Tag: dawn patrol

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Not Summer

2014-MT-03-25a

2014-MT-03-25b

Surf: 3.9 ft at 16.0 s from the W at 281°. High tide.

The usual spot was looking pretty flat on the high tide (and pink, thanks to the sunrise), so we continued on. Sadly the spot I was hoping to hit was not yet in summer form.

I’m not sure why I paddled out. I think I wanted so badly to make it work or to think I could make it work. The waves were shifty, fast, and raw. I paddled out. I looked around. I got clobbered by a set and went right back in.

It wasn’t even a bad clobbering. I wasn’t down long, I didn’t get drug, I didn’t hit the bottom. But for whatever reason, I freaked out. No excuses. It was frustrating. Even on the beach I was still huffing and puffing watching Chris go for waves and really wasn’t feeling better to he was back on shore. Sigh. I really thought I’d been doing better managing surf-related fear, but I’m not sure it’s working.

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Closeout crowd

2014-LM-03-20

Surf: 7.9 ft at 14.8 s from the W at 279°

Hooo. Crowded out there today. I’m not sure I’ve seen so many beginner shortboarders trying to get in to shallow water closeouts.

With the longboard I was able to squeeze plenty of rides out of the whompfest, but not without a face full of sand and silt here and there. Plus banging around into my board.

Around the end of the session there was a moment when there wasn’t a single wave in sight. Everything turned into a mixed up wash. Huh. I tried to belly in but there were just so many people in thigh deep water on the inside. Oookay. I suppose you could surf there if you really wanted.

Paddled up a little further to an empty spot to take one in.

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Hull + 38th

2014-SC38-03-17

Surf: 12.5 ft at 14.8 s from the WNW at 298°

Solo surf mission this morning.

Took the hull out in SC for some super super fun ones. This has to be my favorite spot when the surf gets to be around chest to shoulder high. It was perfect for the hull. Most folks were at the larger point so I got wave after wave pretty much uninterrupted.

Today was all about hull-cutbacks. I tried to find myself on the cams to see if I could get another view of what it was I was doing, but sadly I couldn’t spot myself. It felt like I was rolling more on the middle belly and tail to keep myself in the pocket. Hulls don’t really “turn” the same way other boards do and I haven’t learned the BIG drawn out cutback people do on them. Any progress in being able to stay in the pocket rather than totally outrunning the wave is fine by me.

Last wave I got around section after section and pretty much hopped off my board on to the sand. Guy paddling in near me said “well, that seems like a good one to end on.” Pretty stoked.

Hull cutbacks can be graceful if you know how to do it:

Hull-O Malibu – Sea Movies from www.KORDUROY.tv on Vimeo.

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Not so bad

2014-LM-03-14

Surf: 6.2 ft at 13.8 s from the W at 267°

Today looked absolutely awful, but was super fun to surf. It’s always funny how that happens.

Took the longboard out for plenty of swoop and step practice. Sure it was sloppy, but it was workable and a few of us were working it. There were a couple gals (one on a log and one on a mid length) tearing it up. I got a few hoots and comments, too. It was a totally unexpected morning, given how it looked.

Of course this is only fueling my belief that I can only surf when the surf is crap 😉

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Like Waves

2014-LM-03-13

Surf: 8.5 ft at 16.0 s from the W at 271°

I think this is the most like a wave I’ve seen the usual spot be in ages. Of course, that made for some exciting crowding. It always amazes me when it’s only a light crowd, but that crowd is always getting itself in trouble. Sigh.

Ah well, I got some waves, didn’t run anyone over (not for their lack of trying), AND got some sunshine. Yay.

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Semi lousy

2014-LM-03-07a

2014-LM-03-07b

Surf: 9.8 ft at 12.9 s from the W at 261°

Brought my fish out this morning. Unfortunately waves were sectiony and lumpy and all around not that fun. Got a couple waves, but nothing terribly exciting. One day of many in the struggle to figure out this shortboard stuff. But hey, cool sky!

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Handplane

2014-LM-03-05a

2014-LM-03-05b

Surf: 6.2 ft at 14.8 s from the NW at 304°

Surf looks seriously closed out this morning so I skipped taking my board out and went for the handplane and fins.

I realized how out of shape I am about 3/4 of the way out. Huff puff huff puff. Still, it was pretty fun. Lots of sand in my ears and my eyes trying to get a barrel. I managed to lose BOTH fins on different waves. Thankfully I found them. There’s nothing sadder than one lonely fin.

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Bing!

2014-LM-02-25a

2014-LM-02-25b
Harbor seal bodysurfer

2014-LM-02-25c
Repairing the breakwall

Surf: 4.3 ft at 10.0 s from the W at 297°

Ben mentioned needing to part with his lovely Bing Gold Standard in order to make room for a new board on the way. After a week of agonizing (is 9’6 too big? Do I want this board? Should Chris buy this board instead of me?), I reluctantly passed and Chris snatched it up.

Of course I had to try it out. I did the sensible thing and waited till after he got some swooping big waves, some step-filled long waves, and a few closeouts before asking to ride it.

It’s fuuun. Stable, I got some walking around. Swooshy, I got some swooshing in.

I did totally manage to wreck myself falling on the fin. Got a nice bruise on my ribs and thigh, but still, fun morning. 😀

I want a fancy longboard now!

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Whale!

2014-OBL-02-24

Surf: 7.9 ft at 11.4 s from the W at 280°

Snuck out for a quick surf this morning. With the smaller swell and high tide, it was soft out there, but rideable. I didn’t really get any solid waves, but it’s been over a month since I took my fish out. My expectations were appropriately dialed I think.

One highlight of the morning, a whale swam by pretty dang close to us, surrounded by a pod of dolphins. I think that’s the closest I’ve been to a cruising whale.

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Post-storm

2014-LM-02-12

Surf: 4.6 ft at 11.4 s from the W at 268°. High Tide.

Not as groomed and smooth as last week, but still a fun little morning of logging. Saw plenty of friendly folks. Water seemed clean enough. Did a lot of delayed pop ups into grab rail hand drag loggy stunts. Not terribly much else. 🙂