Manhattan Beach - Her Bite is Much Stronger than Her Bark

Surf Report:  3-5 feet Head high + close outs on the rogue sets

Water: Cold

Winds:  Off shore

Atmosphere:  Gray skies and no sunshine

Today, Kotaro was in town to help his mom move out of their place and up one floor.  So, Dais and Ko rolled through to my house in the morning and we set out for a local session at 16^th Street. 

The free parking was the call for me that morning, since I ran out of quarters.  We got changed into our wetsuits, we walked down the slope down to the strand, and down the “local way” via the dirt trail. 

We saw no one out this morning.  Not one human soul was out surfing this morning.  It was a bit eerie and ominous, but we didn’t let that stop us.  Dais, on Desire`, Ko on a borrowed NSP, and I brought both my fish MJ and the Rising Sun (newly named by Matt.)  I first took out the Rising Sun.  I think I’ll call her Rell, after the surf goddess from Makaha by taking the initial of RS.

So, the shore pound was gnarly today.  It was unforgiving.  It was unrelenting.  It was undulating.  It was understandable that Mother Ocean wanted to kick our ass at 16^th Street for neglecting her for so long.  She threw us fast balls over the plate, curve balls, fork balls, king kong balls, you name it.  But, we persisted.  The shore pound was our first obstacle.  It was a series of duck dives that eventually resulted in water flushing down my suit.  I guess I lost some weight from the time I bought this wetsuit three years ago. 

We three get to an empty line up, and I paddled for a left.  I didn’t get in the wave.  Damn me, I thought.

My memory of this morning is a bit hazy, because it was mostly me versus Mother Ocean.  I really don’t recall much else but trying to paddle for the horizon as I saw a freak rogue set approach, trying to grapple with our limbs as we duck dived.  I got drilled by the lip a few times, but I didn’t let go of the board, for I had a fear of getting hit by my board and injuring myself.  With every duck dive, my shoulders and biceps burned a bit more. 

Dais and Ko drifted up north, out of my sight.  I stayed in my spot, trying to catch some waves.  As the morning drew out, the crowds started to fill in, and the winds stayed off shore.  I caught maybe two close outs, one where I bottom turned into white foam, and then I switched boards.  I was hoping I would get a different feel from MJ.  She definitely is much more buoyant, and paddles easier, but she didn’t do me much good, either.  I grew disgruntled as I waited and waited and waited.  I paddled for a few close outs and ate a big plate of poop.  I saw that other surfers were just going for the medium waves like me and struggling, so I didn’t feel so bad.  The rogue sets came in three today, and they were all close outs.  No one went for them, and no one made it over them.  They just cleaned up the whole line up every time.  If you hung out on the inside, you got pummeled.  If you hung out on the outside, you got nothing.  You actually got pulled out further from the rip tide from the changing tides. 

So, basically you were fucked.  I paddled in, and sat down.  I had to contemplate what was best for me?  Should I paddle out again, try to break through the shore pound for the millionth time, and wait for some no shoulder chest high wave to pitch me over?  Or, should I wait for Dais and Ko to come back.  Let’s try again with the fish, I thought.  I saw two guys fishing, and their kids playing in the sand, running away from the white water.  I probably should have done the same.  I paddled out, and I couldn’t even make it past the shore pound this time.  I couldn’t believe it.  I gave up, and turned around to paddle back in. 

I sat my ass down on the sand in disbelief.  Really?  Mother Ocean just emasculated me so badly.  I contemplated further on what my next move should be.  No, I am not going to be defeated like this.  Not today.  So, I strap up Rell Sunn to my feet, and start to head out.  Then I see the silhouettes of Dais and Ko walking towards me.  They had smiles on their faces, but they weren’t really stoked smiles.  They were more like glad-to-be-alive smiles.  They told me that they struggled too, wiping out pretty much on every wave.  I asked them if they were done, since I wanted one more go at it.  They said they would come out too. 

