Share them please, there has been a few in the past pop up and they are always a good read.
I thought of this today as I was trying to come back in via the rocks. Not at all a good story really, but I'd paddled out through what was straightish 4-6ft stuff. It was high tide and anyone that knows Cote de Basque will know that there isn't a beach on high, the water goes to the rocks which sit up against a 20ft wall, and getting in and out of the water at high with some swell can be difficult. Had the longboard which ensured that I kept getting pushed back just enough each duckdive that I wasn't far from the rocks as I swept north. It wasn't a bad paddle out but after finally getting out I thought f*ck it, I just spent the entire day travelling and couldn't be bothered with these conditions so decided to take the weak option and keep paddling to a semi-protected rock off spot at the bottom of a flight of stairs cut into the rock against the wall and get out. When I got there I found I had a head high shelf to get on, with each wave filling up and over the shelf then draining away all the water. Managed to get in with only minor defensive wounds and an undamaged board. As I sat there after, it was all tranquil and nice enough out there, the bastard. As I said, weak story but as I was washing back and forth looking at the rock shelf, I thought of this thread.
Share.
Rock off/on stories
Moderators: jimmy, collnarra, PeepeelaPew, Butts, beach_defender, Shari, Forum Moderators
Six foot Lennox head. Had surfed for about two hours and had decided to head in. I was about 10 metres from being able to stand up properly on the rocks, water was about chest deep when I turned around and probably the biggest wave of the day steamed through. I tried to swing the board around too late and got rolled by the whitewater onto the rocks. The bottom of the board had a 15cm wide hole, I slipped off a rock trying to stand up and then got two urchin spines in my foot. Bad end to what had been a great session.
ahhh lennox. used to go up every year. one particular day had been on the smoke and sauce but decided to go for an arvo sesh. great idea.
so i get to the rock off spot, and decide that it looks easier to rock up half way to pink rocks - i later learned that there's a good reason no locals do this. i hobble down as far as i can without getting knocked off (i'd done this thousands of times and not really concerned) and wait for a decent wash to jump on to.
it comes, i jump and as i take my first stroke i feel the water drain away and my fins scrape. luckily my reflexes still worked - i rolled off the board before doing any major damage and slid over the boulders on my side and head. then my leggy caught. it's awesome when that happens. after about 3 smaller waves of getting pinballed i get the leggy loose and swim off the rocks trailing my board.
some bumps and bruises and minor dings. surf was shit too.
so i get to the rock off spot, and decide that it looks easier to rock up half way to pink rocks - i later learned that there's a good reason no locals do this. i hobble down as far as i can without getting knocked off (i'd done this thousands of times and not really concerned) and wait for a decent wash to jump on to.
it comes, i jump and as i take my first stroke i feel the water drain away and my fins scrape. luckily my reflexes still worked - i rolled off the board before doing any major damage and slid over the boulders on my side and head. then my leggy caught. it's awesome when that happens. after about 3 smaller waves of getting pinballed i get the leggy loose and swim off the rocks trailing my board.
some bumps and bruises and minor dings. surf was shit too.
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spongeInside
- Local
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- Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:02 am
about 14 years ago we were on a family holiday down south.. I had already been lidding for about 4 years and was as confident in the water as a 13yo could be. I had brought a mate with me who had just started lidding and was a little 'timid' in the water and had a bit of trouble reading the surf and positioning properly.
Anyway, we take all our gear to this spot that I saw a few days before.. the swell was heaps bigger that day (probably 5ft, maybe 6, but very heavy). We look down from the cliff and it's absolutely pumping. There are about 4 guys out and it looks like a good spot to have a go. There was nobody else that got in or out whilst we were there so we just had to have a guess as to the best spots to get in/out.
We made our way to the rock-off spot and notice that the surf looks heaps bigger up close. The sound of the lip crashing into the shallow reef was quite unnerving... my mate didn't really want to go out, but as he turned around to head back we both noticed that there was an audience scattered all over the cliff... f.uck. can't back out now.
