After the punishment of Saturday I slept in and didn't get to the beach until 9am on Sunday. I caught up with JZ and convinced him to stick to the north end of the beach where the waves were smaller. It was head high or less and pitchy on some of them. Good waves, weather still holding, all pieces in place. I caught a peak with a lump of section on the shoulder and pulled in. I had an exit but the lip caught the edge of my board and I got pulled off balance and whaboom, down to the sand I went. Still, almost. Many other waves but that's the one I remember.
I came in and watched the 9ers loose a really close one to the vikings. Favre, I hate that Joe Montana wannabe. After the game JZ started working on me for a second session. The weather was still good, my body had no specific injury and the candy I ate gave me some confidence/sugar rush. I agreed to go mid-beach with him.
I made it out with only two powerful waves hitting me. Of course the first one impacted about 2' in front of me and I bailed the board to avoid injury (both to me and the board.) The second was setting up just the same so I just stayed in water until it passed. After, I made it out to see the waves were a bit better than Saturday morning when I was in nearly the same spot.
There were some big barrels coming through but I stayed away from that peak for the most part. I got caught inside and washed down to where the waves were just pounding on the bar. I turned around and rode whitewater to the beach, screaming obscenities at the ocean. I walked back up to the beach feeling sorry for myself and realized that JZ had the car keys. I could either wait on the beach or try to make it back out and wait in the lineup. I found the rip and a break in the waves and made it back out. I'm glad I did because I caught a few that were the best waves of my weekend. One vertical drop where I released then landed and ended up on a good spot on the board to make the bottom and run the wall. I would have like to have stalled a bit and maybe get in the barrel but that just doesn't happen in those late drop situations. I also got into a left early and hung at the bottom to lose speed and try to get into the pocket. The barrel didn't really open up and I caught the lip on my hip, but I still felt good about putting myself into the right place on the wave.
So that was three real sessions in two days and I'm not dead, I don't have any injuries and my arms didn't fall off. I don't think I've done that in years.
Monday, September 28, 2009
A Taste of Fall (or, Punished for What?)
It all started Friday night. I was up late gaming because I thought the weekend surf was going to be ruined by all day high tides and wind. Around 11pm I checked the conditions and saw that the W swell was already showing itself, and the wind was mellow. I gave myself about 6 hours of sleep with a plan to get to the beach around dawn.
The next morning had the coast socked in with fog. I drove the beach, something I should do more often, and saw some waves around mid-beach. It looked small but fun with some shape and much cleaner than I could hope for. I parked there.
After suiting up I walked over the dunes and realized that what I had seen at the edge of the fog on the drive-by was just the inside. I paddled out blindly into the thick fog and must have timed it perfect. As soon as I was 10 yards off the beach a set came in and punished me. Why? What had I done? I fought with the ocean for at least 10 waves and wasn't getting anywhere. The waves were head high at least and were top to bottom at the peak, which was wherever I was. This lasted a bit longer and I was loosing steam. I finally gave up and decided to drive up the beach to where it should be a bit smaller. As I was looking for some whitewater to belly in I realized the set was letting up. The little bit of rest from sitting on the inside put strength back into my arms and I took the break in waves as a chance to paddle back out.
Like I said the waves were head high with some 8' sets. Top to bottom on some of them, and only 4 other guys out in the thick fog of an early Saturday morning. I ended up catching some poor quality waves and taking 3 more sets to the head. Each one lasted as long as the first and made me doubt that I would make it back out. The last and 5th set to nail me started out soft but got progressively bigger until I was bailing my board to dodge 2ft of lip landing right on me. I gave it up and rode some whitewater in.
What I needed more than anything was patience. Patience to wait for better waves because they were there and there weren't other people around to take them. I shoulda waited more for better waves to come to me.
The next morning had the coast socked in with fog. I drove the beach, something I should do more often, and saw some waves around mid-beach. It looked small but fun with some shape and much cleaner than I could hope for. I parked there.
After suiting up I walked over the dunes and realized that what I had seen at the edge of the fog on the drive-by was just the inside. I paddled out blindly into the thick fog and must have timed it perfect. As soon as I was 10 yards off the beach a set came in and punished me. Why? What had I done? I fought with the ocean for at least 10 waves and wasn't getting anywhere. The waves were head high at least and were top to bottom at the peak, which was wherever I was. This lasted a bit longer and I was loosing steam. I finally gave up and decided to drive up the beach to where it should be a bit smaller. As I was looking for some whitewater to belly in I realized the set was letting up. The little bit of rest from sitting on the inside put strength back into my arms and I took the break in waves as a chance to paddle back out.
