TRESTLES: SURF BUM SHELTER, FRI 3.18.2011 EVE

CREW: Solo
FLAKES OF THE DAY: None
RAN INTO: No one
TIME: 1600 - 1800, 2 hrs.
CONDITIONS: Clear skies, onshore wind, low tide, slight south current, three feet, inconsistent, long lulls, mostly rights and a couple lefts, good shape.

    Instead of chillin’ on the sand, like how I did during my last staycation, I ended up lying down in the back of my wagon. Well, first I had a loner picnic and devoured all of my food. I was drained from that first session. Oreo cookies saved my life!

    I parked under a shaded tree to read a book, but then passers-by kept staring at the brown monkey trying to sleep in his car, so I drove closer to where I parked in the morning.

    I backed my car up so the rear hatch faced the ocean. It was amazing. I read Ronald Dahl’s Switch Bitch (for school) until I got tired and fell asleep. I woke up here and there to a couple text messages and phone calls, but I loved having the view of the ocean at my feet. I watched some little longboard waves roll by as I drifted back to nappy-poo status.

    At 1530 I woke up to get ready for round two. Low tide was at 1500, so I figured that I’d let an hour slide by to let the tide rise a little. A major transformation took place, as the tide was so low that all the rocks were exposed on the drained shoreline. I walked all the way to Cristianitos trail again, and then I turned around to check out Middles--the same spot. There were about five people there, and it looked like the best bet again. It was just a little sloppier because the winds were blowing on shore, but the spilling waves still had open faces accompanied with them.
    My walk out to deep water was long and treacherous. The stones were slippery, and I took great care not to twist an ankle or step on any unwelcoming surprises. I looked like a drunken orangutan trying to walk a tight-rope.
    I finally made it to waist deep water and paddled out, and then . . . I waited. Gawd damn, another long ass wait. More surfers approached as I sat, and the same main peak in the morning was being hogged again. This time, there were a lot of little grommies, but those little kids were ripping it. I still got the random sets that broke by me. I got another outside right. I remember how I got lucky. When the set came, two groms paddled for the first wave. Since only one got the wave, the other kid was out of position. By the time he saw the second wave approaching I was already making a beeline for it. The wave cloud-breaked on top of me, and it gave me so much speed that it set me up perfectly when I dropped in. I remember looking down the long open face and seeing about a half dozen guys, bobbing up and down on their boards, watching me, as I came pumping down the line. I love the feeling of bottom turning up the face. My arms outstretch wide to set myself up, my eyes looking up the wave, and then it happens. I hit the lip, and then I’m looking down the wave ready to do it again. Also, I actually got a really good left. It was exactly what I’ve been wishing for: a left to practice my turns on. I did my best to get some good front-side carves on the lip, something is still wrong with my body mechanics, but I know I’m getting closer. I focused all my efforts on pushing hard on the tail. I pulled it off, but not with the speed and power that I wanted. Well, everything is just repetition; I just need more good lefts to practice on. I need a good south swell to generate some lefts.
    I didn’t feel like competing at the main peak. Those locals had it wired, and I didn’t want to get in there at that moment; I need a little more time there. The lull wasn’t worth the wait in the end, so I called it a day after two hours. Right now Trestles is my training ground. Each time I go there I feel like I’ve learned something or progressed a little further. I look forward to getting that spot wired.