Back to Blogging 26th Street 050313

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Surf Report: 2-3 feet and sloppy

Water: Cool

Winds: Slight on shore and trade winds

Atmosphere: a bit kloudy

Back to blogging again… I just want to take a moment to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my arduous CPA exam.  I’ve thanked most of you in my life in person, but for those of you who I haven’t been able to thank, thank you always for your support!!  I did my absolute best… if you saw me in the last two months, you would know that I was obsessively studying for this damn section of the four-part CPA exam that I failed four times.  Over the past two years, I've sacrificed so much of my life for this exam... friendships, would-be relationships (one girl that I was catching up with told me, "Don't wait two years to contact me,") surf trips, camping trips, parties, sanity, and my own personal happiness... all sacrificed for the one goal that I never thought possible... This time… this time, I know I did my absolute, 110% best, so I am happy with my results.  This was my version of Kobe Bryant scoring 81 points in a single game.  He doesn't recall scoring 81, he just remembers "We have to win... we have to win."  I put in the work, I put in the effort, I put in the blood, sweat and tears.  Anyways, thank you all.

So, back to surf:  this day is kind of hazy now… I talked to Khang and Dais the day before as they drove back from Trestles, and telling me how they scored.  They invited me to dawn patrol Friday morning, which I kindly obliged.  I woke up kind of late, and got to 26^th street around 700 AM.  I see that there’s surf, and I see Khang’s car.  There are a lot of people in the water this morning… but I find Khang in the line up.  He’s on his New Flyer model from Channel Islands. 

The surf is a little wonky, with the high tide ruining the conditions.  I didn’t really care.  I was just so happy to be surfing on a work day!!  It’s been far too long since I got to surf on a work day… I was just happy to be in the water in my 3/2. 

No memorable waves this day really… I just remembering being really happy to be in the water.  Khang and I leave the water and talk to Don and Ross.  They said that the past two or three days were much better.  “Should have been here yesterday.” 

I’m still getting back into the swing of things on this day… it finally struck me that I have my life back, and that I should do what I’ve been wanting to do this whole time.  I’m just taking life by every moment, since for the last two years I was locked up with handcuffs on my small wrists. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!  I am happy. 

A Hui Hou Fransauce - 060912

Surf Report: 3-5 feet

Atmosphere:  Sunny

Water:  Cool

Winds:  Trade winds to off shore

Today was a day for the core of the DRC to bid “a hui hou” to Fransauce.  It’s not a “good-bye,” it’s a “see you later.”  Whoever could make it out to the dawn patrol, would make it out, and we will surf to our hearts content. 

And it just so happen to fall on my birthday. 

I slept early Friday night in order to be able to dawn patrol.  Fransauce was adamant about dawn patrolling, since Thursday was so good and got really crowded quickly at the beach breaks. 

I woke up at 300 AM for no good reason.  My body just told me to wake up.  I didn’t feel like I slept, but my body was energized and ready to go.  I said no, I need a little more sleep, and lay in bed, checking the first of many birthday texts and facebook messages I was receiving.  After about an hour and a half of trying to go back to sleep, I said “Fuck this,” and got ready for the day.  I warmed up a cup of water and squeezed lemon into it, and started to do my yoga stretches.  By 500 AM, I was ready to go. 

First stop was to Nicky’s house.  It just so happened he was back in town from his recent journey to San Francisco, and was psyched to surf.  I was trying to get a hold of him for about a week to no avail, but he contacted me Friday night and we agreed to go dawn patrol on Saturday morning. 

Second stop was to pick up Fransauce.  He watched Prometheus the night before, and had only slept for two hours.  Needless to say, he was stoked to go dawn patrolling with us. 

We drove down to 26^th Street and the lot was still closed.  So, we parked up the hill and started to get changed.  Fransauce called Matt, and Matt arrived shortly as we were walking down the street from our parking spot. 

As we made our way down the hill, we see Khang getting changed in the lot.  I threw him a shaka and we all made our way down to the beach.

The waves were pumping today.  At first the waves came in slow because of the low tide, but eventually things picked up. 

I paddled out and got caught in a rip current.  I thought I selected the right path, but I got caught.  Before I knew it, everyone else was at the line-up, while I was struggling to get out of the impact zone.  I think about fifteen minutes went by before I finally got to the line-up. 

Khang was the first to greet me with a happy birthday.  I wanted to keep it low key, but it was nice that Khang wished me a happy birthday in the water.  Don wished me a happy birthday, and so did Fransauce, Nicky, and Matt.  So far, so good. 

One of Khang’s first waves was a right.  He was riding the Don Kadowaki from Dais.  The board is a virtual twin from my board, except a little bit thinner, and set up as a twin fin.  He gets down the line, cuts back, pumps down the line a little more, and hacks off the lip at the end.  Khang was pushing a lot of Da Boys into waves, getting assists for nice waves.  He was about to mess around and get a triple-double this day. 

Nicky was struggling most of the session, getting his feet wet and shaking off the cob webs.  He could go for some waves that seemed good but then close out.  He also snaked Fransauce really badly, when Fransauce was going right.  Uncharacteristically, Nicky snaked him on this right.  Usually, he snakes people on lefts.