Like I said the waves were head high with some 8' sets. Top to bottom on some of them, and only 4 other guys out in the thick fog of an early Saturday morning. I ended up catching some poor quality waves and taking 3 more sets to the head. Each one lasted as long as the first and made me doubt that I would make it back out. The last and 5th set to nail me started out soft but got progressively bigger until I was bailing my board to dodge 2ft of lip landing right on me. I gave it up and rode some whitewater in.
What I needed more than anything was patience. Patience to wait for better waves because they were there and there weren't other people around to take them. I shoulda waited more for better waves to come to me.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Skipping it at Sunset
The wife and I camped at Sunset State Beach last weekend. The weather was foggy all day, all night. There wasn't any swell in, just 3'-ish windswell hanging around. The early morning was glassy and low tide but uninspiring with the waves mostly closing out. Watching as much of the beach as I could see from the sand I would see a makable wave every once in awhile. Sometimes over there, sometimes over here. Not my idea of good times.
The local crew, men in their 40's-50's were hanging around and a handful went out and made the most of it. Among that group was Scotty Mac, the kneeboarder who sold me my kneeboard. He also posts on the KSUSA website and tends to be rather aggro when online. Looking at the waves and how weak they were (relative to what I saw later at Moss) makes me think he'd chill out some if he had a few ocean supplied smacks to the head. I know it works for me when I get out of hand.
We left to go take a hike around Elkhorn Slough and stopped in at Moss to take a look. Much better, good enough to surf for sure. The problem was we were on our way somewhere and there were more than enough surfers already on it. There were other peaks of less quality down the way but I didn't stay to surf.
Next day at Sunset was the same deal. It was nice to sleep outside (in a tent) but the surf was just blah. Not the best camp/surf spot because the walk from the camp to the beach is too far for a quick look at conditions, and the beach parking lot fills up with nowhere to park. Close enough to hike out and surf though. It's also a close drive to other surfspots like Manresa, which was smaller but better shaped by the way.
The local crew, men in their 40's-50's were hanging around and a handful went out and made the most of it. Among that group was Scotty Mac, the kneeboarder who sold me my kneeboard. He also posts on the KSUSA website and tends to be rather aggro when online. Looking at the waves and how weak they were (relative to what I saw later at Moss) makes me think he'd chill out some if he had a few ocean supplied smacks to the head. I know it works for me when I get out of hand.
We left to go take a hike around Elkhorn Slough and stopped in at Moss to take a look. Much better, good enough to surf for sure. The problem was we were on our way somewhere and there were more than enough surfers already on it. There were other peaks of less quality down the way but I didn't stay to surf.
Next day at Sunset was the same deal. It was nice to sleep outside (in a tent) but the surf was just blah. Not the best camp/surf spot because the walk from the camp to the beach is too far for a quick look at conditions, and the beach parking lot fills up with nowhere to park. Close enough to hike out and surf though. It's also a close drive to other surfspots like Manresa, which was smaller but better shaped by the way.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Taste of Fall
OB was foggy with 6 @ 17 and a 4 foot tide. I surfed VFWs in the fog of the morning. The waves were rolling over the middle bar and hitting the inner bar pretty hard, although it didn't look like if from the beach. I got a few good ones, and blew a few take-offs when the wave hit the bar harder than expected and my world fell out from beneath me. Saw one guy getting into one too close to the bar and as he stood up he was muttering "Come on baby, come on." Which I thought was a perfect sentiment. (He didn't make the drop, by the way.)
I didn't stay out too long because a tropical system had brought lightning with it and I was getting a bit spooked about lightning hitting the ocean.
One cool thing, I was first out, except for a group of sea lions who were bodysurfing the bigger waves. They left as more people came out, but it was cool to see.
The replacement Haut was too fast to handle again. It made one kickout a flyaway when I wasn't planning it, but also made me outrun waves or simply loose control from the speed. I hope I learn to cope with it.
I didn't stay out too long because a tropical system had brought lightning with it and I was getting a bit spooked about lightning hitting the ocean.
One cool thing, I was first out, except for a group of sea lions who were bodysurfing the bigger waves. They left as more people came out, but it was cool to see.
The replacement Haut was too fast to handle again. It made one kickout a flyaway when I wasn't planning it, but also made me outrun waves or simply loose control from the speed. I hope I learn to cope with it.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Gazos?
