Matt LuskJesse Hines back in the water, three months to the day of his injury.

It's been exactly three months since Kitty Hawk, N.C. surfer, Jesse Hines snapped his tibula and fibula on a fall drainer. Back in early December, we checked in with the Eastside hellman on his recovery and learned how he was staying productive from the couch. Hines toughed it out and Wednesday made his return to the water.

"Basically, I looked at it all day on Tuesday. It was 12 weeks to the day from the break. I called up the doctor that afternoon and told him I wanted to get in the water," says Hines, "He was like 'yeah man. I think you can.' So, really early Wednesday I went out." Riding a big singlefin that Mickey McCarthy had shaped, he and fell on his first wave. "I was weak and feeling pretty awkward," he admitted. On his next wave he managed a bottom turn. By the end of the session he got off two turns in one ride. But on his final wave, he found a little tube and got off a cutback. Hines felt it was the perfect recovery session -- all lefts, no one out, no wind, head high and sunny.

"Even if I wasn't (physically) stronger I definitely felt stronger afterward. It just changes me. I feel so much better, psychologically."