This weekend I was back to dawn patrol surf on Friday and Saturday. Not stellar surf, but Friday I was pretty stoked to have my first good day on the new board. After it wacked out my knee about six weeks ago, I was wondering if I was ever gonna be able to control it.
Saturday, I traded boards with Sensei J and of course he immediately took off on two great lefts one after the other. After a while, he paddled back to me and said, "Your board is cursed." Evidently, he was trying to make it around one last section close to shore when the wave came up and the board flipped him and he reinjured himself by throwing out his back. After taking out my knee and his back, obviously, I should rename Doc III to "Killer." I feel bad, but SurfSister said there's no reason for me to feel bad. She's right. Sensei J is one of the best surfers I know. It's his own fault he's getting old.
Sunday, I surfed second shift because I wanted to surf with a couple of my girlfriends. Gray skies. Cold water. Some awesome lefts. I like the social nature of second shift because there is a comraderie amongst surfers, but I have to admit I prefer dawn patrol. First light and still streets are a calming way to wake-up in a city.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
I LOVE THIS BOARD
It was my first good day on Doc III. Rights! Lefts! No rail grabs! Turning, kicking out... and, I know this is a longboard, but I swear I snapped a little spray.
I LOVE THIS BOARD!
That is all.
I LOVE THIS BOARD!
That is all.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Weekday Surf!
Finally made it out to a weekday surf. This was the first since... since... shee-it, I don't know when.
Not the greatest of shapes and the water was still cold, but I got enough wave-time to start feeling the new board. (And to start challenging the muscular atrophy I've developed over the last few months.) I was still hesitant on the turns, but my back foot was starting to understand how to direct the turns on Doc III. I found that being a little vocal helped me figure things out. Archer John heard me "ahh!"-ing at a wave going frontside. Bottom turn. "Ahh!" Top turn. "Ahh!" Trim and kick-out. "Ahh!"
(Not so much of an "A-ha!" kind of noise. More like a "Ahh! Am I going to make this? Thank God!" kind of noise.)
So I can kind of turn going right. I don't know about left yet. I found mostly right shoulders today... probably just a matter of my comfort level right now. My knee feels more protected when I'm going frontside.
The lefts I did take seemed to be steeper and faster than the rights. I relied on my old crutch, the rail grab, on the lefts. Fun, fast, but not much skill involved in racing down the face and pulling into a close-out using your hands.
Glad to have a weekday surf. Hopefully more to come!
Not the greatest of shapes and the water was still cold, but I got enough wave-time to start feeling the new board. (And to start challenging the muscular atrophy I've developed over the last few months.) I was still hesitant on the turns, but my back foot was starting to understand how to direct the turns on Doc III. I found that being a little vocal helped me figure things out. Archer John heard me "ahh!"-ing at a wave going frontside. Bottom turn. "Ahh!" Top turn. "Ahh!" Trim and kick-out. "Ahh!"
(Not so much of an "A-ha!" kind of noise. More like a "Ahh! Am I going to make this? Thank God!" kind of noise.)
So I can kind of turn going right. I don't know about left yet. I found mostly right shoulders today... probably just a matter of my comfort level right now. My knee feels more protected when I'm going frontside.
The lefts I did take seemed to be steeper and faster than the rights. I relied on my old crutch, the rail grab, on the lefts. Fun, fast, but not much skill involved in racing down the face and pulling into a close-out using your hands.
Glad to have a weekday surf. Hopefully more to come!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Can turn, can't turn
Last Saturday, I met up with Surf Sister and her compatriots at Bolsa. First time back in the water since I messed up my knee, so I wanted something I knew I could handle and turn... weirdly, that's my 9'8" Cooperfish Hornet. I sat in the water for a while, just enjoying being back. I also realized my knee was not 100% as I kicked my legs underwater after a turtle and it felt a little funky. Most waves that day were backing off and you really had to paddle. I ended up playing mindgames with myself on a lot of the bigger waves. At the critical moment of take-off, I'd have a flash of memory when I hyper-extended my knee. I pulled back every time. I just wasn't sure I could pop up comfortably.
When I finally did get into a wave so I could turn, I could feel my knee creaking. It didn't hurt, but I was aware of every movement in the joint. I started realizing exactly how much your knee torques to make a turn. In all, it wasn't a great day, but it was a good start.
What made it kind of a great day was taking doggie to Huntington Dog Beach. There is nothing that embodies joy quite like a dog running full speed on the beach and changing direction so sand goes flying.
