The Bank Pays Off 100211

Surf Report: 1-3 feet with the occasional 4 footer

Water: Cool

Winds: light

Atmosphere: Sunny with patchy clouds

Another California Golden Nugget

Yesterday I was frustrated with my surfing performance.  I called Rick to see what the status was on my boards that he was repairing, and I expressed my frustrations with the mushy conditions.  He told me to come by his house and that he would loan me one of his older fishes so I can ride them for the time being. 

Rick introduced me to a 1980’s Zippi Fish, measuring 5’10” x 20 x 2 ¾”.  It was definitely a bigger board than what I was used to, and it had glassed on fins.  I gladly took that fish and went home happily in anticipation of the waves of Sunday morning. 

I planned to have a solo sesh this morning, but Fransauce hit me up as I was still jostling around my bed looking for reasons not to get out yet.  He told me he’ll come pick me up and we could head out together.  So, I got my stretching done, drank two fresh eggs and some fruit smoothie, and filled up the water jug.  He was already outside by the time I was ready.

Fransauce

We head down to 26^th Street while talking about work.  He filled me in on his crazy week of what he’s seen, including a 275 lb V.A. that toppled onto the ground because of his bad knee, an old man that was labeled “NRA”, which stands for No Resuscitation Available, who died in front of him, and his younger partner.  What a crazy, intense job he has. 

We park up the hill on 26^th Street and see that the waves are pumping some close outs.  It looks bigger than usual, so we get changed and head down the path. 

We see Christina and her friend Apolla stretching on the shore.  Apolla is a friend of Christina through yoga, and she surfed a few time about six years ago but stopped after a horrific wipe out and being held under a few waves.  Christina has been getting her to come out the last weekend and this weekend, and so hopefully she will show her face enough times to be labeled as another DRC member. 

We see the waves just pumping through, and we are antsy in our pantsy to get out there.  The waves looked clean but the shore pound looked pretty gnarly; a sure sign that there is some swell energy at the beach break. 

Fransauce and I paddle out a little north of the tower.  It wasn’t so bad paddling out on the fish, it was just a little more effort to duck dive that tanker.  It was so crowded that I had to be weary of my fellow surfers out while paddling to the line up.  On my way, I see Roy and say hi to him.  His friend Mario was also out too. 

My first wave that I get into was a right that I pumped up and down on.  I was about to rip a bottom turn, when I see a grom caught on the inside.  So I kick out.  I still was stoked about the wave and being able to pump on it so nicely.

Francis was having a grand time.  His first wave was a right, where he did a sweeping cut back to produce a bucket of spray out the back.  He hit the lip as it came crashing down, and paddled back out with that huge ear to ear grin he sports on his face every time we are surfing. 

In the car ride over, he told me how he gets really grumpy when he doesn’t get to surf during the week.  I am the same too, and that’s why I swim during the week, just so my body can be submerged in water and my shoulders get some exercise.  There really is nothing like surfing, but swimming is as close as you can get to getting your dick wet. 

We both looked at each other in silence.  We didn’t need to say anything.  It was firing lefts and rights.  The crowd was here, but there were enough waves for everyone.  And it was sunny.  It was just so beautiful.

People say twin fins are “skatey.”  I never really knew what that meant until today.  I felt like I was on a gigantic skateboard.  It took some getting used to, but after one or two waves, it was as if I turned on the easy mode switch on the waves, and I started to get a lot of rides.

I think a surfer is able to brag about a wave when he gets his first three turn wave, or a barrel.  Today, I earn this right to brag just a bit.  I caught a small two footer that doubled up for me as I paddled in.  The Zippi fish just slid into the face and I started to pump.  I saw the whole wave ahead of me, and my body just took over.  My weeks of practicing on the bank with my skateboard have paid off.  My body went into auto-pilot, and started to bottom turn.  I hit the lip, then made it back on the face.  I pumped a few more times, then hit the lip again.  I took another few more pumps and did a cut back into the white wash, and finally came unstuck from my board.  My first three turn wave ever!  So stoked.

A lot of the waves would double up and pitch over a meaty lip.  A lot of the locals were having a field day with this.  They knew exactly where to be to get the right waves.  Fransauce and I sat in front of the “mons pubis” (green patch area) north of the tower.  We caught our fair share of rights and lefts. 

Thanks Rick for the loaner Zippi Fish.  Amazing!

Roy came back after feeding the meter with his fish.  He went on a forehand and backhand assault of the waves, making all the waves look easy to make.  Indeed, they were easy today, and the conditions just seemed too perfect.  Roy would paddle into rights and hack off the top.  He would paddle into lefts and get a few turns in and stomp an emphatic floater on the inside.  He is definitely a surfer I look up to. 

One of the locals with long hair was able to land an air reverse.  I hooted him and he threw me a shaka. 

Christina and Apolla made it back to where we were sitting.  We chit chatted and traded some waves while together.  It was hard holding a conversation when Christina would just hoot me into a wave.  One of her last waves was her going for the white wash of an outside wave.  She made the wave, and I didn’t see her after that until I got out. 

Another surfer I’ve met out here, Mayu, came out and said Ohayougozaimasu (good morning in Japanese.)  She and I talked for a while, trading waves.  I complimented her stylish surfing, and she thanked me.  She has been surfing for over a decade now, and she was stoked to hear me compliment her surf.  She still looks pretty darn young, but I calculate she is at least 32 years old, since she has been in the States for over twelve years now. 

As we chatted, a pod of dolphins that were hanging out in the line up this whole morning started to approach us.  We commented how graceful and cute they are.  And as if they heard us, the pod approached us, one swimming within arms reach of me, and another swimming right under Mayu.  It was a magical moment for both of us.  Just then, an outside clean up set came, and we had to get out of the way of the wave. 

Francis, Mayu and I shared a clean up set.  I couldn’t quite get to my feet because I couldn’t make it around the white water, but Mayu and Francis did.  Francis exited the water at this point, as I found out later.  I still thought he was out there with me. 

The tide push was making the waves less consistent, but there were definitely a lot of waves to be ridden still.  A white guy that I snaked on accident was blowing the tail and doing huge maneuvers this whole time.  He was pretty pro. 

One of the last waves I got was another double up and I was able to pump down the line, stall, and pump again until I got to shore.  Francis was waiting for me on the shore.  I had thought that he was still in the water, but glad that he was out.  I could have pushed it a little more, but I think my last wave was a nice way to end a session.

Christina and Apolla were lounging in the sun.  We talked about the waves today, Apolla’s horrific hold down that deterred her away from surfing for a few years, and how beautiful the day was.  We said our good-byes to da girls, and headed back to the car. 

Now, since Fransauce was getting lunch with Nicole, I came home to a hungry dad who told me to make lunch.  I was just going to get some take out, but I figured I could make a nice meal really quickly. 

Chopped garlic with dried basil and olive oil fried with tomatoes, mussels, and stone crab claws, stirred up with linguini.  Bon appétit!! 

What a perfect day.  I love Fall in SoCal.  

Mahalos Mother Ocean.