FRI 21NOV2014

Loc: Manhattan Beach

Time: 0700-0930

Conditions: 2-3 FT+, onshore, unorganized, consistent.

Board: 5’9 Motorboat Too

     I had to work yesterday, and I heard it was good, so I’m hoping to catch some waves today, especially since I’m leaving for Japan on Sunday.

     Street parking sucks on Fridays, so I pull into the lot before it’s packed. I notice a green van parked two cars over. It looks like Jimmy B’s. I walk over, and he’s here with Juan, Rick’s brother.

     “Wow. I’m actually gonna witness some WHC action today,” I say.

     They’re surprised to catch me here. We go through the morning greetings and paddle out in front of the brickhouse.

     If yesterday was clean and offshore, today sure isn’t. It’s onshore and consistent. There are scattered peaks everywhere, but they’re coming in a little jumbley and in disarray. But Don K. is out there, selling the surf. Double fisted as usual, his second board sits on the sand.

     Juan and Jimmy paddle out first. I follow suit, and they already catch a couple of waves before I can get one for myself.

     Juan shoots the shit with Don a little. It’s a trip how even though I surf here more consistently than Juan, he’s been surfing all over the South Bay for so many years that he’s still more of a local than I am.

     My first couple waves are pumpers to the inside, but I eventually catch a right and get a backhand snap right in front of Toru as he’s paddling out. Ahhh, feels good to get a little validation. It’s been a while.

     Gary and Juan leave, and after catching that one in front of Toru, I’m on a mission for more. Greedy, I paddle into another right even though I’m too deep. It races away from me. A chick on the outside could have gotten it. I’d like to think that as much as I share, I can get away with a little greed from time to time.

     The conditions seem to be getting better, but I have a lot to take care of before Japan, so I head home to get some stuff ready.

     For dinner, I take Bri out to the Yard House in Marina Del Rey. We sit at the bar right in front of the TV and watch the Lakers game. . . Too bad they fucking lose terribly to the Mavs. It’s a Massacre.

BAD STREAK, MON 17NOV2014

Loc: Brookhurst

Time: 0700-0830

Conditions: 1-3 FT, offshore, sunny, inconsistent.

Board: 5’9 Motorboat Too

     With an appointment set at the Hurley employee store in Costa Mesa, it only makes sense to surf down south. Since I have a state parking pass, I’m stubborn. As much as I like the HB Cliffs, I’d really like to use my two-hundred-plus dollar investment and surf with a minute crowd.

     HB Pier looks sectiony and walled when I pass it. Not that classic HB shape that I love yet barely witness nowadays.

     Pulling up to Brookhurst, the surf signs are bad. Only one truck is parked. A guy who’s done with his surf check is on his way back on the path. I take a gander myself. The high tide’s killing it. It’s hard to catch this place good on a high tide unless the surf is pumping.

     Yet, there are some occasional peaks that sprout up in front of tower 4 near River Jetties. With the tide going down, there is a chance for conditions to improve. Plus, no one’s out. I could score a good solo session.

     Aside from the store appointment, I’m also dropping off my Lost Mini Driver to AB Surfboard Repair in Long Beach, so I have my Motorboat Too today. Seems like a good choice since the surf is small.

     I get two waves right when I paddle out, but since they are swampy, it’s hard to get turns. With the surf inconsistent, I spend a lot of time waiting for those that stand up. Within the hour, a couple other guys paddle out.

     Every once in a while, peaks start to show. The lefts are better. I mistime one and purl. Then I notice, regardless of how small these waves are, the low rocker on this board is so easy to purl on. I really have to be conscious to be on the tail to keep the nose out.

     One left turns rampy on me. If I were an aerialist, this wave would be perfect. Instead, I get speed and get a turn on the open face. I rode that one wrong.

     After running the rest of my errands, I really reflect on how today’s session went. I’ve made some bad decisions in the past on using my boards in the wrong conditions. Turns out that the Motorboat Too isn’t an all-around board. Low rocker, ideal for Trestles and mooshy beach break. I don’t want to get rid of this board, but I need a good session in the right conditions to dial it in again. 

A SHITTY SALESMAN, SUN 16NOV2014

Loc: Manhattan Beach

Time: 0700-0930

Crew: Klaude

Conditions: 3-4 FT+, light onshore, sunny, high tide.

Board: 6’3 JS

     I’ve been trying to sell my brother’s Tokoro, Patterson, and my old JS shortboards on Craigslist, and guess what? NO ONE IS FUCKING INTERESTED IN THEM. Collin surfs at my local spot, and I had told him about these boards. Last night, he stopped by to have a look at them.

     “The 6’3 looks okay,” he said, “but . . . it’s kind of thin.” He feels the rails.

     “How much you weigh?”

     “153, 155,” he says.

     “That might be good for you.”

     He leaves but says that he’ll let me know if he’ll buy it later. I take a good look at the JS. With some size in this swell, it might be a good board for tomorrow. I’ve had shitty sessions the last couple times I’ve ridden it, but maybe it was just bad timing. I pick up the board myself, remembering the great sessions I’ve had on it. Balangan, Canggu, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua. I can still ride this thing. I wax it up.

     Bri and I had a long day. She’s starving, I’m starving. I ask her to just wait and let me strip the wax job off of my Motorboat Too and clean it up first. Figuring I’ve made her wait long enough, I leave a halfass strip job and go in for dinner.

     The following morning, I debate on taking the Motorboat Too and waxing it at the beach, but I’m lazy. A thorough wax job must be done thoroughly, and I don’t want to wake the neighbors. Armed with an old weapon, I pack the 6’3 JS.

     Parking on the hill, I already see that the tide is making the waves a little soft. There’s a size, but it’s just swampy. Perfect conditions for my Motorboat Too. I pray that I haven’t fucked myself, change, and walk down to shore.

     I avoid the main pack in front of the tower and paddle out in front of the brickhouse. It’s packed. Heads everywhere. There are waves. Consistent with size but mooshy. And . . . paddling into them is a BITCH. Fuckin’ JS. Man, that board just feels so thin. The extra three inches feel unnecessary. Why did I paddle out on this thing?

     Getting some lefts, I bog out on the inside. I fizzle out on my cutbacks and lose speed.

     Collin’s out. He’s on his 5’8 that he had just bought off consignment from a local shop.

     “Wanna try it out?” I say. “That way you know if you wanna buy it?”

     He agrees. We switch.

     “Damn,” he says. “Thing’s so long.”

     I catch a right and go backhand. His board is super loose and flimsy but feels better because it’s shorter. I crank out two loose snaps. Not my greatest turns but best yet for the morning.   

     Collin scratches out wave after wave. We switch back. He’s not buying it.

     “Here,” says Klaude. He unleashes his CI Neckbeard and pushes it towards me.

     “You sure?” I’ve already unvelcroed my leash.

     Short, thick, and buoyant, the Neckbeard works. I catch a mooshy ass right, pumping the whole way, waiting for the open face to turn on. I don’t get a good section, but I feel the board’s potential for how much distance I get. I catch one more wave but switch back with Klaude. It’s his board, a good one, and he shouldn’t be out here suffering on my equipment.

     “I don’t know how I did it on this board,” I say.

     My best wave is a left, and it’s not even on a turn. The JS is so light, that I glide up and into a foam climb with minimum effort. It’s the only time I feel that board give me an edge.

     At home later that day, Rick stops by to say hi. Says he scored with all the homies at Rosecrans. I tell him about the frustrating session I had.

     He looks at the JS and says, “Yeahhhh, that’s a good board . . . but you need to use it on a top-to-bottom day.”

     I take another look at the board. I have no idea what to do with it.