At my age, I didn’t think I’d still be riding steep waves like this. The crazy thing is before that session, I visualized making every single wave that morning. It’s been such a long time and board was way too small, but that wasn’t going to be an excuse. My confidence level was sky high and not nervous at all. It was pretty much “do or die.” So just like I teach my students, “put your head down, paddle hard, and pretend that is your last wave of your life.” And that’s exactly what I did.
Backdoor is one of the best barrels in the world. It’s very competitive out there so getting a really good wave like this takes time and dedication. Surfing out there for the past 34 years helped because I know exactly where the best waves will break. I line up with a coconut tree on the beach, sit right over a little hole in the reef, and I don’t move. And when that perfect wave shows up, I put my head down, paddle hard, and ride what could possibly be last wave of my life…
Then if I survive, I paddle back out and repeat the process…
