Big Rollers
 

Coming out of Port Everglades today, tide running out, wind from the west, ran into something I have never seen down here- GIANT rollers crashing just off the center of the inlet. My passenger and I talked about it afterwards, I said 10 ft, he said 12 ft, and curling like we were in a surfing competition in California. We got through them, but took about the top 3-4 feet of the waves over the windshield! Luckily I saw them coming and was able to line up so I took them straight on, if we weren't straight on I have no doubt that we would have broached and rolled on the 2nd or 3rd wave of the set. I had slowed down to what I would call a fast idle (15 mph?), and then gave some throttle to make sure I stayed in control as much as possible to power through them and get to deeper water where I knew they would just be swells. Did I do everything right? What did I do wrong? As I said, I have never been in this situation before, and have never even seen waves curling and crashing at these heights down here off Lauderdale, hope you guys can help!
Scott

you did everything right except you forgot the surf board dude da

Timing is everything...swells come in sets usually with a break between the sets. You could've stayed in the safety of the inlet watching to see how often the waves would break and then time your entrance into the ocean. With a strong North ground swell there may not be any time between the breaking waves. I once went out through Port Everglades in a 47 Fountain with tripple 525's and got caught by 12' waves! Took one over the bow that drenched everything!!