My eye meets the reflection of the setting sun as a glassy rolling wave approaches.
A quick turn and I effortlessly glide onto the motion of the peaking wave. My feet land in position, knees bent, and my focus is now down the line of this long sparking aqua colored surge. My brain in a trance-like state, time seems still as the lip of the wave hugs itself over, cocooning me.
My hand runs along the face of the wave as it continues to hold its perfect shape, each second feeling like a lifetime, a surreal feeling like being placed in another dimension.
I’m now locked into a place of no control, the power of nature has me in its clasp and I’m at the mercy of its doing. I stretch out my eyes in sight of an opening.
As I see light, a building surge from behind takes hold and spits me out of the wave’s mouth accelerating me out into the clear and leaving me with sense of ‘Whaaaaaaat, did that really happen?’. It’s like falling back into reality after spending time in that Narnian wardrobe.
You check yourself that all’s attached and you’re still breathing, then the rush of adrenaline that has been firing this whole time comes to play and all you can think about is, ‘Let’s do that again’.
Inside the barrel of a wave (also known as the green room) is an addictive place to be, and when you speak to all surfers their ultimate goal is to find themselves lucky enough that they get to experience such moments.
To some, its these moments that lead their life on a journey of searching for perfect waves year after year. People want to know if they have been inside the barrel, trust me if you have you’ll know!
Tim’s Tip: When barrel riding, stay low and look down the line of the wave, not around you.
Surf’s up Phuket!
Tim Campbell
