Venice Cocktail 030411

Surf Report:  2-4 feet, knee to waist high

Atmosphere:  Cloudy

Water: Cold.  Burrrr

Winds:  Off shore

I woke up at 600 AM, only to go back to bed.  I guess I was just tired from last night?  I woke up again at 645 AM, to start some yoga.  I did yoga for about ten minutes, and decided it was time to head out.  It was another solo session, and I find it hard to push myself to go out so early.

I packed all my things last night, and so I grabbed my lunch and a hot water jug, along with my briefcase and warmed up the car.  My dad left as I was leaving, and so we said our see you later’s.

I made it to Venice by 730 AM.  By then, the parking meters were jam packed.  I guess there is some swell today, since everyone is out, I thought.  I didn’t even bother checking the surf.  I just started to get changed into my wetsuit.  I wasn’t in any rush, per se, but I was eager to get at least half an hour of paddling in this morning.  As I trotted out to the beach, I saw two Asian girls coming back in.  Damn, even these girls beat me to the line up. 

So I walk out south of the pier, and see that there were only a few heads out.  Not too bad, I thought, but then a nice left rolled in on the north side of the pier, so I walk under the pier to head out on the north side.  There were two goofy footers dominating the spot, so I decided to paddle out a little bit further north where no one else was.

I stretched for another five minutes, and decided it was time to paddle out.  I was a bit more attentive to my surroundings today, since I had an epiphany again about paying attention to my surroundings instead of focusing so much about myself.  Last Sunday, I felt it was just me me me me me me and I didn’t even care to think about my buddies out in the water.  Even though today was a solo sesh, I did pay attention to my fellow surfers and Mother Ocean more. 

The lefts were firing off the pier today.  The sand build up was forming some nice soft peaks off the pier, but I watched in awe as wave after wave came and I was cradling my ice cold blue balls in my hands.  I went for a few close outs, but those were just stupid.  I paddled further north to see if I could get a right, and I came up with nothing from that attempt.  Time was running out.

755 AM.  Shit, I got to get out of here soon.  I still haven’t caught a wave yet, and so I grew desperate.  In a last ditch effort, I went towards the pier as a goofy footer caught this long left all the way to shore.  He hacked off the lip twice on this mushy, perfect left that peeled from the pier to the lifeguard tower, then to shore.  As he paddled out, a close out right came towards me.  He saw me swing around for it, and started screaming “WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!” as I paddled. 

I slide down the close out, and naturally bottom turn.  My feet were right over the fins, so I felt all the G forces on my right leg.  I stuck my entire hand into the face as it started to crumble, and my whole body got devoured by the wave.  Since I kept my mouth open, a big gulp of Venice Cocktail went down my throat.  Sweet!

Time to get to work. 

I caught a small insider and popped up on a left, pumping it in to shore.  The parking lot was getting packed by the “usuals” who weren’t ever here when there was no swell.  The smell of bacon hovered in the air as I walked back to my car to get dressed for work. 

I passed a surfer lady (she must have been in her 40’s) and she asked how it was.  I said, “It’s fun! Go out north of the pier.” 

I should have just stuck to the north side of the pier to catch some waves and ignore the crowd.  But god damn it, I hate crowds so much, especially when surfing alone.