This Saturday, I sucked it up and took Doc III out to home break. I knew high tide plus swell was going to give some mushy peaks. The frustration of paddling for nothing didn't phase me. I figured I needed the pointless work-out after weeks of being land-locked. What was surprising, frustrating, and challenging was realizing how right my initial observations about this board was. It wants to go FAST. AND I can't turn it. I can't turn it like I turn Cooperfish, that is. I can't turn it from the middle, where I usually end up popping up to get into a wave. And I can't turn it on the rail. I tried doing both these things on a nice right and the board shot out from under me and I wiped out pretty dramatically. The board doesn't carve into the wave and rather feels like it's skating on the wave.
Obviously, I'm going to have to turn from the tail and use the fins. I'm going to have to stop being afraid to move my knee (again, mind games) so I can adjust my position.
I'm looking forward to having more board time to experiment. This is the first time in a long time that I've been antsy to get back into the water. Now, if only the winds would stop.
When I finally did get into a wave so I could turn, I could feel my knee creaking. It didn't hurt, but I was aware of every movement in the joint. I started realizing exactly how much your knee torques to make a turn. In all, it wasn't a great day, but it was a good start.
What made it kind of a great day was taking doggie to Huntington Dog Beach. There is nothing that embodies joy quite like a dog running full speed on the beach and changing direction so sand goes flying.
This Saturday, I sucked it up and took Doc III out to home break. I knew high tide plus swell was going to give some mushy peaks. The frustration of paddling for nothing didn't phase me. I figured I needed the pointless work-out after weeks of being land-locked. What was surprising, frustrating, and challenging was realizing how right my initial observations about this board was. It wants to go FAST. AND I can't turn it. I can't turn it like I turn Cooperfish, that is. I can't turn it from the middle, where I usually end up popping up to get into a wave. And I can't turn it on the rail. I tried doing both these things on a nice right and the board shot out from under me and I wiped out pretty dramatically. The board doesn't carve into the wave and rather feels like it's skating on the wave.
Obviously, I'm going to have to turn from the tail and use the fins. I'm going to have to stop being afraid to move my knee (again, mind games) so I can adjust my position.
I'm looking forward to having more board time to experiment. This is the first time in a long time that I've been antsy to get back into the water. Now, if only the winds would stop.
Friday, March 30, 2007
On Progression
Sister Surf had an interesting musing the other day that I just saw. In response, it gets me rambling about the good, the bad, the ugly. Home Break really is like home. Can you ever really go home again? I've spent the last two weeks out of the water stretching and strengthening my knee, but both Sundays I found myself haunting home break on my way to the Farmer's Market so I could see who was out and what the waves were like. It was fun hooting for my pals. Two Sundays ago I would have liked to be in the water because there was actually some shape on the waves. This past Sunday, not so much.
I think there is truth in what the Old Regulars say the break, Sister, if you can surf Home Break, you can surf ANY wave. I've found it to be true... even if it does psyche me out some time. I've been to other slower, fatter, shapelier places and I back off waves because my natural instinct is that it's going to jack up and smack me like Home Break does. But after my first good Get, I realize the new break is a slow, fat, shapely wave.
Learning at Home Break DID help me as a newbie. I paddled out through some of the crappiest, wind-stormiest waves because I didn't know any better. This helped me figure out how to power through without turtling a longboard.
Learning on this wave helped make me fearless on steep drops. You either GO or you go over the falls. Imagine the bright orange nose of Doc #1 as I went over the falls... over and over and over. I'm sure I cut a wide swath.
I learned turn at Home Break when all the crowds started showing up.
I think the frustration now is that we know how to paddle out through set waves. We know how to pop up. We know how to turn.
The problem is: what we don't know how to do, we don't get enough opportunity to do at Home Break. Either the shape is off or the crowds are on it. Either it's too low tide or it's too high. It also doesn't help that we've had some pretty consistent non-swell for the past few months. Both Sister and I have become weekend warriors so if Mother Nature doesn't hit us with energy on Saturday and Sunday, we're pretty much screwed.
I want to learn how to walk to the nose gracefully and not in a panic. I want to learn how to kick-out backside. And I'd really enjoy keeping my eyes open when I pull into a tube instead of fearing that the close-out is going to wash away my contact lenses.
In all, though, I'm not too concerned. Today, I drove over a hill I've gone over a thousand times, and at the top of that hill you can see the Pacific Ocean. This morning it was beautiful and blue and I had a Yearning. I yearned to be in it. Surfing. Floating. Just playing. The yearning hit me hard, but not in a way that made me regret being out of the water for so long. The yearning washed over me in a way to make me realize that I will be back in the ocean and it doesn't matter how much I suck or rock the board. It's just a place where I belong.
