Surfing has caused more than its fair share of injuries

Compared to other sports, I'd say that surfing causes more than its fair share of injuries. Just this summer Jade and I have been cut open by reef,  surfboard fins, and sea urchins which, unfortunately, is typical for the sport. Luckily none too serious as to need medical attention past what we can give each other. And yes, we always get back to shore quickly so we don't chum up the water for the other surfers to become a hungry Tiger Shark's next meal. 

But one of the most devastating injuries that happened in our little family so far this summer was a gash that Lupe (my white longboard) sustained a little while ago at Playa Tortugas. 

It was a beautiful morning, a little rainy. We had our surf-morning routine down pat, a healthy breakfast so we wouldn't run out of energy, waters and snacks in a backpack with sunscreen and we were out the door. 

The hour drive to the beach passed quickly. We like to listen to podcasts on the drive. 

When we arrived on our perch above the cement staircase leading down to the river it felt like any other morning and we were both jonesing for some sweet waves. I grabbed my board and Jade grabbed his and he followed me down the stone path. 

A quarter of the way down the steep steps I stopped dead in my tracks. There was a big, colorful spider that had weaved an intricate web right across my path. With my 8' board balanced on my head with my arms up to stabilize it, I thought about my options. 

A shiver ran down my spine as I knew what I had to do. I slid off my sandal and very slowly and VERY carefully I brought the surfboard down off my head and set it resting on my shoe on its tail standing straight up in the air. I leaned it towards Jade and he grabbed ahold of it to  free my hands for spider web removal. 

I HATE spiders. And I know I'm not alone. But Jade and I were both getting eaten alive by mosquitoes every second I delayed our journey down to the river so I tried to hurry. I grabbed a stick from the brush beside me, wet and soggy from the nightly rainstorms and started to break down one side of the almost transparent web while also smacking my legs to kill the mosquitoes that were already sucking my blood. 

When the spider was successfully relocated to a plant on one side of the trail I threw the stick and grabbed my board. The stone steps are so steep that I was trying to be very deliberate and cautious in every movement. I put her on my head and once again headed down the stairs with at least 6 new mosquito bites. 

When the stairs hit the cliff edge, they turn 90 degrees and head down to the rocky shore parallel to the cliff. I made the turn and started my last flight down before I could finally get on the water. I felt like a mosquito was biting my wrist but I couldn't shake it. 

When I hit the bottom of the steps and ventured out on the stone walkway that enters the river I wiped my wrist off on my hip bone, trying to kill whatever was biting me. I couldn't see what it was I just wanted it dead. I then took my surfboard off my head and held it out, resting one edge on my hip. As I did that, my eyes look downward and focused on 2 thin silvery strings of spider web that reached from my hip, across my belly, and up to my shoulder. 

I must have walked through another spider web without realizing it...

Remembering the terrifyingly big spider I had just relocated to a new home plant only a few moments earlier and the painful wrist-biter, I reacted instinctually by throwing my free hand down to wipe away the web and hopefully kill any unwelcome 8-legged piggy-backer as I shivered involuntarily. 

As a chill raced up my spine, my body shifted just the slightest bit and my beautiful brand new board slipped off my hip. I had one hand gripped on a rail but it was not enough to keep the board from crashing HARD onto a very large, VERY sharp rock that protruded from the stone pathway. 

I could hardly breathe. I reached down and picked up my injured board, barely thinking. I was in robot mode, do-what-you-have-to-do mode. 

Jade and I both took our boards back up the staircase, tied them on, shook off the mosquitoes and Jade gave me a huge hug. I realized my heart was broken. I felt like someone died. 

It's silly, I know. Repairs can be made. It's just a toy... 

I'm just saying how I felt. For the sake of this blog I can't remember if I cried on the way home. But it was a long hour and there was a lot of dust from the roads so, you know. 

Jade was the perfect support, making me laugh, trying to console me and get my mind off of it. 

We tried to contact the maker of the board to do the repair. It's the only thing that made me feel better. She would be in good hands. When I didn't hear back from them for 2 days I started to get really worried. 

Luckily Marco's sweet wife did respond and she said he would be at the workshop the next day and we could drop off the board any time. Marco took just 3 days to do the repair and he only charged us 350 pesos (less than $27), which I thought was unbelievable! 

We took Lupe out that day and the next to Anclote, a surf spot about 2 hours south from Chacala in Punta de Mita and rode some of the best waves we had had yet. 

In my frustration and despair I didn't take any photos of what Jade calls Lupe's compound fracture. But I found some example photos online so you get the gist of what it looked like. I'd say it was about the size of my index and middle finger held together. and about down to the first knuckle deep. It looked like drywall that someone had just punched right through. 

But the repair looks almost flawless. Nobody in the world could have done a better job. The only difference is a minute change in color tint. I am so absolutely happy with it! 

And we're all back together again, surfing as often as possible. 

And this (below) is Lupe after the work. So perfect. Couldn't have asked for more. And from now on, Jade will go down the steps first so he will get all the spider webs. Forever.
 

Right where you can see shine on the rail (the top edge) is where it was smashed.