UNDERRATED, MON 16MAR2015

Always grateful to have surf just down the street.

Loc: El Porto, 45^th Street                            

Time: 1100-1245

Conditions: 3-4 FT, light onshore, crowded.

Board: Zippifish

     I’ve fallen back in love with my Zippifish. Technically, it’s not “my” board. It’s Christina’s who moved to Australia. I’m just “holding onto it.” Realistically, it doesn’t look like she’ll be back. At least not for a while. This board has come through for me, both at rippable Churches and small South Bay. With a 2-3 feet and poor-to-fair rating, I’m sure it will do me some justice today.

     Opting for a better window, I wait for the late morning to paddle out. Leaving my apartment, I already feel the onshore wind in my face.

     Walking down into the Porto lot, there’s a short line of cars waiting to park. Fuckin’ A. It’s just like yesterday. Even on a Monday, the beach is packed. Don’t people have work? How many unemployed beach bums are in existence? Don’t people need money? I thought I was part of a rare breed, but now, there are plenty of shitbags like myself. On top of that, the surf is pretty damn crowded.     

      I walk up to the sand like a gunslinger walks up to his horse out of the saloon. I’m ready. I got the right board. It’s noob hour out there, and I’m gonna have to show them how The West was won. Looking at the surf, though, I realize that it’s a little bigger than forecasted. The sets are coming in at four feet and walled. 40^th Street has a consistent left that everyone is on. Wrong board?

     So that was my cockiness for you, perceiving the damage I thought I would do. Instead, I surf like shit for the first hour. Porto has a natural punch to it, and this Zippi is really made for slow waves. My first wave’s a closeout. My second wave, I fall backwards on a floater. On my third, I cutback too high and the wave leaves me behind. It’s a little demoralizing. I should be doing well.

     Meanwhile, the waves are getting juicier and juicier with the tide drop. Cleanup sets come in, keeping everyone on the inside. I almost lose my board on one duckdive. The set waves look rideable, but popping up, you can glimpse how the shoulders are stretching out. Yet, there are some shouldery rides.

     I have less luck with the lefts and actually do better on the rights at 45^th. My wave of the day is a steep right that I get two hits on.

     So the session wasn’t that great, but I wasn’t expecting much to begin with. Maybe I could have surfed with my Mini Driver, but the surf was crowded.

     When I get home and finish unpacking my car, Bri pulls up from work. Time to go to the gym. Although, my body isn’t used to the late morning session. The whole time that I’m trying to work out, my body is telling me to go to sleep.