Matt was on his Wade Tokoro potato chip, and seemed to be getting his feet into the wax quite well.  I snaked him on a right, where I didn’t think he was making it.  I saw him out of the corner of my eye, and he just flew into my peripherals as I was popping up.  I apologized to him, but he went back out to the line-up and caught an even nicer right.  This wave was almost Trestles-like, with a mushy take off and a slowly building face.  He makes the smooth drop, and then does a check pump and then a drawn out pump, then lays the rail right in front of me, spraying me.  I let out a hoot, as he kept going down the line. 

Fransauce was operating on the least amount of sleep out of all of us, but he was still the clear cut performer of the day.  He went for both rights and lefts like no one’s business.  I had a front row seat for one of his rights, where he stylishly did a carve from top to bottom, wrapped the board around, pumped again, and snapped off the top and kept pumping to shore.  What a beautiful way to ride a wave! 

In all honesty, the fact that Fransauce will no longer be in LA hasn’t settled in me yet.  I know he is leaving.  In fact, I am leaving for Hawaii with him.  I’ll be in Hawaii with him for ten days.  But it still seems like I’ll see him in LA again, and that I’m not getting nostalgic and emotional yet.  I am just enjoying my time with him now and I don’t bother thinking about the future – a Fransauce-less LA. 

I had two good waves for the day: one was a right, where I get to the face of the wave.  I do a small carve off the top to produce some spray, stick with the wave, and get a final maneuver on the end.  Fransauce tells me he saw my little cutty, and gave me props.  So did Nicky. 

My second wave was by far the stand out wave for my birthday.  It was a left that popped up on the horizon, and I just went for it.  I didn’t think twice about it.  It was probably a shoulder high wave that broke perfectly where I was positioned.  I slid down without grabbing rail, and leaned into the face.  I see Fransauce in my path, but was able to control my board and make a smooth cut back on the wave.  The wave got mushy after that, and so my ride ended.  But everything up to that point, I could place every drop of water onto a canvas and re-paint it because it was such a beautiful wave. 

We collectively drift further north.  We could have easily just fought the current, but that would mean to fight for waves with thick crowds.  Today was definitely crowded, and there were just packs of surfers on each peak.  However, it seemed like our group of five were holding our own.  A longboarder or a stray short boarder would come near our group, and quickly leave the area. 

There were some groms charging today too!  I hooted them into some waves where they looked overhead on the groms.  They wiped out a lot, but they were charging, and I loved their spirit.  I complimented the dad on his son’s wave because he charged it and made it all the way into shore. 

For about thirty or forty five minutes, when the tide rises, the waves just turn on!  The winds switch to off shore, and the surf resembles classic Manhattan Beach surf.  It was just all time.  I know I got caught on the inside for a lot of them because they were so unpredictable and unexpected, but they were just so beautiful.  On one of these big ones, Fransauce just raised his arms in awe as the hollow wave opened up and engulfed him on the inside.  I had to duck dive the white water explosion behind him. 

On another wave, both Matt and I got caught inside.  I knew we were going to get clobbered for being out of position.  I remember feeling the water just detonate on the back of my head, and just getting tossed around violently underwater.  Both Matt and I resurface, laughing.  It was just so big and gnarly, and we got our asses handed to us, but we both love that feeling of being powerless in front of Mother Nature.  It just makes us laugh.  Fransauce was behind us and said that the wave was super hollow. 

Christina and Apolla came out to surf too!  It was a delightful surprise, especially since I know Christina is still in a lot of pain.  By the time they showed up, my arms are running on empty, and collectively, we just all wanted to grab that “one last good wave.”

I see a wave build up on the horizon.  I tell Nicky, “This is the one!  Go go go!!”

He starts to paddle for it. 

“Naw, you gotta paddle harder!  Paddle harder!”

And then he starts kicking and scratching as the wave just builds up right behind him.  And then… he takes off!  Nicky makes the smooth drop, and then pumps hard and shoots down the line.  Then he pumps hard again, and shoots further down the line.  He keeps going as all of us watch his wave from behind. 

“Oh man, he is just CLOWNING!” Matt says.

The wave ends on shore, where Nicky just got the wave of the day. 

I felt we surfed a complete session today, from start to finish.  A total of three hours was spent in the water, and we were all absolutely drained.  Cheryl was on the sand to greet us today.  She was unable to paddle out because she was sick, but she wanted to spend time with us, which was really cool of her. 

Apolla had to leave to fly to Canada that day, so she took off immediately.  Christina said she would meet us up any where we decided to eat.  We all watched the waves and talked for a while, looking for Dais.  He was out there, but we couldn’t find him. 

“Oh shit!!” screamed Fransauce.

“What, what happened?” 

“That wave just spit!!  I think I just came,” he said.

We decided on eating at the Blue Butterfly Café, where they serve amazing bagel sandwiches and coffee, along with a plethora of other breakfast items and sandwiches.  I think we just sat there talking and laughing our heads off for a good hour or so before calling it a day.  So far, this morning has been an amazing birthday. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!  Mahalos to all those who came up to show some aloha to our crew member Fransauce!

Raw NorCal - A Trip to Pacifica Part 1 060212

Surf Report: 3-5 feet

Winds: Mild on shore

Water:  Freezing cold

Atmosphere: Gloomy

If there is one word I can use to describe NorCal surf, it would be “RAW.”  I went through the whole spectrum of weather, from dense fog, to strong on shore winds, trade winds, sunny and off shore, freezing cold water that would make your nipples cut glass, scenic backdrops of cliffs and evergreen forests, brown sandy water, clear, aquamarine water, golden bronze water, and rain.  The wave power was raw too.  I had some nice wipe outs and got a few bruises that mysteriously appeared a few days later.  Some of the white water duck dives were pushing me back a few yards because of the raw power.  I definitely felt my paddle get stronger after this visit.  And finally the people here are raw.  In a nice way of course.  They weren’t fake, like how we see in Los Angeles.  Everyone was genuinely nice.  I’d like to say they showed me their raw side – unabated and unfiltered.  Who would have known rawness could be so warming?  I’ve visited NorCal to visit friends, but not for the intention of surf.  This trip’s intention was solely surf related, and I feel that I was extremely lucky to experience a great array of NorCal surf. 

Fransauce has wanted to show the DRC how surf was up in his hometown of Pacifica.  Pacifica is located about 20-30 minutes outside of San Francisco.  It is a small beach town with beautiful scenery, lush green hills and cliffs, and beach breaks galore.  Fransauce drove Friday night for five and a half hours with one break in Bakersfield.  I tried to stay up, but for about two hours of the home stretch, I knocked out in the passenger seat of his truck.  Apparently I missed gale force winds hitting his truck, making him swerve a few times.  By the time I woke up, the dense fog was obscuring our view as he pulled up to his hometown of Pacifica. 

His mom greeted us inside the house, and we chit-chatted for a few minutes.  His sister, Bernice, was also home, and she greeted us too.  Fransauce and I decided to go to bed, and wake up whenever we woke up. 

8 AM

We ended up waking up around 800 AM.  We were both still tired, but my body was telling me we should go surf.  Fransauce explained to me how June Gloom takes place here, and how it’s always foggy and gloomy during the month of June.  He first took me to the Pacifica pier, where he almost drowned a few years ago on a heavy day.  The scene when we arrived looked like a victory at sea day.  The waves crashed on the boulders and sprayed above the cement wall that protected the pedestrians.  Not one surfer was out.  We got a bagel for breakfast, and munched on it while we walked down the pier.  The clouds kept the skies grey and cold. 

We drove down to Rockaway Beach, where there were about six to eight guys taking off on some waves.  The waves looked playful, but not very appetizing.  There was only one take off spot working this day at Rockaway, and it seemed like the guys out there were struggling.  So, we drove further down to a spot called Linda Mar.

Linda Mar is a big beach break, with a range of surfers dotting the line up.  There were guys on foamies, guys on longboards, guys on fishes, and guys on performance shortboards.  There is a taco bell right on the beach, which I used as a landmark to position myself. 

Fransauce was the first to hit the water.  I stretched extra and took my time.  It was a new place, and I wanted to be able to surf as long as possible.

The water was brown and ice cold.  It smelled a little different from SoCal, or even Hawaii.  The water smelled a little more salty.  I only had my 3/2 Quiksilver wetsuit, and the moment my feet touched the water, I knew I needed a thicker wetsuit.  It was so friggin cold!!  I couldn’t believe it.  But hey, no complaining.  You’re surfing!!  Just paddle out and catch some waves.

The paddle out was long, and every time I duck-dived, I got an ice cream headache.  I couldn’t believe it was June, but so frigid.  I saw why wetsuit companies up here are at the forefront of cutting edge technology and design for wetsuits and booties.  Everyone was wearing booties or gloves or a hood. 

On our way to grab runch

The cliffs cut into the shoreline and the tall evergreen forest gave the brownish cliff a scenic backdrop while sitting in the line-up.  I wished I had a palette of paint and a canvas, or some pastels to draw while waiting for the waves. 

The waves were mushy and hard to catch.  I caught two waves this whole session, with just the drop.  After I made the drop, the wave fizzled and lost all power, and I lost all my speed.  The locals were getting longer rides than I, so I figured I was doing something wrong. 

99.999% of the time in the water, I was paddling to maintain position.  The current was strong.  I didn’t really catch any amazing waves, but I saw Fransauce killing it on some of the rights that came through.  He caught three waves this day, connecting the dots to the inside and spraying some water as he did a cutback. 

The sun would peak it’s shy head from the heavy, grey clouds, but then get covered up again.  I guess we in SoCal are spoiled.  It’s sunny over here all the time. 

We surfed, or paddled, for three hours this session.  My arms were so tired, but I felt like I should at least catch one good wave before getting out.  That one good wave never came, and I took a close out. 

Gorilla BBQ

I told Fransauce how everything in NorCal so far seems to be RAW.  Raw weather, Raw surf, Raw power.  I feel like in SoCal your brain turns into mush, but up here, you have to stay on your toes and be alert. 

