HIGH TIDE HOOLIGAN, TUE 11MAR2014 EVE

Loc: El Porto (45^th)

Time: 1700-1845

Conditions: 4ft, high tide, long fat peaks

Board: Fish

     Everyone around me is stoked, looking at the clean surf conditions with only minimal onshore conditions. Lines are rolling in towards El Porto. The high tide making the peaks long and fat.

     I’m not a big wave charger, a ripper, or a barrel rider, and honestly . . . I love these conditions, especially since I have the right board to ride them in.

     The evening crowd is on it, and who wouldn’t be? So I paddle out with the mindset to be easy, not to get irritated, and to expect some wave haggling.

     The lines come in walled or long with a little shoulder at the end of them. The lip crumbles forward with assistance from the onshore wind, but long faces still open up. The trick is to have the right board.

     My fish is a Godsend. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This fish is such a good addition to my quiver. It rides perfectly in these conditions.

     The first thing I do is a surf check to see how many people are on the wrong boards. Since the conditions are more manageable and the tide is high, the ratio is about 60% shortboarders and 40% longboard and hybrid riders. There are also a lot of beginners out here.

     “I just got a little barrel on the inside,” says a kid to my left, talking to his friend.

     And there’s this guy sitting on the outside on a longboard. Even on the monster sets, he’s not backing out. He’s choosy, going mostly right. Far down the line, guys have to back out for him. That’s cool because I want the lefts.

     In between the walls, there are so many good waves. Five feet on the sets with big, fat shoulders to glide down.

     Many of the beginners are scared, darting towards the outside to beat the waves. Little do they know that they are in perfect position. Even though the wave looks big, they are so slopey and inconsequential, but what they don’t know falls into my advantage.

     I pass shortboarders sitting on the inside, waiting to catch waves late so they can actually have a chance at getting into them, but they have to pull out for me.

     The waves aren’t forming for ripping turns, but I’m having fun just trimming and holding my line. I play around, trying to pull off floaters but fall. I even turn-and-go on some inside waves.

     As the tide keeps getting higher, it’s harder for the shortboarders in the lineup to catch waves. Just not enough board. Damn, if I would have known what I know now, back in the day when I was a noob. Right board right conditions.

     It’s only 1845, still a lot of daylight, when I catch a left and fall. Immediately, I feel the weight release from my ankle. My board is gone. I have to swim to get it. Luckily, Bri had jogged to Porto from home, so she’s standing on the shore holding my fish.

     The leash string is broken, and my hands are too numb to re tie it, so I call the session.

     Back at my car, I still can’t believe the lines coming in. It looks so fun out there. What a better way to end a day. I hope that the South Bay has more good evening sessions to come.