Tag: california

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Getting somewhere

2013-LM-02-15a

2013-LM-02-15b

Surf: 7.6 ft at 16.0 s from WNW at 296° Low and incoming tide.

After Wednesday I had pretty low expectations and a pretty high frustration level.

I brought my longboard and I’m glad I did. Fun lefts! Nothing perfect, but fun. Plus it doesn’t hurt to feel competent. Oh and there was a whale. And sunshine.

The whole morning got me thinking. There were plenty of closeouts today. Sure it was a little smaller than wednesday and there was a bigger chance of the wave staying open, but still closed out for sure. This problem I’ve had with closeouts started with me getting clobbered last winter over and over again. It seems to be worse when I’m on a smaller board, probably because I can’t get into waves as early and have to deal with a steeper drop. But it seems like it shouldn’t be THAT much easier on a log. I’d really like to figure this out. As much as I love riding my longboard, I’m getting tired of the frustration on my shorter boards.

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Fat lip

2013-LM-02-13

Surf: 6.9 ft at 12.9 s from WNW at 289°. Low, outgoing tide.

I snuck out early for a sunset surf, hoping conditions had cleaned up since yesterday. They had not.

There were corners here and there, but for the most part the waves closed out. I didn’t get into anything on the shorter board, so I paddled around, ducking here and there. One failed duck dive, my face went right into the rail. Oww. Thankfully it only bled for a few moments, and didn’t puff up too bad. It didn’t help with me feeling competent, but otherwise no harm done.

Stayed out till it was almost dark, rode some whitewater in.

This shorter board stuff is so hit of miss. Some days I’m on, the rest, skunked. So frustrating!

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Drop

2013-JT-02-12

Surf: 11.2 ft at 16.0 s from the WNW at 297°

Last week’s winds seem to have teamed up with this morning’s unfavorable tides to make the surf less than exciting looking from the shore. I’d been out of the water for a week, so I passed on the usual spot and went looking for something working a little better.

That’s not to saw what I found was any better. It was passable and passable seemed worth getting wet for.

For the most part, waves were warbly, reflecting, or closed out, but I managed to sneak in one really nice drop.

I’ve been poking around on my Vaquero lately, picking up mushy beach break waves rather that waves with a little more push. This wave had some push. I forgot my little board could go that fast.

I took a wide bottom turn, way out in front of the wave, leaning super far into the face, just holding on by my toes. The board snapped up into the pocket like those little hulls do. Now this would have been the makings of a _great_ wave (for the day that is), but as I set up to take the line, the whole wave started pitching over and I jumped into the face hoping to avoid get smacked by the lip. Not only did it not work, but I should’ve just gone for it. Ahh well.

Oh, the guy in the photo I took for today’s surf, made the wave, got a nice drop, then claimed it big time. 😀
It made me smile. On days like today you need all the wins you can get.

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Midday Surf

2013-LM-02-01

Surf: 4.3 ft at 12.9 s from W at 277°

Ugh. I woke up feeling like craaaaap. Chris couldn’t surf and I’d overslept so Brien was already at the beach and suiting up. I wasn’t feeling another round of noodle arms at Ocean Beach so I buried myself under the covers and sulked back to sleep.

Around the tide change I decided I needed to get over my grumpiness and go to work or get out and surf before the new swell and winds hit. I drug myself out of the house and down to the beach.

Sun. So much sun. Sun and whales jumping. Sometimes midday surfing just seems too perfect to be real (that’s what the crowds are for, to keep the fantasy in check. Winds too if you’re really unlucky.)

I jumped into my wetsuit superquick and found a spot in the crowd.

Waves were mellow but with some fun long rides. I caught plenty on the 6’10, falling on my face a few times due to lack of wax. But I did manage a few competent swooping ones. Wheee.

Tide came up and headed to work.

Still not feeling 100%, but a little better.

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Fishy fishy fish

2013-OB-01-31

Surf: 2.6 ft at 15.4 s from the W at 262°

Beamer let me borrow a 5’10 quad fish he’d learned on. I’ve had it in a corner waiting for me to stop battling with my 6’10 for a few sessions to take it out.

Ocean Beach was looking mellow enough today to give it a shot.

