Tracey

July 22, 2013July 23, 2013

Low tide fish

Surf: 3.9 ft at 9.1 s from the NNW at 329Â°. Low tide. Sideshore wind.

After a good surf in SC, I can set my expectations a little too high for old Linda Mar. The surf was small, closed out, and a bit choppy. It was surfable enough on the fish, so not too bad. I managed a full somersault wipeout. Haven’t done that in a while.

Chatted with a guy in the lineup who had asked about my longboard a week or so back and took a turn on Chris’s monster board. He’d picked up a 9’4 that was shaped by Gordon, just like my fish! 😀

Small world.

July 20, 2013July 23, 2013

Weekend

Surf: 3 ft at 16 s from the SSW at 196Â° rising tide. Light wind.

With a new swell coming after a long dry spell, I knew Santa Cruz would be crowded.

Most of the folks out at 38th were floating around, chatting, so it was pretty easy to pick off waves other people were letting roll past. Still, there were a few close calls when party waves got a little too crowded. For the most part, there were plenty of long rides.

I was starting to feel like a bit of a wave hog as the day went on. We surfed for four hours. At one point, I got an early wave in a set then picked off a later wave on my way back out. No one had cone for it and I was in exactly the right spot, I just had to do it. After that, I let a few sets go, hoping others would snag a good one.

I tried to work on my noseriding again. I had one or two waves where I got really far up. I’m sure it looked beyond awkward. I tried to find myself on the cams, to confirm my inner cringe, but sadly every time I took off on a wave, the camera panned. ARG.

I’m hoping to get some lessons in this year. I want to work on my style and longboarding competence.

The ride back, we went up the coast. Dog out the window. Checking all the surf spots. Sunburned and happy.

July 17, 2013July 17, 2013

Shorebreak

Surf: 2.6 ft at 9.1 s from the WNW at 296Â°

After yesterday’s fun, I had my fingers crossed more little waves. While the wind was lighter and a less crazy, but the waves were smaller too.

There were still a few fun rides, but we were basically riding the shorebreak. Lots of wobbling, lots of kicking out at the very last moment before crashing into the beach, lots of faceplants into closeouts. I got a pretty solid faceplant that stung pretty good, but also got lots of little link ups that worked out just fine.

July 16, 2013July 17, 2013

Might as well

Surf: 2.6 ft at 13.8 s from the SW at 223Â°

I had hopes of a south wind, but the cams were showing ragged and barely breaking mush. The break in person didn’t look that much better.

Ah well. At least there were friendly folks out or on their way, so I suited up.

The session turned out to be pretty fun. Lots of laughing. And the waves even cleaned up a bit, how about that? Everybody got a few fun ones. Wow. Worth getting wet. 🙂

July 15, 2013July 17, 2013

Mixed up

Surf: 3.9 ft at 9.1 s from the NW at 323Â°

Met up with Beamer and John this morning. Pretty slim pickings around, but something working at Montara. I fell on my face a lot. Switching back and forth between longer boards and my fish, I get all off rhythm and,fall pretty much straight on my face. Sigh.

I was trying really hard not to gush about how cool I think the boards John shapes are. Both of them were on one and those boards looked pretty fun. Dang.

Session was short and sadly the waves were cleaning up as we packed up. Got at least one good one in, so I’m happy.

July 14, 2013July 17, 2013

Sunday Finday

Surf: 3.9 ft at 8.3 s from the NW at 310Â°

I swapped out the A-flex fin that came with my Vaquero for a gl-flex fin I borrowed from Beamer. The waves are a little sloppy to really test it, but man, it’s different. I can’t tell exactly how it’s different, but it feels like the board snaps around. Maybe it’s more out of control, I can’t really tell both cause I don’t really know what I’m doing and because of waves.

The whole session turned out to be pretty fun. Some long rides. Brien’s brother got a few and it’s only his second time surfing ever, that’s always fun to see. All and all, decent sunday.

July 12, 2013July 17, 2013

Friday Fish Fest

Surf: 4.6 ft at 8.3 s from the NW at 315Â°

Finally, something with some size on it. Of course, that means bigger closeouts, but yay! something to try the fish out on. I got a few late drops, a few fast waves, a few good sloshes around with blown takeoffs and botched duck dives, but there’s sunshine and waves. Not bad.

Saw Brien get a great duck dive in. From where I was sitting it looked like he was about to get crushed, but he came out okay. Always nice to see friend get not-clobbered.

July 11, 2013July 11, 2013

Thursday Low Tide

Surf: 3.3 ft at 7.7 s from the WNW at 287Â°. Low Tide. West winds.

The swell has come up from yesterday’s shin scrapers, but things are a little jumbled. More wind, too.

Got a few waves that worked. I got one just right to get in some turns and a weak attempt at a cutback. Most of the other rides were cruisers all the way in to the shore. I’ll take it.

Got a real nice belly ride in at the end too. Hooo.

July 10, 2013July 10, 2013

Super small, super shallow

Surf: 2.6 ft at 14.8 s from the S at 187Â°. Low tide. Calm winds.

Small waves out there today, breaking in equally shallow water. My first wave out, I had a few fun little turns before falling and landing on my back in a few inches of water. Ouch.

It was steep enough to make it plenty fun, but still hilariously small. There was a guy out on a soft top fish that looked like the prefect board for today. He got some nice ones right in the pocket.

Water’s super clear. Got to watch all the Dungeness crabs scurry away while I zipped around above them.

Fun enough!

July 9, 2013July 9, 2013

Summer spot check

Surf: 2.6 ft at 10.0 s from the WNW at 250Â°. Low tide. 4-8knot NW winds.

More fish time, now at one of my favorite summer spots. Wind was up and things were a little lumpy and slow, but hey, still rideable. 😀 Super clear water and lots of friends too. I’ll take it.

A guy in the lot joked about how he was hoping to get a shot of someone surfing but all we were doing was floating around. That pretty much sums up how this summer has been. I still had fun anyway.