STAYCATION SESSIONS--TRESTLES: FRI 8.13.2011 MOR

Crew: Al
Met: Ecuadorian John
Conditions: 3-5 ft., clean, glassy, slight offshore, overcast, cool.



Salvation:


    My body wakes itself up at 0514. I sit up and see Al already getting his gear ready. I step outside and only feel a light offshore breeze. It’s not even first light yet, so we can’t see the waves. The plan is to meet Al’s surf mentor John at Uppers. When Al lived down south, Uppers was where he surfed most consistently. We walk off in the darkness, and one guy is already paddling out at Middles. Finally, there are scattered peaks and the water looks glassy. It’s not even 0600, and I already count fourteen heads at Lowers. When we get to Uppers, Al finds John’s bike, so we put our slippers there.

    I’ve never surfed the main Uppers peak before. It’s a really long peak that produces a long right-hander. There’s a left that breaks, but it’s mainly a right. Al warns me about the shallowness of the inside. He walks out while I warm up. The water feels a little cooler than the previous mornings, and I make my way towards Al and John. Uppers is a little crowded, but it’s much more spread out than Lowers. Clean four foot peaks form in front of us. John and Al take a party wave together to start things off. A peaky wave comes my way, but I don’t make the section, so someone on my outside takes it. They are sitting at the main take off zone, and I’m not digging the crowd. Even though it’s not Lowers, there are still a lot of people there for one wave. Out of frustration, I paddle south of the main pack, and as I do, an outside wave appears in the horizon. No one else is in position. This morning the waves are working. That classic shape that I’ve referred to before, it’s here. The wave’s about four feet high, starts off with a steep drop, and has a nice speed section. After a couple pumps I pull off a clean top turn and reenter. On my second top turn I stall on the lip and am forced to kick out. No matter. It’s the wave I’ve been dreaming of before the trip started, minus the overcast.

    On the next set, I scratch out on all the waves, so I head back to the guys to see if my luck will change there. Same thing. Every time there’s a wave, someone’s already on it. Al does much better in crowds. Back at the outside, I wait to see if I can score again. Like clockwork, a set appears, but I have to chase it down. I paddle into the wave right at the peak, as the lip’s starting to curl. Angled sharply down the face, I make the drop and feel the rush of air through my body. It’s a long right, and I’m milking it as much as I can. It’s a three turn wave which, for me, is good. I’m stoked on life again as I paddle back. The set’s not over. Another big one pops up, but there’s a chick on my outside that’s going for it too. She looks back, sees me, I pop up, and she backs out. It’s another Hail Mary of a wave. I get as many turns as I can and find myself far away from the lineup when my ride’s over.

    Al’s waiting on the sand for me. We have to cut the session short because he’s driving back up north. I fail to catch a last one, so I have to paddle in. I help them pack, see them off, and eat some sandwiches from the leftovers in the cooler. I could’ve just stayed out, but it’ll be a while before I see him again, and I have to choose his friendship over the waves, at least on this morning. Now I pack up my stuff and move closer to Churches. Double sesh?