s**t.I reach them and there’s one guy in a bad way. He’s incoherentand can’t help himself. Another guy comes over to help and wedo our best to move this guy over the reef to the beach. We gethim to the beach and send for the doctor. Turns out he’s brokenhis pelvis. He was lucky not to drown. I’ve never seen someonein so much pain…The guy had medical insurance. So thehelicopter was ordered. Bali air was busy taking some golf tour?!They ended up having to move him overland in a minibus!!I found my 6’6’ down the beach, looked like a shark had chewedit up. I wasn’t even bummed that it was in 2 pieces. That boardhad a good life. Many barrels. A Balinese guy now owns the 6’6’,he got it fixed, and is learning to surf on it…Stoked.Join the world’s leading experts in the areas of drowningresearch, policy and practice at the World Conference onDrowning Prevention 2011. Vietnam is a venue that has richcultural, historical and tourism highlights, and with drowninga leading cause of death in the region, it provides an idealplace to debate global efforts to prevent drowning.Danang, VietnamTuesday 10 to Friday 13 May 2011For more information and registrations visitwww.worldconferenceondrowningprevention.orgPresented bySupported byLifeguard · Issue 5 Summer 2011 · 27
Page 1: lifeguardnetwork.com.auISSUE 5summe
Page 4 and 5: editorialWe made it! - the 2 nd lif
Page 11: escueLifeguards are involved in a d
Page 14: 01020403Archie Kalepa (L) with the
Page 17 and 18: last from the pastAre your incident
Page 20 and 21: Do you want to obtain and develop t
Page 22 and 23: FEATUREvictoria: a beachsafe trip u
Page 24 and 25: the old salty dogSalty a great dog
Page 28 and 29: new CPR guidelinescome into affectT
Page 30 and 31: timely trial tosave beachgoersIn We
Page 32 and 33: fromlifeguardingto paramedicsPhoto:
Page 34: science of the surfthe king of tide

Australian Lifeguard magazine - Surf Life Saving Australia

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?