Fat Set

Fat+Set

Adam Green, Grade 9

A meaningful experience I have been through would be the one time I went bodyboarding with some friends at a beach on the big island. This day was a school day, Friday specifically. Me, my brother, and four other good friends of ours from school came with us.

We planned on going to Kona for a surf day. Right when school ended we headed straight over to Waimea to get some burgers. After lunch we went down the low road to Kona. We knew that today was going to be big surf because we looked at the wave report. It had said that the waves were around 10-12 feet. This was extra exciting for us because Big Island doesn’t usually get waves that big.

On our journey to Hapuna  we saw just from the side that the waves were HUGE. When we arrived at the beach the waves were definitely the biggest waves I have ever seen in person. These waves were heavy, towering waves that just looked deadly.

The bravest of our group had been the three brothers from Oahu. They were used to big wave surfing like this. They got their boards and set out for the water with no hesitation. I was a little skeptical at first, mainly because I wasn’t an experienced bodyboarder quite yet. This was my first year bodyboarding and I was really good but I didn’t want to test my luck. After watching them for around five minutes I came up with the courage to battle these epic waves. Me and my older brother put our fins on and we went out to the ocean.

Paddling out was the hardest part because I had to duckdive waves almost every ten seconds. These waves were absolutely terrifying. When I finally made it out I grouped up with my friends and brother. We talked for a little bit waiting for a set to come. I ended up getting distracted and turned my back to the ocean to look for my friends on the beach who hadn’t come out to the water. As I was Looking I Heard my brother scream “FAT SET!”. By the time I had turned around the wave was already approaching us. This was literally biggest and deadliest wave I have ever seen in my entire life. I definitely didn’t want to surf this one, so I swam toward the wave before it crashed on me. I had  no other choice but to dive under it. When I began to dive under, it was just too big. It picked me up and slammed me on the sand below. I was trapped underwater for what felt like 5 minutes! I was seriously in danger and my leash had broken from the crash. I wasn’t going to be able to hold my breath for much longer so I swam up as fast as I could. Somehow I managed to make it above water and take a breath of air. Just when I thought I was safe another set came and took me down. I really felt myself drown for a minute. I had been trying my hardest to hold my breath. Right when I started to panic, one of my best friends from heaven had swam out and pulled me out of the water . I had to board to stay on. He ended up giving me his board and sent me down a wave back to shore. He managed to get back because he had his fins to help him.

As I got to the I was so thankful for my friend who had genuinely saved my life. I took a break from surfing after that, I was too scared to go back into the water for a long time. Over all I had gotten over my fear and I put in hard work of practicing bodyboarding. Now to this day I’m a very skilled bodyboarder Thanks to the motivation that that day gave me. To this day I can surf 15 footers no problem and I have learned my trade very well.