Hallucinating in Deep Waters

[andrew]

This is friggin' cool! 

http://integral-options.blogspot.ca/2014/08/hallucinating-in-deep-w...

Thanks I. O.! 

I've had a few of these myself:)

[Ambo Suno]

Hi Andrew - this is very neat, of course, for various reasons.

The hook for me is a friend who mentioned free diving to me. He is a photographer, writer, rock climber, wilderness experience guide, and one with strong environmental and humanitarian concerns. (Here is his blog: http://bennettbarthelemy.blogspot.com/ - most of his blog articles point directly to what he is about through his actions.)

I introduced Bennett to surfing - took him on the water for the first time. I have been writing some surf articles. He told me about a rock climber friend of his who teaches free diving in Hawaii; this interested me as a possible interviewee for me. Free diving is good preparation for big wave surfing because of how long and how violently one can be pushed and held down, radically tumbled. Bennett gave me an introduction to his friend, Hiko Ito, and I have yet to interview him. You rekindle my interest. Cool.

Below is an article about Hiko Ito in a climbing story:

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Climbing-The-Walls-in-Humboldt-by-Disas...

And here he is mentioned in a blurb about a free diving competition:
http://www.deeperblue.com/hawaii-to-host-national-us-freediving-com...

As to hallucinations - me, not so much experience there - just vaguely crazy and disoriented most of the time :)

[Edward theurj Berge]

The surfing reference brought back a memory. I spent 2 months on Oahu for an intensive study with a tai chi master. I also enjoyed bodysurfing so engaged it often. On day on the north shore a storm was coming in. It wasn't the season for the big 30-footers for which it's infamous, but they were about 15-20 footers. I had been instructed by a local what to do if I got tossed, and fortunately I listened carefully. I'd already ridden a few 15 footers well but then I caught a 20 footer. I was riding it well, staying ahead of the break when it instantly broke out of rhythm and I was thrown head over heel. Round and round I went, several times, even though I tried to go in sideways so as to avoid such a possibly calamitous roll, since if I were to hit bottom on my head like that, even into the sand instead of the coral, I could easily break my neck. I was lucky I was in deeper water so that didn't happen.

However, I was thrown down under pretty deep by the time I quit rolling. And it was hazy from the bubbles and I couldn't tell which way was up for a few seconds. I finally figured it out when I saw another big wave break across the surface so I swam up toward it. And it seemed to take forever, as my air was running out. I didn't have time to take a deep breath, given the sudden and unexpected break that threw me under. It must've taken about 10 hard strokes to break the surface and the very moment I did another big wave came crashing down on me and down I went again. Down, down, down. Same story again, only I didn't roll. I realized it must've been going on a minute I'd been under, as I was starting to feel the oxygen starvation. Only due to the circumstances I didn't experience beauty and glory but panic and dread, as I might very well die from this. Many had under similar circumstances.

I again finally made my way back to the surface to yet another big wave about to break, only this time I had enough time to dive under it so didn't get pushed down. Then I had enough time to swim quickly back in, riding the white water from the waves that were breaking further out. The strangest emotion hit me though once I was out of danger. I just started laughing and laughing so hard to the point of crying. The friend I was with was worried when I got sucked under and came rushing over, thinking I was gone for good. He couldn't figure out why I reacting that way. I can say for certain why either, other than I literally stared death in the face and survived. And it was really fun.

[Ambo Suno]

Good story, t. Well handled. I can imagine the almost hysterical release, relief, and rush. Yeah, that's what deep dive training is about :)

[andrew]

Thanks for the links Ambo:) My shoulder has been frozen to certain extents for a few years so I've not been able to surf Tofino ( or anywhere else). However, my hope is that by next summer i will be able, at a minimum, to paddle board once again. 

Cheers!

[Ambo Suno]

I just searched for Tofino - fun.

Good luck with your shoulder - I'm sure you are doing what you can to heal or deal with it. Meanwhile - bummer.

I have been dealing with a serious hip and back issue, separately and apparently related. I have surfed almost everyday for several years. For the last month I have been out of the water, with just three sorties as reality checks.