I think there is truth in what the Old Regulars say the break, Sister, if you can surf Home Break, you can surf ANY wave. I've found it to be true... even if it does psyche me out some time. I've been to other slower, fatter, shapelier places and I back off waves because my natural instinct is that it's going to jack up and smack me like Home Break does. But after my first good Get, I realize the new break is a slow, fat, shapely wave.
Learning at Home Break DID help me as a newbie. I paddled out through some of the crappiest, wind-stormiest waves because I didn't know any better. This helped me figure out how to power through without turtling a longboard.
Learning on this wave helped make me fearless on steep drops. You either GO or you go over the falls. Imagine the bright orange nose of Doc #1 as I went over the falls... over and over and over. I'm sure I cut a wide swath.
I learned turn at Home Break when all the crowds started showing up.
I think the frustration now is that we know how to paddle out through set waves. We know how to pop up. We know how to turn.
The problem is: what we don't know how to do, we don't get enough opportunity to do at Home Break. Either the shape is off or the crowds are on it. Either it's too low tide or it's too high. It also doesn't help that we've had some pretty consistent non-swell for the past few months. Both Sister and I have become weekend warriors so if Mother Nature doesn't hit us with energy on Saturday and Sunday, we're pretty much screwed.
I want to learn how to walk to the nose gracefully and not in a panic. I want to learn how to kick-out backside. And I'd really enjoy keeping my eyes open when I pull into a tube instead of fearing that the close-out is going to wash away my contact lenses.
In all, though, I'm not too concerned. Today, I drove over a hill I've gone over a thousand times, and at the top of that hill you can see the Pacific Ocean. This morning it was beautiful and blue and I had a Yearning. I yearned to be in it. Surfing. Floating. Just playing. The yearning hit me hard, but not in a way that made me regret being out of the water for so long. The yearning washed over me in a way to make me realize that I will be back in the ocean and it doesn't matter how much I suck or rock the board. It's just a place where I belong.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Another reason I don't surf in red tide
Sea mammal deaths sound alarm
Experts investigate new dolphin die-offs
By Juliet Eilperin
The Washington Post
March 27, 2007
SARASOTA, Fla. -- In the summer of 2005 marine animals suddenly started dying off Florida's southwest coast, with scores of bottlenose dolphins, manatees and turtles washing up on shore. In October alone, 22 dolphins became stranded and died, compared with the usual monthly average of three.
Hoping to unravel the mystery, nearly 50 researchers, part of the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events, commissioned a study of the deaths. After taking samples from 130 stranded dolphins, they concluded that red tide -- an algae bloom that creates a neurotoxin, brevetoxin -- caused the massive die-off.
The working group, formed 16 years ago under the auspices of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, has investigated scores of such events. At present, the panel is handling eight such cases simultaneously, an unprecedented high.
Experts believe a range of factors are contributing to the algae blooms and viruses linked to the die-offs, including nutrient runoff from farming, rising ocean temperatures and discarded waste such as cat litter.
The group, now with 12 permanent members and a shifting array of volunteers, has evolved into the federal government's top detective team for these events.
Randall Wells, who heads the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program at the private Mote Marine Laboratory and studied the 2005 red tide, said he and his colleagues are still struggling to figure out whether environmental contaminants or other factors might have weakened the mammals that fell prey to the 2005 algae bloom.
"It is so hard ... to pick all those things apart," he said.
This month the rapid-response team sprang into action again after 64 dead bottlenose dolphins and numerous fish washed ashore on the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
Teri Rowles, senior scientist for NOAA's marine mammal mortality program, said the dolphin deaths have spurred a major response.
Typically, marine scientists first try to determine whether a virus or an algae bloom is to blame. Rowles said she is concerned that the morbilli virus, which is similar to distemper in dogs and killed tens of thousands of European animals in 2004, may be responsible for the recent dolphin deaths.
Frances Gulland, who directs veterinary science at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., said that marine mammals dying in waves can serve as indicators for human health.
"They can be early messengers, really, for broader changes," she said.
