A few months ago my friends and I were asked to take 3 guys from California surfing at Matapalo. Before our excursion we asked them a few basic questions, and try to get a look at the equipment they planned on using. The questions were basic, how long have you been surfing, do you surf big powerful waves often, and can you read the line up. Anyone who has surfed out at Matapalo when its on, knows the waves there will show you no mercy. They assure us they are worthy, and there was more than adequate to handle the challenge.

At 6:00 am the next morning we loaded the boat and headed out. Almost the entire time of the boat trip, we were trying to explain the set up upon arrival; we cruised the boat inside the line-up to give them a good view of the task at hand. It was an incoming tide and the waves were about 4-6 ft with clean-up sets at about 6-8 ft. We not only showed them things to line up with on the beach and in the water, but we also agreed that one of us would be in the water with them at all times. We circled the boat outside the line-up while they waved their boards applied the sunscreen and started talking crash to each other.

We pulled the boat into the line-up and told them it’s time, I began picking up their boards and tossing them into the water, one of the insisted on putting his leash on in the boat—whatever--the other two jumped in and put theirs on the rail with his leash on and his board firmly grasped in both hands directly in front of him, he jumps, thinking he can land gently on his board and start paddling.

Stupid. The board hits the water flat not sinking an inch when the weight of his body hits next on impact he looses his grip and goes chin first into the deck of his board. When I heard the thunk, I looked back and saw the blood start gushing from his chin, and let me assure you that blood in the water out there is not a good thing (it seems to draw those big grays things with all the teeth). I yelled at my partner to quickly circle back and grab the injured client and get him out the water. We got him on the boat and surveyed the damage, his chin was split wide open, definitely in need of some stitches. We stopped the bleeding and bandaged him up the best we could. By this time his two buddies were already in the line–up and didn’t really seem to care about their bud, as they

were determined to catch some waves. After a spell our injured client started getting cold and seemed disoriented (he was going into shock), so my partner then paddled my long board to his friends to explain the situation. They reluctantly returned to the boat, and we immediately headed for Jimenez to seek medical help. My partner took him to the local clinic where he received 12 stitches, everything turned out fine, chic’s dig scars. Especially ones you get surfing.

The moral of the story – never jump off a boat and expect to land on your board without getting hurt.

Special thanks to the clinic. Thanks so much for your patience, sense of humor, and prompt service in our time of need. See you in the line-up!