Next Tuesday I see a specialist near San Diego to look at an unusual treatment for the hip. My symptoms and signs vary enough that I don't want to be the car that suddenly works when you take it to the mechanic. Therefore I am stopping my basic load of ibuprofen on Sunday. And I went surfing a little yesterday and today so that it might be clearer to the doc and the MRI more exactly what the situation is. I have been sooo stoked to be in the water again, glitchy, guarding and hurting though it be, a bit.

Tofino is in that zone of warmer water for so far north isn't it?

andrew said:

Thanks for the links Ambo:) My shoulder has been frozen to certain extents for a few years so I've not been able to surf Tofino ( or anywhere else). However, my hope is that by next summer i will be able, at a minimum, to paddle board once again. 

Cheers!

[Ambo Suno]

BTW, I want to acknowledge aloud that you 15 or 20 foot body surf takes cajones and experience - would that I had done such a rush (minus, the coulda drowned.) Yes, well done!

theurj said:

The surfing reference brought back a memory. I spent 2 months on Oahu for an intensive study with a tai chi master. I also enjoyed bodysurfing so engaged it often. On day on the north shore a storm was coming in. It wasn't the season for the big 30-footers for which it's infamous, but they were about 15-20 footers. I had been instructed by a local what to do if I got tossed, and fortunately I listened carefully. I'd already ridden a few 15 footers well but then I caught a 20 footer. I was riding it well, staying ahead of the break when it instantly broke out of rhythm and I was thrown head over heel. Round and round I went, several times, even though I tried to go in sideways so as to avoid such a possibly calamitous roll, since if I were to hit bottom on my head like that, even into the sand instead of the coral, I could easily break my neck. I was lucky I was in deeper water so that didn't happen.

However, I was thrown down under pretty deep by the time I quit rolling. And it was hazy from the bubbles and I couldn't tell which way was up for a few seconds. I finally figured it out when I saw another big wave break across the surface so I swam up toward it. And it seemed to take forever, as my air was running out. I didn't have time to take a deep breath, given the sudden and unexpected break that threw me under. It must've taken about 10 hard strokes to break the surface and the very moment I did another big wave came crashing down on me and down I went again. Down, down, down. Same story again, only I didn't roll. I realized it must've been going on a minute I'd been under, as I was starting to feel the oxygen starvation. Only due to the circumstances I didn't experience beauty and glory but panic and dread, as I might very well die from this. Many had under similar circumstances.

I again finally made my way back to the surface to yet another big wave about to break, only this time I had enough time to dive under it so didn't get pushed down. Then I had enough time to swim quickly back in, riding the white water from the waves that were breaking further out. The strangest emotion hit me though once I was out of danger. I just started laughing and laughing so hard to the point of crying. The friend I was with was worried when I got sucked under and came rushing over, thinking I was gone for good. He couldn't figure out why I reacting that way. I can say for certain why either, other than I literally stared death in the face and survived. And it was really fun.

[Edward theurj Berge]

See Lane's recent IW article on body surfing. He talks about picking up subtle physical cues through experience that were previously considered magical. He discusses the physics of how to ride the tube of a big wave as it breaks so that one gets tucked under the wave and out the back instead of getting pushed forward and down.

Which reminded of my tai chi training with a Chinese-American student of our Chinese master. The latter never discussed the physics but this student did. For example, he taught us how to use the water content of our bodies to create a bouncing effect when attacked. We allow the attack energy to transfer through the water to the ground, which hits it and bounces back as a wave on the attacker. Another physics lesson was literally drawing bows with our arms, legs and spine, creating the same sort of tension of a drawn bow. Then how to release this stored energy in our own attack like an arrow. Another physics lesson has to do with coiling our fascia like springs with a similar effect, pressing into the springs and then releasing them. It was all physics, not metaphysics. Subtle to be sure, but the physics behind chi 'energy.' And all applicable when one practices forms alone, this continuous physical manipulation of pressures, tensions, torques and releases through precise and aligned structural integration.