FRANSAUCE’S RETURN PT.I, SUN 06JUL2014

Loc: Manhattan Beach

Crew: Bri, Klaude, Mel, Pat (Mel’s BF), Francis, Alex, Cheryl

Time: 0700-900

Conditions: Sunny, crowded, consistent, light onshore, 1-3 FT.

Pre Blog:

     Francis moved back to Oahu two years ago with his girlfriend Nicole. Before he had moved away, he was my surfing roll dog. While everyone else had nine-to-five schedules, his EMT work made him available to surf during the week with me. We had scored our best sessions at HB, topping off our sessions with local food at Bob’s Hawaiian in Gardena. Still thick with a football player’s build from his high school days, he comes back to us with the same light-brown gentle eyes and positive lay-back energy that had earned him the nickname Filipino Jesus. Out of the DRC, he’s the best among us, and I’m stoked to have him back with us again for a week. These are the Fransauce Vacation chronicles.

#

     There’s no way that Bri’s going to be able to paddle out this morning, especially with her early morning barfing antics. She’s hung over.

     “Did I tell Klaude that I was gonna surf?” she asks.

     “Yup.” I expect her to plop back down on her pillow, but she gets up, goes to the bathroom, and barfmaster 2014 all over again. She drinks water, she barfs. She’s not holding much down. Yet, she’s helping me load up the car with our surf boards.

     We score the exact same parking spot as yesterday. The surf is a foot smaller, just as crowded, and with a little more onshore wind. The shark attack didn’t scare shit away.

     But we’re here deep. Sometimes, a paddle out is necessary despite conditions, and having Francis back in town is the perfect example.

     It’s nice being out here with everyone. To see Francis out at this break again, wet-look, exposed butt crack and all, is worth it. The water’s warm. We’re trunking it.

     Francis’ homie Alex is here too, just back from a two-week trip in Costa Rica. He already looks beached from so much surf.

     Today’s surf has less shape, and the surfer of the day is Bri. Hungover or not, she’s paddling into everything on her NSP like she’s got something to prove.

     “She’s gotten better,” says Francis.

     Alex samples Klaude’s 6’0 Don Kadowaki single fin.

     Cheryl has perfect position for the wave of the day, the cleanest three footer to come rolling through.

     “Go, go, go!” I yell. She looks back at it, hesitates, lies on her board as if she’s going to go for it, and then she lets it pass. It peels away unridden. She has inside position on another good wave. All she has to do is paddle out to meet it, but she sits still and lets it pass.

     The details of last night are hashed over. We tell Klaude how many pizzas he made. We go over the play-by-play of how Silverton, the mellowest guy of the group, threw up in the trash can.

     Bri who had woken up hungover now paddles up to me smiling. She feels much better.

     Aside from paddling out, we discuss this week’s logistics. Tomorrow we camp at San Onofre until Thursday. It’s gonna be a long week

Pit stop at Rick's to pick up some extra camping supplies and leashes. Thanks!