Monday, March 12, 2007
MCL sprain
At no point on any wave on Saturday was I in any kind of control on Doc III. Left, right, didn't matter. The board felt squirrelly and fast and I'm starting to think I'm not good enough. To compound it all, I was trying to bring the board under me on a right after a bottom turn when the wave jacked up and the board started sliding and pitching me. I couldn't even count on my honed wipe-out skills. My front left foot remained planted on the board as it cartwheeled and started hyper-extending my knee. I was tumbling with the thought, "I am seriously going to get hurt here." I managed to disentangle my leg from the board and hobble into shore. Walking was manageable, but started tweaking out if I rotated the bottom half of my leg.
Great. So now I had to fake walk all day while my parents came for a visit. (They approve of my surfing even less than they approved of my white boyfriend in college.) The first part of the day was fine, and my Dr. Brother, who was also visiting, assured me that if I wasn't in agonizing pain and could walk it was probably just a MCL sprain. He had one while snowboarding a couple years ago. I asked him how long it took to recover. "Fully? Two months." What?! Great.
So, dim sum in Monterey Hills was good . What sucked was discovering that sitting still all day caused my knee to get stiff which caused more pain when I started walking. The day's plan was to drive around looking at neighborhoods with Dr. Brother in preparation for his move out there in the summer when he starts his vascular fellowship. That means me sitting, driving everybody in my car. By the end of the day, I couldn't fake walk from the parking garage to the crab place at Redondo for dinner. I had to limp walk and confess.
"You have to do things right. When you have kids to support you won't do such things."
Is that really true? The majority of my surfer friends are parents who can't wait to throw their kids into the water. I also don't think I did anything particularly stupid. I just have a new board I don't know how to ride. Unfortunately, though, my dad believes surfing in general is dangerous and stupid, so there is no point for debate.
I feel like the MCL sprain has actually given me a new appreciation for preventative training. I'm glad I started going to the gym to improve my cardio-vascular system and build some muscle mass. I believe in the positive effects of yoga to strengthen my core muscles. But surfing is not for any of that. It's just for me. So, will I end up "doing things right" like my dad lectures?
Great. So now I had to fake walk all day while my parents came for a visit. (They approve of my surfing even less than they approved of my white boyfriend in college.) The first part of the day was fine, and my Dr. Brother, who was also visiting, assured me that if I wasn't in agonizing pain and could walk it was probably just a MCL sprain. He had one while snowboarding a couple years ago. I asked him how long it took to recover. "Fully? Two months." What?! Great.
So, dim sum in Monterey Hills was good . What sucked was discovering that sitting still all day caused my knee to get stiff which caused more pain when I started walking. The day's plan was to drive around looking at neighborhoods with Dr. Brother in preparation for his move out there in the summer when he starts his vascular fellowship. That means me sitting, driving everybody in my car. By the end of the day, I couldn't fake walk from the parking garage to the crab place at Redondo for dinner. I had to limp walk and confess.
"You have to do things right. When you have kids to support you won't do such things."
Is that really true? The majority of my surfer friends are parents who can't wait to throw their kids into the water. I also don't think I did anything particularly stupid. I just have a new board I don't know how to ride. Unfortunately, though, my dad believes surfing in general is dangerous and stupid, so there is no point for debate.
I feel like the MCL sprain has actually given me a new appreciation for preventative training. I'm glad I started going to the gym to improve my cardio-vascular system and build some muscle mass. I believe in the positive effects of yoga to strengthen my core muscles. But surfing is not for any of that. It's just for me. So, will I end up "doing things right" like my dad lectures?
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Doc III photo spread
Okay, so there was a liberal interpretation of the picture of the paint job I showed them... Granted, I wasn't insistent on an exact copy of Clayfin's color design... so I wasn't too surprised by what I got. Here's Doc III, please be gentle:
I called up Little Miss N as soon as I got the board and left the message, "It's ugly. I LOVE it!"
I took it for a spin on Sunday. Not the greatest conditions to be taking out a new board, so I don't have anything to say about how it performs. But I think I'm going to be tinkering with the fins to get that looseness I loved so much with the old board.
I called up Little Miss N as soon as I got the board and left the message, "It's ugly. I LOVE it!"
I took it for a spin on Sunday. Not the greatest conditions to be taking out a new board, so I don't have anything to say about how it performs. But I think I'm going to be tinkering with the fins to get that looseness I loved so much with the old board.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Late great
The tide was too high in the morning on Sunday and I heard I'd missed a decent noon session from Saturday because I was busy doing long-neglected household chores. So I waited. I hit the Farmer's Market and Peet's Coffee with my make-up artist surfer friend and headed into the water around 11am... the tide still not looking much lower than at 9am. But we suited up and I burped coffee burps in the water. VERY uncomfortable.
