Waxy Toe Syndrome ...

[Surfin Turf]

Waxy Toe Syndrome ...

After surfing this morning I went home, showered got dressed for work, and off I went, all as per normal … however I had this strange feeling on the end of my toe, sort of numb but irritating … and as time went on it was becoming quite sore … around lunch time I decided to investigate only to find wax stuck in my toenail which I cleaned out with a paper clip and went about my business …

This was my first case of waxy toe syndrome in all my years of surfing and I put it down to the fact that I am still using a cooler water wax which is only just usable at the current water temps … and I’ve been using as I expected the water to be a bit cooler with the recent North swells in Sydney …

Other ailments I have suffered include …

Nasal Flood … leaning over peoples desks and having salt water drip/run from my nose can be a little embarrassing … this usually happens after a morning of heavier surf involving a number of beatings … the water can hide for hours and make an appearance at the most inopportune time …

Grainy Ear … sitting in meeting rooms and pulling sand out of my ear discretely is a skill I have worked on over the years … when the inside of my ear dries out the sand starts to move around freely in my ear it becomes itchy … this also mostly happens after copping a few early morning beatings …

Saline Screen … sometimes when I get back to the car and find a message on my phone I cannot resist the temptation to listen to it right away thus my phone gets salt water dripped over it from what little hair I have left … this dries and later at work there is a crusty coating across the screen of my phone … it can look quite dodgy and people are usually scared to ask what it is …

I have also witnessed others suffering these ailments … I was once standing around a large boardroom style table with about 10 others and we were looking over diagrams of a factory, and as a bloke leaned over for a better look he suffered nasal flood right in the middle of the large paper plans … I knew exactly what it was and while everyone stood there shocked I simply asked where had he surfed …

[black duck]

Waxy toe - tick
(although haven't had any pain develop)

Nasal flood - tick
This one must be a little weird for people who don't know of it. Have "flooded" over the wifey's face a few times as well. It must be disconcerting when it releases over someone as the water comes out at body temperature. At least when it spills on drawings it's not as bad as coffee, doesn't leave stains

Grainy ear - tick
Quite satisfying removing the sand. Hollow beach break specialty.

Saline screen - meh

Road map eyes
Make you look like a hooch head. Add to that a bit of tiredness from a long session and some surfers ear making you go "what?, eh?" - not hearing or understanding what anyone says. Drug fcuked look-a-like.

[otway1949]

All of the above + occasionally roll my second toe under on a steeper drop in my haste to get to my feetand slightly dislocate it and get a blob of wax on the toenail as evidence.
It hurts and I have to reduce the dislocation, that hurts too but relieves it.
I guess I drag my knuckles ( on my feet that is)

[Animal_Chin]

I recently nasal flooded over my nieces head at her christening.

My wife (who is used to me excreting salt water all over the house) looked at me in disgust then told the priest that I was unwell...

[Yuke Hunt]

I recently nasal flooded over my nieces head at her christening.

So you stole the priests thunder and christened the kid with a good drenching of post-surf nasal water ... this child will certainly have a blessed life ... a future world champion even ... Huey will surely watch over her.

[dUg]

ditto... tick to all... but might I add some I suffer from...

1. Snow Patrol Face: You go into the servo to grab a drink apres surf and you think the chick behind the counter is into you coz she's smiling a lot. Then you get back in the car and check the rearview mirror to see if it's coz you're looking so outdoorsy and tanned, and realise all your eyelashes and 2 day growth are encrusted with a thick layer of crystaline salt.

2. Back Foot Bulge: on my instep next to my big toe is a huge, fleshy lump because of how I place my foot on the tail of the board. Small children have been known to run away in tears at the sight of it. New freinds have commented, "you must surf a lot". "Yes", I reply. "Yes I do."

3. Squeaky Ear: like ST this is a by-product of heavier surf and water forced into my ear passages under pressure. My ears occasionally "sqeak" for a few hours after, but I think no-one else can hear it so I don't know if I am imagining it.

4. Poison Ivy Shower Itch: This happens to me in winter, and only after dawnies in water < 15°C. I drive or walk home in my steamer and jump straight in the shower then remove it under hot water. Once it's off, and almost instantly, I get incredibly itchy all over my lower back, waist and the tops of my thighs. I scratch 'em 'till they're red!

[Beerfan]

Nasal flood, TICK!!

Waxy toe, well i get a slightly different thing with my second toe on my front foot. Once i rolled it under, and now the very last bit doesnt quite straighten out completely ( though i can move it straight with my finger ), and so i have a callous where the lower knuckle drags as i pop up. I didn't know what it was for quite a while, but one day it kinda clicked.

Snow patrol face, TICK!

Road map eyes, TICK! I surf before work in summer ( 12 hour shift, 7am start ), and getting up at 4:40, then surfing, then working til 6:30pm a few days in a row makes you a little tired, and yeah, i look a bit ordinary haha. At least the people i work with know its from surfing.

[pridmore]

yep had them as well as sandy sack and crack. ...I get water trapped in ear canal after most surfs, it comes out after a bit of poking and shaking but annoying as the noise is quite loud....the water runnin g out of my nose has happened while talking to customers in the shop, not as bad when you are selling surfboards and they can see you have just been surfing... also have a callis on my 2nd toe, pretty sure it must be from dragging my toe when I get up, it sometimes helps relieve boredom as I can cut large chunks off with scissors, cant feel it coz its dead skin....