Surfing Accident
This was my final week in Sydney! This last week was a final attempt to replicate all of the fantastic things from earlier in the semester while also trying a few new things. Unfortunately, not every activity went well! Specifically, trying to learn to surf failed miserably. Growing up, I was a competitive swimmer, so I never worried about drowning because I was always quite adept in the water. However, this week at Manly Beach, I had my own near-death experience.
On Tuesday of this week, I decided to try to learn how to surf again by renting a foam board from Manly Beach, paddling out, and hoping for the best. While renting the board, the shop owner advised me to be cautious because the current conditions were rough and not ideal for beginners to paddle out. This did not deter my naïve confidence, and I paddled out as fast as I could, struggling through the break to give it a shot. About ten minutes later, I was almost through the break when a monster wave began to close-out in front of me. As I hurriedly attempted to paddle through it, I realized it was too late. Next thing I know, I’m in the middle of a wave, and my board snaps. The wave lifted my board like a sail and crashed me into the sand bed beneath the surface. All of the oxygen was quickly knocked out of my chest, and I began to be dragged by my board with no idea which way was up or down.