I had few memorable rides, but one sticks out in my memory because there's nothing like panic to force a good kick-out. When that tide is high and that shore pound looms in a fraction of a second, you gotta love having the instinct to kick-out before you think about it. My friend Ms. Zen heard me cackle in triumph as I safely landed on my board and started paddling back out.
Noon came and my meter was up, but on my way out Sir Richard was headed in and I decided it was getting good enough to put in another dollar and chat with him in the water. I'm really glad I did... my last wave... around 1pm probably the latest I've EVER surfed a "morning session"... was a backside left I was surprised to find had a shoulder. I thought it was going to slip out from under me which a lot of the mushbergers that day did even when I ran forward to the nose. Surprisingly, the wave held up, I backed off to the tail and turned and was able to come back up and back down the wave. I kept doing that all the way until I felt my fin dig into the sand. Oops!
Bonus that the Boy was there to meet me onshore. He was done with his bike ride and I excitedly said, "Did you see that?!" A good wave is always better when someone else sees you.
It was a good wave. One that I relived on Monday morning when I looked out the window to see rain, also on Monday night when I realized I'd have to go to work on Tuesday.
I had few memorable rides, but one sticks out in my memory because there's nothing like panic to force a good kick-out. When that tide is high and that shore pound looms in a fraction of a second, you gotta love having the instinct to kick-out before you think about it. My friend Ms. Zen heard me cackle in triumph as I safely landed on my board and started paddling back out.
Noon came and my meter was up, but on my way out Sir Richard was headed in and I decided it was getting good enough to put in another dollar and chat with him in the water. I'm really glad I did... my last wave... around 1pm probably the latest I've EVER surfed a "morning session"... was a backside left I was surprised to find had a shoulder. I thought it was going to slip out from under me which a lot of the mushbergers that day did even when I ran forward to the nose. Surprisingly, the wave held up, I backed off to the tail and turned and was able to come back up and back down the wave. I kept doing that all the way until I felt my fin dig into the sand. Oops!
Bonus that the Boy was there to meet me onshore. He was done with his bike ride and I excitedly said, "Did you see that?!" A good wave is always better when someone else sees you.
It was a good wave. One that I relived on Monday morning when I looked out the window to see rain, also on Monday night when I realized I'd have to go to work on Tuesday.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Doc III
I visited the Metzler shop today and put in an order for a performance 9'0" with a paint job inspired by Clayfin. I'm getting the last Clark blank at their shop.
Hopefully I'll meet Doc III in about three weeks!
Docs II and I below. You'll see the bump in the tail which I think is the magic of this board:
Note the old patch job on the deck of Doc II when I buckled it a year ago. I'm going to try to treat my new board a little better and stay away from overhead close-out beach breaks at low tide.
Gaze and admire the 80s neon color and art deco fade on Doc I. I bought it used from the Board Gallery in Venice. My first board. Glassed on thruster 8'6". Note the broken leash that broke with the board.
Hopefully I'll meet Doc III in about three weeks!
Docs II and I below. You'll see the bump in the tail which I think is the magic of this board:
Note the old patch job on the deck of Doc II when I buckled it a year ago. I'm going to try to treat my new board a little better and stay away from overhead close-out beach breaks at low tide.
Gaze and admire the 80s neon color and art deco fade on Doc I. I bought it used from the Board Gallery in Venice. My first board. Glassed on thruster 8'6". Note the broken leash that broke with the board.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Sh*t
Raw Sewage Spill Closes Beaches
By Angie Green
Times Staff Writer
11:18 AM PST, February 7, 2007
Portions of Will Rogers, Venice and Dockweiler beaches remained closed today after sanitation officials were notified of a raw sewage spill Tuesday afternoon.
Portions of the beaches will be closed until at least Thursday afternoon, said Jonathan E. Fielding, L.A. County public health director and health officer. County health officials warned users to avoid contact with ocean water.
"We always want to err on the side of caution," Fielding said.
Health officials are testing water quality for bacteria levels. Drinking water should not affected by the spill; the spilled sewage is going into storm drains and creeks, Fielding said.
According to officials, Will Rogers Beach is closed for about 100 yards on both sides of where Santa Monica Canyon Creek discharges into the ocean. Venice Beach is closed from the Marina del Rey channel entrance to the ocean to one quarter of a mile north of the channel. Dockweiler Beach is closed from Ballona Creek to one-quarter-mile south of Ballona Creek.
