A few minutes before the incident

Date: October 31, 2009
Time: Morning
Spot(s): OTW
Conditions: Deadly
Swell: NW
Surf: 3-5' Haw'n

Words: sigh. Got pitched at OTW while shooting. Landed on my butt and slammed my spine. Broken back (compression fractures on two vertebrae). I'll be on the sidelines for a while. Catch some for me. Spare the pity. All I'm thinking about is getting back in the water.

Shots from today. Backwash was treacherous. Playing in my mind how everything went south and the only thing I can think of is that a backwash picked me up. I fell for a very long time. Remember crying out, just yelling, more in frustration than pain. Thankfully, my boys were there to help me in. Trippy thing was Jay Adams was on shore offering to walk me back. We waveriders take care of our own I guess.

Last set of new watershots you'll be seeing for a while from me.

Aloha from Paradise,

---