WINTER LETDOWNS PT.3 MON 19DEC2011

Location: Churches
Crew: Khang & Ryan

Time: 0830-1145

Conditions: 1-3 ft, onshore wind, crumbly, inconsistent, gloomy, and empty.

            After surfing HB, Khang made the suggestion to surf Trestles. With the forecast saying that the South Bay is walled-up, and after HB’s meager conditions, Trestles sounded like a good idea. I used to go there a lot, but I haven’t really scored a good day there since being back from Bali. I was due-up for a Trestles sesh. 

            Khang got to my house by 0600. We stopped by Doughboy’s Doughnuts down the street for some supplies and headed out. We were stoked. With a good start, coffee, and some donuts in our bellies we were optimistic at the potential for today’s surf. Surfline gave Trestles a good rating, three to four foot surf. Thoughts of the days when I scored, the days when it was glassy and consistent, came back to me in a rush. We were staring down the barrel of a potential wave buffet in the making. 

            Half way there, I gave Ryan a call. He was with his friend Natasha, and they planned to drive there on their own. The second we exited Basilone road we saw the texture on the water at Lowers. There were only a couple guys out, and there were no waves. “That dooeesn’t, look good,” said Khang. I knew what I was thinking, but I just didn’t want to think it yet. Surfers that know “true skunk” go into a defensive posture in these situations. Explanations run through your mind: maybe there isn’t a set yet, maybe it’s a lull, maybe it’s better on the other side, maybe it will get better, maybe the wind will die, maybe it will get bigger, maybe, maybe, maybe I made the WRONG FUCKING CALL driving my ass all the way down for shit!

            As soon as we reached the parking for Trestles we got a closer view of the choppy conditions, thanks to the south wind. About six longboarders sat in one spot, probably the only peak that worked for them in the morning. The south wind was just knocking the waves down and made them crumbly. The sets that came through were about three feet, but the peak feathered-away fast, leaving a little shoulder. Yeah, it was rideable, but just small, ugly, and junky. “Awwww, look at that one!” said Khang. “Yeah, man, there’s some fun ones out here.” Poor Khang . . . he suffered severely from skunk denial. We walked out to see what Middles was doing . . . nothing. Lowers had a few people on it, but it looked just as bad. Any time that Lowers isn’t working is a bad sign. 

            I called Ryan, told him the status, and planned to meet him where the Cristianitos trail ends. I walked all the way to uppers to meet them. Lowers had about fifteen people there, mostly groms forcing inside rides, but the surf was ugly. 

            Ryan and I paddled up to Khang who had stayed behind. “You catch anything?” I asked.

            “Nothing.”

            “Really, nothing at all?”

            “Well, I got like one ride.”

            “What happened to the sets we saw earlier.”

            “I don’t know man . . . it’s bad right now. I don’t think it’s getting better. The wind picked up too.”

            Fuck my life. I pumped Ryan up about this place. He’s a surfer from Oregon, never been to Trestles, so I wanted to be his ambassador. When I apologized he said, “Aww, man, no worries. I haven’t surfed in two weeks. I’m just glad to be in the water!”

            Even though the lulls were painstakingly long, some sets popped up every once in a while, and despite the crappy conditions they still lined up for long rides. Since the size was small, it was really hard to get solid turns on them. It was more of a day for trimming and going as far as you could. Ryan had a thick, medium board, and he got more waves than Khang and I combined. Into the second hour, we were the only ones at Churches. Despite getting skunked, I got more waves than my recent sessions at HB and the South Bay. 

            Afterwards, I shuttled Ryan’s boards back to Cristianitos to make his and Natasha’s trek back easier. When we left them, me and Khang’s next mission was to find a good all you can eat buffet. The one with the best review was Hokkaido Seafood Buffet in Long Beach. We stuffed ourselves for about an hour and a half. The food was just average, but it was worth it for ten bucks. 

            Damn it . . . so another day of surf without satisfying the thirst. I’ve surfed local, HB, and as far as Trestles in a matter of days. The lesson learned: if you’re gonna get skunked, it’s better to get skunked at home. Tomorrow I’m surfing the South Bay.