Even though we only had five waves between us, we definitely deserved a good lunch.  We stopped by at Gorilla BBQ, where we each got a three meat combo, complete with two sides, and corn bread.  Fransauce got pulled pork, pork ribs, and hot links.  I got pulled pork, pork ribs, and chicken.  We ate at Rockaway Beach, watching the surf tumble and steam roll some surfers. 

We were both done with surfing for the day.  The winds kept getting stronger and blew out the surf.  So, we went to hang out at Francis’s childhood friend Jerwynn’s house, and Tim, another one of his childhood friends.  We watched OKC game where Kevin Durant just went ballistic and willed his team to a stunning Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.  We came home and knocked out before midnight. 

Uncrowded Zero's Session 042912

Surf Report: 2-3 feet

Winds:  Off shore to slight trade winds

Water:  Cold

Atmosphere:  Sunny

Roy wanted to go to Zero’s on Sunday, and said he wanted to be out in the water by 615 AM.  I didn’t know if I could make it out so early, but I tried my hardest.  I got his text he sent at 520 AM that he was leaving his house.  I woke up at 530 AM, did my usual routine of stretches to my aching body, and made my way down to Zero’s.

Zero’s is a south facing beach, nestled in the Topanga Canyon area.  It is north of Zuma Beach, but south of Ventura County Line.  The official entrance of the place would be Nicholas Canyon. 

I call Roy when I pass Sunset to tell him I’m on my way.  I keep driving, still sleepy from the night before, and finally get to Zero’s at 630 AM.  Roy was just walking up from checking out the spot.  The parking gate was just about to open as we got changed. 

We see an empty line up from atop the hill.  It seems like no one wants to paddle out today.  I was still tired, yawning as I stretched.  Roy was amped to go out, and hit the water first.

The water was definitely colder because of the location.  Anything north of the South Bay is usually a few degrees colder, and my 3/2 was feeling frigid at best.  As I always am with a new surf spot, I assessed the conditions, and didn’t push myself too much on the waves. 

My first wave I caught was a right, and I was headed straight for the rocks.  I didn’t do anything and just kicked out, still shaking the cob webs off my head.  I didn’t want to tell Roy I was sleepy, since I felt like complaining about my own lethargy would just be an excuse of me not pushing myself.  Roy kept telling me to go for the waves as he caught another left all the way to shore.  He told me that the last time he brought someone here, that guy sliced his leg and dinged his board.  The person before that, got injured by falling into a shallow area.  The person before that, broke his collar bone…  I said, “Why are you telling me these horrible stories??”

He laughed and answered, “So you push yourself!!” 

I think the stories he told me had the opposite effect.  “Don’t tell me those stories!” I told him. 

Roy just bought a new board from a 26^th Street local for $250, and it seemed like a magic carpet under his feet.  He said he was still feeling it out, but he was definitely shredding on it. 

The wave here reminded me a bit of Huntington, and a bit of Diamondhead.  It reminded me of HB since the wave would jack up and sometimes get hollow, especially on the rights.  It reminded me of Diamondhead because of the serene surroundings of the green cliffs nestled between the Topanga Canyons.  The mist burned off from the sun that peered over the canyon’s shoulder.  I was still yawning in between sets though, unable to shake my hebetude. 

For the first hour or so, it was just Roy and myself at the main peak right in front of the take off spot, which I lined up with the big boulder.  There was another surfer about twenty yards north of us, but he was so far away we paid no attention to him.  Wave after wave, Roy and I would push each other into them.  I would go right, he would go left.  It was just beautiful. 

I tried to pull in to the hollow right handers, and got pinched on every one.  I did get a view of the C section as the lip threw over me, but I couldn’t make it out.  I think this wipe out started to wake me up.  I got the view of the green room, and then got pitched over and held down for a few seconds, and the shortness of breath definitely got my adrenaline pumping. 

Roy kept on taking lefts all the way to shore, getting three or four turns on each wave.

Some people started to show up, whom Roy already knew.  I guess he comes to this spot pretty often.  One of his friends, Maya, was an Italian lady that I spoke Italian to.  I pushed her into a wave that she got three turns off of, and she thanked me for letting her go in Italian. 

I finally woke up 100% when I got a decent right during this time, where I got two solid turns on the wave.  Maya complimented me on the ride, and I was just stoked from head to toe from the two turns I got on the wave. 

Eyes were way bigger than the stomach...

I took a left on another set, and did a cut back right in front of Roy.  The wave mushed out, and so I had to kick out.  I felt like I could have pushed the turn a little harder, and Roy pointed out that it seemed like I was half-assing the turn.  Indeed, it was a half-ass turn, so I wanted to push myself a little harder.  Actually, Roy didn't say any words such as "half-ass" to me.  He said that I didn't "power through" the turn, and that was to me a nice way of saying "half-assing it."  Roy's been through a lot with dealing with people, and I think he has a very benevolent aura about him and wants to exert his energy by pulling people up with him.  The other way to exert one's energy would be to push them down.  But Roy always seems to find the positive words to help someone progress forward.  I feel my progression is getting faster with every session I surf with Roy, and so every piece of advice and criticism I get from him I keep in mind and try to improve.  However, I am also content with the fact that I am having sessions where I can say, “Man, I could have pushed that turn a little harder.”  I have never been able to say that in seven years of surfing.  It used to be, “Man, I wish I caught that wave.” 

I’m not quite sure how many waves I caught that day, but it was definitely more than I could count with both hands.  To me, that was a fun session.  We surfed for a solid two and a half hours, mostly having the peak to ourselves.  I had to leave, since I knew I had to handle some business for my boss, so I took one last wave in, said bye to Roy and his friends, and took off. 

I went to the Dodger game this day with my extended family, Toshi-chan and Mieko-chan, along with their two beautiful kids, Quentin and Madison.  (To all of you non-Japanese readers, putting a “chan” after a name is a way to call someone of benevolent nature.  It is usually reserved for girls, but when you’re a kid, you add a “-chan” to everyone’s name.)  Toshi-chan is like an older brother to me, since we’ve known each other since… I guess the day I was born?  I’m not even sure.  Our families have always been close since our parents knew each other.  We’ve spent pretty much every holiday together as far back as I can remember, from Mother’s day, New Years Day, Christmas, and Lakers Play-off BBQ’s.  So I consider both Q and Maddie my nephew and niece.  I actually had a chance to go to the Laker game with my boss this day, but it was last minute, and I had committed to going to the Dodger game with them so I opted out of the Laker game.  I was glad I did, since I got to spend time with my little niece and nephew, chilling back with a beer in hand with Toshi-chan, and eating garlic fries and nachos with Mieko-chan.  I actually had fish tacos and a small bite of the Doyer dog, which consists of chili, nacho cheese, salsa, and jalapenos.  After the fish taco’s, I was full, so Toshi-chan finished off the Doyer dog for me.  Both the Lakers and Dodgers won, so I was happy with both. 

Mama, Dad, and Madison

All in all, another great day!  Maybe I could have slept in an hour, but then I would have missed out on the waves in an empty line up with Roy!!  I’m glad I got myself out of bed and am thankful for all the happenings this Sunday. 

Q wants a nacho chip

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!

Surfing with the Real Locals 042812

Surf Report:  3-4 feet

Water:  Clear and cool, a bit warmer than winter!

Winds:  Slight off shore most of the day

Atmosphere:  Sunny!

I woke up early today to get to the beach.  I asked my dad at 530 AM if he was going to come down to snap some photo’s, and he said he wasn’t coming.  We needed to meet after our surf session with Roy, da local shreddah, at Roy’s body shop in Hawthorne since we needed his expertise.  My dad got side swiped by a younger girl who was stuck behind a bus and changed lanes in the middle of an intersection.  Luckily, no one was hurt in the accident, but our car needed a lot of body work, and luckily, Roy has a body shop. 

My dad told me that he might come out to snap some photos, since one of my sisters’ friend’s dad passed away, and his eulogy listed a lot of things he did, and my dad was saying, “Man, maybe I should start doing stuff…”  I laughed, telling him we’ll post his internet web browser history for his eulogy, since that’s all he does, really.  My mom told me not to be so mean to him, but someone has to press his buttons! 

So I was kinda bummed my dad wasn’t coming out to snap photos today.  I head down to my usual 26^th Street, and parked in the lot.  The local guys, Big Mikey, Ross, Don, Roy and the usual crew were all out today.  The waves looked really fun from the parking lot, so I hurried to get changed.  I told myself to slow down, so I don’t over psyche myself. 

It wasn’t too crowded at first, and I knew all the guys at the peak, so I paddled into a set wave going right.  I saw the lip curl up and get hollow, but I didn’t have the presence of mind to pull in.  I just pumped a few times on the face and kicked out. 

Roy asked me how that wave was, and I said it was ok, but I wished I pulled in. 

So, the next wave… I made sure I pulled in.  The right started to throw over, and I crouched low.  I got blinded by some spray, and then I saw the C curve after the spray for a split second.  Then, I got pinched inside, and send down, then back up, then back down further.  It was a small wave, but I still got worked pulling into the barrel.  No risk, no reward indeed!  I actually hit the bottom, and had to climb my leash to get back up. 

Roy was shredding it as usual.  Oscar, the guy on the MR twin fin colored with blue and red, was catching a lot of waves.  Mikey, our mayor, was catching some good ones too!  I was stoked to see all the older dudes catching some waves. 

Mikey and I get into a conversation about being old and feeling young.  I joked with him saying that he may be 60+ but he surfs like a 20 year old.  He said he wished he had arms like a 20 year old, but that was the important thing:  To feel young and have fun while surfing. 

Large Chicken Pho that warms the body and soul

He got into talking about Wounded Warriors, where he volunteered a few times and has met Kelly Slater.  Wounded Warriors is a program set up by the military (or army?) that takes wounded vets out into the ocean to surf.  Our friend Matt has volunteered for this too.  He said that Kelly Slater said, “The best surfer is the one who is having the most fun.” 

And then he elaborated on how one of the local guys, a knee boarder on a foamie, is probably one of the best surfers because he’s always having fun.  I’ve always seen him in the water and in the parking lot, and wondered why he never stood up but just knee boarded.  Well, turns out he had liver transplant, kidney transplant, and something with his lymph node, and so he’s unable to stand up so quickly.  But, he still comes to surf all the time, because he loves surfing!  I was awe struck by that, and had a new found respect for these older dudes out in the water.  They all look out for each other to make sure everyone gets waves, and are genuinely stoked to see one of their Ohana catch a wave.

My wave of the day came early in the session, where an outside set peaked up right in front of me.  There were three dudes next to me, and we all paddled to get out of the way of the first set.  The first set was being ridden by three dolphins, the real locals of this surf spot.  The second set was just as clean, but we were all out of position again.  Another blue green wave came towards us, and the three other dudes paddled over it, but I thought to myself, I think I can make this one!  So, I flip around and start paddling and digging my arms into the wave.  I feel the speed pick up, and pop up.  I can hear the local dudes going “WhoooooOOOOooooo!!!”  and “GO GO GO GO!!” so I tell myself to just stick the drop and ride it through.  The wave was just a massive emerald wall that cleanly peeled down the line.  I made it to the end of the wave and fall on the white water chop, and make my way back to the line up. 

“Oh man, that was a good one!” Mikey tells me.

“Yea, it was ok,” I said.

“Did you see the dolphins riding with you??” said another local

“Yea, those dolphins caught some air behind you as you rode that thing!”

And so, collectively, the local dudes acknowledged my ride, saying that dolphins were surfing behind me, went under me, then came back behind me and jumped out of the wave.  I had no idea.  But I was stoked to hear that I had that wave of the day, where everyone was hooting me and I actually made it.  I just wished my dad was out photographing this session. 

Cherylita getting ready to paddle out~!

The rest of the session was mellow, and I caught a few good ones.  Tom Yamamoto was out there too, and he actually snaked me on a right.  But, he did this nice top turn going back side, so it was all good. 

I caught one right where Roy was on the left heading towards me.  He was telling me to cut back earlier, but I cut back a bit later.  I was stoked with the cut back, and he gave me props for it, but said I should have cut back earlier to keep the section going.  Looking back, I should have cut back earlier.  Oh well, another lesson learned. 

So, I take a wave in since the lulls got a little longer.  I caught a lot of waves today, and shared a lot of waves too.  It was a great session. 

Back at the parking lot, my dad pokes his head out over the ledge.  I asked him when he got here, and he said around 700 AM.  I asked if he was snapping photo’s, and he said he did!  I asked him if he got the one with the dolphins, but he said he didn’t see any dolphins.  Turns out, he got the last part of the wave where I fall off my board from the chop.  NICE! Hahahaha  but he did get the shot with the cut back.  I was stoked he came out, since he has been stuck in the house for many weekends. 

Cheryl showed up when I was getting changed!! Yay~ she was a bit late, but hey, at least she came to the beach!!  The waves were still good, but I had to leave because we had some business to handle. 

Roy's body shop

My dad and I drive to Roy’s body shop, and we drop off the car and grab some pho for breakfast/lunch. 

What a great day!  I spent the rest of the day studying, and then off to Metro Café with my family to meet up my aunt who flew in from Japan two nights before.  We grab a hefty dinner, and watched the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant hit the game winning shot once we got home.  All in all, a wonderful, beautiful day, and it all started by me waking up at 530 AM.

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!!!

Scoring Huntington Beach and WLA Tournament - 042212

Surf report: 3-4 feet solid

Winds: on shore

Atmosphere: gloomy

Water: Warmer

Saturday was a lackluster day for surf.  It was not a day to write home about.  I had fun, but when I heard Matt and Fransauce scored in HB, I started thinking maybe I can make the trek down to Huntington too.

Nicky calls me, saying that he got off work Saturday night, and wanted to surf Sunday morning.  Christina called me too, saying that she wanted to go down, so Nicky and I would meet her down there. 

I get up at 530 AM and snooze for about ten minutes.  I do my stretches, and call Nicky.  I wasn’t really surprised that he was up.  I felt that he wanted to surf, and so he would be up no matter what.  I swing by his house and drop off his belated birthday gift I’ve had since the end of January and we give each other deep, loving hugs.  I missed this kid! 

We make our way down to the 405, and catch up on life.  We get off Goldenwest, our old stomping grounds where we “camped” out in my van and slept over to wake up to empty surf.  We park our car in the residential area, as we always do, and get changed.  I had to pee so badly I pee’d in my wetsuit while standing on the blacktop. 

Christina was already in the water, and we were able to spot her blue OCD board.  Her board’s wax job is a direct reflection of her:  the wax job is just so calculated and precise, not a grain of wax is out of place. 

For the first hour or so, I didn’t really catch anything.  The rising tide was really making things difficult for anyone to catch a wave.  I told myself not to drift, but I saw Nicky drifting, so I said fuck it and let the current take me.  It was a Sunday morning.  Just chill and relax! 

