TIME: 0630 - 0900, 2.5 hrs.
WATER: Not too cold, consistent, head high to over head, high tide, difficulty on inside, not too crowded.
It was exactly six days ago since the last time I surfed. Since then we had a DRC Xmas dinner. We were all pumped to surf again and talked about paddling out on Thursday or Friday. This morning was a must. With only Shan and Rick on the roster, I was looking forward to a good sesh with some buddies. Despite going to bed at 0200, I sprung out of bed at 0545 without a problem. M wetsuit was bone dry from being out of service. I changed at my apartment and made my way down to the beach. I didn’t feel like taking advantage of the free spots on 45th; I felt like being closer in the lot. Just as I parked I sent the text out to let everyone know what was up. Rick was already in the lot, and I got texts from Shan and Dais that they weren’t going to make it. The white wash appeared brown and foamy, but I hoped that it was just the lack of light producing that effect. As the darkness dissipated, I could see that the waves were consistent, and the peaks looked about head high, maybe even a little overhead on the plus sets. I could already tell that it would be a tough paddle out.
On the way to walk to Rick, I saw his friend Gary pull up. Parked next to Rick was Dave T. Gary gave us all gifts of sex wax. Extremely inexpensive, but better than a cheap shirt. We stretched in front of 42nd. Dave paddled out first, but I took a page out of Randy’s Book of Surfing, and I waited for the lull and found a channel. Miraculously, I only had to duckdive a couple waves to get to the line. Since the tide was coming up, the waves seemed to break a little late, but sometimes some outside sets came. The plus sets were amazing. They were big and peaky; some were a little hollow. We even saw some guys further south getting slotted. The current took us north, and I still didn’t have a wave to claim. Rick obviously didn’t waste any time and started doing his thing. I caught a couple waves that were too fast and closed out right away. Not every wave had good shape; some were walled, but every set had a good wave that came with it.
I knew I made the right decision waking up to surf when I saw the sun rays hitting the patchy clouds. They turned to pink cotton candy around the edges with the blue sky showing its face for the first time in almost a week. Despite the treacherous inside, the line up was calm with just a little wind. It was a good day for surf.
My wave of the day was a plus sized right that broke outside of the line up. Rick and I saw it at the same time. Just as I started to paddle for it he said, “You might want to be careful on that one!” It didn’t matter; I had already committed. I caught it right at the peak. The drop was steep and fun. I managed a rail grab while going backside. It would’ve been perfect for a barrel, but this wave was just big and unhollow. The section opened long. I was actually so stoked that I made the drop, that it didn’t click that I should pump down the line and try to get a turn in. I bottom turned and stalled at the lip before I fell. The speed from the drop sent me down the line a distance. When I resurfaced I saw those three guys cheering and stoked for me. Gary said he saw the rail grab; it’s nice when your friends actually see you do something cool because a lot of those moments are only etched in memory.
I tried to duplicate that ride, but I didn’t get another open face, or I’m just not at the level to take full advantage of days like this. I paddled in to feed the meter and returned. My second paddle back out was a complete fail. I’m still trying to get my duckdiving technique down, and I wasn’t pulling it off. Ground hog day effect, I was on a treadmill of white wash- stationary. I thought of that movie The Never Ending Story because the waves seemed “never ending,” and it was starring me, the guy that’s stuck on the inside. I had to turn around and rest on shore before another attempt. I felt defeated as I examined the little bits of trash that washed up on the water’s edge. I made another attempt. I thought I timed it right, but I got pounded again: paddle, paddle, submerge, lose board, grab board, paddle, paddle, set wave, duckdive, resurface, blinding bright light, white wash, then … a lull. … I thought it wasn’t meant to be, but a second paddle out was written for me on this day. Exhausted, I turned around with gaping mouth and all. I saw Gary fighting to get to the line, too. When we met he told me that he drifted all the way from 45th; we were on the north side of the tanks!
I watched Rick and Dave get some long rides almost all the way to shore. It felt like such a long paddle out. It seemed like minutes before I saw Dave returning from the inside. I caught a couple more insignificant waves and called it a little before 0900. Rick, Dave, and I perched and checked out the surf after getting all dried and changed. Then whattaya know? These guys changed out of their dry clothes and put on those dripping wetsuits again for another session. Jesus, I thought to myself. I contemplated, but I was done. All that paddling killed me; I was drained. I said my goodbyes, and now I sit here in my apartment full from last night’s left over Thai food and a cup of coffee. Second session?
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