The Los Angeles city Sanitation Department responded to the Will Rogers Beach discharge on Tuesday at 12:03 p.m. and completed the cleanup at 12:40 p.m.
Culver City Public Works Department responded to discharges leading to Ballona Creek and Venice and Dockweiler beaches at 3 p.m. and completed the cleanup at 4 p.m., Fielding said in a statement.
angie.green@latimes.com
By Angie Green
Times Staff Writer
11:18 AM PST, February 7, 2007
Portions of Will Rogers, Venice and Dockweiler beaches remained closed today after sanitation officials were notified of a raw sewage spill Tuesday afternoon.
Portions of the beaches will be closed until at least Thursday afternoon, said Jonathan E. Fielding, L.A. County public health director and health officer. County health officials warned users to avoid contact with ocean water.
"We always want to err on the side of caution," Fielding said.
Health officials are testing water quality for bacteria levels. Drinking water should not affected by the spill; the spilled sewage is going into storm drains and creeks, Fielding said.
According to officials, Will Rogers Beach is closed for about 100 yards on both sides of where Santa Monica Canyon Creek discharges into the ocean. Venice Beach is closed from the Marina del Rey channel entrance to the ocean to one quarter of a mile north of the channel. Dockweiler Beach is closed from Ballona Creek to one-quarter-mile south of Ballona Creek.
The Los Angeles city Sanitation Department responded to the Will Rogers Beach discharge on Tuesday at 12:03 p.m. and completed the cleanup at 12:40 p.m.
Culver City Public Works Department responded to discharges leading to Ballona Creek and Venice and Dockweiler beaches at 3 p.m. and completed the cleanup at 4 p.m., Fielding said in a statement.
angie.green@latimes.com
Monday, February 05, 2007
Chicago Donkey
Though the opening kickoff return touchdown from the Bears was exciting, I knew before the endzone dance was done that my Bears were going to lose this game.
Surfing, though, was fun both Saturday and Sunday. Hello, Sis!
Going frontside always makes me feel like Laird Hamilton. Grain of salt, please, but what I mean is that going frontside, I feel the power of the bottom turn and carving through my legs and up my body. I feel ten feet tall.
Going backside always makes me feel like Taj Burrows. I improvise and find myself playing on the edge of control. Sometimes, like my first left in three weeks, I end up in a series of Donkey moves. I knew I was donkeying everything on this really nice wave, but every time I tried to correct my style, I OVER-corrected to another donkey position. But it was a really fun wave and I laughed at myself all the way back into the line-up. I was glad SurfSis's Soul Brother #1 wasn't around with his camera. Awareness of your donkey-ness doesn't show up in still photographs!
Then there are other lefts which leave me bewildered that I could have pulled off such a feat... like my last left of the weekend where I seemed to step and turn at the same time to try to get more power and speed out of the wave. I felt everything out of whack and still managed to balance ballerina-like on my pointed left foot while my right foot hovered next to it trying to figure out if the wave could be saved by crossing forward or returning home to the tail. I felt like I was floating above the wave for a long moment before bringing everything under control for a nice little bottom turn.
Laird or Taj, it was a good welcome back to the water after so long a hiatus.
Surfing, though, was fun both Saturday and Sunday. Hello, Sis!
Going frontside always makes me feel like Laird Hamilton. Grain of salt, please, but what I mean is that going frontside, I feel the power of the bottom turn and carving through my legs and up my body. I feel ten feet tall.
Going backside always makes me feel like Taj Burrows. I improvise and find myself playing on the edge of control. Sometimes, like my first left in three weeks, I end up in a series of Donkey moves. I knew I was donkeying everything on this really nice wave, but every time I tried to correct my style, I OVER-corrected to another donkey position. But it was a really fun wave and I laughed at myself all the way back into the line-up. I was glad SurfSis's Soul Brother #1 wasn't around with his camera. Awareness of your donkey-ness doesn't show up in still photographs!
Then there are other lefts which leave me bewildered that I could have pulled off such a feat... like my last left of the weekend where I seemed to step and turn at the same time to try to get more power and speed out of the wave. I felt everything out of whack and still managed to balance ballerina-like on my pointed left foot while my right foot hovered next to it trying to figure out if the wave could be saved by crossing forward or returning home to the tail. I felt like I was floating above the wave for a long moment before bringing everything under control for a nice little bottom turn.
Laird or Taj, it was a good welcome back to the water after so long a hiatus.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Pump Fake
I thought maybe there'd be some energy headed our way, but that turned out to be a pump fake. I heard Porto was the only place firing. So, at SaMo, waves were a no go, but I went anyway because it's been three weeks dry. I had to try on my wetsuit to see if it still fit. The result? Barely.
