El Salvador, May 3, 2008

by sumdumsurfer

View from my door

I woke up as the plane was making it´s final descent, and would you mind putting your seat into the upright position please?

My brain was filled with sand, my cold felt a lot worse – and worst of all I had missed getting the immigration paperwork.

Looking out the window, I could see point after point with swell wrapping in perfectly. The swell lines could be seen to the horizon in the low morning light. Suddenly, I didn´t feel so bad.

Somehow, I made it through customs. The officer would ask me a question in Spanish – which made no sense to me in my foggy state. As I stared at him, trying to remember mi español - I heard another part of my brain control my mouth and say “dos semanas“.

Guillermo was nice enough to stop at Punta Roca so we could check the surf on the way in (a little sideshore wind at 8:30am, but solid swell).

Finally! Playa Tunco! Punta Sunzal! el Mangle´! Except that I could not check in for four more hours – and I was still wearing jeans.

No problemo, me and my jeans-wearing self had breakfast (desayuna tipico), walked the point to check the surf and dozed sweatily in a hammock.

Only problem – my cold was having it´s way with me. Feverish, sweating, coughing, runny nose… just keep drinking water and sweating… esta´ bien… tranquilo…

The second I finally checked in – trunks on, in ocean to swim, and to see what condition my condition was in.

Actually, nothing was going to keep me from surfing today. Unpack, attach fins, sunblock, hydrate and walking to the point at 2:30pm.

The surf was bumpy, a pack of six locals on the point with a few scattered gringos. Sets were solid overhead plus, with bigger sets approaching head-and-a-half and maybe bigger on the high tide.

I waited in line behind the locals – and managed to catch a few sets this way (plenty of waves for all). I drifted too far inside and the next really big set caught me. The third wave broke right in front of me, and when I turtled my board it turned into a kite and pulled me over the falls. My right arm was wrenched over my head – that didn´t feel good. I bellied to the beach and licked my wounds.

By 4pm, I was sweating and out cold in bed – and stayed that way until 9am the next morning.