Loc: North
Churches
Crew: Bri,
Francis, Alex, Rick
Time:
0600-0830
Conditions:
Overcast, cool, consistent, 2-3 FT.
With the swell on its way out, the surf
completely cleans up. There is good shape, but it’s small now. With a
mid-morning high tide, there’s also a small window before the surf slows down.
I paddle out first and catch a long, pumpy
wave all the way to the inside. No turns.
Rick is frustrated. Paddling, backing out,
or just kicking out early after a soft ride. He shakes his head, a little
frustrated. I already know what he’s thinking. It’s better in front of the
campsite, top and bottom of the wave at Churches. Not here.
Francis is forced to ride my JS, the
back-up board for the trip, but it’s too small for these tiny conditions.
Then something happens. At mid tide, a
window of good surf opens up, and Rick turns on. He’s on fire. The human wave
magnet exists.
We all watch him take this small left,
pumping the whole time. He gets floaters all the way to the inside, ending the
ride with both biceps flexed and arms curled, right in front of a bunch of
Marines who are swimming.
The rest of us shake our heads. It’s
unbelievable. We all get decent waves, but none of us are as stoked as Rick.
Back at the campsite, it’s time to pack
things up. The mission for today is to be as hungry as possible for AYCE sushi
in Mission Viejo, and this morning’s surf session didn’t have us exerting
enough energy to work up our appetites.
By 1000, Bri and I are ready for the second
session. Alex and Francis decide to pass. It’s small right now, but the surf is
so clean. The hot air makes it hard to pass on paddling out, so Bri and I go
for a couple’s session.
If there’s any session that Bri owned
during this trip, it’s this one. In small, one-to-three foot surf, she’s barely
stagnant. She’s catching wave after wave the entire session. She rides, knees
bent, conforming her body to the proper pose needed to milk the ride.
I sample the single fin Kadowaki, not
turning but trying to surf stylish as well. It’s almost three inches thick and
paddles so easy. I get up early on all my waves, walking the board, even trying
to surf backwards before eating shit. Both rights and lefts, it’s a session
that brings us to exhaustion, perfect for AYCE.
It’s time to say goodbye to Rick and our
campsite. Bri and I do the final loading. Francis and Alex were betting on the
junior lifeguard events while we were gone, and dues need to be paid. Francis
eats five ants. Alex douses his face with water, opens his mouth, and plops down
face first into the sand. He pushes himself up, tongue out, looking like Sand
Thing. They’re really close friends.
 |
| Salmon Roe, Spicy Scallop, Unagi, Hamachi, White Tuna, and Salmon. Pick your fish! |
 |
| Okay . . . one of these guys is extremely stoked. . . |
Our reward, all you can eat sushi for just
twenty bucks each. Every morsel is tasty, but we’re so beached and worn out
from the trip, I think we’re more tired than hungry.
I go to the bathroom to piss. Washing my
hands, I see myself in the mirror. “Holy shit,” I say. My eyes are bloodshot
red. My face, arms, ears, everything. I’m so fucking dark right now. Completely
beached.
 |
| Contemplating the dinner decision after unpacking. |
We get some coffee before the long drive
back. To end the whole trip, we meet up with Klaude at Metro Café for dinner,
and we do it big. Since Klaude is an O.G. here, we get wine and appetizers,
everything except dessert.
 |
| No better way to contrast the surf by having some fine dining with KK. Thank God we didn't have to dress up. |
 |
| Tired, but still going. Still stoked here. |
We go until about 2230. We’re all about
ready to pass out. It’s over. Back at the apartment with Bri, it’s finally
over. I miss the ocean, but it’s nice sleeping in my own bed.
#
 |
| Khang meeting us for chow in El Segundo. |
The next day, we have lunch with Khang, and
he tells us about the sale going on at Quiksilver. “You guys need to go,” he
says. So we go. A last minute surgical strike so my homies can get discount
gear. We even catch Dais there, as he clocks in for his shift.
Bri and I drop them off at the airport,
Francis first and then Alex. We tell them that we’ll see them in a couple of
months when we go to Hawaii.
Initially, I was worried about how I had planned
the camping trip. I thought that Alex and Francis might get bored, just sitting
at the beach the whole time. The surf was always questionable, as I’ve caught
south swells that are just way too walled in the past. And the shape wasn’t
that great on this trip, but it didn’t matter.
I got to have quality time with one of the
most beautiful friends that I have. A lot of us did: Bri, Rick, Dais, Khang,
Klaude, Cheryl, Silverton. Even though the surf wasn’t classic, the trip was
about being together.
I had said that my favorite memory was at Jack
In the Box, but looking back now, I’d say that my favorite thing about camping
was the moon. Just sitting there in silence with my girlfriend Bri, Rick, my
newest friend Alex, and The Sauce, we shared an appreciation for life that didn’t
even need mentioning.
And it won’t be the last time. This spot
will always be here, and Francis will be back again, whether it takes another
two years or more.
 |
| Aloha, bruddah Francis. We'll always be here for you. |
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