A Birthday Sesh for the Long Hair Don't Care Boys 100811

Surf Report: 4 – 6 feet, then a fizzle of consistency and size

Water: WARM

Winds: Off shore

Atmosphere: Sunny!

Today was Dais and Khang’s bday session.  I convinced my dad to come out to snap some photos for them, and so I was stoked to be going out, paddling with da boys for a special birthday session.  It’s not everyday that you get to celebrate two of your homies’ birthdays in one session. 

Khang and Dais planned to be out on the beach by 615.  I tried to match their effort, but I was at the mercy of my dad who was a little late to wake up in the morning.  I was up by 520 AM, doing stretches, but my dad didn’t wake up till 550.  He thought I said 630 instead of 530 AM, so he was still lethargic and sheepish when he awoke. 

I warmed up the car and rode my skateboard around my garage to stay warm.  The air was chilly, and the sun wasn’t even out yet.  We find a parking spot atop the hill on 25^th Street, and I get changed.  We both walk down to the beach as the sun started to peak over the mountains…

My dad looked through his binoculars and pointed out north of the lifeguard tower, showing me where da boys were.  DK, Dais, Khang and Christina were already out in the line up. 

Where's his board?  Snapped in half! Bummer!!!!

The water was super warm.  It almost felt like boardshort weather.  The waves from the hill looked small, but when the sets came, they bombed.  One of the first waves I saw that day was caught by Roy, and he got a full cover up, and came out of the barrel. 

“Oh shit! That guy snapped his board in half!” Khang yelled.

Turns out that guy was Fransauce, and he snapped his board on one of those bombing lefts.  He told me later that day that his board slid out under him and he ate it once he got to the bottom of the wave.  The whole ordeal happens so quickly, that before he knew it, the wave snapped his board like a toothpick.  Francis exits the beach at this time.

The current was surprisingly strong.  This south swell was pulling us back and forth, and if you weren’t careful, you would be washed out north of the tower. 

I’m not sure why, but I felt like the waves just came to me today.  The crowd factor wasn’t so bad, but it was definitely crowded.  There was one time where four guys, including myself, paddled for a smaller set wave.  I pulled out once I saw two guys pop up, and was glad I didn’t even catch that wave.

Rastamon snaking yet another surfer... haha

Orlando, aka Rastamon, was definitely on fire today.  He cut off a few people, but that’s just his style.  It was some nice surfing, regardless of his snaking. 

I got a few rights that were somewhat memorable to me.  I was able to get a set wave going right, and attempted a long floater.  I realize why the pro’s say to lean on your backfoot when doing the floater, because my board just got caught up on the lip, and I went over the falls.  I had a huge smile on my face though…

Roy was on fire too.  He came back out with his fish since the high tide just seemed to shut down the waves.  The lulls were long, but I was able to get some of the inside waves waiting with Roy. 

ROY SHACKED!!!!

“Wait on the inside Klaude, wait on the inside…” he would repeat to me.

Christina, eating it

After a while, Christina made her way out again after being caught in the current.  She was sitting on the beach with my dad, and when I took a left, my left leg just cramped up so badly I had to get out.  I was glad the shore pound was mushy too, since I was in severe pain when getting out. 

It turns out my dad thought Roy was Khang, and was taking a lot of photos of Roy instead.  I told him that Khang is regular footed, not goofy footed, and that he should be looking for Khang.  He points out that Dais just caught a wave as he snapped a few photos.

A more flattering picture of Christina :)

I got the cramp out of my calf, so I headed back out for another thirty minutes. 

Dais, Christina, and I shared a wave.  Actually, Christina got snaked by Dais and I, and Dais ate it on the inside after popping up.  It was pretty hilarious just fooling around with da boys, and it was a lot of fun to be sharing waves on this glorious morning.

One of my last waves I caught was a left, which Dais was on my inside.  He wasn’t able to pop up on the wave because he was super deep on the wave, but I was able to connect the wave at the bottom.  I’m not sure what size you would put it at, but all I know was that it was a set wave.  I just wish I had the ability to bottom turn strong on my backside and go up the wave face going left. 

One of Dais's cleanest rides, finally documented

On my last wave, I was able to take a small wave on to the inside, and tried to get shacked on the inside.  I got unstuck, but I felt surfed out from the three hours of surfing.  It was probably the earliest I was leaving the beach on a Saturday morning, but I had to work to go to, and I think da boys were pretty exhausted too.

Mr. Khang Tran, trademark low stance

Khang gave me a compliment by saying that I was “killing it” today.  I’m not sure about “killing it” but I did feel like the waves just came to me, and I was able to catch a lot of them.  I felt really good being in the water, with the good vibes of 26^th Street.  I think it helped a lot that da boys were out too.  I probably wouldn’t have surfed like I did today if I were alone with the local 26^th Street guys.  Personally, I felt the energy from everyone else helped me surf “on fire.”  I was so happy to see everyone I saw this day, and I just felt that emotion carry out on my surfboard.  So a big mahalos to you guys. Without you guys, I wouldn't be here. 

Khang was a little disappointed in his own performance, but in his defense, he had only a few hours of sleep, and has been surfing non stop for the last four days. 

Dais seemed pretty stoked at the end of the day, and so did DK.  Christina looked pretty tense in the water, no doubt from her ordeals at school this past week.  She was also back on the Becker board, which was probably frustrating for her since she was on a board she wasn’t used to and her foamie would have been the better call. 

All in all, I had a great session with da boys.  The sun was shining, the air was sweet, and the water was warm.  I love Autumn in California!

Going Left

Mahalos Mother Ocean!