Bingin Bali Always Overhead

Bingin Beach The Indian Ocean

1994
Me from Sumatra
Richie Boy from Manhattan
To surf Bali
Bingin Beach
Eternal overhead left
Bigger than big
The water ankle deep o'er the reef.
RW next to me
A big wave coming
I
Pearl sliding down the face
Into the turmoil of a close-out.
Surface
The swell thickened and monsterifized
Double over head.
I paddle for life
Make two shoulders
I almost reach the third's lip
Then
Backward o'er the falls
Buried by under a bone crusher.
Ten seconds in the washer
Twenty sensing up
Or down.
Thirty seconds more and no more struggle.
I pull on my lease
Miraculously haul myself to the surface
Richie looks worried
With good reason.
Buried again

In the tumbler again
Breathing ocean.
Near death again.
Spit to the surface
Close to shore
Sand under my feet.
Collapse on dry beach
Dripping sea from my nose
Puking water from my lungs.

I turn to the waves.

RW shouts my name
Maddog
I had been more dead than alive
I ain't no more
I'm at Bingin Beach
With Richie Boy Always left overhead
Always