After paddling and paddling and paddling I finally made it out. While to board is a breeze to duck dive, it’s a workout to paddle.

I’ve been working on challenging my scaredy-catness, but being on a new board might have been too much to tackle all at once. I almost got in to one wave, but just missed it. Others I was way too outside for. Others I completely panicked trying to duck under because I was too far inside. Sigh.

I did manage to finally get an inside wave in.

The board seems fun. I’m looking forward to trying it out on some easier waves to better get the hang of it. Hopefully one day it’ll be zipping along at Ocean Beach nice and happy.

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Not skunked!

2013-LM-01-25

Surf: 7.6 ft at 14.8 s from WNW at 294°. Rising mid tide.

Yessss. Finally getting waves on my 6’10 again.

It’s such a relief after struggling and struggling. The waves I got weren’t amazing, but they were waves and there were plenty of them. I’m trying to work on committing to waves, giving a few extra paddles, and popping up quick. I still missed a few waves, but it’s nice just to get moving around again. I really want to get the hang of this board.

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Nearly Skunked

2013-LM-01-22a

2013-LM-01-22b

Surf: 4.9 ft at 16.0 s from WNW at 295°. High tide.

Hmm.

I was hoping there was enough energy in the water to get my favorite little spot working despite the tide. There wasn’t. Instead it was a mix of long lulls, broken up by HUGE closeouts and small peeling waves. I’d decided to give my little board another shot, but was getting nowhere.

I get into such a headgame when it’s closing out. I’m fine on the big board (which is way more of a battering ram in those conditions,) but on the little board I’m stuck. I just don’t commit and as a result, I don’t get into waves. I paddled around, trying to keep warm, before heading south.

Facing total skunkage, I swapped boards with Andrew. He had a rad 8’4 hot gen hully thing. Super smooth. I finally got something. First time riding leashless and of course I blew it and lost the board on a closeout set. Sigh. No harm done except to my pride. Fun to watch Andrew cruising around on my 6’10.

I gotta figure out whatever’s not working right between me and that board. I’m at that point where I have to decide if I keep frustrating myself trying to get past the holdup, or go back to my 9’4 for the winter so I feel like I actually know how to surf. Hmm.

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Sheltered

2013-BO-01-20

Surf: 7.9 ft at 20.0 s from WNW at 288°

With all the local spots all time epic huge and dazzling, I headed north for some less-than-epic waist high Bo waves.

Fun drive up putting the car through it’s paces, but averageish to slightly above averageish surf. When I first got there, it was punchy but small. I got in some nice long rides, swooping back between right and left trying to dodge the sections. It was fun. I was satisfied with my more-cutback-like cutbacks.

Got to see a stingray and the sun set behind the Farallones. That’s good enough for me.

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Thursday Sunset

2013-OB-01-17a

2013-OB-01-17b

Surf: 2.3 ft at 13.3 s from the W at 270°

Yesterday’s sunshine and fresh air was pretty great, so I decided to sneak out again for a few more waves.

It’s been ages since I’ve taken my 9’4 out at Ocean Beach. I usually take my tri-fin longboard, but it’s still dinged, so single fin it was. A few waves were hilariously kooky. We’d camped out on a mushier smaller peak so there was plenty of room to goof off. I got one really fun wave along the seam of the rip. Broke right, left, right, left again. Worked on getting up the nose a bit for some great faceplants.

Great sunset, dolphins, all that good stuff.

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Montara Late Shift

2013-MT-01-16

Surf: 3.0 ft at 14.8 s from NW at 307°

After Monday’s ice cold morning, a late shift warm and sunny surf in small waves sounded absolutely perfect.

The surf has been small and clean so we headed to Montara. It was a short, but nice little sesh. Clean, peeling, knee to chest high waves. Lots of fun on the longboard.

I’ve finally been getting some good waves again. I’m not sure if it’s the longboard or that I’m working harder on committing to waves or that I’m finally starting to get my thyroid stuff back in check so I have more energy.

I got one really nice wave that I thought for sure I was too far inside to get. I went for it and it paid off. Fun, fast and the wave of the day for this short little session. Yeeew. I still chickened out on that last little section in the shallows, but overall, it seems like progress.

Saw a sea lion napping in the sun on the beach. Everyone’s loving the sunshine after so much cold.