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. 

Small and Perfect 011313 26th Street

Surf: 2-3 feet faces

Winds: Off-shore

Atmosphere: Sunny

Water: Cold (low 50’s)

Sunday what a fun day!  I knew today was going to be smaller than Saturday, so I checked out Rosecrans first.  The lines seemed to be rolling in, but the higher tide was killing it.  I thought that I missed the window because I woke up so late… I woke up at 600 and arrived at the beach around 700.  I passed on Rosecrans and headed to 26^th Street.  Old, faithful 26^th Street…

There were barely any heads in the line up.  Actually, there were barely any heads in the parking lot.  Calvin was barely getting changed into his wetsuit.  Ross was already changed, and I saw Roy’s car (my old surf mobile) already parked in the first stall.  So, I figured it had to be somewhat good, since yesterday was pretty good while it lasted. 

The sand blistered my feet as I walked down to the beach.  The sun was just peaking over the million dollar houses in Manhattan Beach.  The sun did little to warm any part of the beach though.  The winds were biting at my bare face.  My feet hurt just from walking on the sand.  My fingers felt frozen from the wind chill.  It was another cold, blistering morning at the beach. 

There were only a few heads out when I paddled out.  There was Oscar, Eric, Tim, Ray, Ross, Calvin, mystery surfer #1, and myself.  The waves just peeled perfectly from the north around the shit pipes to a bowl-like shape.  Eric was the first to pick up a gem from the outside.  He was perfectly on the peak and was pumping up and down from the take off.  He took that wave passed the Mons Pubis. 

Ross was killing it as always.  He would take off deep on the rights, check pump, snap, pump, pump, snap, pump, stall, and go totally vertical for a finishing backside snap.  He repeated this a few times and called it a day by 800.  He actually meant “One more wave,” when he said it.  Usually, when he says “One more wave,” it means ten more waves.  He probably had to take his kid to a baseball or basketball game. 

Ray, Tim, and Oscar were all on bigger boards, but kept hooting us shortboarders into waves.  All of us were truly just enjoying the spot, trading waves, and not giving a damn about how we surfed.  We went left and right on all of the set waves.  It was just amazing being able to share the spot with a few guys out.  I took off on a right that had a section ahead of me.  Ray was on the other side of the section, so he took off.  I bottom turned and did a small snap on the face before the white water section broke.  Ray apologized if he snaked me.  I told him not to worry, since he was in better position for the shoulder, and that he had been waiting for a while for a good one.  The older dudes were hooting us in to waves continuously.  We were hooting them into waves too.  It was just a good energy to be in at the moment.  Not a bad vibe was felt, even with myster surfer #1.  Eventually, the cold took a toll on all of them, and so they left. 

The north spot belonged to Calvin and myself.  I can hear Roy hooting further south near the tower, no doubt scoring another good left.  Him, Davey, and Don were on that peak. 

Calvin and I traded waves for a good half hour.  Small to medium waves rolled our way, pealing perfectly.  Calvin was on his blue bonzer board, and was super stylish pumping down the line.  His board was super responsive and he was able to bottom turn to the lip with ease on his bonzer. 

I was able to squeeze some of the cleanest rides out of the smallest waves.  The waves were peeling that perfectly this day.  I just couldn’t believe how good it was. 

“Oh, here we go!” Calvin said.

A set detonated on the outside, and started to bend and peel towards us.  I paddled furiously to meet the peak.  I swung around and started to kick and scratch.  I felt the wave lift me up as I took off on an angle.  I stood up, and instinctively stiffened up and put all my weight on my back foot.  I was on one foot for a split second, then fell off the wave of the day.  Un-fucking-believable.  I blew it. 

Oh well.

I caught more rights with Calvin as the spot grew crowded with the second shift.  They were the same dudes that “didn’t belong” that one day with the draining low tide.  They were having trouble catching the waves, especially since the high tide was now making the waves more mushy.  Calvin and I made our way towards the 26^th Street tower.

Roy was on the tail end of the surf session, and so was I.  For some reason, the waves just south of the tower jacked up and made a difficult take off on this small day.  Roy caught a “last wave in” and headed back to the lot. 

Glen saw me and shouted my name to say hi.  I waved back in acknowledgement, asking how he was.  “COLD!” he said.  We both laughed. 

