Your worst stories in the water

Craig G
May 2004
For some of us who have narrowly escaped being shark bait or as imacimaci said in another topic,he was nearly a croc snack,i am sure some of you got some scary stories,yeah even the jelly fish ones!Lets hear 'em...

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4 Replies

Kelly
July 2004
Well, no being chased by big fish stories that I can verify but I have had my fair share of injuries and this tops my list ...

I did an interview for Probe.tv - I think because it has turned out to be quite amusing - so here's the extract -

Quote:
Back to SA for a three week trip - Cricket World Cup and get a bit of sponging in and managed to catch Saints grinding away. Common Factor on these last three injuries (sprained back, broken ribs and this): my nemesis, Wayne Beekman, was there!

Probably one of the best launch ramps I've ever encountered - but I managed to stuff it up - got some serious height but went both out and sideways and heading into some serious flat water territory. After trying to tweak I had ended up facing forward while still traveling sideways and reckoned I would've rail pegged the landing. So the logical thing (yeah, right!) seemed to be to roll out of it which would put me facing the right way - go figure? Anyway, explains why I landed on my back - actually bounced is more like it and bounced off concrete is more like what it felt like. Every muscle in my upper body spasmed, winding the hell out of me, as you'd expect, but after composing myself I paddled back out, managed to muster a few words to Beek - "That was worse than Indo" (when I broke my ribs) - and continued surfing till dark.

There's something very worryingly satisfying in having been dealt a serious beating by old mother nature and that's all I thought it was, but something wasn't right. 8 days later I flew back to the UK and the next morning I checked myself into the local hospital. After a day of tests they finally diagnosed a ruptured spleen and that night I went under the knife to have it removed.

If there is one thing I probably learnt from that whole episode, is that just sometimes it's alright to bail - "live to ride another day"!!!

I decided to take a run through the Bodyboarding Injury Survey http://www.circlefx.com/bbsurvey run by the official medical officer for the GOB (when it was the GOB - not sure he still is). Anyway, loads of options for different types of injuries but didn't manage to find a "loss of internal organ" tick box ...

Would be interesting to hear what other injuries there are out there ... and there I was just thinking it was water ...
Spy Dude
July 2004
Ok i have lucky
Only 1 x seperated schoulder at Krons.. i was trying to do an Danni Kim and landed on my head.
Concussion from Hoek, Llandudno and Kalk Bay.
Broken nose and slashed lips from face planting the board landing a huge invert off a massive wave at extentions back in the day.
Surfboard skegs in the head whist taking photos..thanks paris.
Blue eye from surfer punching me out for asking him why he felt it was right for him to drop in on me, and smashed camera body at the big wave event... but no loss of internal organs.
Gonads
July 2004
May 1996 finished the last mid year exams. Lets go down to beach heard it was pumping in Wilderness (Southern Cape) with North West breeze blowing. Got there and the waves were going off where ever you looked. Low tide breaking on the outer bank that day and nobody out yet. I was first to arrive at the meeting piont called steps.

I was almost ready to hit the water and the rest of crew arrived, Donavon, his brother and his friend. Robin also joined us, who lived there, when we got in and some other surfer from Knysna.(all surfer,me the only bodyboarder)

Well into about 45- 60 mins into our surf all surf different pecks, thats how good it was. We catching smokers, screaming and whistling at each after ride. I caught a smoker of right hander and started paddling back to back and decide to move in closer to Donavon. 20/25m away from Don after the last duck dive with 3/4secs after the duck dive.

This Great White came out of nowhere, attacked him from behind, Don was facing the beach and paddling for wave. The white 4/5m in length shook and flung him into the air, Don landed on top of the white. I was stiff frozen at this second, trying to put it altogether in my head what just happened. By this time Don had managed to grab his board, started shouting SHARK and caught the next wave in. That's when I broke out my frozen mode and started shouting shark to his brother and other mates in the water.

Also at the same time catching the same wave as Don. Don managed to get to knee water, I got and there was blood all around him, got him out of the water and start applying first aid.Shout to Robin to call the peramedics and trying to access the wounds. Three cuts on his left leg, one major one on the thigh which I was concerned of and the other two along his shin. Don was still concious and at this time his brother and other where out.

Peramedics arrived and took over the situation, cut his wet suit and when they got to the thigh area a chunk of muscle fell out. But luckly he had that sitched back on and has made a full recovery.

I suggest from with my past experiences as a friend and lifeguard. Everyone should learn basic first aid and the best place to do it is at your local lifesaving club.
TAMEGA
September 2004
I was having a sick wave at snake park and some surfers came out, after ten min i got this sick tube and i saw one of them just infront of me as i pulled up into the barrell again he subbed amd stuck his foot out of the water in true subbing fashion and cracked my nose 5mm to left.

so no sharks in this story but one stupid putz

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