WHY I PADDLED OUT, SUN 03FEB2013 MOR

Loc: Manhattan Beach

Crew: Klaude, Hideki, Christina, appearance by Shan

Conditions: 1-3 FT, occasional plus sets, walled, drained tide.

     I told myself I’d go to PV if local looked like shit, but that was last night when I had every intention of waking up early. But today, or this morning, I’ve woken up late, which is typical of me, lately.

Porto

It doesn’t look so good, but I drive through

Take a gander

A look

     Hmmm. It’s okay, I guess. Looks small, semi walled, but without the size, there are some

Little shoulders

I drive to our local spot

And see

CC

She’s on the sand

Doing

Her yoga

Right then I know

I’m not going to PV

My friends

are

Here.

     It’s been a while, it seems, since I saw Klaude last, and Christine. Hidek is on his yellow board. They’re both out there. What a shame. The water is glassy, clean, but . . . the waves. Yeah. Walled. Small, walled and punchy. There you go. How’s that for description?

     CC sees me first as I paddle up. The surf is secondary now. I’ll be happy to get what I can, but I’m happier to see the crew. She tells me about the kids at school, how they’ve been sick, getting her sick, and the water, well, it’s cold, and that can’t help her immune system now can it?

     I guess I’ve been lucky, the first winter in years without getting sick. And honestly, I think . . .

It’s that brown fizz

The condom underneath me that I don’t see

A floating tampon

Dogshit somewhere that came in via storm drain

Yes

These nasty motherfuckers

These things

Have given me

Super strength

I’m like an X-man

Thanks to the poop

I haven’t been sick

At least

That’s what I believe.

Beg to differ?

     Klaude is . . . doing all right. He hears me mention PV to Christina. “Klaude had a good session,” I say.

     “Yeah,” says Klaude. “I’m still thinking about that one.”

    

Now . . .

We’re waiting

Waves come

We make the best out of turnless shape

Go straight

I

Get a couple waves that I can at least pump

Get some distance

Thanks to my new board

Klaude notices

Everyone’s going

Trying

To catch what they can.

Hideki goes

Christina goes

Only to reemerge a few meters away

Like a piece of meat, churning up from boiling stew

Shan appears

It’s weird

I know

Awkward

For

Everyone . . .

Except Hideki.

     The current pulls south, but we fight, fight, fight it. And try to hold position just south of the tower. Klaude has a game to coach. He goes. So does Hidek. And Christina. But later she comes back, again, trying to paddle out.

     I think . . . the inside must be brutal. I don’t see her again. Even Shan, same thing. He gets caught on the inside then gets pushed to the sand. I see him later, standing, waiting for the window. Perhaps to regain strength? Energy? Well. I catch my last wave in, join him and Veronica on the sand. They offer me tangerines and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.

That salt hits my lips

AH!

Glorious!

Everything always tastes so fuck-ing good after a surf!