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

Loc: El Porto, north of 45^th 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.

Thu., Oct. 24th, 2019: Red Flag Sessions #4

Loc: El Porto, north of 45^th St.

Time: 0930-1130

Conditions: offshore, fast, dumpy, 2-3 Ft.

Board: Catch Surf Skipper

            I waited a little bit later to catch the tide on the way down. Since I’d be starting later, I didn’t expect to find any street parking near 26^th St., so I changed things up and headed to 45^th St.

            It was another day of awesome conditions, Vegas meets the sea, just dry heat and very sunny and glassy. I hadn’t surfed 45^th in a while, and I forgot how the El Porto lot is usually the first option for surfers. Everyone was out. For a weekday, I don’t know if people are unemployed or not, the lineup was packed. From 45^th on southwards was nothing but bobbing bodies. A ton of longboarders were out, chicks in bikinis, a few guys trunking it. I chose my spring suit, and to me that felt just right.

            I first paddled out in a little hole just north of 45^th. There were waves there, but they were on the fast and dumpy side, typical as of late. The longboarders around me were mostly going straight. I started pulling in to work on some barrel practice.

            More north towards the smoke stacks, I saw some guys getting longer legit rides. Once a longboard couple paddled out right next to me, I paddled more north. A few other people cleared out, and then I had the place to myself for the majority of my session.

            Even though the swell was trending down, there were still waves. A few set waves broke at about four feet. A lot of the guys near me were docile. They didn’t want to go too late because it was dumpy, yet they were trying to get into the waves too early and kept scratching out.

            I scratched hard on the Skipper, and that thing is pretty good at catching waves, even at 5’6, so I was having a legit buffet.

            Things to note? Well, I didn’t make it out of any barrels. There was a left that I should have made it out of, similar to the day prior, but I still got the green-room view on a lot of my rides. It would have been a great feat. to get a clean in and out or even a doggy door barrel. It was fast. And yet, every time I looked towards 45^th and saw the lefts breaking, I could see clearly that there were waves where one could get “slotted.” I wasn’t sure if it was just a mirage effect. Were the waves in my spot breaking just as clean with good shape?

            I got good backhand practice, but I still can’t get my technique dialed in. Not sure if I should stall with my arm behind me or ride it out with my forearm in front of me, more focused on covering distance. Also, it’s a lot harder for me to start out standing and then crouching down on my backhand. I tend to end up pushing my board into the wave. Like I said, I have a lot to learn still.

            I could’ve stayed out all day. Hours later, my wife would even hit Rosecrans after work, on the very same Skipper, and catch some waves in hot, offshore conditions.

            Now on this very Friday morning, I’ve already eaten breakfast, watched my NBA game recaps, did some dishes, and caught up with this blog. Surfline is calling the swell at 1-2 ft., and yet when I saw the wave cam about an hour ago, the waves looked fun to me. I’m about to take a fat ass shit and feed my addiction once more.