SURPRISE-SURPRISE, SUN 16OCT2011 MOR

Crew: Rick & Klaude

Time: 0645-0900, 2 hrs & 15 min

Conditions: Clear skies, warm, mid-tide, crowded, 2-3 feet, scattered peaks, semi consistent.

            After missing Rick and Manny at South Oxnard yesterday, I make sure to meet up with Rick today. Last night he told me that he’d be surfing at Porto at first light. I wake up at 0545 and pull out of my parking space by 0605. Klaude gives me a call, and I tell him where I’m heading. The gate still isn’t open at Porto yet, and it’s too dark to see what the water’s doing. For some reason, nobody wants the free parking on 45^th St. As soon as the gates open, I pull over to the right and park my car. I walk down to the rocks. The tide is still on the low side. I can see some peaks, but they are long with little corners at the end. I shoot a text to Rick, and he says that he’s leaving his house. When he parks, he says that it should get better as the tide rises. I don’t expect much, but I want to get some face time with my surf mentor. I go back to my car to change. Klaude calls. Apparently, there’s some kind of race that has Vista Del Mar shut down. I tell him to park behind my car. He doubts that the space will still be available. 

            On the sand, Rick and I recap over yesterday’s surf. He tells me that they surfed Point Dume and that he got some really long rides. Our paddle out is easy. Surprisingly, a little left sprouts up in front of me. Rick lets me have the wave, and it actually has a soft, peeling shoulder. I underestimate it, get lazy, and never make it to the open face. It’s such a mellow morning, especially after the brutal session at HB, so I’m just cruising with an easy paddle to get around. Rick comments on the red tide. The water has a reddish-brown tint to it and smells poopy. Some three foot sets actually come through, but the bigger waves are on the walled side. None-the-less, the smaller waves actually hold shape. Rick does his thing, paddling into everything he can get for rides all the way to shore. Klaude paddles out to join us, and he tells me he parked right behind me. He’s riding Rick’s fish that he loaned to him. “Looks like the breakfast crew arrived,” says Klaude.

            I look around a little confused. I gesture towards all the longboarders. “You mean all these guys?” I ask. 

            “Yeah. There were only like three guys when I got here, and now look.” 

            Thankfully, there’s a little current pulling north, so the crowds get displaced while we paddle to keep our position. Rick and Klaude venture further south to sit with the crowd while I remain in isolation. Some rights actually come my way that hold. As usual, I can always get turns going backside. I still can’t believe that there’s actually some shape this morning. Even though it’s small, it’s big enough to have fun on. My weight distribution is more towards the back of the board when I drop in. My rear foot is firm on the stomp pad, and my board cooperates when I climb the face for a top turn. I get a second turn and bog out on the third. From the way things looked at dawn, I didn’t expect this. 

            Klaude gets some rides too. I see him paddling back from shore, so I know he got some distance. Initially, he said he wouldn’t be out for a while because the red tide messes with his sinuses, but it’s already 0830. I think he’s surprised at the fun conditions as well. Just when we think that the waves shut down, we paddle towards the inside. Klaude says, “Look at this!” I turn around, and a left is sneaking up on us. “It’s coming right for you,” he says. The section behind the shoulder is about to closeout, but I paddle in right where the peak is still open. I’m staring down the line of an open, long left. A guy towards the inside wants to drop in but backs off when he sees me coming. I pump and do my best to top turn, but it’s really sluggish. I don’t catch it all the way to shore, but the late take off was really fun. When I paddle back, Klaude says, “Man, you were in the perfect spot for that. That was clutch.” It’s the cherry on top for the morning. Even though the surf report was poor to fair, 1-3 ft, it ends up being a fun little session. Klaude heads up the hill ahead of me. I try to wave to Rick before I leave, but he’s too far away. I catch a tiny left back to shore and join Klaude up the hill. The post surf energy is good. It’s barely 0900, the day’s still fresh, and we’ve started it the best way possible with a handful of waves. Klaude thanks me for having him over on Saturday. “We need to check out Gardena Bowl,” he says. We’re starting this ritual to eat at new Hawaiian restaurants after our sessions down south. Unfortunately I’ll be out of town again next weekend, so he says he’ll save it for when I get back. Now I’m home with three tacos in my belly and a cup of green tea. It’s only 1100, and my day is already fulfilled. Finally, I get a good session surfing local, despite the expectation for nothing. I love it when things work out this way.