Don't Trust Surf Reports 112013

Surf Report: 1-3 feet
Winds: Offshore
Water: Cool
Atmosphere: Calm before the "storm" cloudy skies

I wanted to ease my way into my shortboard, but today felt like a good day to be on my fish.  My fish.. the good ol' red I call MJ for Mary Jane.  Mary Jane, Spiderman's girlfriend, has firey red hair, so it felt right to name her that.

I was supposed to meet Joyce this morning, but she gave me the run around of "The surf report says very poor.  I've never seen it VERY POOR." and "I don't want to be [shark] food, I saw it on TV last night."

I texted her back, "Zombies were on TV too." 

I have tried not to push people to surf as much.  I know people have different definitions of "love," meaning that there are different levels of commitment to certain activities such as surfing.  But, she did commit to going last night, and all I was reading was surf report this, surf report that, cold weather, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.  I don't like to rely on surf reports too much.  I check three surf reports: Wetsand, Magic Seaweed, and CDIP buoys.  I also watch the weather and tide.  And, if it looks as if there is at least something rideable, I'll go. 

So I pull up to an empty parking lot, and see a few black dots in the line up.  It seems Ross is in the line up since his car is in the lot.  Where are the groms? None of the cars were here.

I paddle out with my red fish.  The water seems cold, but I got used to it after my first duck dive.  The water was crystal clear this day... and the sun was fighting to crack through the grey clouds.  The light offshore winds feathered the peaks as they rolled in. 

I had no discomfort in my shoulder as I paddled out... a good sign.  No discomfort as I duck dived the on coming white wash... another good sign.  I flipped around for a right, and popped up.  No discomfort here either.  Two groms backed out as I pumped down the line.  I do a check turn and bounce off the white wash.  I tried to pump down the line again, but the wave died down. 

I see Ross take a left from the tower.  he pumps down the line, does a check turn, then pumps further down and busts a carving 360 on the close out section. 

He comes by to say hi to me, seeing that I caught a right.  He loves rights more than lefts, even though he is goofy footed.  However, the rights don't roll through as consistently as the left where he was, and soon he paddles back to the left.

A surfer by the name of Jack starts to talk to me.  It was so spread out that he had no one to converse to, he said. 

"You know, this is a lot better than yesterday," he said.

"It's supposed to be worse today than it was yesterday right?"

"Yea! Isn't that crazy? Surf reports... can't trust 'em."

Indeed, can't trust the reports at all. 

I hoot him into a nice right and he takes it all the way to shore.  He is stoked.  And therefore, I am stoked. 

I paddle in late into a left.  The wave crashes on me as I am popping up.  No discomfort there, either.  I do a small turn and come back in the white water, and pump a little bit more down the line. 

Speaking of pop ups, I have had to change my paddle and pop up again.  I'm keeping my shoulders lower and away from my ears every time I paddle and pop up.  It seems I've been muscling my way through the water up till now.  So, it feels like my paddle is smoother, and my pop ups are more stylish.  I hope this translates to better style. 

I surfed for about an hour, and get changed to go to work.  My morning feels... complete.  I've missed these sessions. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!!
 

Be Quick, But Don't Rush 111713

Waves: 2-3 feet
Winds: Offshore
Water: 3/2 still, but getting colder
Atmosphere: Sunny with patchy clouds

I injured my shoulder on October 5th, 2013.  I was going for a right, popped up, tried to do a top turn, failed, and as I was falling, my left arm was behind me.  The wave was sucking up still, since I was high on the wave, and the wave took my left arm and wrenched it behind me, popping it out of the socket. 

I was devastated. 

In hindsight, I was pushing the limits of my body.  I was surfing almost everyday, going to work for 10-11 hours, six times a week, and not getting enough rest.  Surfing was my "out" to deal with work related stress, and so in my mind, I had to surf. But in the end, I forced my body to run on fumes, and did a half ass turn, and injured myself, incapacitating and hampering my own body for a few months.

I have been going to rehab three times a week, and each session is three hours long.  Not to stop there, I continuously work on my shoulders and legs when I am at work and home.  I went to acupuncture, and realized all of my old injuries to my ankles, knees, and shoulder are resurfacing on my body with compensation injuries to my legs, hips, lower back, upper back, and neck.  I had to revamp my whole routine. 

So I have been trying to ease my way into surfing.  I swam in the pool twice prior to this day, paddled around without popping up a week earlier, and have been doing push ups on my indo board, exercise ball, and on the floor.  I felt ready to get back out in the water.

Luckily, this day was small, and high tide was mushing all the waves.  I got up late to go surf, so the dawn patrol was just leaving the lot. 

"Are you paddling out Klaude??" Eric asked. 

"Today would be a really good day for you to get back in," added Kim.

So, I got Kim's parking spot under the tree, and headed out. I grabbed Mel's board without her permission from the garage since the foamie was not there. 

I knew Bri would be out, so I paddled out to my usual spot in front of the Mons Pubis.  I can see Roy on his red fish tearing it up, and Bruce was out on his foamie.  I catch sight of Bri from behind (unmistakeably her backside) and sneak up on her.  We give each other a big hug, and chit chat. 

I was apprehensive at first paddling for the high tide mush.  I doubted myself and the condition of my shoulders.  But I told myself, "Look, you've done all the right things, you're gonna be fine.  You're ready.  JUST GO FOR IT!"

And so I caught my first left.  It was a small, down the line left, but man oh man!!! did i miss this feeling!!!!! 

I paddled back out with a smile to my face.

Bri was killing it once again.  As I paddled back out, she caught a nice right.  She took this right all the way to shore. 

She paddled back out and caught another clean right all the way to shore.  She took a long time to get back to the line up since she took it so far.  I am really impressed with her progress as a surfer, and Matt aka Donny Duckbutter, should be proud. 

I caught one right and tried to pump down the line.  The board was too big so I couldn't pump too well.  I also tried to bottom turn and the board just slooooooowly went up the face and so I couldn't really set myself up to do a turn or a floater.  But, I was still stoked. 

There was one wave where I paddled and fell.  I thought I had the wave, and popped up, but fell as I got to my feet.  The guy next to me laughed, saying, "Wow, that was some wicked backwash.  It just threw you off your board!"  I was glad it was the wave and not my body that forced me to fall. 

Bruce was killing it on his foamie this day.  He would take off behind the other locals and play catch up with them.

Roy was killing it on his red fish too.  He was getting rides from the tower all the way to the Mons. 

It was crowded as hell, but I had a great time.  I can't wait to get back on my shortboard, but I'm taking it step by step.  Be quick, but don't rush, as John Wooden said to his injured players.

So, I'm off to Hawaii on December 4th.  It is my first vacation since June of 2012, when I went with Fransauce to Oahu.  I hope to be able to surf some waves then and watch the Pipemasters live.  But, I am ok with not being able to surf the gnarly waves of the North Shore if I am not ready for them.  It's ok, I have my long term goal of surfing all winter this season, so I don't want to lose sight of that goal.

Anyways, happy surfing to all!!

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!!!