27 January 2011. I am back to Portugal, Sagres again.. The start of my 5 th year surfing.  329 surf days behind me so far.   
 
It has been a month since I surfed last time. I have been giving the muscles some resting, but several times a week I have been doing different types of exercises..

28 January 2011. The first day surfing was in Mareta Bay. It was easy waves and only a few people. The water is 16 deg C. I am using a new 5 / 3 mm O Niel Psyco 2 , and stayed 2 hours in the water without any problems, apart that I needed to take it easy not to be too warm. The photo below is from today.

29 January 2011.  In the morning I was surfing Beliche beach. I had it all by myself for the first hour, the slowly other surfers started to arrive.

During the afternoon I caught the low water at Mareta beach,  until after dark and could not see the swell any more. Again I had it all for myself. Surfing during winter is just great. No crowds.

A 5 th wheel caravan on our camping site. The tow car  is a standard pick up truck.

I was enjoying some surfing in the small Beliche beach. Even got a little sunburn. Spring is here??

31 January 2011.  Beliche again today. I am concentrating to look up. Beginners tend to look down at the board. I need to learn to look where I am going.

1 February 2011.  Sun is shining. I thought I would take a day off, but it feels as if it is not going to be so.  I already looked at Beliche. Manny surfers at noontime.

2 February 2011.  During the night it was down to 5 Deg C. The coldest I have seen so far.  The water is 16 Deg C.

I was surfing 3 hours at Beliche. As it is a nice sunny day, it was hard to find a space. Eventually I positioned myself on the inside of the peak and surfed the white water for a while.

It is difficult to do a proper pop up when you surf white water. I was struggling, getting real tired. Then all of sudden I did something that felt just right. I tried again and it worked.

Here is what I did. Once I was having a good push from the white water, then I placed my  toes  ( both feet together) at end of the board.  Hands at lower part of rib cage. Swing your but up as far as you can. Now your front foot will just swing in place almost without using force. You are now standing on the board.

This is a real beginner pop up, but it does not take a lot of muscle to do. It saved my day

3 February 2011. Beliche again. Very nice waves. I was able to practice proper pop up. Just as the board starts moving down the wave, I pull my legs under my belly and stand up. Timing is ecclesial to do this without effort.
 

4 February 2011. Beliche again.  Spring time is here. Time to get som colour on the body. It was 21 Deg C. The sun has power now. So much for showing off. I lasted 10 minutes, then I had to take a shirt on.

 So much for showing off. I lasted 10 minutes, then I had to take a shirt on.
  

5 and 6  February 2011. The swell is up in size so I am surfing  Mareta beach, where it is more protected. I am still fighting with the bad habit that I am not looking where I am going.

Later I had a look at Beliche. It was crowded as it is Sunday.

Beliche

9 February 2011. Yesterday was relaxing day. The first in 11 days. Today it was choppy in Mareta bay. I was the only one in the water. That is, a kitesurfer was keeping me company.

All of I sudden I realized that I could make a near perfect turtle roll. And I needed that to get through the breaking waves.  The trick is to grip the front of the board with left arm. The right arm to be in an 90 deg angle, and the underarm to lay on the board, holding the rail as well. I then roll under the board and same way back up. The hand on the opposite side of the board is holding the board one third down. ready to pull you back up on the board.

I used to roll completely. then I had to cough and sneeze for several minutes. By rolling only half way and the same way back, I am back up on the board and paddeling in a split second.

10  February 2011. A good day at Mareta. A bit crowded for my liking. Now that the weather is getting better, more surfers are in the water.

Surfers at Mareta beach a sunny day  10 Feb 2010

17  February 2011. The weather has been rainy and windy during the last week. Waves up to 6 meters. I went to Costa de Luz and later to Faro to have a look,  without actually finding any suitable surf. Now I am back in Sagres. The waves are getting the right size. Tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock alarm will go off.

I was having a look at Mareta. If it was not for the crowd, it would have been ok.

A sailing yacht was passing by, having fun with the swell.

Surfers at Mareta

20  February 2011.  It is Sunday and it is crowded. besides waves are far to big for my taste.  On the photo below, 2 surfers are heading for a collision. Red wetsuit is having the right away, being closest to the breaking wave. You can clearly see the white water behind reds board. 

