...the gnar...

Posted by crow_soup (San Francisco, United States) on 6 March 2007 in Sport & Recreation.

Dateline Alaska: I had lost all feeling in my legs 20 minutes ago. There was a completely terrifying feeling of void from my waist down to what I had to assume were my toes. I honestly wasn't sure I had toes anymore. The waves were rising, as was my panic. Our guide was darting about, physically and mentally. I had a feeling that he knew what he was doing as far as skills were concerned, but one of the most important parts of being a guide seemed to be missing from his make-up. Perhaps it was new to him and he didn't understand how to foster confidence in a stranger in what might seem like a near-death moment.

"There are things that you'll do that are fun and you'll realized it's fun while you're doing them, and then there's things that are only fun in hindsight because you realize that you're lucky to be alive. Right now is one of those times. We call it being in "The Gnar..." Right now you're in the Gnar! Dig it..."

He paddles off in pursuit of Kristin who kicked in her national champion rowing muscles and was well on her way to safety. Yet another massive swell wells up beside me and crashes down in my face. I look up and see only rain, look out and breathe only wind. The shore is a few thousand yards to my left and the harbor looks to be an hour or more away at this rate. I shift forward in my boat, trying to get some blood-flow back into my legs and feet. I can't feel my rudder pedals at all and there's a good chance I'm paddling in circles. I'm panicking. Bad.

"Sweet, it looks like I'm going to die in the gnar."