Ray and a few thousand of his good friends

I'm Ray, 54, live in Rhode Island, USA and now work for the Lord year round. Married over 30 years to the same great girl.
 

Got started sea kayaking in my late 40's and once, when we were out sea kayaking in the ocean in winter, the surf picked up incredibly. A friend asked "I wonder if we can make it to the shore through that shore break" It was by my then current standards huge surf (maybe 6-7' and dumping). I was terrified but he went in towards shore and disappeared. It was decision time and I went.

I survived that experiment by broaching almost immediately and getting shot sideways faster that I had ever paddled with the bow facing forward. I exited the boat on shore with very weak legs and was hooked on .kayak surfing.!

Eventually got a white water boat .cause I got tired turning that 17' 6" sea kayak around to go back out through the surf break. Have surfed the current Pirouette maybe 4 years now? I boat (surf) every swell in the winter 6 months and as many as I can during the "summer" 6 month season (May - October). Surf almost exclusively in the company of board surfers or solo as most kayakers aren.t out in the conditions I love. Don't count but probably average at least twice a week year round and occasionally twice in a day if there.s storm surf and the conditions are good during the warmer months.

Have managed the winter RI Canoe/Kayak Association rolling clinic as well as their Sea Kayak Rescue Clinic for a number of years (retired from both this year as clinics often came during good surf) and have taught a number of friends to paddle and hands roll. I always wear a pfd and helmet in surf and dress for immersion temperatures. It saved my life once so those are requirements, not options, for this boater.

Can be virtually found at quietwatersdotorg_anisation where surfing (kayak and otherwise) is one of the topics. Wasn.t going to post to this thread but found the uk url summary of this thread so interesting thought I.d jump in and try the water . . .
-Ray