It put literal teeth marks in my board.
How it started
After storming all day, the wind finally switched directions, and the waves were turning on. We got out and got a few waves when this seal came out of nowhere, bearing its teeth at us.
The angry local seal
Seals are common at this spot, often coming to investigate you. However, this one's speed and aggression were unsettling. It surfaced rapidly on all sides, just inches away, unlike the typical leisurely approach of other seals. It hadn't yet done anything harmful, just given us a scare, and the waves were improving rapidly. So, we continued surfing despite its persistent harassment.
The first attack
My friend Ashton paddled back out after a wave and said, "That seal just lunged at me and tried to bite me as I kicked out. I'm going in." I thought he was overreacting, but I didn’t see what happened. Had I seen it, I would have joined him. So, Ashton and another friend went in, leaving me and two others I didn’t know out there.
The second attack
Moments later, the seal returned, popping up around me with renewed intensity. Then, WHAM, it bit the rail of my board. I scratched into a little wave, looking back at the other two people yelling, “It bit my board!”
As I rode the small wave, I saw it swimming right next to me. The wave turned to white water, so I had to lie down to stay in it, and all I could think about was that it would come out of nowhere and grab my feet. But luckily, it didn’t.
Why am I wearing this
When we got back to the house, somehow, I ended up with these glasses and gloves on as I was telling the story to the rest of our group that didn’t surf, haha.
The best gear for wild trips
During this whole trip, I tested our waterproof backpacks and changing towel prototypes. They’re perfect for wild trips where you’re constantly on the go, and you never know what the weather might throw at you.
Thanks for reading, and I’m looking forward to sharing more funny stories with you soon.
Cheers,
Jordan
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