Surf hurts

We were blessed with a little Nor'easter on Wednesday, so I decided to take a half day yesterday and hit the storm surge, pre-tourist style.

Only I was the one getting blown up. The tide was low and I was a little late dropping in

Now, I've been surfing for over 10 years and taken my fair share of pummeling, in much bigger surf than yesterday. I have been lucky not to have really dinged myself up over the years

I paddle into a nice head-high set, ready for a nice right. I get up, look down and see "full closure beneath my feet". It's such a bittersweet moment, cause it was a great wave and I was on top of it, but only for .1 second. I tried to pull out, but i was committed and I knew i couldn't just ride down the face of the wave (floater), cause it was too steep and I was in the worst possible position. Right on the top of it.
Basically, I was fucked. So i crouched up and got ready for the washing machine. Right before the wave tumbled me, i remembered a key rule to surfing: when getting worked over by a big wave, kick the board as far away as possible. I didn't. And I saw myself falling right down on the consequences (surfboard).

I'm lucky cause I got out without much damage. Just a fin in the back.