Mareta beach

21  February 2011  . The sun is here, and so are 30 surfers.  I had prepared for a day with big swell and had a bodyboard with me. They are very easy to use, and I was catching quite a few waves. The board was however to small for me and by the end of the day I ordered a boogieboard of 44 inches.

22  February 2011. I was surfing at Mareta beach, and I was doing very well. Pop up was perfect. Surfing the wall like never before.  It may also help that I had a day off yesterday. The muscles have had time to recover. You often read that when you work out,  you do it 2 to 3 times a week. Not every day.

Only it is tempting , as I am at a good surf spot, to ignore that advise. However, I will change between surf board and body board, and that way use different muscle groups.

Motor homes at Mareta beach

The road to Mareta beach

24  February 2011. During the morning I was body boarding at Beliche. I used most of the time to get out of a rip current that cought me, and sort of tried to throw me on the rocks.

Then i went to Mareta to get the low tide. Very good conditions, but of course soon a small crowd turned up. Then I swapped the surf board with the rented body board and had a lot of fun. I was very surprised that I was catching as many, if not more wave that some pretty good surfers with long boards. I could see they were surprised as well. In the afternoon the new Body Board arrived. It is 44 Inch long. I should be flying.

I am back on the surf board. After several days of regenerating the muscles I was popping up as if I had springs under my feet.

I was surfing in Beliche for almost 4 hours. Changing between BB and surf board. No crowd, I think they are at the Atlantic side.

This is the last day surfing on this trip. During the winter I have so far been spending 3 month in Sagres. In a couple of weeks I will be back again.

Today I was body boarding at Beliche.

At mid day it was time to pack the gear. I was heavily loaded with 2 boards, flippers, bottle of water and so on . I must be looking old a, since a young couple took most of it and brought it to the car park.

Almost a tube with body board. It is not me - yet.

Some bumpy wind driven waves near Palma.  Many surfers eager to get a 2 second ride on the wave before it is plunging.

I was trying to get a body board strapped on to the motor cycle. That was not possible.

Then I suddenly remembered my ULI inflatable board. I have not used it for 3 years, and I never before managed to stand up on that board. It fitted nicely on the motorbike and off I went to the beach.

An inflatable board is a different feeling, however I must say it was very easy to catch the waves. Eventually I managed to pop up and do some proper surfing.

Believe it or not, but I was the one catching most waves. The trick is to pump it up very hard. Almost 20 Psi. The thing is, that I can go to the beach and do some surfing using my motorbike, because that is the only transport I have at the moment.

23  Mars 2011 Wednsday - Portugal  I am back in Sagres. The first day surfing was at Cordoma Beach, which is at the Atlantic coast. You may say the winter is over. Weather is pleasant. I was reading 21 deg this afternoon. The water is 16 deg C. I am still in my winter 6 x 4 x 3. The photo below is from the beach. A nice small swell for beginners.

24  Martz 2011 Thursday - Sagres  I am back at Mareta beach. The waves were more than my comfort level, but as they did not have to much punch, I gave it a try. It worked well.

25  Marts  2011 Friday - Sagres   An other day at Mareta beach. It is hot in the sun now. The swell was a little less today, and I was paddling for the biggest waves ( almost )
To my  surprise I have started to pop up at the right time. It came automatically, all of sudden I could do it.

27  Marts  2011 Sunday - Sagres   A good day at Mareta beach, apart from the fact that I was hit by my board fin. Nothing serious, but I would like to avoid this.

Later I went to have a look at Beliche. I have still a lot to learn, I found out.  Photo below

28 & 29  Marts  2011 - Mareta  Surfing small waves at mareta beach.  Daniel challanged me to a paddeling contest - which I won. However he soon learned to trim his board better. And he was far ahead.

Daniel Larsson is happy. He was surfing one of the biggest waves entering the bay today. A 2 meter +.  It was his biggest wave ever. Daniel has less than 20 surfing days in total. If you are fit and determind to start. You can learn fast.

31  Marts  2011 Thursday - Amado  The beach is waking up from the winter sleep. Surf shops are open, and a hand full of surfers out.

01 April  2011 Friday - Mareta   It didn't look like a good surf day to start with. The wind was strong from South East all day. Then late afternoon it dropped off, and I was surfing at Mareta until dusk. Tomorrow morning alarm clock at 6.30 latest.

Anchor is up and I am heading North along the coast. The first stop is near Arrifana. I went to have a look. Arrifana is a good place, but I did not surf.

