WHEN TO CALL IT, MON 24MAR2014

Loc: El Porto

Time: 0800-0945

Conditions: 2-3 FT+, overcast, low tide, punchy, fast

     Sometimes you have to know when to call it instead of hanging around, doing overtime for one more wave.

     This morning, I cruised through Porto, there was decent shape. It seems to hold the low tide better, especially at 45^th. From there I cruised further south, where the surf is usually less crowded, and it was a foot smaller. I turned back around, luckily scoring parking on Highland.

     The sky was overcast and depressing. It would have been easy to stay in bed. I chose my Kainalu Fish over my shortboard today since the surf looked small.

     Dots of surfers lined 45^th Street to 42^nd, and there were gaps of dead space between the bathrooms and Rosecrans.

     Sitting in the lineup, some guy yelled to his friend, “They found the Malaysian Airliner!” I couldn’t help but eavesdrop because I’ve been wondering if they’ll find that plane or not. Have I been out of the news loop that long?

     Some groms were in the lineup, and an old guy said that it was their Spring Break.

     It didn’t take long for the waves to start coming in. Towards the outside, long peaks would sprout up, giving workable shoulders at their ends. The low tide made the waves stand up as soon as they hit the sandbar. Surprisingly, the sets were a little bigger than three feet.

     I cursed myself for the wrong board selection. I’ve been spoiling myself with this fish, and even though I had set up all my boards for specific conditions, I’ve gained some weight, and the Mini Driver is my only second option until I get lighter for my smaller boards.

     My first wave was a closeout, and I pulled in even though there was no hope for glory. Paddling back to the lineup, a small inside wave came my way. I turned and went on it, and then I wound up gliding down the line on its clean three-foot face. Despite the weather, the water was glassy—no wind.

     As the wave softened up on the inside, I cranked my first top turn, but I drew such a long arc that I transferred the energy into a small cutback. I almost lost the wave, so I took a step forward to push the nose back down the face, and I slid right in. That wave was the best wave out of the last three or four sessions I had surfed.

     After that, I kept pulling in on the closeouts, even pig dogging on my backhand. I purled doing so on one. My fish wasn’t made for surfing like that.

     However, I still manage two more fun rides, going left and right.

     With the tide going down, the waves were getting faster, but they were still fun. I thought about the things I had to do today: write this blog, read at least a hundred pages out of a novel for class, and respond to some work email. I could have easily pointed my board back towards the lineup and milked the rest of the window, but I thought about calling it. Why not? I had already caught three decent waves. I could get an early start on today’s business without draining myself of energy. And was today the day to stay out for a marathon session?

     I had fulfilled my stoke quota with the three fun waves that I got in less than two hours, and the surf wasn’t epic to justify an extended session.

     Back at my car changing, I felt like I had received just the right dose of surf, and I didn’t feel bad leaving it behind in order to start my day.

Here's another pic of my friend, Rick, snaking me yesterday. He actually fell hard on my board, but he didn't do any damage.