From Kevins (Crashski) post on the other site:
Re: Tierra del Mar Saturday 11/15
Here is what all happened.
Jason lost his ski after doing a nose stab when he finally got to his ski it was full of water. He was holding his ski the best he could for the conditions. The only part of the ski floating was the back. Every time a wave came the ski sunk and Jason struggled to keep a hold of his ski. Jason was standing in about chest deep water for him and noticed Kyle and I coming to help him. For some reason he let go of his ski when he saw us. The story gets worse from here. I flag Tim down because he has a tow rope and start swimming for the ski. Tim meats up with me and I grab onto his ski. We get to Jason’s ski but Tim doesn't have a rear tow loop and starts to tie the rope to his ski. I try to no avail to get to Jason front tow loop. In the process of this we are still being washed out to sea. Finally Tim has his end of the rope tied off but I have lost Jason ski. We proceed to his ski and still can’t get to the tow loop. We decide to hook it to the back of the ski but again no tow loop. In the process of trying to tie it off we are hit by a wave and Tim loses his ski. I swim back to Jason’s ski and see Tim at his ski. I start yelling to Tim I have the ski and the tow loop, No response from Tim. I get hit by two more waves and still no Tim! Fighting holding on to the ski, incoming waves and exhaustion I apologize in advance to Jason and let go of his ski and start my swim back to shore. I have been swimming for what seems like forever and still no Tim. Finally as a wave hits me a lifts me up I see Tim's ski and Tim about 20 yards behind it. About what feels like a life time has passed since I let go of Jason ski I finally am on the beach exhausted and barely able to stand.
Everyone on the beach came down and asked if I was ok they said they could not see me for about 10 minutes and where afraid that I was lost. I thought to my self hey we had two running skis on the beach why didn't anybody grab a ski and come help us.
We watch the ski bobbing in the surf between the two breaks and I think to my self man it felt like I was allot further out than that. We try and come up with a plan to get his ski back and I assure him we will not leave until it’s on the trailer.
I am too tired to take my ski out and Tim's ski is hydro locked. I tell Tim to use my ski grab Tim's cart and head down the beach to meet Jason. As i am standing next to Jason with his ski only 15 yards out. I start walking toward it and the under current is so strong I turn back. As I am standing on the beach I am thinking man it is so close if I swim out I can get it! The memory of my first swim back to shore comes to mind an I decide against it. Jason is convinced he has lost his ski I tell him we will get it and ill stay until it’s on the trailer.
The ski gets washed out again and Jason and I walk back up the beach to come up with a plan and get help. Well by this time Tim has got his ski running and it is decided that Tim will hook the tow rope to the Handel pole and drag it to the beach it he can find it. Jason and I head back down the beach about a mile and we see Tim doing tight circles. A little later we see Time struggling to get the ski on the beach. Roughly a mile and a half from the no vehicle sign we finally get to Tim. To all are amazement the ski is not damaged or scratched, this is after bouncing off the bottom for about an 1 hour to an hour and a half. Jason and I load the ski on the cart and start the long drag back to the truck.
Physically exhausted we start to work on his ski. We get all the water out of it but can’t get it started.
With skis loaded and 4 1/2 hours after we lost the ski everyone heads home. It took us almost 3 1/2 hours to get the ski back to the truck and an hour of working on it.
All in all it was a good day, no one died and no skis lost. I went through two tanks of gas and had fun up until trying to get the ski back.