FLATSPELL, SUN 7.24.2011 MOR

Crew: Khang, Klaude

Ran into: Rick, Jimmy, Jack, Dave

Time: 0740-0900, 1 hr. & 20 min.

Conditions: Serious overcast, light onshore winds, 1-2 ft., weak, crumbly, consistent, medium crowd.

     Klaude was adamant about surfing today, so I made sure to at least make an attempt to check it out.

     I start the car at 0600, and I already get a text from rick saying that 26^th St. is only one foot and weak. I give him a call, and he tells me to meet him at Porto. We shoot the shit in the parking lot, and then he goes to the porta potty next to the bathrooms to actually take a shit. He tells me that he and his budz surfed Oxnard yesterday, and it was shoulder high, clean, but weak. The surf is dismal; we're over it. Rick says, “None of those guys that I tex'd this morning even responded.”

     We end up at the Blue Butterfly in El Segundo before it's even open. He fills me in on more secret spots up north that he's going to show me in the future and how those waves break. Just then, Klaude sends me a text. I tell him that I'm skipping out on the surf this morning, but his dad developed my pictures from Uluwatu, and Klaude has them.

     I tell Rick that I'll see him later, he takes my JS to touch up the tail repair, and he offers his fish just in case I paddle out. I park in the lower lot next to the bang bus. To my surprise, Jimmy is there with his wife and kids, Rick's other friend Jack shows up, and Gary and Dave T. are already in the line up. I text Rick to let him know that all of his friends are here. “You have to paddle out now,” says Klaude. The surf is only two feet, but it doesn't look as bad as expected. I have Rick's fish, but I figure that I can at least get some turnless rides just going down the line.

     Things are in the sand. I don't know what they are, but they feel sharp and poke my feet as I'm walking out. Glass? I jump on my board to avoid touching the bottom. The fish feels different; it's so broad and buoyant that I can barely duckdive it. I expect the small surf to be easier to catch, and I catch a one footer with ease. It's a different feeling. The nose of the fish feels so wide that it's slowing me down as I drop in. It feels more like a sluggish boat. But then again, the surf is so small that I doubt my thruster would have any speed in this surf. I practice Randy's “turn and go” technique where he spins himself around using his knees only. I still don't have it down, but it helps me catch another wave right as I paddle back out, outpositioning a guy that has been sitting in the line up for a while. I know it's bad to be greedy, so I distance myself when I get back. It's 0800, and I tell Klaude that we need to feed the meters. When we get to our cars Klaude swaps his thruster out for Dais's fish.

     In the lineup, Klaude paddles north to talk to the local regulars while Khang and I stay in front of the lifeguard tower. It's a mellow morning. The crowd is thin, there are enough waves for everyone, the surf is small but consistent, and we catch little rides the whole time. It changes my perspective on the tiny conditions. I skipped out on Friday and Saturday because I knew the surf was small, but even a morning like this is worth a paddle out. I need to be more optimistic and make the best out of what the ocean has to offer.

     Klaude is the first to exit the water signaling our expired meters. Deathwish Dave is on the sand talking with him. Khang and I catch our last waves in. I say hi to Dave and express my regret that we've missed each other. Klaude stays another half hour, as Khang and I head back to the cars.

     When I check my phone, Rick's replied to my last text. He wrote: Those hotos never replied 2 me. Yeah, bummer. I also have a missed text from Cheryl asking if we're surfing today. I figure that she had a late start. So the surf looks flat for this upcoming week. I'm not sure where I'll find myself. I hope there's a swell upgrade or some kind of unexpected pulse.