Last Sunday had a tide near 0.5' at dawn with a small <1'> NW windswell of about 13sec. I had work to do on Gazos Creek and figured I'd bring my gear in case I could find some waves. I also slept in, thinking I wouldn't find any waves.
I checked San Greg to lower Gazos and didn't see much more than floppy mushy waves. I decided to take one last look at Gazos in front of the lot and was shocked! There were 3' waves throwing over a lip. These weren't peeling perfection, mostly closeouts on the sandbar. But every once in a long while one would peak in front of the rock and break before hitting the sandbar. This to me looked like a do-able wave and I figured if I could get up to speed before the wave hit the bar I could at least make a run at clearing the edge of the bar.
When I paddled out to the partially submerged rock that I was going to use as my takeoff marker I discovered that there were other rocks that were slightly underwater, but shallow enough to catch fins on a bottom turn. Or worse, punish a blown takeoff. I spent about an hour dancing around the rocks and getting short rides into the sandbar closeout. Fun enough to keep me chasing waves for awhile. I moved off the rocks to where headhigh waves were breaking and looked like they were makable around the sandbar. Then came the one I was waiting for, a head high peak right into the rocks with no wall that would close out. After getting closed on by so many of the wide swinging waves I stayed out of the critical and figured I'd shoulder hope the wave. Mistake, cause that one didn't have much shoulder, which was the WHOLE POINT. I missed it and watched it grind along the sandbar, makeable, all the way to the beach.
It had been and hour and that was the only one I saw break that way since first pulling into the lot and getting stoked by the other wave that broke that way. I rode a few more but could feel the tide rising and the waves rolling further, more of them not breaking until hitting the sandbar for a closeout. I went in.
Once back at my car I talked to two beginning (4 days total) surfers who had surfed before I got there. One of them said I would have liked it earlier because the tide was lower and the waves were breaking further out. I'm not sure if I trust his opinion of what makes a good wave, but nevertheless, I'm bummed to think I missed good waves.
Anyway, that's a new spot for me. I understand it a bit more and I think I will check it more often.
One last thing. There's a spot that a friend and I surfed with a sit on top kayak many years ago. That spot looked good too, but the trail to the beach was overgrown completely with blackberries and poison oak, to the point that there was no trail. I'm gonna GEarth it to see if there's another way in.
I checked San Greg to lower Gazos and didn't see much more than floppy mushy waves. I decided to take one last look at Gazos in front of the lot and was shocked! There were 3' waves throwing over a lip. These weren't peeling perfection, mostly closeouts on the sandbar. But every once in a long while one would peak in front of the rock and break before hitting the sandbar. This to me looked like a do-able wave and I figured if I could get up to speed before the wave hit the bar I could at least make a run at clearing the edge of the bar.
When I paddled out to the partially submerged rock that I was going to use as my takeoff marker I discovered that there were other rocks that were slightly underwater, but shallow enough to catch fins on a bottom turn. Or worse, punish a blown takeoff. I spent about an hour dancing around the rocks and getting short rides into the sandbar closeout. Fun enough to keep me chasing waves for awhile. I moved off the rocks to where headhigh waves were breaking and looked like they were makable around the sandbar. Then came the one I was waiting for, a head high peak right into the rocks with no wall that would close out. After getting closed on by so many of the wide swinging waves I stayed out of the critical and figured I'd shoulder hope the wave. Mistake, cause that one didn't have much shoulder, which was the WHOLE POINT. I missed it and watched it grind along the sandbar, makeable, all the way to the beach.
It had been and hour and that was the only one I saw break that way since first pulling into the lot and getting stoked by the other wave that broke that way. I rode a few more but could feel the tide rising and the waves rolling further, more of them not breaking until hitting the sandbar for a closeout. I went in.
Once back at my car I talked to two beginning (4 days total) surfers who had surfed before I got there. One of them said I would have liked it earlier because the tide was lower and the waves were breaking further out. I'm not sure if I trust his opinion of what makes a good wave, but nevertheless, I'm bummed to think I missed good waves.
Anyway, that's a new spot for me. I understand it a bit more and I think I will check it more often.
One last thing. There's a spot that a friend and I surfed with a sit on top kayak many years ago. That spot looked good too, but the trail to the beach was overgrown completely with blackberries and poison oak, to the point that there was no trail. I'm gonna GEarth it to see if there's another way in.
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