Surf: Waist-Shoulder high. Backwards. Closed out.

Ahh, physics. Physics does not always do what you think it will, or what you want it to, or even really what it should. Today it was reflecting waves pretty strongly off the beach, jacking up waves into steep closeouts left and right.

Every time I get a little air on a longboard it tends to be accompanied by a considerable amount of surprise. Usually me getting air on a 9’4 means something weird is going on.

Today’s surprising air move was brought to you by me catching an outgoing wave while paddling out, ramping the incoming closeout at pretty good speed, and launching myself back into the lineup. If you wanted exciting, ungraceful chest high waves, they were out there.

Surf: Chest-Shoulder, funky and dumping.

Ahh, there was the skunking I’d expected. Oww.

This little board doesn’t have the heft to punch through waves paddling out, but I haven’t gotten the hang of ducking it (it’s pretty big.) So I took wave after wave on the head. At one point I was pretty sure a seabird was laughing at me as I got hucked over and over. Sigh.

Wound up spending a lot of this morning on the bottom of the sea contemplating life and how I was going to get the sand out of my ears later. (“Never” might be the answer to the ears question.) SUPER funky, jumbled, but with some rideable shoulders that jacked into booming closeouts. C

hris got some cruising big ones. I mostly got wash. Wind not as blustery as other spots I checked, but waves not any cleaner. Sigh.

Surf: Funky Chest-Shoulder High.

I paddled out expecting to get skunked on my stubby. I actually got a few, if ungraceful waves. I feel like I’m getting in to them too late so I keep dropping then kicking right out when I could probably stand to hang in there a little longer.

Got some fun fun wipeouts too. Oww. Went for a pretty good one, got in, then tried to sneak out before it came down on my head. Skidded my turn, went flying and skipped like a freaking stone for a good 4 impacts before finally going under. Uffle.

It’s going to take a little bit to get competent on this board, but so far two days of okay starts!

Surf: None.

Oh summer, you fickle season. The swell was down to pretty much nothing. I saw Sharon all by her lonesome trying to will the ocean into making waves. Someone in the lot yelled “SET WAVE!!!” as a knee high ripple wandered through.

We checked out a few other spots, not much happening. Montara, flat. Jetty, flat and junky. Decided to have a pastry, cafe went out of business. Sheesh!

Wound up eating a snack and wondering what the bottom looked like at Hey Whale (also not breaking)

At least it was a pretty morning and the storm stayed off shore. Pouring down rain later.

Surf: Soft, but powerful. Mostly clean. 3.3ft @ 8.3s 247º WSW

I spent a long time standing in the lot looking at LM. It was barely breaking. Tiny ripples with far too many people already working them.

After some hemming and hawing, we looked further south.

I’m picky about Montara. It has to be small, it has to be clean, it has to be mellow.

I’d assumed that by now Luke had dragged J-Bird and Jacob out at Montara at least once, so I didn’t think anything about taking them out with us and skipped the “By the way, there’s a SHARP drop off right by the edge of the water” piece of advice and felt terrible as J-Bird disappeared in a loud splosh while getting in. Ooops! I’m a terrible surf guide!

Lots of fun waves and moody atmosphere. Saw Chris nail a big cutback with lots of spray! Yeah!

Surf: 2-3ft. Clean. Cold.

I’ve had a lot to be thankful for this year. Thigh/Waist high lovely little lined up waves were a lovely added bonus.

I’m thankful for a more stable year than the last. I’m thankful to have been able to be there for my family when they needed me. I’m thankful for the many wonderful years I had with my grandmother who passed away this year. I’m thankful that I have a place to live. I’m thankful for the adventures I’ve had.

I’m also thankful for all of the great people I’ve met through surfing. These folks have kept me sane, kept me employed, and kept me stoked.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my life. Many happy years and many happy waves to you.

Surf: 2ft with a few larger 4ftish waves. Mellow, Clean.

In keeping with the theme of surfing big breaks on small days, Chris and I went back to Montara. It was mellow, clean, and best of all, uncrowded. I think at the most there were 5 people out and a few skim boarders. I was expecting it to be steeper like the last time out so I was struggling to get into the soft waves on my 9′.

Chris and I swapped boards. He got a few good waves on the 9′ which is about a foot and a half shorter, an inch thinner, and probably an inch narrower than his. It looked like a toy but he managed to make it work. I, on the other hand, still kooked things up on the 10’6. Some days are just like that. I also manage to put my whole hand inside a jellyfish while paddling out. Sigh.

After packing up, I sat on the cliff and watched the evening shift catch a few waves. There were dolphins goofing off outside the lineup and I got a kick of watching other surfers laugh and smile catching small waves. Not a bad day, even with the kookiness.

Surf: Waist High+ dumpy, mushy waves. Warm and Sunny.

It’s good to be back. 5 days on dry hot earth is too much and the pile of work waiting for me when I got back wasn’t helping.

Surfed a short bit. Got a few waves in. Saw a dolphin take a wave on in inside.
Chris got lots of stellar long lefts in. Nice work.

Great sunset over the water. ++

Here’s on parting image from the desert experience. Gotta love the west coast where even camping involves funny costumes and hats.

Surf: Knee-Waist High, Little junky

Went on a wavehunt this morning. Drove by OB, the whole Pacifica coast, all the way down to Half Moon Bay. Pretty mellow, pretty warbly. Wound up surfing longer than I’d though, getting a few fun waves. Nice to be out. New waves to come soon.

SURF: Inconsistent, but decent waves. Waist high and mushy at the center of the beach, shoulder+ and steep at the north end. Increased frequency and closeouts as the day went on.

Mmm, 6am on New Years Day. Driving out I got to watch what was left of the Blue Moon through the trees in Golden Gate park. Not a terrible way to start the new year.

Waves were a little slow, not the excitement packed day I’d had the day before, but decent. I got in two solid rides but mostly paddled around happy to be in the water. I surfed 7-11 then watched Josh pick off waves on the north end as things started to get rougher. Once he’d had enough of the closeouts and shorebreak, we headed off to Montara to check out the waves before having a MASSIVE lunch at Half Moon Bay Brewing company.

One little bummer thing I noticed, my board’s dinged from a drop in collision the day before. I was going right, guy dropped in headed left. It’s a small ding but it will need attention. I’m debating fixing it myself but with the coming work week it might be beneficial to take it in and get the work done faster.

All and all though, not a bad surfventure day. Lots of laughing and some waves. Sure beats getting up early for just about anything else