Short and Sweet Obon Weekend Surf Session 072311

Surf Report: 1-2 feet

Water: Cool

Atmosphere: Gloomy

Winds: Slight on shore

“Matt’s better than us,” Khang and I reiterated. 

Matt surfs Blacks and Trestles, while Khang and I were surfing 1 footers at 26^th Street.  Not only are we surfing these small waves, but we are STOKED about surfing these waves. 

Had to stay local today… OBON TIME!!  Khang and I set out to surf just for an hour today, since he had wine tasting at his work and had to be out of the water.  I too had to be at obon festival to help out the temple.

I had sent a text to Christina since she said she wanted to surf, but got no reply.  I figured she was already in the water, since Khang and I set out around 645.  We were at the beach by 700.

The parking lot view was dismal.  It was flat.  The surf was maybe 6 inches… with a few 1 footers coming in… oh well, we wanted to surf right?  But first, I had to poop…

The bathrooms were locked.  Fuck.

“Does surfing with Barney’s make you a Barney too?” Khang asked. 

Inevitably we are surrounded by surf bums and addicts that are getting wet just for the heck of it.   The conditions are exactly the opposite of what we consider as ideal:  We have to pull on our wetsuits on in the middle of July, there are no waves, the sun is hiding behind the thick marine layer, and the overall atmosphere is glum. 

We both went leashless today.  Surfing leashless changes the way you surf, because you don’t want to let go of the board.  I took out Dais’s Maria, and Khang took out the Quickfish quad.  I found myself swimming in a few times to get to my board, and finding that the almost nil current had taken the board further north.  But the fish was a great choice for the waves today.

There weren’t any notable rides or anything… except the first ride.  The wave wasn’t epic or anything, but it made me feel instantly better about the whole day.  That wave just made paddling out worth it.  I felt so happy about being in the water.  It just made my whole day…  Oh, I pooped a little bit pumping down the line on the wave.  I was for sure I pooped, but I didn’t find any skeet marks on my wetsuit.

Khang and I caught a lot of waves today, but the locals were definitely the stand outs.  They cranked out turns and pumped down the line like these waves were skate ramps.  It didn’t shame me to see this.  Rather, it humbled me as I watched Don and Roy and the other guys just tear shit up. 

Roy told me about Bob’s Hawaiian Style Restaurant.  He had just gotten back from surfing the south shore, and he and I were talking about all the local grinds that we frequent.  We nostalgically talked about Mitsuken, Boots and Kemo’s, Zippys, Rainbow Drive in, and Time’s (a new place he says I should go to next time.)  He also recommended Bob’s Hawaiian Restaurant.  He said that I would love it, and that I should go soon. 

Roy was with his friend Mario, who was on a huge longboard.  I overheard him talking to Don that Mario might need a new board about 8 months down the line.  They are still trying to figure out what he wants needs to ride.  I paddled for my last wave and almost hit Mario because the board just ran away from me.  Roy saw the fish I was riding and asked if Mario could paddle on it, to see what kind of thickness and width that they should get him on.  He paddled and looked pretty comfortable on it. 

Specials

Tonkatsu Bento

Mrs. Anzai.  She reminds me of my Grandma <3

I said my good-byes to both of them, and headed back up to the car.  Khang and I surfed for just one hour, but that one hour changed my whole day. I went home to buy lunch at Tempura House.  Mrs. Anzai and her husband run the joint, and they are open only until 1400.  I highly suggest you get the tonkatsu and chicken hamburger. 

See how I cook? Very disorganized, but speedy

Kylie & Kaylie, working hard!!  Chop that meat up!!!

Head Grill Master

Mahalos Mother Ocean.