I am spending the night at campingserrao  Situated just North of Aljezur. Good quality, but very quiet at this time a year.

Som what do you do when you are not surfing and sitting at a quiet camping in the middle3 of nowhere. Easy question - You look at surf lessons, of course. On You tube.  On from your DVD library.

04 April  2011 Monday - Along the Portugal Coast  Today I arrived at Vila Nova de Milfontes. I was soon out and checking the coast. I did not see any surfers for a long time. It is very windy and there was a 2 meter swell. At least. Eventually I spotted 2 surfers by the small fishing harbor.

The main surf beach at Milfontes seem to be Malhao Beach

Surfers at Milfontes. Windy afternoon.

Beach bar at Milfontes

05 April  2011 Monday - Along the Portugal Coast . Porto Covo and Da Ilha beach had some good swell and offshore wind. However no surfers around. And I don't feel like being the first one at an unknown spot.

Porto Covo. 6 feet  +

Porto Covo. There is a camping in PC just as you enter the town.

The road Praia da Ilha. A very large camping is situated along this road.

Praia da Ilha

So. Where are everybody?  At Malhao Beach I thought. In the afternoon I went there. It was high water. Nice 6 feet swell and off shore wind. And no surfers. I am enough of a chicken not to start by myself, before I have a chat with some other surfers, or just have a look where is the line up.

I seems that I will be leaving Milfonte without even surfing once. Now my skin is so dry that it is cracking. I got to find some water soon. 

All I saw here was 2 surfers in the water ( 4 beer drinking surfers looking at them ) and 1 surfer with a board on the roof rack and a funny hat.

By the  way, at 18.00 hours it is 27 deg C outside.

Malhao Beach. The main surf spot by Milfonte. Empty!!. Big camping 400 meters away.

Malhao Beach, part of it only. The cars belong to local fisher men.

06 April  2011 Monday - Along the Portugal Coast  It is hot today. 27 Deg. Below I am testing my hot weather survival kit. A wet rag on top of the head in front of the fan.

I was out surfing today. Along the road from Porto Covo to Sines there are several beaches.  The North one just behind a break water is the most protected. It was too protected today, so I moved towards Porto Covo and found bigger wave. Nothing fantastic. I was there at low water. As I left I could see a point break was starting by some outlying rocks.

On two of the beaches there are surf schools. I was the only surfer out. In Porto a decent swell was running. So by moving along the coast within 10 kilometers you can decide how much wave you want.

I Porto Covo there is a nice looking camping, and along the coast a parking area is dedicated to motorhomes. I guess out of season only.

It is 28 Deg outside. A wet rag on the head, in front of the fan. Thats feels better. Writing the daily surf report

S. Torpe beach. The harbour and the nearby jetty is cleaning up the mainly North West swell. It is low water. Swell is down to 1 feet.

The parking at S Torpe

Some 3 Km. further South. Here I was out with the board. On the beach there are signs that a rip is forming. You can see the deep channal at low water.

Today I went back to S Torbe beach. It looked very good. I counted 6 surfers. I do not like to admit that I was only looking.

S Torpe beach. Sines

S Torpe beach. Sines

Same surfer as above, and it is not the first time he is doing this.

08 April  2011 Friday - Arrifana  I was getting very wave hungry now. The nearest beach that I knew of with some good wave is Arrifana. So I towed the caravan to a camping nearby.

Noon time, I was surfing. I used my accumulated energy on the biggest peaks, and managed quite well.

However I have a feeling I could need some guidance in how to handle bigger waves. You have to do a lot of things at the same time.

Arrifana

09 April  2011 Saturday - Arrifana  I went to Arrifana again today. The waves were difficult and it was crowded at the peaks. Then I went to Odeceixe to have a look. The guide book tells it is a hippie town. I should say was. Now it is a posh little seaside village, of 50 houses. I will be back when the waves are a bit smaller.

The beach at Odeceixe

A set is rolling in

Body boarder at Odeceixe

10 April  2011 Sunday - Sagres.  It is nice to be back in Sagres, but I enjoyed this 1 week trip along the coast as well.   It is now time for surfing. The wind is strong, but Beliche is sheltered.  I do not want to be boasting, but I was  the one catching most wave. How about that?  I even strated to look up and around while surfing.

11 April  2011 Monday - Sagres.  Twice I was surfing Beliche today.  Very good conditions for me. AND I was looking in the direction I was surfing. Just as the board starts gliding down the wave, look in the direction you want to go, and pop up. Next you will be flying along the face of the wave.

