Massive Waves in Crete - a lot of Stoke at the Intermediate Lesson
Oh - my - god. Yes, big waves were predicted to enter on the North Coast of Crete today, but what we saw with our own eyes in the bay of Kissamos, exceeded a lot of what is possible to surf. This is called "blown out" or "oversized" in surf terminology. So we had to think quickly and move the intermediate lesson to a bay that is more protected from the weather and can handle such a massive swell. Luckily everyone was up for the surf trip and off we went.
When we arrived at the surf spot east of Chania, we were happy that we saw that the conditions were such as we were hoping for at the original surf spot Kissamos. Head high waves that stay open in one direction with an clean channel that pulls you out - easy to paddle out, almost no wind. Just amazing. For our participants, even though all have had prior surf experience, it was the first time to surf under such conditions. So surf coach Andy made sure that all the safety rules are being repeated and clear to all participants in order to avoid any kind of collisions or accidents. This includes respecting the circle and not blocking other surfers in their path. And in the worst case, everyone should know how to react. Signal for help and for the others this means coming out of the water as quickly as possible, so Andy can perform a rescue without others potentially putting themselves in danger.
The amazing thing with the conditions today and the level of the group was that our participants were well prepared. The conditions allowed them to feel the power of the wave, be able to perform a turn, maybe even a cutback. The wave was still a spilling wave, with some steeper sections. The wave allowed us to have long rides (looking at you, Vincent). Also the push of the wave kept going and going. Even if you did not manage to pop up on the first try and landed on your knees, you could try to correct it and get up later. It is hard to describe how stoked everyone was today of this experience. Definitely a surf day to remember!!!
