Author: Tracey

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Ocean Beach Paddle

Surf: Start – Waist High, Finish – Head high. Clean, lully.

Yay, another mellow Ocean Beach day! Or at least a day that looked like it was going to be mellow…

Paddling out the waves were very mellow. Waist high sets would roll through with some frequency but the paddle was relatively easy. After a few waves, it was pretty evident that the size was increasing.

I’ve been pretty lucky my last few times out at Ocean Beach. I’ve been out on mellow days with low to no current and an easy paddle. Today was a bit harder. I had at least two paddles back to the lineup that must have taken at least 20-30 minutes. It may not seem like very long compared to the 45 minute paddles most folks do on bigger days, but on my longboard unable to duck dive it was a lot of punching, pushback, punching, paddling, pushback, etc etc.

I was really starting to appreciate those lulls. Whew.

I got some pretty dang fun waves today. Lots of big drops, long rides, and swooping turns. I got one big one on the outside that was quite a drop. There was a moment when I was screaming down the line that I realized all the shortboarders on the inside were looking at me with some very wide eyes. I’m sure it was a mix of “that girl on the longboard is going to run me over” and “I am about to take a pretty big wave on the head.” I hope I did everything right to not embarrass myself. I made my drop, I didn’t run anyone over, and I almost made it to the shoulder after a few tentative turns.

After a few more lovely waves, I decided to go for another big one. I was way too deep. I fell out of the air, attempted to still land, bit it, then went over the falls with my longboard. Oww. I managed to whack my forearm and my shin on the rail pretty good while swashing around, but hey, I didn’t “lose” my board I guess.

I paddled back out to shake it off before getting a super fun right all the way to the beach. Fun fun.

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Crumbly Sunday

Surf: Thigh-Waist+ and Crumbly. Very textured.

I wasn’t going to surf. I had plans to work, do laundry, and other rather dull things. As usual, a little bit of nudging got me out of the house and down to the beach.

Conditions were pretty much not great. Onshore winds, small crumbly waves, and lots and lots of disappointed shortboarders.

Luckily I have a lot of experience surfing junk. ;D

I got a handful of scrappy shoulders in. After one especially long ride doding section after section, another surfer paddled over to me and said “That last ride you got convinced me it was worth paddling back out for one more.”

Made me feel pretty warm and fuzzy on an otherwise cold and crummy surf day. Hopefully my wave didn’t lead the poor dude astray.

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High Tide Logging at Ocean Beach

Surf: Waist-Chest High, smooth, and super mellow. 4′ @ 10s, NW.

I love mellow days at Ocean Beach. I get to surf with folks I don’t normally get to surf with and the change of scenery is nice.

With the high tide things were pretty soft. I had a few embarrassing moments paddling out and paddling for waves. I’m still huffing and puffing from being sick and I”m always nervous at Ocean Beach since I don’t normally surf there. After a few blown waves, I got into a much better groove.

Stoooooked. I got a few nice drops followed by long swooping rides. Beautiful morning too!

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Pink Sunrise

Surf: Low tide, low wind, little bit messy. WH-CH.

Nice sunrise and better than expected conditions given the tide and how lousy conditions had been lately. Still not that great. Lots of closeouts. I got a wave or two that counted 1) as a wave and 2) as fun. CAn’t beat that big pink sky tho. Wow!

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Back in the Water – Afternoon Session

Surf: Waist-Chest High. Still clean, but more closed out.

After surfing with Beamer and Nicole in the morning, I swing by Ocean Beach to see if I could spot Matt and Brian in the water. They were already out and grumbling about conditions and wanted to check out Linda Mar. I agreed to head back down and paddle out again.

I love my Isurus wetsuit, but MAN is it hard to get into when it’s sopping wet. This is why I need a second one 😉

After lots of tugging and pulling, I was good to go.

Still pretty smooth and clean with no wind, lots more pep and push, but more clouseouts. Waist-Chest high with some larger waves hiding in sets. I’m def still not up to 100% after being sick. Getting caught inside on the larger sets I did not want to be under water or holding my breath. Still wheezy.

Got some fun waves before the tide dropped and it all turned to junk. After that had some tasty soup out of Brian’s camper van and a nice sunset.

Stoked to be back!

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Back in the Water – Morning Session

Surf: Waist High, mellow, and clean.

After two weeks dry with a miserable cold, I picked up a double session today. Fair in the morning with no wind, good shoulders holding up, and long mellow waist high waves. Lots of fun on the longboard.

I attempted Beamer’s tiny asymmetrical board. Of course the big set had to come through as we were switching boards. I ducked the first wave, but the leash didn’t hold on the second and away the little board went. I swam and swam and eventually got it back, paddled it back out, and went for a wave. Didn’t get into anything, but mighty fun trying (and fun watching Beamer and Nicole try my board out.)

It was nice to be back on my log after a few attempts on that little board.

Nice morning!

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Bleak

Surf: WH-HH and alternating between soft and hollow. 6′ @ 14s, NW.

Holy Holiday Heros. With rain, howling offshores, and some good size I wasn’t expecting to see so many people in the water. Chris was kind enough to help a guy with his wetsuit on inside out as he chased his finless, waxless board across the parking lot. Poor guy was getting in the water for the first time…on a dumping head high day. Yikes.

In all honesty, I’m not really one to talk. I was out there coughing and sneezing and feeling miserable. I should have stayed home too. I wussed out on quite a few waves but snagged a pretty fun ride or two.

There were some beaut little barrels rolling through, but all and all a bleak friday.

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Quad Practice

Surf: WH-CH and a little zippy.

Ahh, learning a shorter board. I know I’ve got to put in my time and pay my dues, but blowing waves is noooo fun.

I got one really nice wave off the bat that made me feel plenty competent. After that, it was kook kook kook. I blew the takeoff on TWO solid waves that were set up right for me. Argh! Watching those beauties peel on by without me was heartbreaking. To add injury to insult, I managed to cut my foot getting closed out on by another wave. Yeowch.

Well, gotta keep at it!

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Bodysurf Classic

Bodysurf: Way way WAY overhead with a booking current.

Lots of pretty famous bodysurf folks were in town for the Save The Waves Film festival and the SF premiere of “Come Hell or High Water.” Some SF folks put together a bodysurfing competition to celebrate.

I have to say, it was pretty awesome to see folks like Mark Cunningham bodysurf in person. Looked like everyone was having a heck of a time. The park service had a few sad words about permits and plovers that will hopefully be kinks to work out next year. All around fun morning.

Check out the Surfermag article by local bodysurfer Mark Lukach.

Come Hell or High Water Trailer:

Bodysurf Competition Trailer:

Get to the Beach! from ***** on Vimeo.

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Start of Cold Mornings

Surf: Waist-Chest High. Mushy to closed out.

It’s starting to get a little chilly in the morning! I’ve been getting excited thinking about sandbars, emptier lineups, and cleaner conditions. Ahh.

Today wasn’t exactly one of those days tho. Not bad, but days where waves are either crazy mushy or crazy closed out can be tricky. Short rides and wash. Not terrible.