All my surf teachers have to me to do this. It is shown on all surf DVD. Other surfers have told me to do it. But for some reason I did not find it easy.

As I started look down along the wave, and not on the board, I could feel my surf performance was taking a quantum leap forward..

12 April  2011 Tuesday - Sagres.   The usual routine. Get up with the birds. Find a beach, it was Beliche again today. Surf for an hour. Eat a bit. Surf an other hour. Head for the cofee shop to use internet.  Menu del dia. By 17.00 hours, start second session, but I think I will skip that today.

I was just passing Mareta in the afternoon. God waves. So I had to give it a try.

Beliche. It was difficult to find any good swell here today.

12 April  2011 Wednsday - Sagres.  Still good waves at Mareta beach. I was almost 4 hours in the water. Surfed some of my biggest waves ever. Made my first rail grab ever. A good day so far. But I think I am early in bed tonight.

Mareta beach Sagres. Looking East

14 April  2011 Thursday - Sagres.  Again Mareta. Waves are smaller now. Tomorrow I need to find an other beach

Mareta beach Sagres. Looking West

15 April  2011 Friday - Sagres.  Here in Sagres, we are waiting for the swell. I drove to Amado beach. There was enough. A bit to much I think. I did not paddle to the outside, but surfed the second wave that came with a rush of powerful white water. I could continue surfing just in front of the white water, and was actually surfing unbroken wave for a long distance.

Waiting for the swell

16 April  2011 Saturday - Sagres.  Chest size waves in Mareta bay. I surfed them, but I was pretty exhausted after wards. And I had some good looking wipe outs as well. And drank a bit of sea water. The muscles worked overtime, and I think it is time to take a day off..

In the evening I went to a restaurant and ordered  the biggest steak they had. Then at 20.00 hours I was in bed.

Long boarder at Mareta Bay. It was very windy.

A small schooner passing the bay

18 April  2011 Monday - Sagres. Yesterday I took a day off.  To heal up the muscles a bit. Today was windy and bumpy. First I tried in Mareta. I did not last long. Difficult conditions.

Then I had a look at Amado. There it was very strong offshore wind. Hardly anybody around. So I had a cofee.

Eventually a surfed a bit of white water at Beliche.  Later I had a look at Mareta again. Still very windy, so I called it quit for the day.

19 April  2011 Tuesday - Sagres.  It was a very good day at Mareta beach. I was there in the morning and in the afternoon until sun down.

Swell at Mareta

20 April  2011 Wednsday - Sagres. A great day. The wind has died away. I was at the beach early, and had everything for myself almost an hour. In the evening I had an other hour.

I tried to move more forward on the board. It worked well. I was catching a lot of wave. We talk 5 cm. I could move 5 cm forward on the board without pearling. I can not quite explain how that was possible.

Mareta was crowded most of the day.

22 April  2011 Friday - Sagres. I have had 2 good days at Mareta beach.  I am still in my forward position on the board. When I am lying on the board with the feet on the board together, chest down on the board, arms dangling down in the water, Then the front tip is just out of the water and the board feels unstable. As soon as I paddle a little  the board gets stable.

Before the wave starts lifting the board I have already done 3 to 5 paddle strokes , so the board is gliding. As the board starts lifting I manage to get a couple of extra power paddle strokes. 

I am as far out as I possibly can, and I look for the waves that are 75 % size of the biggest.

This is what works for me at the moment with my 8  feet 4 inch BIC board.   A WORD of warning. Moving forward on the board, will for a beginner surfer lead to pearling. The board is nose-diving under  the water. You may even be flipped 180 degree and land on your back.  Make sure to get proper guidance from your surf instructor, before you experience with your position on the board.

A lot of surfers for very little wave. That was Mareta beach today. I was there early and had the beach for myself. then a surf school with 3 kids and a teacher turned up. We had a little swell now and again. I was practicing : LOOK UP and LOOK ALONG THE WAVE.

23 April  2011 Saturday - Sagres. A good day for  training, even if the waves were quite small. I was spending almost 6 hours in the water

A lot of enthusiasm was shown. The pop up is not always easy.

Surfers enjoying the good day at Mareta beach

25 April  2011 Monday - Sagres.  Today Beliche was the place to go.  I started out lying on the board in the position as described 20  of April.  Now it did not work at all. I was pearling all the time. Flipping right over as well. Eventually I moved 5 centimeters back on the board, and that worked well.

