Tavarua Tattoo: Surfer Slams Reef at Legendary Fiji Wave (Clip)

That’s what happened to San Clemente up-and-coming goofyfooter, Max Beach, while he was in Fiji and surfing the famed reef break wave, Cloudbreak.

“Did that go the way you thought it was gonna go? Nope Thank God I didn’t cut my face or feet. Was super bummed when it happened, but was able to fight off the pain and get a couple beautiful waves. This Tavarua tattoo is the largest I’ve ever had and now that I’m feeling a little better, kinda stoked to add it to the collection.”

A surfing battle scar, if there ever was one.

Crimson scuffs decorated Beach’s back, as seen from the video above. There’s no footage from the wipeout, but by the looks of the aftermath, it must’ve been heavy.

So, how does one treat such an injury?

Squeezing lime juice on the wound is a common tactic, as are other antiseptic salves. The problem is, coral reefs are alive, and those microorganisms can cause infection. Here’s a further breakdown on reef cut treatment from Divers Alert Network:

“Scrub the cut vigorously with soap and water, and then flush the wound with large amounts of water. Flush the wound with a half-strength solution of hydrogen peroxide in water. Rinse again with water. Apply a thin layer of antiseptic ointment, and cover the wound with a dry, sterile and non-adherent dressing.”

As for Beach, another inevitability of surfing shallow, yet world-class, reef break waves is absolutely scoring. And he did that, too: