A Green Jewel in Manhattan Beach

Surf Report: 1-3 feet and clean!

Water: Ice cold, but bearable

Atmosphere: Sunny

Winds: Off shore

It was one of those perfect, magical days at Manhattan Beach.  Besides the crowd factor, we couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions. 

Kotaro called me at 530.  “Yo, I’m heading over right now,” he said. 

I rolled out of bed and looked for my glasses but couldn’t find them.  I started doing some yoga, and looked around for my glasses.  No dice. 

Kotaro came to my house, and started eating some breakfast.  I warmed up some soup as I woke up my dad.  Francis was coming to my house too, and we were all going to shoot down to 26^th Street by 700. 

We strap up a board on top, and set off.  The sun was up, nice and bright.  The air was warm for a change, and we all quietly rode down Culver Drive to Del Mar en route to our destination.  Christina and Cheryl were car pooling, not far behind us. 

Once we got to 26^th Street, the line up looked empty.  The waves looked perfect from the parking lot.  They looked small but crumbly, and totally rippable.  Dais shows up super early and we all get changed.  We bust jokes and laugh the morning away as we headed down to the sand…

We four started to stretch as my dad got the camera ready.  Another dad got his camera ready.  As we stretched, wave after wave of groms started to fill up the line up, and before we were done stretching, the line up was filled to capacity. 

Francis was the first to hit the water.  I don’t think he even stretched.  Oh, those young kids.  Ko, Dais and I stayed to stretch, for we were all old robots in need of some lubricating oil in our joints.  Francis was on his potato chip which was 2 ¼ thick, Ko was on a borrowed foamie, Dais on Maria, and I on Mary Jane. 

The water was a clear greenish blue color, one of my favorite shades of Southern California.  The wind was sweet smelling with the air brushing off the tops of the waves.  The golden sun shown through the clear blue sky warmed our frigid bodies as we duck dived wave after wave that rolled in. 

I think Kotaro drew first blood.  He started surfing in August of last year, but he seems to be a natural at surfing.  He continuously popped up and dragged his arm in the face of the wave.  It was pretty nice to see a homey catch so many waves.  However, he did snake a lot of the groms.  On one particular wave, he completely snaked two guys, looked back, and saw that he had the green light, and so kept on going down the line, taking the wave all the way to shore.  He had the “I DON’T GIVE A FUCK” look, and the grom looked like he really wanted to chew Ko’s ear off, but he was completely out-matched.  Plus today there were enough waves for everyone to f ill up on. 

Dais seemed to be enjoying the nice conditions too.  The sun was shining brightly and hot, and made us forget how cold the water was.  The clear green water just rolled through with sets after sets after sets.  It was absolutely a magical day.

Christina and Cheryl paddled out shortly after.  Christina was on her NSP Quinn, and Cheryl was on her fish.  Christina was hanging on the inside doing her thing, but Cheryl seemed to have struggled this day.  There were a lot of pictures Christina catching some inside waves, but I don’t think Cheryl was able to catch much on her fish. 

Francis was the stand out for our group.  I don’t know how he does it, but he’s able to go from 0-60 mph with two strokes on his potato chip.  On one wave, he actually slid through Dais and I before popping up.  He two stroked into this wave, and seemed to have slowed down time around him.  He had a huge smile from ear to ear as he slid passed us, and then popped up in an instant and took a wave to shore.  He’s definitely an Ali’i transplanted to LA.

Dais had to leave around 900 because he had an oil change appointment.  The waves were getting harder to paddle into, since the high tide was filling in.  The groms on longboards seemed to be having a ball out there, as we shortboarders floundered. 

I had a lot of waves, and a few stand out in my head.  First one was when Christina and Cheryl came out to the line up, Cheryl gave me a big hug to greet me.  I say hi to Christina, and asked her for a hug.  She said no.  I was like WHY?  She said she wasn’t getting off her board to give me a hug.  WHAT?? Cmon Christina, give me a hug.  NO.  Here, take this wave. 

Out of no where, this wave came through, and I stroked into it.  It was the biggest wave for the day, and I was able to get in it, thanks to Christina denying me a hug.  I started pumping down the line, and I saw Francis going for the wave.  But, he saw me, and pulled out.  the wave just kept building and building, and I kept going down the line, pumping and carving.  I didn’t do any turns on this wave, but it reformed all the way into shore.  I was orgasm-faced by then. 

Another wave I remember was one where I snaked Ko.  It was memorable to me because I saw him going for the wave and pop up, and watch me the whole time.  I was thinking to myself, “Should I go? Should I go? I should go,”  and popped up.  I almost ate it but kept my balance, and made the close out drop.  I think Ko was a little pissed at that, but he laughed it off. 

There were a lot more waves to be had, but they are all a big blur to me.  After two and a half hours, we were all dehydrated and tired.  Francis and I body surfed for a few waves, and Ko took some rest.  Cheryl and Christina switched boards to see how each others board felt.  All of us were tired and so we got changed and hung around the parking lot, basking in the sun’s glory.