Avalanche in O.B.

Name: Chuck Yearman

Lives: O.B.

Surfs: Avalanche in O.B.

Chuck Yearman loves being able to surf close to home, but convenience isn't the only reason he loves surfing O.B. After having surfed all around San Diego and up the coast in Malibu and L.A., Yearman has found that the attitudes in O.B. are mellow and respectful. He thinks surfers are always open and kind to outsiders, unlike places such as Pacific Beach, where he feels the surfers can be aggressive and territorial. Yearman has been surfing for three years, but he has had his share of notable experiences. Once, his friend Gino dragged him out to surf early in the morning after a night of heavy drinking.

"I was pretty hungover, to say the least," says Yearman, who grabbed his 9'8" Dick Brewer and headed out to La Jolla. After paddling out, Yearman wasn't focusing as much as he usually does when in the water. Suddenly, a wave that Yearman and Gino estimated to be about 15 feet swelled behind them, and there was no time to get out of the way.

"It was, like, a wave the size of a building just appeared behind us," Yearman says. He was so scared he "talked to Jesus for a few seconds" and then just let the wave hit him. The force of it pummeled him, but he escaped with no serious injuries. "I stayed out of the water for a few weeks after that."

Another time, he heard that the members of G Love and Special Sauce were surfing nearby. With no luck on his side, he never caught a wave with the band.