Speaking of Bears... 41!
How can you not cheer for a team coached by a man named Lovie?
Speaking of Bears... 41!
How can you not cheer for a team coached by a man named Lovie?
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Not futbol... FOOTBALL!
No surf again this weekend. Flat, windy, COLD. 1-3 feet I'd do if the weather reports didn't mention the words "WIND CHILL."
Sheee-it. I didn't think I'd ever hear those two words in Southern California. I thought I'd gotten enough of them in my time in Chicago (which is the most wonderful city in the world except for those two words "WIND CHILL").
And I'm sorry, but when WIND CHILL goes to negative numbers, I don't even think booties help. No surfing in those conditions unless it's head high with perfect shape. So, I stayed in and watched the morning political shows and went on to watch...
Da Bears. Goin' to da NFC Championship.
I still fondly remember the rap of '85:
Ah... memories.
Sheee-it. I didn't think I'd ever hear those two words in Southern California. I thought I'd gotten enough of them in my time in Chicago (which is the most wonderful city in the world except for those two words "WIND CHILL").
And I'm sorry, but when WIND CHILL goes to negative numbers, I don't even think booties help. No surfing in those conditions unless it's head high with perfect shape. So, I stayed in and watched the morning political shows and went on to watch...
Da Bears. Goin' to da NFC Championship.
I still fondly remember the rap of '85:
We are the Bears shufflin' crew
Shufflin' on down, doin' it for you!
We're so bad, you know we're good,
Blowin' your mind like we knew we would!
Ah... memories.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Sans Surf... so Soccer!
I don't know why I've been so enchanted with David Beckham and his wife for the past few years. Maybe because they are bourgeois royalty and I'm fascinated that the world is fascinated by them. Maybe because Victoria Beckham seems vulnerable under all her posturing bluster. Maybe because Beckham is such a beautiful man with such a sissy voice.
Anyway, I'm weirdly excited that Becks and Posh are headed to L.A.
(Nigh going on two weeks sans surf for me.)
Anyway, I'm weirdly excited that Becks and Posh are headed to L.A.
(Nigh going on two weeks sans surf for me.)
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Still crazy
I am happy to report that even though Little Miss N says I "have something to live for now," I'm still crazy enough to paddle out when it's over six feet at my home break when all the good guys go out.
Adrenaline. My friend.
After I rested from the paddle out, I sat around for about half an hour wondering if I was going to lose my nerve as all the set waves came through looking like big moving walls. Finally, after joking some of my tension out of me with the guys, I took my first wave (which I'd planned on being my last wave). First wave I bunked, but I can't remember why. The good thing about it was that it showed me I could live through the wipe-out and hold my breath long enough without panicking.
Second wave, I didn't paddle enough so I ended up on my feet at the top and the board dropped out from under me. I landed on my tail... literally landed on the pointy tail and the skeg. I've got the marks to prove it. Lived through that one, too.
Third wave, easy pop-up down the face and an explosion of whitewater propelled me straight to shore.
I think there's a little bit of crazy in my blood, but it was fun. It was a good day.
(Only weapon in play from my mini-quiver -- 9'7" double-glassed Cooperfish. It was fine, but DAMN did I wish I have Doc.)
Adrenaline. My friend.
After I rested from the paddle out, I sat around for about half an hour wondering if I was going to lose my nerve as all the set waves came through looking like big moving walls. Finally, after joking some of my tension out of me with the guys, I took my first wave (which I'd planned on being my last wave). First wave I bunked, but I can't remember why. The good thing about it was that it showed me I could live through the wipe-out and hold my breath long enough without panicking.
Second wave, I didn't paddle enough so I ended up on my feet at the top and the board dropped out from under me. I landed on my tail... literally landed on the pointy tail and the skeg. I've got the marks to prove it. Lived through that one, too.
Third wave, easy pop-up down the face and an explosion of whitewater propelled me straight to shore.
I think there's a little bit of crazy in my blood, but it was fun. It was a good day.
(Only weapon in play from my mini-quiver -- 9'7" double-glassed Cooperfish. It was fine, but DAMN did I wish I have Doc.)
Friday, December 08, 2006
Swell Bally-Hoo!
Okay, I haven't quite lost the stoke yet. I'm working 12-hour days and I still have time to wonder if and where I'm going to surf tomorrow during this much anticipated swell. I ran an errand around 3:30 today and the sky in Santa Monica was being overtaken by some ominous clouds signaling the arrival of some kind of energy.