We waited about 10mins, just watching the sets and where the water washes up and sucks back out. Rocked off and made it out no probs. Didn't realise how damn shallow it was until we were sitting out there, especially when the sets came and pitched into these super-sucky right hand freight trains. I got two waves and decided to call it a day (whilst I was still alive), my mate was happy just to float around like a cork and dodge any that came through.
We waited for the last wave of the set had passed and decided to paddle in as quick as we could. A little 2 footer came through that I caught, and straight-handed towards the exit. I get to the rocks and realise that it will be a bitch to get out as they are about 2 foot above the water level.. I hang around right in front of them and luckily enough a small lump of water picks me enough to let me latch onto the rocks and climb out.
I turn around and see my mate, with a look of blissful unawareness on his face, paddling in. He was still a good 50 metres from the rocks as he missed that free ride in. By now it was time for the next set. A good 4 or so monsters steam rolled in... he was in trouble, and got cleaned up big time. He made it to the rock on spot and couldn't climb the 2ft of sharp rock to get up.. he got sucked around to the left about 5 metres and kept scrambling for the rocks... he finally gripped something and managed to climb up. His face was white as a ghost (I'm pretty sure he almost drowned on the way in) and he just wanted to get back onto dry land.. I started to make my way over (as fast as a lidder with fins on, walking on sharp rocks can) when suddenlly he disappears.. WTF?!? I look over in a panic and can now see his hand clutching a barnacle infested rock.. his fingers were almost purple.. turns out he fell down a decent sized hole/gap in the rocks. His fins were stuck on something in there and he couldn't get footing to lift himself up.. I grabbed his arm and after a min or so we managed to get him out. He had cuts all up his chin, his hand was thrashed as and his calf looked like it had been slid up and down a cheese grater.
All this and not one wave!!
Anyway we get back to the house and he got cleaned up. My parents are spewing as they are worried about what they're going to tell his parents. He healed up fine over the next week, and was able to experience the delight of a handfull of tiger balm smeared on the inside of his wetsuit crotch a few days later
and here's the spot... looks much more peaceful than I can remember.
Anyway, we take all our gear to this spot that I saw a few days before.. the swell was heaps bigger that day (probably 5ft, maybe 6, but very heavy). We look down from the cliff and it's absolutely pumping. There are about 4 guys out and it looks like a good spot to have a go. There was nobody else that got in or out whilst we were there so we just had to have a guess as to the best spots to get in/out.
We made our way to the rock-off spot and notice that the surf looks heaps bigger up close. The sound of the lip crashing into the shallow reef was quite unnerving... my mate didn't really want to go out, but as he turned around to head back we both noticed that there was an audience scattered all over the cliff... f.uck. can't back out now.
We waited about 10mins, just watching the sets and where the water washes up and sucks back out. Rocked off and made it out no probs. Didn't realise how damn shallow it was until we were sitting out there, especially when the sets came and pitched into these super-sucky right hand freight trains. I got two waves and decided to call it a day (whilst I was still alive), my mate was happy just to float around like a cork and dodge any that came through.
We waited for the last wave of the set had passed and decided to paddle in as quick as we could. A little 2 footer came through that I caught, and straight-handed towards the exit. I get to the rocks and realise that it will be a bitch to get out as they are about 2 foot above the water level.. I hang around right in front of them and luckily enough a small lump of water picks me enough to let me latch onto the rocks and climb out.
I turn around and see my mate, with a look of blissful unawareness on his face, paddling in. He was still a good 50 metres from the rocks as he missed that free ride in. By now it was time for the next set. A good 4 or so monsters steam rolled in... he was in trouble, and got cleaned up big time. He made it to the rock on spot and couldn't climb the 2ft of sharp rock to get up.. he got sucked around to the left about 5 metres and kept scrambling for the rocks... he finally gripped something and managed to climb up. His face was white as a ghost (I'm pretty sure he almost drowned on the way in) and he just wanted to get back onto dry land.. I started to make my way over (as fast as a lidder with fins on, walking on sharp rocks can) when suddenlly he disappears.. WTF?!? I look over in a panic and can now see his hand clutching a barnacle infested rock.. his fingers were almost purple.. turns out he fell down a decent sized hole/gap in the rocks. His fins were stuck on something in there and he couldn't get footing to lift himself up.. I grabbed his arm and after a min or so we managed to get him out. He had cuts all up his chin, his hand was thrashed as and his calf looked like it had been slid up and down a cheese grater.
