Fri., Oct. 11th, 2019: Red Flag Sessions #2

Loc: 45^th St., El Porto

Time: 1100-1200

Conditions: offshore, 1-2 Ft., ankle slappers,

Board: Zippifish

Same place but just a little bit later than yesterday. The conditions were even better. Zero wind, it felt like. The ocean was glassy and calm as a lake, but…the surf definitely tapered off big time. There weren’t even a ton of surfers out, it was so small. Mostly longboarders, foamies, and just any small wave equipment possible. Me, I had the Zippi. It’s my go to board when it’s tiny, and I can still turn it. Those glassed-on twin fins get me down the line with speed when it’s small and slopey, but I really, truly was NOT expecting much.

First wave I caught was an inside runner. After that, for the next 20 minutes, I struggled. Most of the waves I tried to get into just got obliterated by my paddling and kicking alone. I kept scratching out over and over again; it was tough. Then…the tide dropped just a hair more, and the sandbars were now sprouting up these little two-foot peaks with these racy corners on them. I can’t say I got legit turns, but I was flying down the line, making sections, pulling off floaters at the end. It was super fun just to get the distance. I was running circles around people in my vicinity: two Euros who had GoPros filming each other, the longboard guy who paddled out and sat right on top of me, the noob chick in a full suit even though it was hot.

After my good rides I, I found people with their heads turned towards me as I paddled back. I couldn’t believe it. There was just enough surf to still milk some legit stoke, and I did it on a 5’6 Zippifish, tiny compared to all the foam everyone else had.

I unexpectedly ended the session after a wave in. My inner voice just said, “You had enough. Time to go.” So, I did. I had enough time to eat, make my dinner for work, and take my time preparing my uniform for the salt mines. In fact, I still left a few minutes early.

After that session I felt like a thief. I shouldn’t have gotten all those waves so easily, but my timing was right and so was my surf craft. Right place, right time. I guess that comes with experience. No, I can’t get airs, probably never will. I don’t get consistently barreled. I don’t paddle out when it’s double overhead. But…I know how to catch waves. I know how to milk them. I know how to make crappy and lackluster surf look good. That to me is an accomplishment.

Thu., Oct. 10th, 2019: Red Flag Sessions #1

Loc: 45^th St., El Porto

Time: 1000-1100

Conditions: very, very light texture, 2-3 ft., uncrowded, consistent, decent shape

Board: Skipper

            With the news pumping up abundant offshore winds and red flag warnings, I had a feeling that the wind would be prime for whatever surf the South Bay had on tap. Of course, there are the people to consider who will/are affected by the wildfires to come from these red flag warnings and conditions. My condolences go out to them, but here in El Segundo life can’t stop for me, so I’m going to hit the beach like I try to do as much as possible.

            High tide can be a bitch. It’s right smack dab around 0800, so the decision has to be made to either go at first light to catch it on the upswing or after high tide to catch it going down. Habitually, my body is more prone to wake up well rested around 0700, which works out because that’s when my wife wakes up, and I’ll also have about seven hours of sleep, which is awesome for me.

            I scored parking at my usual spot. As much as I’d rather surf Rosecrans or even 26^th St. to see all the locals I know, it’s hard to beat free, easy, prime parking. I’ve also come to realize over the years that sometimes you have to lone wolf it. I can’t organize my surf schedule around other people. I miss some of my buds, but I have to also hit it in a fashion that’s convenient for me.

            I couldn’t exactly tell what the surf was doing. I had brought my Puddle Jumper with me, but I opted to go with the Skipper. One, because the Skipper is fun, and two because if it just happens to be too small or even dumpy, I’ll still be able to catch waves on it.

            Once I made my way into the El Porto parking lot, everything was just so wide open. Not the parking, necessarily, but the sky. It was just so blue without a cloud in it. Also, the heat coming from the offshores just made the air feel stale, like the desert meeting the ocean. I know that description sounds dreary, but it’s not, not with the cool ocean right there. For 1000 the conditions were freaking awesome. There was only a light texture on the water, but even better were the waves. Sure, they weren’t big, maybe consistently two feet, but there was actually shape.

            Typically, 42^nd was packed, but over by the rocks I made my stand. With only a few people out I was able to scrape into everything I went for. No mini barrels today, but I was getting down the line easily. Actually, I struggled in a major category—turns! I should’ve busted out the Puddle Jumper. That was my bad. I had so many rights that were perfect setups for single-hit backhand snaps, and going rail-to-rail on the skipper is not easy. Those full rails just make it hard. So, even with open canvases there wasn’t much I could do.

            A guy paddled up to me and said, “Man, what is that you’re on? A Beater?”

            I explained that it was the Skipper and that it’s fun but I can’t turn on it.

            “Well you’re still making it look fun,” he said.

            And that’s how the rest of the session went. I was barely out for an hour, and I had such a good fill that it was all I needed.

Wed., Oct. 9th, 2019: Crumbly

Loc: Church Beach / Trestles

Time: 1000-1130

Conditions: onshore, 3-4 Ft., slopey, crowded

Board: Puddle Jumper

            We gambled. Why hit the surf early on the high tide? I’ve surfed Church enough on a high tide and am well versed on how a slopey wave can get even slopier with too much water. It’s not fun. So…on a rare day off, since the wife had the Jewish holiday for the school district, we headed south.

            Unfortunately, when we showed up, there was already texture as well as a lot of fucking people. At the bottom of Church, the long right at the south end, a set popped up, and despite the wind there were a few long, peeling rights. We were hopeful at that point and opted for the smaller of our boards in hopes to get a little bit of performance surfing. Still, we didn’t paddle out right there, especially at the sight of a longboard pack who just paddled out in front of us. We pushed it to north Church where I score my usual lefts when it’s working. Yeah…it was crowded there, too.

            The tide was on its way out but still high. The waves coming in were so slopey, like those gutless shoulders that welcome more planing surface to just trim down the line (a longboard) versus more face to surf top to bottom.

            It was hard to even get the scraps. Guys already had the spot on lock, sitting at the top.

            Into the next hour the wind picked up and people started to leave. The waves began to stand up more, but the quality was a big issue. Just the wind alone kept making the waves run away faster. It didn’t matter that we had the pick of the litter now. Regardless, the quality was still better than Porto, if that means anything. My best waves were on my backhand. I got one long right, a borderline triple hitter that swung so wide that no one else stood a chance to get it. I had maybe two like that.

            Bri did okay, but I think we should’ve ridden our bigger equipment. That was my mistake. But she was happy, especially after being sick all last week, she was stoked just to be out. As KK would say, “Any day surfing beats a day in the office.” He’s right. I’m a firm believer of that.

            We hit the freeway again for home, stopping for a couple McCafés and then grabbing lunch at the best Chinese restaurant in the South Bay, Seafood Town in Torrance. Three lunch special dishes, totaling at $29 after tip, was enough to also feed us for dinner that night. But…that classic session is still looming over me. When will I catch Church good again, solo or maybe with Klaude? Who knows? But I am due. I am due for an epic sesh.