*** “ It has huge amounts of water/energy for a 15-18 footer and breaks in 3 feet of water just above a sharp coral reef in places. “ ***
When I was young and dumb body surfing and didn’t turn out quick enough wave broke and I was about 12 ft elevation and the place that I was being thrown was about 2 ft deep fo a couple seconds then 12ft deep then 2 ft then 12 ft and the whole time I’m doing about 6 knots over a sharp (and painful) bottom ... finally outran a wave and made it to the beach... I was sliced and diced ... I healed up pretty quick except for my elbow ... Corpsman was picking Coral out of that cut for about 6 months, Coral kept growing back, in my elbow.
So you were Navy or Marine at the time? Never heard of coral growing on a human body. And yes, yutes are young and dumb. Wonder I ever made it past 25 while riding an old Harley with no front brake and a rear drum brake, while cutting lanes on rush hour hwy in LA without a helmet in those days. Did many other stupid things.
Some of us are just damn lucky and youth IS wasted on the young. At 67, I've fantasized about having those years of experience with a 25 year old body.