Forget all that

Funny how moods change. I was feeling down and kinda blue, didn't know what I was goin' ta do. But then I made plans to surf down SC way and threatened a double session to make up for the gas spent. My carpool buddy JB took my threat to heart and after our pre-dawn hit to Quatros (which was fun but incomplete thanks to not enough set waves) we went again up the coast.
We started the day meeting at his place at 4am. Drive a strait shot to our planned surf spot and park in the darkness with nobody around. We grabbed our gear and walked down slowly in the darkness. By the time we had our suits on the light was just starting in the East and it was too dark to line up right. The light filled in and so did the people, but the crowd didn't get thick and stayed mellow enough. I moved over to 1st point and caught a few and got crushed on a few. Eventually we got bored and saw a handful more people on the beach getting ready to double the crowd size. Time for donuts!
After donuts we headed back up coast checking a few spots. We ended up at Ttocs's beach break watching two guys chase peaks but never get a good one. We talked and watched and watched and talked but didn't make a move. I finally decided f-it, let's go burn some more energy. I picked a peak that JB didn't agree with, but followed me to it anyway. It was gnarly closeouts with the occasional larger peak on the outside that was ride-able before the inside closeout. I rode the 5GF surfmat with limited control and success. JB got one good one and a few okays. Mine were full lay over trying to catch a rail but mostly sliding beach-ward, ending in thundering dump of 4 feet of water onto shallow sand. After each wave it took me awhile to get my bearings and find which way was up!
After an hour JB gave up and I gave him my mat to take back to the car while I bodysurfed a few more. That was fun playing in the pounding waves. (I need to wear a cup in larger waves.)
Then two days later I took out the 9 year old to the Jetty. He was jumping into waves on his bodyboard and I was doing the same on the 5GF. He got cold after 30 min or so and I borrowed his 5'8" foam surfboard to try for waves at the peak. The sideways backwash was hitting the waves right where I needed to bottom turn so most of my waves were a sketchy little drop and an awkward fall as the backwash hit me. Still, got one lined up and the foam board held a line for a bit. Not bad for $60. I wonder how long it will last.
So, the point of this is that I had a good time surfing. I got some stoke back.