Thursday, October 31, 2019

Wed., Oct. 30th, 2019: Red Flag Sessions #5 & #6

Loc: El Porto, north of 45th St.

Conditions: offshore, dumpy, 2 Ft.

Board: Catch Surf Skipper


            Last Friday I actually trunked it. Same spot and everything from the session before. Because of the Santa Anas and the recent warmth in water temp, I thought I’d be safe in boardshorts.

            I paddled out and felt like a G for the first half hour. For the next half hour I felt like a G string. I was fucking cold. Man, yeah, it’s not the time for trunks, but I still milked the tail end of that little combo swell we had and made the best of it. I didn’t get any barrels, just pulling in and practicing for the real deal.

            Yesterday I hit the surf, same spot at about 0800. I surfed for about an hour, once again, this time in a full suit, and…it really wasn’t that great. The offshores were still here, but the NW swell was just weak sauce. Also, every foamie and longboarder was back on it as if it were summer again. I couldn’t believe how packed it was. Regardless, I got one take-home wave that really made the session. It was a set wave that popped out of nowhere, and it actually had a nice, tapered shoulder on it. I paddled in, bottom turned, and two-hand stalled right away on my forehand. In my peripheral I saw some longboarders going for the shoulder, but I had to hope that they saw me first.

            I stalled and waited for the lip to curl. I was in there. It was like slow motion, the wave felt like it lasted even though it had to have only been a few seconds, but I was in there, in the small curl getting shampoo coverup. Then came the moment when I should doggy-door it, but I chose to hang on until oblivion.

            When I churned up on the inside, I saw the longboarders had long backed off on the wave. I’m glad there were no accidents and that I didn’t get snaked.

            At the end, at the showers, even though I didn’t know anyone, I had some nice little conversations in passing. Everyone, people, even me, we’re all just out here trying to get “ours” on a weekday. Despite the lackluster surf, we still want it; we still want to get wet.




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