“DON’T BE GREEDY!”, SUN 14JUN2015

Loc: El Porto, 40^th Street

Crew: Rick, Juan, Gary, Bri

Time: 0615-0800

Conditions: 1-2 FT+, overcast, glassy, crowded

Board: Zippifish

     Rick shoots me a text at 0455. The fuckin’ guy’s already at the upper lot. He says it’s small with light onshore, but he’s suiting up. Gary also texts that he’s on the way.

     I snooze for another half hour then finally get up. Bri’s dead to the world. I ask if she wants to sleep in, but then she rolls out of bed, too.

     “He texted me at 0455,” I say to Bri while warming up the car.

     “Oh my gawd,” she says. “What’s wrong with that guy?”

     We have a good laugh, and we’re not clowning on Rick or the WHC in a negative way, it’s just funny how surf stoked those guys are. Meanwhile here Bri and I are, younger and less consistent as of late. The question should be, What’s wrong with us?

     I score free parking, and then Bri and I take the walk from 45^th to 40^th. As usual, we’re looking for the bald guy. It’s when I spot the goofy footer with the hat on, who’s riding a shortboard, when I realize it’s Rick.

     Fuck. It’s a hair smaller than it was the other day. Pure longboard conditions.

     Rick’s friend Geri is out on a longboard. He says yesterday was at least a foot bigger. Man. I fucked up again. Should’ve been here yesterday, as they say. But on the blue Zippi, I’m actually able to catch these small waves. Been so long since I’ve ridden this board. To think I’ve been disregarding this board because it’s “too easy,” it’s a damn cheater board, but on this small and sluggish morning, this board is saving me. I’m not getting any turns, but I’m popping up early enough to get some nice pumps in and finish with some floaters.

     Juan and Gary show up once more, and Gary gets a long left all the way to the inside. Show up and blow up.

     Yesterday must’ve been good, because once the lot opens up, more and more people come out.

     There’s a singlefin longboarder who’s riding without a leash. I try to go for a left but see he’s on my outside, so I back out for him. Later, he calls Bri off on a right even though he’s on her outside, but he goes left, the completely wrong direction. When I come back after my next wave, Bri tells the guy he’s a dick. He’s greedy. I hate greedy motherfuckers.

     He takes the next left. I don’t even bother looking at it. A minute later, another solid left comes. Singlefin’s way on the shoulder, but I’m paddling out towards the peak to meet it. As I’m turning to catch it, I see that Singlefin’s paddling for it, too. I say, “Don’t be greedy,” over and over again, louder with each paddle. As I pop up and get my first pump, I yell, “Don’t be greedy!” and Singlefin finally looks at me and pulls out. It ends up being my wave of the day.