MAKE BEN FAIR

Well I made it back from Costa Rica alive with no major injuries. Everyone kept telling me that I was going to drown out there from the waves but I managed to stay alive. The trip was really great, best food I have ever had in my life...tuna, chicken and rice, taco's, Naturalel's (fresh fruit blended with water..best drink ever), pizza, and shrimp and rice! The surfing was unreal, the waves were huge! The first morning I was still alittle nervous about surfing bigger waves and from the shore they looked about 4 or 5 feet. So I volunteered to video the first surf session so I could observe. Well, the surf was in fact double overhead (8 to 10ft) and huge. I learned some new surf lingo. There would be these bomber sets come in that would close-out (not peel) so if you were in the wrong place on one of these you would get worked. I watched as no one really tried taking a wave and thought...man this looks big. Then Josh comes walking up the beach carrying his board, in two pieces. That's right, his board broke in half! So I was pretty intimidated. I tried to paddle out later that afternoon and physically couldn't get out passed the bomber waves. I would paddle and paddle and paddle but just couldn't move. So i ended up surfing white wash. Then the next session I made it out passed the break and was so tired that all I could do was just lay on my board. About 10 mins later Stu paddled over and said, " you ready to try and catch a wave" and I was thinking, "i guess so" but never really thought that I would go for one. 2 seconds later everyone in the line-up started yelling at me..."BEN, PADDLE PADDLE PADDLE!!!!" I was caught off guard but i turned towards the shore and paddled with all my might. Then the wave was there and peaked at just the right place. I hearded everyone yell,"STAND UP STAND UP!" so I did however I put my front foot straight instead of sideways and immediately went flying off the board. It was an unbelieveable experience. The wave sucked me back in and I got tossed around for a good 10 seconds that felt like 10 mins. Then I was going to turn and paddle back out but a bomber set was looming and as soon as I came up for air BOMB! I would come back up for air and BOMB #2, then again BOMB #3 and yet again BOMB#4. So I was so freakin tired and tweaked my back on one of the waves I decided to head back to the shore. I am proud to say that I attempted to drop in on a 7ft wave in Jaco, Costa Rica. It is something I will never forget. The best part was everyone cheering for me and wanting me to catch it. That was unforgetable. I surfed several more times that week and made it out past the break a few more times. The last day I got caught in a rip tide and didn't even know it. But before long I was a long way away from everyone floating out into the deep blue sea. That really freaked me out. I did catch a few "real" waves not just white wash...but all in all I didn't do alot of surfing, but I did do alot of paddling and alot of duck diving. There are several more storied to share about the trip...but this is all i can write now. cheers