If this swell actually does come in, I'm sort of limited by my psyching myself out for not surfing in so long, by my geography, and by my choice of board. Given that the only stick I have right now is a classic double volan 9'7" Cooperfish, I have to either go to a point break or have fun in some (supposedly) giant white-water at a beach break. If I go to a point break, I have to go in the darm in order to get any waves before the hordes. And if the last time I tried this on a bally-hooed swell is any indication, there will already be five people in the water and ten people on shore drinking coffee and checking out the waves.
Or I might just take the boy and his dog to dog beach and watch the show until the high tide drowns us.
Whatchoo gonna do?
If this swell actually does come in, I'm sort of limited by my psyching myself out for not surfing in so long, by my geography, and by my choice of board. Given that the only stick I have right now is a classic double volan 9'7" Cooperfish, I have to either go to a point break or have fun in some (supposedly) giant white-water at a beach break. If I go to a point break, I have to go in the darm in order to get any waves before the hordes. And if the last time I tried this on a bally-hooed swell is any indication, there will already be five people in the water and ten people on shore drinking coffee and checking out the waves.
Or I might just take the boy and his dog to dog beach and watch the show until the high tide drowns us.
Whatchoo gonna do?
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Treading water - losing the stoke
Little Miss N and her friend from Encinitas stopped by before their flight out of LAX to El Salvador. (Surf trip or kidnapping?) We ended up at Guy Okazaki's place. He's going to shape her another board -- a whole two inches shorter than the slew of other Okazaki boards she has! I write this with some amount of sarcasm because, even though I know gigantic differences in performance are measured in fractions of inches on boards, for as long as I've known her, she's been riding an Okazaki alien shape that's 6'8", about 20" wide with a round pin tail. She has had at least three of these boards since I've known her. She's found her niche and she's not deviating.
Don't get me wrong. I love the alien shape. I have one myself. I also admire his performance longboards and am playing around with the idea of getting one to replace Doc. It's just... I wonder what's the purpose of having so many of such similar boards?
While chatting with Guy, we met a man whose name Guy says is part of the surfing lore of the Dogtown days and someone who made a name for himself surfing in Hawaii. "But he quit surfing a long time ago." I wondered why. "Just got bored one day and quit."
I'm intrigued by this. I'm intrigued because it feels like there has to be a good story behind it, and I'm intrigued because I can almost buy Guy's explanation. There's no way my name is anywhere near being remembered in the annals of surfing history, but I have lately been feeling a loss of the stoke and I wonder that it might be possible that I could "get bored one day and quit."
It's probably nothing. It's probably that I have other commitments in my life that are taking a more prominent place right now. It's probably that I'm tired of my safe, crappy beach break with all the fantastic friends. Since I'm pulled in other directions, I have less time to surf. So when I do surf, I don't explore and hunt down good surf, I go to see my friends in the water who I miss seeing every day. I socialize, I make jokes, I catch a wave or two.
I guess I'm just mulling these thoughts. Treading water right now. It's just strange to think how I've become more casual about surfing when I remember a time when I couldn't imagine living landlocked because I had to be in the water every day.
Don't get me wrong. I love the alien shape. I have one myself. I also admire his performance longboards and am playing around with the idea of getting one to replace Doc. It's just... I wonder what's the purpose of having so many of such similar boards?
While chatting with Guy, we met a man whose name Guy says is part of the surfing lore of the Dogtown days and someone who made a name for himself surfing in Hawaii. "But he quit surfing a long time ago." I wondered why. "Just got bored one day and quit."
I'm intrigued by this. I'm intrigued because it feels like there has to be a good story behind it, and I'm intrigued because I can almost buy Guy's explanation. There's no way my name is anywhere near being remembered in the annals of surfing history, but I have lately been feeling a loss of the stoke and I wonder that it might be possible that I could "get bored one day and quit."
It's probably nothing. It's probably that I have other commitments in my life that are taking a more prominent place right now. It's probably that I'm tired of my safe, crappy beach break with all the fantastic friends. Since I'm pulled in other directions, I have less time to surf. So when I do surf, I don't explore and hunt down good surf, I go to see my friends in the water who I miss seeing every day. I socialize, I make jokes, I catch a wave or two.
I guess I'm just mulling these thoughts. Treading water right now. It's just strange to think how I've become more casual about surfing when I remember a time when I couldn't imagine living landlocked because I had to be in the water every day.
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