I’ve been wanting to come to the Taroko National Park for years.  It’s been on my bucket list and this past April, I was supposed to do this exact same trip down the coast of Taiwan.  Stopping off here was a priority.  BUT, days before that trip, a huge earthquake shook the mountains and created landslides everywhere.  We had to cancel that trip because the roads were closed.  Now 7 months later, you can still see the damage everywhere you look.  I drove up early this morning and couldn’t believe it.  It looked like a war zone!  There were no cars, no tourists, and nobody.  I drove deep into the gorge and was actually scared.  Scared of rocks falling because there were many big loose boulders in the middle of the road.  The guard rails were all smashed, twisted, and gone in some areas.  Thus exposing 2000′ vertical cliffs that freaked me out.  The whole time I was driving, I was praying a rock doesn’t fall on me, and praying I didn’t fall off the cliff.  It was really scary.  

Another thing that was so creepy was the normally clear emerald color water was dark gray.  In fact, everything was dark gray looking which made it look like it got bombed.  After driving over an hour in the park dodging boulders, I made it out safely.  Come to find out, the park was still closed.  OMG!  I have lots of photos of the craziness I saw.  Soon after that, I went driving down the coast looking for a knee high wave so I could cleanse my mind…

It was bigger than knee high.  There were only 2 other surfers out and we were all scoring.  I use to chase typhoons for a living but now this one chased me.  This trip was planned a long time ago and Typhoon Usagi popped up and decided to send some waves.  I’ll take anything Mother Nature gives me.  BUT, I’ll probably never go to Taroko National Park again.  I’m seriously traumatized.  After I caught my first wave, I felt like the ocean cleansed me.  I’m not a mountain man.  

Even thought it’s not barreling, I’m looking for one.  

And if there isn’t a barrel, there is always an off the lip.  

Beef noodle soup after a great surf session.  Can’t beat it!

It’s the first time I’ve driven down the coast of Taiwan so I have no idea where to go.  All I do is try to drive on the roads nearest to the ocean and look for waves.  Sometimes you find something, sometimes you don’t.  Today I was driving on a bridge over a river and when I looked towards the ocean, I saw this perfect overhead wave with offshore conditions.  I immediately did a U-turn and  took a small dirt road towards the river.  I got out of the car to look and I couldn’t believe what I saw!  It was this perfect setup.  My heart started beating, my adrenaline was high, and I could barely focus on waxing up my board.  This is what surfing is all about.  Exploring new places, expecting nothing, and scoring perfect waves like this.  Nothing beats that feeling as a surfer…

OMG! Taiwan going off! The typhoon swell is here!!! So happy to surf again!