Low Tide and Fun 052211

Surf Report: 2-4 feet wind swell

Atmosphere: Still gloomy

Winds: some Off shore

Water: cold

We all decided to head out late today because the low tide was a negative at 822 AM.  I usually hate Manhattan Beach when it is low tide, because it’s super dangerous, shallow, and usually pretty crappy. 

I woke up around 600 AM and went back to sleep.  I woke up again at 700 AM and started to do my yoga stretches.  It’s been a while since I have been able to stretch in the morning, since the cold kept me sleeping until late in the morning and so I didn’t have much time to stretch.  I stretched for about thirty minutes and gave Khang a call.  He was the one to roll out with me this morning. 

When he answered the phone, he sounded like a zombie that got shot by a shot gun in the chest with six rounds of rock salt.  He was still alive, but dead.  He told me to give him thirty minutes.

I called back around 800 AM and told him I was heading out.  I get to his house and park next to his car.  He was laying in his driver’s seat.  We catch up about our last nights’ adventures, and pack our stuff into the car. 

I give Dais a call and tell him that Khang and I were heading out now, and that he should meet us up whenever he could.  He was going to breakfast with Cristina so he wouldn’t be meeting us for the “dawn patrol” this morning.

Khang drove slowly down to 26^th Street.  He must have been in a lot of pain from last night.  He wasn’t looking too energetic.  The gray skies matched his mood.  I actually felt pretty stoked about this morning.  My cold was mostly gone, and so I was pumped up to catch some waves today to make up for my diabolical session yesterday. 

We drive down to 26^th Street and see Matt’s car as we make our way down the hill.  We honk at him and pull in right behind him.  He parks at the top parking lot, as do we, and we say our hello’s. 

I had to take a shit.  Truthfully, I had to take a shit when we left Khang’s place.  So, after we said hi, I had to excuse myself and rush down to the bathrooms.  The bathroom was empty and so I did a power squat, making sure my flawless ass cheeks didn’t touch the toilet seat of Manhattan Beach.  I heard a few splashes as I dropped bombs over the toilet bowl and pissed away my kidney. 

Feeling ten pounds lighter, I skipped up joyfully back to the parking lot.  Just then, I saw the Land Rover occupying a free parking space leave.  I told Matt and Khang that one of us should grab the spot, and Khang told Matt to take it.  He did, but he didn’t like his car’s butt hanging out the back, so he decided to forego the free parking.  Just then, Christina showed up in her Mazda, and so she pulled into the parking space.  Everything came up for the DRC!

We all got changed and grabbed our boards.  Matt told us Rick was out there around 600 AM and said it was pretty damn fun, and maybe Dave T was still out there too. 

We all sat in front of 26^th Street tower, and stretched our aging muscles.  The winds were slightly off shore, and there was some jumbled up waves coming in with a few clean rides.  We all opted to paddle out north of the tower, and walked out into the freezing water.  We walked a good distance before paddling out since the low tide kept the line up far out to sea. 

We all make it out to the line up in one piece and wait for the set.  I drew first blood by catching a small left, grabbing my rail and pulling in close to the face.  I was able to kick out and avoid any lip service from the wave.  I thought that was fun since yesterday I couldn’t catch anything at all. 

There were swimmers still swimming further out in the line up, like yesterday.  These guys were just wearing their Speedos as they swam past us.  I hooted for them to keep going.  One of them actually started to paddle in and went in between surfers to body surf a wave in. 

Matt caught a few waves with his text book bent knee stance on his backside.  He also went for a few lefts on his front side.  One wave I saw from afar, he pulled a nice, arcing bottom turn.  He wasn’t too happy that he didn’t pull of any turns on that wave, but I said he looked pretty cool from that bottom turn.  The bottom turn is where all moves start, so without a good bottom turn, he has nothing really.

Khang was going for a lot of waves regardless of his zombie status.  He was getting some nice rights, and some close outs.  I pointed out later over lunch at his house that he looks stiff when catching a wave, and that’s probably why the section is running ahead of him.  If he just reminds himself to start pumping and carving once he gets to his feet, he should be out on the face and doing all sorts of cutbacks that he can do on the skateboard. 

Khang also snaked me on a right.  I had to laugh about it, because he was completely oblivious to me paddling behind him.  I had to take the wave on my belly in order to maintain my speed and not get caught in his wake.  I gave him some shit about it, and continued to wait for the sets to come through. 

Christina was hanging on the inside, so I really didn’t see her that much in the line up.  It’s really not the ideal place to be while surfing, but I guess she likes the smaller waves?  I know she is still “learning” but she needs to get out into the line up and surf.   Put yourself out of the comfort zone, since that is when we grew the most. 

Before we knew it, we were stuck in the bowl section south of the tower.  We got pulled south thirty yards in a matter of seconds.  There was a rip tide there, and it kept swirling like a washing machine.  No waves came here because so much water was moving back and forth.  Khang and I paddled out of there and all the way back to the tower.  And then, once again, we ended up north of the tower. 

Matt was still in front of the tower, and so we bobbed up and down for the sets to come in.  The lulls were so long!  I couldn’t believe how long we had to wait for waves sometimes, but when they came, they came.  One of these waves came, and Matt was grunting at it.  He asked me if I was going to go, and I said yes, I’m going left. 

As I paddled for it, I realized that the right was opening up too, so I looked both ways and saw no one on the wave, so I went right.  I kept telling myself, “Surf on your back foot, surf on your back foot,” as I made the drop.  I could feel the chop on the bottom of the board as I made the drop.  It wasn’t the smoothest of rides, but I felt the board just squirt up the face as I bottom turned, and then I kept going up the lip in order to hit it.  I saw my nose go off the lip, and hoped to do a redirect snap, but became unstuck.  I was stoked to get that wave, and actually attempt any maneuver.  Matt gave me some props for that wave.  I was stoked that he even saw my attempt. 

He mentioned that he saw Shan far out in the line up with Christina.  So we hoped to meet them soon.  He also mentioned that he recognized Cheryl’s butt from shore, so hopefully she would find us in the line up.  We all drifted south again, getting stuck in the washing machine.  But, we did meet Christina, Shan and Cheryl!  So we all said hi, and informed them that we should paddle out of the rip tide. 

We all paddle out of the rip tide.  Cheryl goes for this right that was about waist high, and actually sticks it!  I couldn’t believe my eyes.  She was on her fish, and just went for it.  She pushed herself over the ledge as Khang went for the same close out, and was able to ride the shoulder out.  I was stoked and a little proud that Cheryl was able to do that on her first ride after not surfing for so long.

Khang and Matt went for the same wave, another close out, and almost ran over Christina, who was hanging out on the inside.  It was a dangerous wave to go for, and also a dangerous place to be hanging out.  Well, no one was hurt, and so all is well that ends well. 

I got one small wave, and wanted the “last wave” to punctuate the session.  However, that wave never came, and our time was running out.  I just paddled in on my belly to get out of the water to meet Matt and Khang.

“Well, all the more reason to push ourselves this weekend!” Matt said to me.

“Hell yea, Trestles will be awesome,” I replied.  I can’t wait for this weekend’s surf trip.

Dais actually showed up after we were all finished with our surf session.  He pulled up and took Christina's spot, benefiting once again from the free parking.  Take THAT Manhattan Beach!  Mwahahahaha.  He said he had a good sesh too, which was a relief since the end of our session was so grim and listless...

The stand out surfer for today was the Brazilian/black kid.  We don't know what he is exactly, but he has an afro and is pretty dark skinned.  He absolutely put a backside clinic on those waves, making us all awe and ooo as he hit the lip and went vertical, only to throw buckets of spray out the back as he re-entered the wave.  He was so on point.  He was one of the groms that we see pretty consistently out here.  What a crazy kid.  I wish I could surf like that.  

Until next weekend, Mahalo Mother Ocean!