EVENING RUSH, THU 12APRIL2012 EVE

Crew: Solo

Time: 1830-1945

Conditions: High tide, 3-4 FT, mooshy.

     The thought of an evening session loomed in the back of my mind, but I didn’t plan to take a look. It wasn’t until I was forwarded on an e-mail from Jimmy B. at 1400. He said that Porto actually looked fun, and the wind wasn’t on it yet. Since I was at school, I replied back saying I’d be there in the evening.

     The drive on Vista Del Mar was questionable. From Docweiler to Hammerland, the peaks were small, long, and dribbly. There’s no way that Porto’s working, I thought. Upon descending down 45^th and entering the lot, I was surprised to see some lefts breaking on the inside between 45^th and 42^nd. There was light texture in the water, and the sandbars actually made some waves. What really caught me was a soft, inside left that rolled through the inside unridden. There were only six guys out, and the top of the wave in front of the bathrooms was breaking too.

 

     I slipped on my wetsuit as fast as I could, ran out to the sand, skipped the warm up, and charged through the white wash. The inside had a lot of surface bump, but the texture wasn’t as bad as I thought. By the time I reached the lineup, the wind died even more. My first couple waves were closeouts. Wagner the Christian surfer was on an SUP, but every time he’s out then it must be rideable. After catching a dumpster to the inside, I was paddling back to the lineup with two other surfers. The water was so clear and blue that it looked turquoise. Bubbles and fizz layered over the ocean like a white, marble layer. I couldn’t see the sand underneath or any tell-tale signs that this was Los Angeles—no tampons, plastic wrappers, or any debris. I bobbed from the backwash and humps of incoming waves. With the sun setting in front of me, splashes of salty, cold water on my face, and a sparse crowd of just a few surfers, I couldn’t think of another place I’d rather be.

    

     I haven’t had a high wavecount lately, but I’ve managed to get at least get one good wave on every go out. Back at the lineup, I saw the Porto signature, long, lined-up peak with a little shoulder at the end. Sitting in the right place, I paddled into it just behind the shoulder. It was a bumpy wave, with spooned-out spots on its face that resembled potholes. I pumped down the line, setting myself up for one top-turn to finish.

     In the end I only got one good wave with one good turn but lately that’s been enough.