27 April  2011 Wednsday - Sagres  Two more days in Beliche. I must have been catching more than 50 waves.

28 April  2011 Thursday - Sagres  One of these days where you visit many beaches, and find nothing suitable. I was surfing at Tonel and Beliche beach. None of them had very good conditions.

The line up at Tonel

29 April  2011 Friday - Sagres   Today was the time to go to Amado beach on the Atlantic side.. Great waves for me. Many peaks. I was flying. The short boarders were suffering a bit with these small waves. I think I was the one catching most waves on the beach today.

Amado beach

I do not know if this is the right way. But he did catch the wave. Not achieving a lot if speed though.

I go straight down the face of the wave. Then I angle as much as the rushing white water behind me allows. It is seldom I catch the wave at the right point. But with a good start down an unbroken wave, I can often stay in the front of the white water all the way to the beach. I trim the board with small steps. Keep the nose down. That makes the board speed up.

30 April  2011 Saturday - Sagres  Amado beach again, but not for long. I got 3 good waves. Then the wind came and the week end crowd.

01 May  2011 Sunday - Sagres  It was raining and cold this morning. I thought I would take a day off. The second in 30 days. However at 3 in the afternoon, I went to have a look. Mareta had big waves, and nobody surfing there. I had everything for myself.  It started to rain. A lot. The water became yellow from the mud being washed out by a small stream, but the waves were very good.

02 May  2011 Monday - Sagres  I have been at Marerta beach already once. The waves are big but mellow. Takes a bit of paddeling power to get startet. But the you are flying. Now i am waiting for the tide to be right. So I can surf some more.

Mareta during the afternoon. Small but clean swell

03 May  2011 Tuesday - Sagres  This last month has been very good. I feel that I have mooved a lot. I am surfing bigger waves. I have more speed.

It is not that  I deliberately have been looking for bigger waves, on the contrary. I have been looking for smaller easy waves, where I could catch 20 - 30 waves in one day. It is as if that have beenn giving me some good reflexes. I am more relaxed.

End of May I plan to be back. The I will stay here around Sagres for some weeks, and then i will make a trip along the coast to the North.

Back in Portugal
  

The weather pattern has changed. The permanent swell from North West is reduced a lot. This is the first time I have seen Beliche without waves for many days.  The surfing now is done at the Atlantic facing beaches. A Northerly wind is blowing creating quite good wind swell.  In Sagres Tonel is now the beach catching most of he good waves.

14 June 2011 Tuesday - Sagres  

It is very windy. In the morning I went to Zavial. The waves were not big enough. After an hour I packed and went to Amado Beach. Here it was a lot better. Still windy, but less.

Amado Beach

Amado Beach

Another day at Amado beach. The good thing is that there is some shelter from the strong Northerly wind, and you can surf during the changing tide.

I am still fighting bad habits. Not looking up. and not looking along the wave during the take off. Else I am pretty satisfied with my performance.

Amado beach again. The wind is less in the morning , and I had some great surfing. During the afternoon it was high water. Pretty large swell came in, sets of almost 6 feet, but with the onshore wind as well, it was hard to get out.  

You do not need a lot to go camping. This person spend the night on the parking at Amado beach. He actually placed the tent in the driving lane. That way you can be the first at the beach and avoid the crowd.

17 June 2011 Friday - Zavial
First I went to Amado. Looking forward to some easy morning surf. The surf was to big, however. Next I went to Zavial. Here it was all right. A lot of surf schools had had the same idea.

Zavial

Zavial

18 June 2011 Saturday - Amado

I started the day visiting zavial. No waves there. Then I was off to Amado. There it looked very biggish. I almost gave up.
Then I went to try anyway. It was hard to get through the breaking zone, but possible. So there I was in 6 feet swell. Luckey me it was the "friendly type". Size but, low speed. Even when I was hit by white water, I did not need to check if the head was still in the right place.

Eventually I was feeling a bit alone, because it was still early and we were only 3 surfers out. I got a good wave. It was actually easy surfing. So I went out again for more.

With the second wave I was not lhat lucky. My hand slipped and the board gave me a good whack on the chin. This is how you learn not to grab the rail for the pop up. Place the hands on the top of the board.
 

