Fins can be like a hatchet

I was riding a wave backside on my SUP, and the wave was closing out.  I was going to push off the board and jump over the lip of the wave to escape.  When I pushed off the SUP, backwash hit the board, and I lost the ability to get a firm push over the back of the wave.  I was then pulled over the falls, facing the bottom of the board.  I remember the board sliding down the wave past me.   

As the board hit the bottom and came to a stop, my face slammed on back of one of the fins.  The trail edge of the fin was sharp and sliced from my chin to inside my nose.  The fin sliced like a hatchet and continued with a lot of force, between my teeth and cheek.  Then the fin hit my cheek bone and pulverized it.  The fin continued and cracked the bottom of my eye socket.  I narrowly lost an eye.  If the fin had started slicing an inch lower, it would have severed my carotid artery and I would have bleed to death.   

I had to go to a highly skilled trauma unit of UCSD.  I was in surgery for 8 hours as they used titanium and reconstructed my face.  I was in the hospital for 5 days.  My vision in my left eye was poor for 6 months.  I didn’t think I would be able to do my job as an airline pilot.  Luckily, my vision came back and I wish I didn’t have titanium and screws in my skull.

This photo taken recently, you can see the scar on the left side of my chin. Also, under my left eye is a bump from the titanium facial reconstruction.

I highly recommend Proteck fins from SurfcoHawaii, to protect you from a brutal accident like mine.

~Bob Pfibsen