The Raglan Kook

The sun is just starting to peak out from behind the hills.  The water is much colder than I had anticipated.  My wetsuit is a few years old and cold water finds every available seam.  I don’t care because the water is emerald New Zealand green and I am enjoying the board that I shaped back home (with help from Mike at Flyline surfboards.)  Head hight waves are peeling cleanly down the point consistently with a crisp offshore breeze.  It is a beautiful morning and after 2 hours I run back to Solscape to get Nug, eat some breakfast, and pack our things.  I want to get another float in before continuing south so we head back down to Manu Bay.  The waves have turned to poo with an onshore breeze and are fat with the tide.  I am on a mission though so I run up the point and clamor over the rocks to the keyhole to jump off into the lineup to join the 10 or so surfers.  I am still pruny from my first session.  As I leap into the water I feel a tug on my foot.  The combo of barnacle encrusted rock and soggy skin led to me leaving a bit of my epidermis behind.  “Well that hurts but it’s not the end of the world I think.”  After 10 minutes or so a set comes through and everyone starts paddling for the outside.  The girl next to me lets out a shriek and turns straight around to paddle in.  “WTF was that I’m thinking as continue heading to the outside.”  Then I see it but only for a brief moment…a fin 2 feet high is in the wave and heading straight at all of us.  Shit!!!  I pull all my limbs away from the water as if it is boiling.  The fin disappears beneath the surface.  The Japanese guy next to me with dreads down to his belly button looks over at me, “Bruhhh, you see that shark.  It musta been 8 feet minimum.”  He has a painfully forced Kiwi accent.  I look at my back foot and see a crimson river headed down my ankle and calf until it diffuses into the water.  “Why am I such a kook!  How could I blow that jump into the water?!?!”  Now I have really done it!  It is a long couple of minutes (It may have been seconds but it felt like hours!)  as I wait for a wave to catch in and as my over active mind sees something in the water- everywhere I look.  The lineup clears out pretty quickly with the close encounter before l finally get one in.  We are sitting in the parking lot watching the waves, cleaning my foot and looking for signs of this creature when we see the fin again.  It starts jumping and sure enough it is every bit of 8 feet.  However, it is an orca or killer whale (Shamu) rather than a shark.  Either way I was happy to be back at the top of the food chain.

Video from that session and after.


36 thoughts on “The Raglan Kook

  1. O.K. That’s enough.I will pick you up at airport as soon as you get in! Just kidding kind of but please stop surfing with whales and sharks while bleeding. I am pretty sure i heard somewhere that it is not a good idea. Love you both.Jill and rascal

  2. I think this is among the most vital info for me. And i am glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The site style is perfect, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers

  3. Wonderful goods from you, man. The Raglan Kook traveloehrs I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just too fantastic. I really like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it sensible. I can not wait to read much more from you. This is actually a wonderful The Raglan Kook traveloehrs informations.

  4. Amaze! Thank you! I constantly wished to produce in my internet web site a thing like that. Can I take element with the publish to my weblog? 103473

  5. I’ve been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this web site. Reading this information So i’m happy to convey that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to do not forget this site and give it a look regularly.

  6. I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be much more useful than ever before.

  7. Does your website have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to send you an email. I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.

  8. It was any exhilaration discovering your website yesterday. I arrived here nowadays hunting new things. I was not necessarily frustrated. Your ideas after new approaches on this thing have been helpful plus an superb assistance to personally. We appreciate you leaving out time to write out these items and then for revealing your thoughts. 936414

  9. hi!,I like your writing very much! share we communicate more about your article on AOL? I require a specialist on this area to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to see you.

  10. I discovered your weblog internet site on google and appearance some of your early posts. Maintain up the exceptional operate. I basically extra the RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking for forward to reading far more on your part later on! 569950

  11. I am starting a online blog directory and was wanting to know if I can submit your blog? I’m trying to increase my directory gradually by hand so that it maintains top quality. I will make sure and put your website in the correct category and I’ll additionally use, “The Raglan Kook traveloehrs” as your anchor text. Please let me know if this is okay with you by mailing me at: johnlevy@live.fr . Thanks alot 🙂

  12. Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thank you However I am experiencing issue with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting identical rss problem? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thanks

  13. Hey there, You’ve performed an incredible job. I’ll definitely digg it and in my opinion suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this website.

Leave a Reply to hiking storesCancel reply