NEW BEGINNINGS (double sesh), SAT 18FEB2012 EVE

Location: Bolsa Chica

Crew: Solo

Time: 1630-1800

Conditions: 2-3 ft., mid tide, strong onshore wind, and inconsistent.

     After two semesters at my university without being involved in campus activities, I decided to join the surf club. I checked out their booth during club row before but never got as far as putting my name on their clip board. As much as I like to stick to my exclusive circle of friends and keep outsiders away, I thought this would be a good way to network. Also, it wouldn’t help to meet people on campus that I can relate to. Usually I’m paranoid about joining clubs, expecting that their members are stuck-up and snobby, but this is surfing we’re talking about. How bad can it be, right?

     I was forwarded the mass e-mail from John, club officer, that he’d be paddling out at Bolsa Chica at 1600, two hours before the bonfire. When I got there, the onshore wind was strong. I only saw one longboarder in the water who was getting out. I only surfed here once with my brother, a very long time ago when I was still on my huge Becker board. I wasn’t sure if the surf club was already here, but I saw what appeared to be a bunch of college kids by a fire pit. There was a good sandbar working, but the wind was really messing with the shape. It was choppy and howling, a total loss of a session, but there was no way I was gonna stay dry until 1800.

     Back at the car, I checked my e-mail and gave John a call. When he answered I said, “Hey, John. Um, it’s Matt. I e-mailed you back about paddling out today. I’m here now but don’t see anyone. Are you still paddling out?”

     “Oh, no. I was gonna paddle out, but I already paddled out yesterday.” 

     Damn, this kind of caught me by surprise. Paddled out yesterday? I thought. What kind of surfer attitude is this?

     “Yeah,” he continued. “Some guys are about to paddle out right now though.”

     I sat in the water by myself for a solid hour. It was a session of patience. When the sets came, they were either walled or I wasn’t in position for the shoulder. The best I could do was get a couple pumps down the crumbly line but no turns. 

     As the sun was setting, I saw a guy and a girl paddle out in front of a blue canopy. I worked my way there. The guy got swept away with the current, but the girl stood her ground. She was young, slender and Asian with long black hair. Her skin was light and her eyes were dark. I assumed she had braces on because she just had that kind of mouth, and I don’t mean this in a bad way. 

     “Hi,” I said. “Are you with the surf club?” We struggled to hear each other over the splashing, but she introduced herself as “Nicolle with two Ls.” She said she took a break from the club last semester because she lost interest in surfing. I was intrigued because her paddling form was good, and she talked like a guy, saying things like, “I fuckin’ ate shit on that wave!” I was stoked, maybe my first friend to meet in this club, so I charged along with her. 

     The waves were shit, but I hooted each wave that came by and called out the incoming sets. We duckdived the closeouts and catched the shapeless wonders until dark. I felt a good sense of camaraderie. Maybe this surf club would be cool if everyone was down to surf like this.

     Back at the canopy, I met Jeff, John, and another Matt who I called “Matt-One.” When I got back from changing, Nicolle had left, but more people showed up. We hovered around the fire pit to keep warm. There was also a chick named Alis from Santa Cruz who used to longboard for the university surf team. I tried to engage her in surf talk, but I didn’t get much feedback. I tried to engage everyone in surf talk, but they were more open to the conversations about recent parties or getting tickets on campus. I set my expectations too high. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a surf geek. I love everything that involves surfing: movies, contests, webcasts, clothing, literature, and paraphernalia. These kids were on a different plane. It was still a cool get together, but I left after a couple hours to return home. Maybe I won’t participate in the bonfires, but I’ll most likely show up on the official beach days when they are actually surfing.