Making Progress 090311

Surf report: 4-6 feet and closing out mostly… some makeable sections

Winds: off shore to side shore trade winds

Water: Cold

Atmosphere: Gloomy, turned to sunny

The swell we’ve all been waiting for… I woke up before 600 AM looking forward to today’s surf.  Christina was on her way by 615 AM, and we had our gear packed and ready to go by 630.

The two of us rolled down PCH oohh-ing and ahh-ing at the crowds at Sunset, Malibu, and Leo Carillo.  We were heading to County line today, and meeting up Dais, Khang, and DK.

The Scene Upon Arrival

We arrive at County line by 730 and hopped out of the car on the dirt parking lot.  The usual “local crew” was already there.  I recognize their mobile homes that seem to be parked in the same place in the same order.  The crowd was thin while we watched some waves roll through.  The point was firing off with some lefts, while the rights seem to be closing.  No one was near the kelp beds by the point, but rather sitting even further north of the point.  The off shore winds created a chilly environment suited for a thick 4/3. 

I wrote a message to Randy (Matt’s older brother) to give me some pointers on managing crowds.  He responded with some golden information that I made sure to keep in my mind for all sessions from now on:

“as uncomfortable as it may be, sit in the middle of the pack. i try not to talk to anyone unless to nod as to say Hi. the less talking the less distractions.”

“keep your eyes on the horizon. if you "feel" a set coming, move slowly into position. try not to let others in the pack move on your anticipation. most guys don't pay attention until they SEE the sets coming. anticipate sets by paying attention to small bumps way out in the horizon and hold position. small bumps may turn out to be nothing, but it'll keep you on your toes.”

“look beyond the first wave of the set. try to see what the 2nd and 3rd wave is doing. it may swing or peak up away from the pack. if you can see it and quickly paddle to that section, then you'll have better positioning for the wave.”

“choose a wave and be the first to paddle for it. if you can be the first one to turn and paddle, then most guys will assume that you're on it. so you'll have less guys competing for your wave.”

” call off guys. some guys don't even bother to look back on a wave to see if anyone's on their inside. so if you have the inside and someone's dropping in on you, call them off and make sure they hear it.”

COMMIT COMMIT COMMIT. 

“paddle back in the line-up as fast as you can for the next set. and do it all over again.”

So I kept these items in mind while working the line up today.  Christina was out on her Becker, and I was on my thruster. 

We get to the line up, and I position myself a little south of the point, since the rights seem to be breaking best there.  I see a small bump on the horizon, and I “feel” the Ocean move a little different than just a tidal push wave.  So, I gun for the wave. 

I paddle and paddle and paddle.  No one is in position for the wave.  The wave jacks up right where I am, and I pop up and slide down a close out. 

Ok, so that observation of the small bump works, I thought to myself. 

Christina was in survivor mode all morning, and it was just gnarly of her to paddle out in these conditions.  The shore pound was pretty nuts, and the conditions weren’t friendly to the faint-hearted, so I give her mad props for paddling out.  88% of life is showing up.  Nothing happens unless you show up, and she showed up to the line up. 

I was doing my own thing and going all over the place.  I would see a small bump on the horizon, and gun for it.  Most of the time, my readings were correct, but they were close outs or pitchy waves that tossed me over.  An Asian guy on a yellow board was trying to catch some waves, and would be falling on the take offs.  He was later surrounded by a pod of dolphins that were frolicking around him.  That was pretty magical. 

I worked my way over to the point where no one was sitting.  I didn’t get it, I thought this was the hallow section for County line?  I’d figure that everyone would be sitting here… 

I quickly discovered that these waves were trickier than the perfection observed from the outside.  From where I was sitting before, I would see perfect rights just roll through, giving long rides to whomever committed.  But sitting on the point, the kelp was a hazard, and the waves weren’t as perfect as observed.  Some of them broke apart into three sections.  Some of them would just dump onto the inside section.  I tried.

I had at least ten wipe outs sitting here.  During this time, Dais, Khang and DK come out to the line up.  We say our hellos and I work my way back to the point.

