MORE THAN WAVES (double sesh), SAT 23JUN2012 EVE

Loc: Churches

Crew: Briana

Time: 1830-2000

Conditions: 2 FT, occasional 3, light onshore, inconsistent, clear

     After sushi we settle into the campsite. Man . . . that Coleman Instatent I bought pays for itself, way worth the $162 that I coughed up for it. I was tired of sleeping on the hard ground, despite my military background, so I also bought a fucking full-size inflatable mattress. The only thing that sucks about this site is how crowded it is today. So many fucking people, families, little kids. Don’t get me wrong, people are cool . . . actually, I might be lying here. Anyway, what I MEAN is, I don’t mind people, but I like my space.

     We spend the afternoon drinking beers and listening to music. Once I get loosened up I break into serenading Briana with The New Kids on the Block because . . . I don’t give a shit and because I have some alcohol in my system. I’m weird. She’s cool with it.

#

     It’s 1830 by the time we suit up and head out. We walk to Old Mans, but stop short before the park entrance. It’s blown out and looks like shit. We head back to Churches and paddle out at the south end. 

     It’s a fucking beautiful evening, despite the undying wind. The water’s a crystal blue reflecting off the low lying sun and darkening sky. I try to wave Briana over more north where it’s breaking, but she doesn’t move. I paddle over to see if she’s all right. She has a glaze over her, unaware that it’s even me who’s paddling up. “Thank you,” she says. “Thank you for bringing me out here.” Here I am worrying about her getting some waves, when she’s perfectly content . . . perfectly content. She laughs a lot to herself, something I realize that she only does when she’s happy.

     Eventually we do paddle more north. On one of the plus set waves, she goes for it and disappears. Worried, I catch the second wave to the inside to check on her. She’s fumbling for her board, but she’s all laughing and smiles. She’s all right. She gets a couple more waves on her belly and knees, but all that matters is the smile on her face and her stoke to be here.

     I surprisingly get my wave of the day. It’s a three foot right, a random bump. I only get a couple pumps and one turn on the lip before it closes, but it goes a long way for the day’s conditions. I get other small two-footers too, all for enjoyment-sake of being on a wave.

     A guy paddles up to us, an older guy. He’s in trunks and a wetsuit jacket. He turns to Briana and says, “Have you been on that board for long?”

     “No, I just started using it.” She motions towards me. “Actually, it’s his.”

     “Oh,” he says. He paddles up to me. “You should get her on something with a narrower nose, something she can whip around more.”

     I smile.

     “It’s so beautiful out here,” he says. “I’ve been watching it all day, and it’s just getting good. There are waves out here!”

     He reminds me of my surf mentor Rick.

     “Look,” he says, pointing out at the sunset. “What’s today’s date?”

     I look at my watch. “June twenty-third.”

     “Oh. . . .” He looks down at his board. Before he paddles away he says, “Happy sunset!”

     Briana paddles up to me. “Come here,” she says.

     I dismount my board. We kiss.

     “Happy sunset,” she says.

     We can hear the old guy talking to us in the distance, but it doesn’t matter.