Loc:
East Java
Time:
1130-1330
Crew:
Bri, Sonia
Conditions:
3 FT, sunny, hot, howling offshore
Edo had suggested for Bri and I to sleep in
since we had such a long journey to get here. Plus, according to him, the tide
wouldn’t be low enough in the morning. Taking his advice, Bri and I took our
time getting up. We ate the instant cereal that was a staple for me and Al two
years ago and slowly prepped for a surf.
Reaching Choco Point, the sun was blazing
hot. Definitely not the right hour for those with skin issues. On top of that,
the wind was howling offshore. The tide was still high but on its way down.
Juan A. had given me his Hurley rashguard
to use for this trip. I needed one because all of my shortboards are Hurley.
However, the rashguard fit me tight, like a cat wearing a sweater.
“You can use mine,” said Bri. “It’s kind of big for me.” Just like that. I was wearing a pink and white Roxy rashguard.
“You can use mine,” said Bri. “It’s kind of big for me.” Just like that. I was wearing a pink and white Roxy rashguard.
Sonja (formerly Sonia) paddled out with us,
along with a German and French chick from the compound.
The first session was a bit tough because
of the wind. The inside waves broke, sending up a shower of stinging spray back
throughout the lineup. The wind underneath our boards kept holding us up. There
was also a weird backwash that unexpectedly bumped me off my board.
By 1300, I knew that the conditions would
soon get better. The wind would die down, the tide would be lower, and the
waves would be standing up more, but taking a break was also important, at
least for rehydrating, especially since we’d be able to surf until last light,
1745.
#
Time:
1530-1730
Crew:
Bri, Sonia
Conditions:
4 FT, sunny, hot, howling offshore
Fin
setup: FCS Simon Anderson 2 quads with small center fin.
Pre
Blog:
Sorry, but until I catch up, some of these
entries are going to be short because it’s been such a surf-frenzy vacation,
it’s become hard to recollect my waves, especially when I’m sitting on one surf
spot. Be that as it may, I’ve been having a lot of fun.
#
Fin
Trials:
I’ve been riding a custom board that’s
supposed to be shaped like a Dumpster Diver, but since Edo didn’t have an
actual DD to work with, he had to do some guesswork on some of the dimensions
and shaping, so let’s just say that it’s not an actual legit Dumpster Diver.
Since the board felt loose yesterday, Edo offered me a small center fin for
added grip.
Reaching Choco Point once more, six people
from the compound are already on it. Similar to the day before, there are lines
coming in. Unfortunately, the wind hasn’t died down much.
Instead of sitting at the top, I sit wide
and inside. Gigantar, who I thought was from New Zealand, has been revealed to
me to actually be German. So German Gigantar is on a longboard. I watch him
paddling at the top of the wave, his long deck sticking out ahead of the shoulder
like a tongue. And then a gust of offshore wind picks up, lifting his nose up
and back. He raises his arms in frustration. I’m deep enough to turn and go.
Gigantar’s not the only one affected by the
wind. While I’m pumping, the wind blows my board out from underneath me. On
another awkward wipeout, the board blows back at me. It reminds me of how my
friend Christina had described her injury when her board hit her. Now I know.
Howling offshores can turn your board into a hazard.
I can’t describe this wave without being
redundant, but I can describe the general experience of it. As soon as I pop
up, the section is already standing up like it’s about to close, but the
offshore holds it open. From the pop up, I direct my nose down the line and
start pumping. The center fin. I already feel it working. Problem is, it’s
working too good. Too much grip. I have to pump and work extra hard to make the
section. When I get to the shoulder, I pull off a wraparound cutback and
rebound high off the lip. I’m so deep now that I should be falling behind, but
with two pumps I’m back on the highline, confronted with another racy section.
And that’s the way it goes, turn after turn, wave after wave. It hasn’t been
smaller than three feet since we got here, and I haven’t gotten fewer than two
turns each wave. Three to four turns is the norm, but I haven’t had too many
five-hitters yet. After a while you stop counting.
I’m infatuated with this wave because I
love carves. All day long, it’s a rippable left that lets your work on your
cutbacks and snaps.
The center fin has too much grip. Even
going through the cutbacks, it’s a little too much hold. Now I know. New setup
tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment