Water: Cool
Atmosphere: Slightly cloudy
Winds: Calm
Khang needs his fins back. He's moving to NYC in about nine days. Well, I do need to get my Neck Beard's middle fin screw out - it's stripped. It's been stripped since my Trestles trip with Matt and Bri, and I've been riding it as a quad for the longest time. I prefer thruster, but I have been putting off getting the board repaired until now.
I go to Riders Shack, and Jay see's my board and freaks out. "Dude, gimme your board. We need to sand that down." He points at the shotty repair job of my knee going through the board in Mexico.
Jay sands everything down, and scrapes the wax off the bottom of my board. He removed the stripped screw out with precision, and we take out all of the other fins. I purchase a set of Jordy Smith futures from Riders Shack.
"These don't have the speed like you did with the Black Stix, but you'll have a lot more drive during your turns. This is all I ride around here," Jay advises. I feel like I have a brand new board.
I expected today to be a crowded day. Scoring yesterday with empty surf, I know I was telling everyone I met how we scored. And I know everyone who surfed yesterday told everyone how they scored. So it was only logical to expect a crowd.
When I wake up, there is wind howling outside my window. I can see the trees swaying back and forth. Shit, is it blown out already? Should I even go? None of my friends will be out today... I still should go.
I get to a semi-empty parking lot. But the wind isn't on it... Interesting...
The surf is still good, but it isn't as consistent as yesterday. The size has dropped off, and so the swell isn't pushing through the high tide. The lulls are longer, and the waves look like shit from the parking lot. However, a set breaks, and there are three waves to a set. They peel softly, much like yesterday, and then fade out on the inside like a whisper of smoke.
I know I'll be pushing my luck today if I take the waves to the inside. The shore pound is looking ominous!! As I stretch, I see Jose get crushed under the white shore pound. His board flies up as he gets compressed under the sand. He comes up with sand all over his sun-bronzed face.
"Have fun Klaude!" he says to me.
The tide is rising quickly... and I have to get some waves fast before it swamps out. The sets are few and far between, but they are coming... Just be patient.
I see the regular locals out in the water today. Not too crowded either. I say hi to people I pass by - those I know, and those I don't know alike. Treat everyone equally, on land and especially in the water.
For some reason, I can't get my rhythm at all this morning. I remember catching some waves, but they all mush out, and then I see someone else getting a long ass ride. I don't know why but I'm only getting a few pumps in before the wave just loses power...
"It was better earlier," says Mr. Mike, the Vietnam Vet.
One of the locals there, Evans, is on the right waves today. I don't understand how we are sitting right next to each other, yet he is getting all the good waves, while I get the shitty ones. We aren't that different in surf ability, either. Sometimes, all you need is luck.
I finally get a nice left that I get two carves in. I flounder on the inside, debating if I should catch another. However, I decide against paddling back out and paddle in. Well, at least I got my best wave on my last wave. Sometimes, all you need is ONE.
Mahalos Mother Ocean!
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