GRAY, WET, AND COLD; FRI 12.17.2010 MORN

   

    I didn’t even set my alarm.  I was so drained from the last couple days’ lack of rest, surf, and substance abuse.  My body woke itself up at 5:48 A.M.  I was so cold, had a headache, and so warm in bed that I contemplated just sleeping in.  I thought about how I told Shan and J that I would be at El Porto at first light.  I got up and headed out the door.  J text me that he was there, and Shan asked me how it was.  I arrived at about half passed six.  J was still in his clothes.  It was clean.  The offshore wind was strong, there was a little texture in the water, but the conditions were still excellent.  The waves were just too small.  It was one to two feet, maybe three on the plus sets.  The bigger waves were racy in the middle, but the shoulders were rideable if you were in the right spot.  There were a lot of people suiting up and heading out.  The whole sky was canvassed with a blanket of impenetrable gray.  Towards Manhattan beach there was a sheet of white in the air.  It was barely sprinkling where we were.

    We paddled out in front of the bathrooms on the south edge of a crowd.  The sets were hogged by the main body, so we went further south by the sandwich shack and had our own peak.  Everything I caught fizzled out pretty fast.  J, once again, was able to get some long rides that opened up.  I looked around and saw some other guys getting some good rides.  I only got one right that gave me a clumsy top turn on the closing curl. 

    I was cold.  The lack of waves, wind, and inactivity was a combo that had me shaking in my wetsuit.  J left for work at seven forty.  I caught a couple of the set waves that broke way on the outside, but they didn’t open up for me.  As I looked towards 26th St. I could see more peaks rolling through there.  Maybe that was the place to be this morning.  I called the session at eight o’clock.  It was a good day for a longboard, and it might even get better with the lowering tide.  It’s a little wet out, and I’m still freezing just sitting on my couch.  I’m not sure if I’ll go out again today, but I know that the rain is coming in, and things may not be clear again until Monday.  It wasn’t a good week for surf, but I can only get better by getting in the water.  Good or bad, I have to paddle out.