I took a small wave for a short ride.  I look back, and these sets started to roll in.  I could see Nicky getting pummeled on the first one that rolled over me.  Then I see a second one, and a third one, and a fourth one in the horizon.   A smile runs across my face.  This is what I’ve been missing!  A good pounding on the inside.  I start to gun for the horizon, but every time I duck dive, the white water steamrolls me.  I see Nicky get further and further back.  His arms are not in surfer shape.  Christina is getting pounded like a piece of veal way on the inside.  I make it out after a few sets, but Nicky comes back a bit later, saying he took at least ten on the head.  Christina comes back waaaaaaay later, and I’m guessing she took at least ten on the head too. 

We drifted into this pack of surfers who were highly competitive and were packed into this small peak.  I tried to go for a wave, but this guy was literally right next to me, where his rail would touch my rail.  Yes, he had the inside, so I backed out, but man, I couldn’t really understand why he had to be so close the whole time!  I had enough of this drifting, so I paddled away from the pack and sat on my own peak.

And then the waves just started coming.  I lost track of Nicky and Christina.  I caught about four consecutive sets on this one peak with no one around.  It was just exhilarating to work on my cut backs and pumping.  My board felt really good under my feet.  The high tide definitely made the wave a little weaker, but it’s Huntington!  The water moves a lot faster here than it does in LA. 

Enter longboarder #3. 

This longboarder and I share a wave.  We pop up at the same time, so I decided to follow him.  He dropped in on me, but at this point, I didn’t really care.  I pumped, did a semi cutback, carved and pumped all the way to where he was.  I laughed and smiled, clapping my hands, and pointing at him.  The look of fear overtook this guy’s face.  “Dude, it’s my last wave!  I’m going in!  I’m going in!”  I was like… what?  I’m not chasing you out… I’m actually stoked that you caught a wave!! Then I realized, he probably got chased out a few times for doing what he just did, and didn’t want any “problems.”  That was definitely weird. 

Nicky paddles over, saying that Christina took off because her meter was running out.  He and I stayed out for a few more waves, and I could tell his arms were just burning from fatigue, so I said, “Last wave?”

“Yea, last wave,” he replied.

Pho Ga

Right on queue, a small wave came.  It wasn’t anything spectacular, but I rode it in, and called it a day. 

Yea, the waves were nice, but I think surfing and spending time with Nicky made it all the more better.  Not taking anything away from Christina, but Nicky is my little brother from another mother, and I haven’t spent time with him in a long time.  It’s all love. 

We decide to drive down a little further to Brookhurst and get some Pho.  From there, we ate Chicken Pho (Pho Ga) and a spring roll each, and took him six sandwiches each.  Huzzah!!  What a perfect way to start a Sunday. 

6 sammiches each

This whole weekend has been an activity-filled weekend, since our annual basketball tournament was on.  My boys’ team, the WLA Lightning, is the host of this tournament.  I have participated in this when since I was in 2^nd grade, and all the way through high school.  I coached a team from 3^rd grade to high school, and once they graduated, I took on this new team. 

I’ve had some kids quit already, but there are a few core kids that always come to practice, and always come to the games.  However, Friday night, I was informed that we may have to forfeit since there were only 3 kids showing up to the game at 10 AM.  I was very frustrated, and severely angry.  I sent out an angry email, which I re-wrote three or four times to tone it down (my friend Lisa told me, “That’s toned down??” haha) and hammered the parents for not committing to a tournament we were hosting.  One of the parents finally answered back, saying that they were quitting.  I couldn’t believe that they would notify us the day before a tournament that they were quitting!!  This kid, whom I love, hasn’t shown up to practice, and we were trying to get in contact with him for months.  And then, he just ups and leaves without any reason, or any heads up.  I’ve had kids quit like this before, and it always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. 

In the end, we got 5 kids to show up to the 10 AM game, and steam rolled the other team.  We had another game at 7 PM, and we had two more kids show up.  I grilled one of the parents about his commitment to the team, and how much of a burden he created by not communicating with us.  He was very apologetic, and I told him that all I have now is his word that he will commit to the team, and that was that. 

Sunday morning, this parent that I grilled shows up and volunteers as scorekeeper from early in the morning, making his actions speak louder than his words.  That definitely pleased me.  I’m always a believer in actions speaking louder than words. 

Sunday’s game was our “championship” game.  I took one of my big bags that I put my groceries in and told them:

“This bag right here, this is my trophy bag.  You guys won both games yesterday, so this is our championship game.  You guys are getting trophies after this game.  If you guys win, you can keep these trophies.  If you guys lose, I take your trophies into my trophy bag.”

They all looked scared to lose.  They looked fired up for the game.

Now, the game was a good game.  The parents were into it, we were into it.  The first half was all us.  We came out of the gates really strong.  But the second half belonged to the other team.  In the end, we ended up in a tie.  We don’t keep score since these are 2^nd graders, but the parents kept score, and we were tied at the end of the game.  So…

The balls spin on these trophies!! how cool is that???

“I get to keep all your trophies!”  These are really nice trophies too.  Way better than the ones I used to get, or my previous team used to get too!  The look of devastation and sadness on my kids faces… PRICELESS!! 

