The Slab of Death (Part 2)

First day of Jem Halls Moulay clinic and the wind was light with mast high sets coming through. 

Heading out I had two goals. 1) Play it safe and 2) go early on the wave, having had an earlier altercation with a section of the wave aptly named “The Slab of Death”.

I sailed as planned doing weak turns on the unbroken waves and straight lining in the interest of safety whenever the lip started to appear. All was good, but there was also a feeling of dissatisfaction. In the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the thought that I wasn't sailing with my usual vigor. To be honest, my specific words post session feedback were "I need to stop sailing like a pussy". 

Straight lining. Shortly before the incident

I picked off the last wave in the set, another tactic I had been employing all morning, and headed in, lined up with Lawama. I bottom and top turned the logo high wave nice and early, this time coming out with decent speed. “This is more like it Mike!” I thought. Whilst right in the midst of the slab of death, I could see that I had plenty of time so went for another combo. Cranking the top turn I lost the fins and went into a tail slide. I managed to pull the tail back in but lost all speed and found myself stationary at the top of the wave as the slab of death decided to unleash it’s fury on me one more time. The lip threw, taking me and kit out in front of the wave. Practically free falling I held the boom for the drop and then let go covering my head with my arms and waiting out the roller coaster washing machine.

I popped up just in time to see my board jettison out of the wave. Uh-oh. Treading water I found myself on my own, way out at sea with no-one and no gear in sight. The board appeared to have self rescued itself and the rig was nowhere to be seen. 

I find the decision making process to be quite interesting in these types of situations. The mind goes into overdrive. Do I swim in? Should I dive down and try to find the sail? What will Bruno say about me losing his rig? Where is everybody? I wonder if they will send someone to rescue me? Whats for dinner tonight?

After floating around and getting washed by a couple of waves the short term decision was made for me as the rig miraculously popped up just ten feet away from me completely intact. I couldn’t abandon the rig without a fight. So I grabbed it and started swimming towards shore. Each time a wave unloaded on to me and the rig I expected the worst but each time the kit survived and I seemed to get incrementally closer to the beach. 

Some waves would send me and the rig cartwheeling under water. Twice the sail was pushed deep and I couldn't hold it. I tried to swim it back to the surface but I had to abandon it and hope it would resurface, which it did after what seemed like an eternity. I figured out that holding the rig with the mast parallel to the wave and the clew pointing to shore provided the path of least resistance and I made good headway using the white water to push me in.

Finally I touched bottom. “Thank goodness! I’m going to make it!” I thought. I could see Bruno in the shallows with a local holding the board. The hope turned into dismay as I got washed into the rocky shallows and the sail got caught in a hole. But each time, the kit would come out unscathed. The local waded out to meet me and reconnected the board.  “You can sail back now” he said. “I can’t” I mumbled, “I’m too tired”. He took the board and sail and sailed it back upwind for me. I floated in with the waves, bouncing off the rocks, to meet Bruno. I gave him a questioning thumbs up and he replied with a smile. I smiled and laughed. I thanked the local profusely for catching the board and helping me get through the rocky shallows. 

Super happy to have made it in with everything intact. I treated myself to a coke and relaxed, with a good story to tell.