All this and not one wave!!
Anyway we get back to the house and he got cleaned up. My parents are spewing as they are worried about what they're going to tell his parents. He healed up fine over the next week, and was able to experience the delight of a handfull of tiger balm smeared on the inside of his wetsuit crotch a few days later
and here's the spot... looks much more peaceful than I can remember.
My kook mate was at Bronte with me (Actually I am a kook aswell but he is more of one). He had never rocked off before so I showed him when to jump on the incoming water.
I went first and told him to get the next wave. He panicked, jumped in straight after me but only to see the surge I was on suddenly get sucked back out to sea.
He jumped straight onto a bare rock, broke two fins off (glassed) and put a hole in the bottom of MY board.
I snapped his board two weeks later
I went first and told him to get the next wave. He panicked, jumped in straight after me but only to see the surge I was on suddenly get sucked back out to sea.
He jumped straight onto a bare rock, broke two fins off (glassed) and put a hole in the bottom of MY board.
I snapped his board two weeks later
Me and a mate spent a bit of time surfing from Cape Town to Durban in '98. Our first stop was in Mossell Bai where we had to get in and out on rocks for every session...it was a sweet wave so we were surfing up to three times a day constantly knicking our feet every time we got in and out! Didn't help the cause when we saw some seals having a lovely play around in the channel too, especially as we were sitting out there, by ourselves, with feet we knew where leaking blood.
After a week of this we went on a yacht out into the bay and were only about 400m from where we surfing at the tip of the bay. The local started throwing out some chum and fish oil and lo, only about a couple of minutes later we had a 4.5m Great White circling the yacht! It was after that that he told us it was a breeding area
After a week of this we went on a yacht out into the bay and were only about 400m from where we surfing at the tip of the bay. The local started throwing out some chum and fish oil and lo, only about a couple of minutes later we had a 4.5m Great White circling the yacht! It was after that that he told us it was a breeding area
I am probably the only kook to have washed up on the rocks between Kings beach and Happy Vally Caloundra. Going back a good 10 years ago. It was a pretty solid day especially for someone who was not a consistant surfer and ironically i was "teaching" my fiance's brother how to surf.
I dont really remember what happened but i just drifted over a bit too far towards the rocks and it kinda just sucked me in. Set after set came hammering through, im clinging for dear life on a huge barnicle infested rock, hands all cut up. I go from rock to rock until finally the break in the sets come and i swim for it. Exit the water with just lots of small cuts but it looks far worse from the amount of blood that was all over me. My sister is on the shore bank balling cause she thought i was gonna die I walk past a group of locals sitting on a park bench who were beside themselves with laughter....THANKS A LOT CNUTS!!!!
Off to the doc for a tetnus shot and a clean up.
And this happened on the first day of my frocken 2 weeks holiday from work.
I dont really remember what happened but i just drifted over a bit too far towards the rocks and it kinda just sucked me in. Set after set came hammering through, im clinging for dear life on a huge barnicle infested rock, hands all cut up. I go from rock to rock until finally the break in the sets come and i swim for it. Exit the water with just lots of small cuts but it looks far worse from the amount of blood that was all over me. My sister is on the shore bank balling cause she thought i was gonna die
I walk past a group of locals sitting on a park bench who were beside themselves with laughter....THANKS A LOT CNUTS!!!! Off to the doc for a tetnus shot and a clean up.
And this happened on the first day of my frocken 2 weeks holiday from work.
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PeepeelaPew
- Huey's Right Hand
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Dae - I've been thrown into the breakwall at Cote Des Basque when tryng to exit up the stair case at high tide. Its a bit of a bitch getting back in.
It was ironic as it happened to my mate the day before and I was pissing myself at his misfortune - until I did the exact same thing the next day (always the way).
It was ironic as it happened to my mate the day before and I was pissing myself at his misfortune - until I did the exact same thing the next day (always the way).