I told the parents to please not tell them that I’m giving them back the trophies at Friday’s practice.  I am a mean coach, but not that mean.  I am giving them back.  A lot of the parents had a sinister smile on their face and agreed not to.  I think they want their kids to be winners.  I just fear that one of the parents will let the cat out of the bag.  I want the kids to get a taste of bitterness when they lose an important game.  They should learn from their loss, not be rewarded for their loss. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!  You made my day. 

Happy Tax Day with Da Boys 041712

Surf Report: 2-3 feet, occasional 4 foot predecessors of tomorrow’s swell

Water: Cold

Atmosphere: Sunny

Winds: Calm on shore

Happy tax day!!  I hope all of you filed your taxes on time this year… what a day for me!  I thought it was going to be a day of chilling and kicking back, but noooooo, we always have work to do, even if we are done with our tax work!  My boss promised to leave by 400 PM, but we ended up leaving at 445 PM.

I planned to meet with Dais at El Porto for an afternoon session.  I wasn’t expecting anything at all, especially with the drive on Vista Del Mar being so bleak and flat.  On top of that, the smoke stacks were billowing clouds of white on shore. 

I get to the parking lot and see that 45^th Street is packed.  I don’t get it, I guess that peak is working, but is it really worth being so close, nut to butt with other surfers?  I pass the bathrooms and park there to find a smaller peak with a smaller crowd.  I call Dais, and he tells me Matt was on his way too.  I get psyched.  I haven’t surfed with Da Boys in a long time, so it’s gonna be fun to see them out in the line up again.

I wanted to wait for them to get there, but I had to pee.  BADLY.  So I get on to the sand and unleash as I walk, squishing the sand with every step.  The waves look ok, nothing to write home about, but hey, it’s an afternoon sesh!  It will be fun.

I get out into the line up and immediately get swept away by the current.  It turns out I wasn’t out in the line up at all, but rather in the reform area, where the current was weird and strong.  The clean up sets pounded me on the inside, and I spent the first thirty minutes or so duck diving.  I caught a reform here and there, but it wasn’t anything memorable.

I duck dive a wave and see a black figure take off in a low crouched stance.  Immediately I knew it was Matt.  He took on a left as I duck dived, and we finally got to mingle for a bit before paddling back out to the line up.  Dais was already in the line up too! That sneaky ninja.  Didn’t even know he was out. 

After I met up with Da Boys, the waves just kept coming.  A lot of them were down the line, closing out waves, but they were still fun.  I think I took a lot of lefts today, but was unable to make it around the white water sections.  My pumping on my back side is still not where I want it to be!  Definitely something I need to work on…

My wave of the day came from an unexpected right.  It started to feather right in front of me, and no one was in position, or wanted a piece of the wave.  I paddled into it, popped up and saw I could take the high line.  So, I grabbed the wall of the wave just as I practiced before on numerous surf sessions.  Except this time… THIS TIME!! I felt the lip go over me as I crouched low.  I couldn’t see anything at all, but when I did, the lip was crashing behind me, and the section ahead of me was just breaking into a close out section.  I think I even surprised myself by getting a little shampoo action from the barrel.  The section was closing out, and so I shot my board forward, and cannon-balled onto the flats. 

I could not stop smiling after that!  It was just my wave of the day. I was satisfied.  I was content.  Done for the day.  Man, it might not be a legit, hallow, spitting barrel, but it was a barrel that I made it out of, and it’s still so memorable.  I didn’t have that view of the C section, but still… MAN!! That one wave made my whole session.

I kept that to myself though.  I wanted to see my friends catch some waves.  Rick was out too, on his yellow fish, and was catching some nice reforms.  Dais was in the reform section, going for some steep reforms that seemed like he could make it, but he would slip and plunge into the flats.  I saw him paddling back a lot of times, so either he was caught on the inside, or he was getting his.  I’m guessing the ladder rather than the former.  Matt just kept going left. LEFT LEFT LEFT.  That’s all he goes for now.  I’m glad though, since now I can go right!! 

Matt took a late drop on a left, and basically did the splits as he dropped in.  He ate it pretty bad, and so I laughed loudly.  He smiled and laughed too.  I know he’s probably killing himself inside, but hey, at least he’s laughing at the wipe out. 

On one of my last waves, it was a bigger set wave that I took off late on.  I had switched my board to a quad fin, hoping that it was going to stick to the face of the wave and not slide out like I did on Sunday.  Surprisingly, the board stuck the landing, and I started to pump back side, but the section got way ahead of me.  I should have called it a day right then and there, but I wanted to be with Da Boys for a while longer, and watch the sunset with them. 

Photo Courtesy of Donny Duckbutter

I took a close out in, and finally called it a day.  Dais came in about ten minutes afterwards, with a huge smile on his face.  That smiley face summed up our whole session.  The waves were a far cry from epic, but surfing with our buddies just made them a million times more fun. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!!  An unforgettable session on such a nonchalant quality wave.  It just goes to show, sometimes, it’s the people you surf with that make the session.