In the past year, I have missed any “big swells” of the winter because of my shoulder surgery, so I didn’t really have those gnarly wipe outs that hold me down.  Today was the day that all changed:

One of my most memorable wipe outs was taking the third wave of the set.  I saw the bump on the horizon, and paddled to get out of the way.  The wave was a solid six footer that caught everyone off guard and stuck on the inside.  There was a second wave, another six footer, that I was able to get out of the wave of.  So, the third wave comes in, a smaller five footer, and so I shift gears to paddle for it.  I spin around and paddle for the wave.  I feel the wave just pick up so I pop up.  However, I feel the wave just pitch me and my board over, and I am free falling five feet into the flats.  I just feel my whole body crash feet first into the water, and then the washing machine ensues.  My body is rag dolling underwater, doing gymnastic tumbles and wrenching my limbs up and over.  I just think to myself: “Oh ma god.  Don’t dislocate… don’t dislocate!!!”  I start to panic.  I feel my heart beat faster.  The three seconds feel oxygen deprived and I start to panic even more.  After getting dragged for a good five seconds, I tell myself CALM DOWN.

And so I calmed down.  I let the wave drag me a little more, and I feel the lip pick me up again and toss me over the falls once more.  This part was peaceful to me.  I had my senses calmed and my body didn’t feel so oxygen deprived.  The wave finally let me go, and I resurfaced to an empty line up.  I had to catch my breath for a few seconds, but got back on my board, and paddled like crazy to get back to my spot. 

I had a nice hold down where I was deprived of oxygen once more.  I paddled for a right that I felt and saw from the horizon.  Another grom was on the inside, but I had paddled for it first, and so he backed out of the wave early.  Thank you Randy for the advice!  Paddling early for it, and paddling HARD, worked.  So I pop up and dragged my hand into the wave face, trying my best impression of Andy Irons in a backdoor barrel.  Unfortunately, my whole body got pinched by the lip, and I was sent over the falls.  This was another wipe out for the day. 

I ate it numerous times all day.  I got tired of surfing by myself so I paddled south towards Khang, and we chit chatted at how the waves were becoming choppy because of the winds.  It honestly felt like a beach break most of the session. 

I couldn’t get into some waves and I grew frustrated.  My pop up was off, and I would fall because I put too much weight on my front foot.  My pop up…. I need to improve that once more.  I love surfing because no matter how good you get, you always have some aspect to improve.  And it could be the smallest of adjustments needed, but they are needed. 

I was running on another 2.5 hour surf session, but I had no wave to show for it.  Christina was getting tired and cold, and wanted to get the car key so she could change.  I told her that I’ll paddle in to give her the key.

I finally got this small bump of a wave that formed a peak right in front of me.  I took that wave, and popped up smoothly.  It wasn’t much of a wave since I had to chop hop the whole wave, but it was the one and only wave I caught this whole day, so I was thankful.

I took the white water in to shore and gave Christina the key.  She was stoked that I caught that wave, but I wasn’t too stoked.  It wasn’t “the wave” for me.  I wanted more like that.

I started to paddle out again, and the shore pound just lit up.  The white water just washed me in further and further and further on every paddle.  I couldn’t get passed the white water.  It was as if Mother Ocean was saying to me, “Ok, you caught your one wave, now get out while I still like you.”

Point taken.

I paddled back in with Dais, who was in the same situation as I was.  Mother Ocean: the Great Equalizer.  No matter what, we are at her mercy.  We both walk back to the car in shame of our performance today.  Dais didn’t catch one single wave.

Christina was in survival mode, so she didn’t catch a single wave either.

DK was unable to catch a wave.

Khang caught a few rides as I understand, and even did a slow motion cutback on a wave, right in front of Christina.  Too bad I didn’t see it!

Still, whoever paddled out today gets a salty notch under their leather belt.  It wasn’t the best conditions, and it was pretty gnarly to be out there. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean.  And a big mahalos to braddah Randy for the pointers.  I didn’t get big waves, but I did make big progress.