So, I paddle out.  I actually paddle out quickly this time, and make it out to the line up with a few duck dives.  Dais follows suit, and sits next to me.  He told me where they were sitting, what kind of waves were coming, and how much they ate shit.  Same here brah, same here. 

“Klaude, go for this one,” he said to me.

I swing around, and gun for the right.  I pop up, and see the wall of blue grey water start to break.  I start to pump down the line to get ahead of the white water.  I finally make it out to the face of a rippling blue wave, and the thing closes out.  I was still happy though, since it was my first legitimate wave of the day.  I paddle out and thank Dais. 

“I’m good luck!” he said.  I had to agree. 

Just then, a rogue sets lurches its ugly head over the horizon.  Fuck, we have to get out of the way.  We duck dive a three wave set, and sit back on our boards.  Now, we are too far out.  So we paddle back in. 

Dais paddles for this left, and I see his board and him jolt forward.  But, the wave isn’t as beautiful as one would think.  I screamed out “OH SHIT!” because I see the wave just pitch over, and Dais still tries to pop up.  He eats a plate of poop right in front of me, and resurfaces on the inside.  The waves on the shore pound gobble him up as he tried to make his way past it.  He waited for the waves to pass and for the lull, and paddled back out. 

Another freak set lurches over.  This time, some guy is gunning for it.  He paddles, paddles, and then completely eats it without being able to pop up since the wave pitched over so quickly and harshly.  I see the board tombstone and do flips in the white water after I duck dive, and realize its Kotaro.  It was a pretty heavy wipe out: heaviest one for today, for sure.  I didn’t see his head pop out of the water, so I got worried.  But, he bobs his head out right under from the surfboard, and I yell if he was ok.  “YEA,” he said, probably swallowing some more water.  This is where Ko called it quits. 

I went for a right.  I was thinking maybe I can get barreled.  After that mini barrel from Trestles, all I can think about is trying to get in one again.  There really is nothing like being in a barrel.  Time seems to stop, and I can recall every single droplet from the wave, and how it was moving up the face as it cascaded over me.  This wave today, however, wasn’t forgiving at all.  In fact, this wave completely gobbled me up as soon as I made the drop.  After I got to my feet, the wave took me out, and I was left head over heels.  I tucked up into a ball, hoping that the wave will let me free.  Contrary to popular thought, today was a powerful day.  It sure didn’t look like it, but the waves packed a bite much stronger than the bark.  The wave took my board, and pulled me by the leash.  I did a tumbling back flip, then a front flip as I was balled up in the white water.  Unrelentingly She dragged me by the leash for a full eight banana count.  One banana, two banana, three banana, four banana, five banana, six banana, seven banana, eight banana?  It might have been longer, but man, I could just feel the leash tugging and tugging, and I could feel the white water just roll over the top of my whole body.  I just got dragged so helplessly across the surface of the ocean, trying to get barreled. 

I pop up, and realize that I wasn’t hurt in anyway.  Just dragged like a puppy by an abusive owner.  Well, Mother Ocean, you’re not an abusive owner, but you are my owner.  You are my lover, my enemy, and my soul mate.  But damn, you can just be a mean bitch sometimes. 

I paddled out back to the line up, but I didn’t catch anything after that.  Ko was already resting on the sand, and so I paddled for a close out and took it a boy with his penis in between his thighs.  Dais soon followed suit, and we all recounted our experience today.  Ko definitely ate shit the most today, and he had half a gallon of Manhattan Beach cocktail in him. 

A lady walking her dog asked us how the conditions were.  We were honest: It was bad for us.  Then she said, “Well, you gotta take what she gives you.  If this is what she gives you, then you gotta take it.  This is the only time you get to surf, right?”

She was right.  Dais said, “Yea, I’d rather be getting worked by the waves than the ocean to be flat and not have any waves at all.”

Another lesson learned.  Mahalo Mother Ocean.