A RETURN TO HB, SUN 25MAY2014

Loc: Huntington Beach

Time: 00800-1030

Crew: Khang

Conditions: overcast, glassy, inconsistent, 2-4 FT

     Khang, who has a rare day off, picks me up at 0630 to head to Huntington. I barely get to see him nowadays because of his nine-to-five life. He barely gets to surf either, but that’s just life—you need money to survive.

     Cruising down PCH, Seapoint is small. There are signs of surf north and south of the pier. With the hundred dollars I had received, from my homeboy Dan as a graduation gift, I immediately put it to use to pay half the amount for a state parking pass, money well spent. It’s perfect timing for the summer, since the South Bay has only gotten minimal traces of windswell as of late.

     “Should we check it first?” I say. I want to check it.

     “We’re gonna surf here anyway, right? Let’s just suit up.”

     Usually I’m the one who’s frothing to paddle out, but Khang has me on this one.

     Since it’s Memorial Day weekend, there are surfers scattered along the stretch of scattered sandbars. But River Jetties isn’t so random, as it’s breaking three feet and consistent to our south.

     It’s an overcast morning, but the water is warm around my ankles. Despite the high tide, glassy A-frame peaks sprout up and pitch once they hit the sandbar. The gray sky makes it hard to see the waves. We both misposition ourselves; our timing is off. We’re either too deep, too far out, or we miss the waves entirely.

     Once we get used to the way the surf is breaking, Khang draws first blood. He goes backhand, getting a small snap before the wave closes out. Peaks sprout up so randomly that we luckily find ourselves in the right spot. My wave of the day is a frontside left. I get down the line, tagging the lip and tossing some water out the back before it closes out.

     Initially, my board selection seems right. I’ve fallen back in love with my Motorboat Too, arguably a groveler. For the rest of the morning I try to pull in, but I keep getting pinched. I take some beatings, getting glimpses of the swirling almond before it cinches down on me. My brother had told me that I should be able to ride this board in hollow surf. I told him that the MB Too slides out in big waves. He said to just use bigger fins. This board’s been great at Porto, but not so great in waves that have more of a vertical face.

     We expect the surf to get better with the lowering tide, but instead the surf turns increasingly inconsistent. With the lack of HB’s trademark current, surfers sit in place waiting. And then the wind picks up.

     After some Vietnamese sandwiches (banh mi), we reflect on the session. It was fun, definitely better than what the South Bay had to offer, but I know that I, myself, didn’t surf well. I had recently done a close examination of my boards, and I had it figured out, so why am I riding the wrong board for HB?