The day started at Amado beach. I was at the peak and surfed it 3 times. But big waves for little me. Next I went to Arrifana. Very crowded, and now you have walk down, and worse, up again. Great waves for practicing.

For years I was trying to do my pop up right. I was making pop up back home until the neighbors complained. I was swinging the but in the air until I had lots of back pain.

On the wave it was never quite right. 

I believe you have a window of 1 second to pop up. That is right when the up movement, the board get from the approaching wave, is reversed.. Right then your body is still having a upward momentum. The board, on the contrary is glued to the water and and is being pulled in a down movement. Right in that second, a space is opening between body and board. Just pull the legs up under the body. You should feel weightless. Or almost.

Once your feet land on the board, and if the wave has a surf able wall, start turning along the wave. If the wave is breaking, go straight on. You are in danger if you turn into a breaking wave and fall away from the wave. The breaking wave will then throw the board at you. In many cases you can make a controlled fall into the breaking wave. This way you get to practice a turn as well.

This is what I feel works well for me, at present.

Arrifana beach

20 June 2011 Monday - Casteljo

I spend all day at Casteljo beach. Practicing my fine theory. The problem is that when you are in choppy waters, where the perfect wave never seem to up, then it is not so easy.

The afternoon was very special. Maybe my best day ever. Mellow big waves. I could jut catch them. Every body else gave up, or just did not think it was fun, so I had the bay of Casteljo for myself.

Arrifana. It is windy again. At Arrifana there is shelter, but the waves were a bit different. I could not quite figure it out, so it was a quiet day.   
 

First I had a look at Arrifana. Then a mega burger and on to Amado. Big waves and windy. I had a 8 feet board to test. It turned out that it was to complicated for me. The board was quite thin. 2.5 Inch. The rails even thinner. Tomorrow I will be back on the 8 feet four BIC. A shame, because it was a good board to a very reasonable price.

In the morning I was surfing nice big waves at Amado, but it was difficult to get out. At seven in the evening, I went to Casteljo. Too rough. I had a burger in stead and enjoyed the sun set.

A young surfer with his body board, is planning his future.

Sun set at Casteljo beach. From my burger place.

Mareta in the afternoon. Pretty crowded. I decided to come back later.

In the evening it was really good. I was catching lots of wave.

26 June 2011 Sunday - Mareta   The wind still South East, but waves are smaller today. I surfed for some hours before sun set. I am still not looking in the direction I am surfing. How can it be so difficult to learn.

One hour before sun set. A good time to go surfing. Only 5 surfers out.. Earlier you could count at least  4 times that.  And you had the people going swimming from the beach as well.

27 June 2011 Monday - Casteljo  Very good conditions. No wind. Swell with a oily looking surface rolling in. Big enough for me and very easy to surf.

29 June 2011 Wednsday - Amado First i went to Zavial. Afterwards to Amado. There I tried to get out, but could not get through the breaking zone.

  Amado. Once through the breaking zone you had some nice big waves to surf.

  The surf school had more than enough white water.

30 June 2011 Thursday  Amado. Still biggish swell, but now I could get out through the whitewater. i was actually a bit early. The swell got better as the tide was rising.

Checking Tonel beach Saturday. No swell.

Sunday morning at 08.00 hours. I wanted to be early and use the high water. Something is wront. It is not high water. It was windy and cold. I went then to Zavial, no waves, and then home again.

05 July  2011 Tuesday  Amado  I was up early and drowe straight to Arifana. Just to see a flat bay. Then back to Amado. Due to the low tide hardly any waves there. I slept an hour in the car. Then the tide was coming in and the waves as well. Wind and chop most of it however.

I have newer seen Arifana flat like this before. It is the summer effect. The North Atlantic swell is rare. Waves are generated by the North wind blowing along the Portuguese coast.

08 July  2011 Friday  Amado.  Early morning start. Big swell. I bit to big for my liking. Still, I had to try. I did catch some wave, and I had some mega wipe outs. Included a 180 degree, where you are landing on your back.

The trick is to take some deep breath when you see the monster wave coming. No more than five. Paddle less than you would else. Save some oxygen for the dive under water. Relax while you are being tossed about. In bubbly white water you do not have a good up drift. On the contrary you may sink.. After a short while, say five seconds, you can easy surface and get some air. An other big wave is like to follow.

Due to the big waves it was getting a bit crowded early, so I stopped more early than I else would have done.

Next day I went on a short vacation to Mallorca

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