I know that spot. Can picture it happening. There's a good boardwalk around there now. Would have made a great viewing spotbumfluff wrote:I am probably the only kook to have washed up on the rocks between Kings beach and Happy Vally Caloundra. Going back a good 10 years ago. It was a pretty solid day especially for someone who was not a consistant surfer and ironically i was "teaching" my fiance's brother how to surf.
I dont really remember what happened but i just drifted over a bit too far towards the rocks and it kinda just sucked me in. Set after set came hammering through, im clinging for dear life on a huge barnicle infested rock, hands all cut up. I go from rock to rock until finally the break in the sets come and i swim for it. Exit the water with just lots of small cuts but it looks far worse from the amount of blood that was all over me. My sister is on the shore bank balling cause she thought i was gonna die
Off to the doc for a tetnus shot and a clean up.
And this happened on the first day of my frocken 2 weeks holiday from work.
What is it about Lennox. I first surfed there in the mid 60's then spent many years away from the sport. In early 90's I spent a weekend there (surfing again by then). Rocked off in head high stuff, no problem, surfed happily for a couple of hours then decided to go in and suddenly remembered this was the hard part. Got close to the rocks, stood up and my leg slipped into a gap in the rocks - up to my thigh 
A split second later 3' of white water hit me. Do not know to this day how I didn't snap my thigh bone. Got away with a few scratches, thankfully 
A split second later 3' of white water hit me. Do not know to this day how I didn't snap my thigh bone. Got away with a few scratches, thankfully went to rockoff at currumbin alley big and low tide,jumped then my leggie got caught on a rock ,left my hanging vertical,back bent around the ledge with a upside view of the sets coming.some unknow saint ripped at my leggie tab and i slid into the water then got rewashed back over the razor rocks with blood pissing out of most of my body,the same day old pete got over 60 stitches,and tony dempsey also got barked from head to toe,the same swell worked peter drouyen at big groyne and he got wedged head first between the rocks!!
Also at the Alley about 20 years ago, young kid rocked off but ended up getting washed back around a protruding rock. Him on one side and his board on the other. So he's head first towards the shore on the north side of the rock just inside the keyhole and couldn't reach backwards to undo his leggie. The current never let up. Luckily a couple of us in the lineup saw it happen but you can appreciate by the time we got to him he was pretty desperate, full of water and panic. He was OK but he went straight home.silvafish wrote:went to rockoff at currumbin alley big and low tide,jumped then my leggie got caught on a rock ,left my hanging vertical,back bent around the ledge with a upside view of the sets coming.some unknow saint ripped at my leggie tab and i slid into the water then got rewashed back over the razor rocks with blood pissing out of most of my body,the same day old pete got over 60 stitches,and tony dempsey also got barked from head to toe,the same swell worked peter drouyen at big groyne and he got wedged head first between the rocks!!
Only had one bad rock off, where at the point a giant set smashed me over and my fin got ripped off and I cut my leg and foot. There was heaps and heaps of people as usual watching and i had to walk back up the stairs with my tail between my leg and scab another fin. I got one and went straight back out to save some face.
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rightbrainpositive
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- Location: Somewhere a little too far from anything surfable
Was talking to an old mate who used to surf a lot of Snapper 'back in the day' and he was telling me how the backwash used to be a lot worse when it got big. He reckons that he once mistimed the rock-off and got bounced so hard off the backwash that it threw him back onto the rocks..!!
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Burleigh Cove yet? I've had some close calls there
*Vooey is another one that should get a mention...
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Burleigh Cove yet? I've had some close calls there
*Vooey is another one that should get a mention...
this was ages ago but, i was walking out to rock off at point about 2 feet behind another guy who was about to rock off, at the last minute this guy decides he wont rock of and trys to run back knocking me over 
. i went into foetus position just as the wave hit me and luckly it wash's over me and i didnt get washed off but the guy that was trying to run back ended getting washed back over the point and off the other side dinging his what looked like a new board.
. i went into foetus position just as the wave hit me and luckly it wash's over me and i didnt get washed off but the guy that was trying to run back ended getting washed back over the point and off the other side dinging his what looked like a new board.
Last edited by miiichael on Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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