I feel pretty blessed to have surfed those days at Laniakea. I think it would take a lot of work to get back into shape to ride those big days and swim in get your board and paddle back out for more. I also remember being caught inside and being pushed towards the rocks. That was one of the scariest moments I had surfing out there. Funny how adrenaline can make you do things you normally couldn’t do, and scary how you can get addicted to that rush. I think half the time I surfed those bigger days, the fear brought on the adrenaline, and that just pushed me into a different zone.
Not sure what other people felt, but making that first bottom turn then flying down that wave was such a rush. Paddling out and watching someone else doing the same was just as much a rush. Those pics Bud posted bring that memory back. The image burned into my brain is the lip throwing out as far as it is high before falling down, and seeing a guy totally committed to that bottom turn. Wave after wave just like that and then you are the guy making that turn.