My last wave was a left where I tried to drag my leading arm into the face of the wave.  The little wave wedged up and created a nice face to caress.  The wave broke on the shore, and I was done.  My feet and hands were frozen cold, but my spirits were high. 

Although I blew the wave of the day, I didn’t really care about any of that, since I had a lot of waves under my belt.  There were just waves galore with only a few heads out.  Yes, it was small, and yes it was inconsequential surf, but man, how good is it when everyone is trading waves for a good hour and a half?  I don’t really recall a lot of the waves for the day because each wave was a carbon copy of the wave before: peeling, perfectly-shaped rights.  You just had to get up early and hit the water while it was still freezing cold. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!!  Mahalos for rewarding the dawn patrollers. 

C Street Cherry Popping 011512

Surf Report: Dwindling swell, 2 footers with the occasional 3

Water: Cold

Atmosphere: Some sun piercing through the heavy clouds

Winds: On shore but glassy

Khang, DK, Fransauce and I rolled in one car to the fabled sands of C Street in Ventura County.  Fransauce and I have never been to C Street (California Street) so it was our cherry popping moment. 

The day started out very mellow.  I was the last to arrive at Khang’s as we piled into his van.  DK sat shot gun while Fransauce was in the back, and I sat in my VIP area behind Fransauce with all the boards and gear. We stopped by the bank and the gas station, and got on the 405 to the 101.  We arrived at C Street in about fifty minutes from LA. 

We file out of the van and take a look at a pretty “empty” line up.  I always pictured a point break to be crowded and over run by surfers, but here not so much.  The wave peeled perfectly from the point and sectioned off to another take off zone, which sectioned off to another take off point.  The waves looked so beautiful as they peeled right like a machine.  There was definitely some waves to be ridden, but a longboard would be the best choice of equipment today.

Khang was kind enough to lend me Jade for the session.  I knew I would catch more waves with a thicker, wider board than my standard shortboard.  Khang took out Maria, Fransauce his usual red surfboard, and DK his fatty Al Merrick Motorboat? Or Fred Rubble… I forget.

All I see in the line up was longboarders and fishes.  The longboarders definitely had priority of the waves.  There was also a contest going on further up the point, and so people would be buzzed from the beach speakers if they ventured into the contest area. 

This place had a very mellow vibe.  The people were older than us, but they acted like groms.  They weren’t rude in any sort of way, but they just had this grown up kid attitude and playful spirit. 

Fransauce got to work quickly.  He was moving in and out of the crowds getting a lot of rides.  He would get into some waves that longboarders would get stuck behind and so it looks like he’s snaking them. 

Khang caught this nice, big right.  I didn’t get to see the whole wave, but he took it pretty far, and took a long time paddling back out. 

DK was trying his best to catch some waves.  The high tide made it hard to read the waves.

I personally had a low and a high point today.  The key was to not let the valleys too low or the peaks too high.

The low point in the session was where I blew the wave of the day.  It was a sneaker set that no one saw.  We were all scrambling for the horizon, but Fransauce and I intended to catch the wave.  I was on the inside, and I just gunned for it.  The take off was steep where I was, and I wasn’t able to get on my feet.  I saw Fransauce back out of the wave, and I see Khang duck dive ahead of me.  Everyone got out of the way.  By this time, I was in the flats, body boarding my surfboard.  I tried to pop up as I was “bottom turning” on my belly, and that proved to be a mistake.  I just completely ate it after getting to my feet.  I fucking BLEW THE WAVE.

Usually, I would want to scream my head off for blowing that wave.  All my friends saw it.  All the surfers saw it.  Hell, I bet the guys in the parking lot saw it.  But I didn’t let it bother me.  I just thought to myself, “Oh well, you blew it.  Shit happens.  Don’t cry over spilled beer.”  And just like that, I felt better about the whole situation.  I don’t know, maybe it was the mellow vibe in the water. 

My high point in the session was when I got one of the longer rides of the day.  Fransauce put me in prime position, telling me to go for the wave.  There was an old longboard dude in blue with a scruffy beard and hood cap on the wave, but I just put my head down and gunned for it.  I was able to pop up cleanly, and Fransauce backed out (I had his inside again.)  I was able to maneuver through the crowd as I just pumped and pumped.  A guy in front of me took off, and I thought I could go over him by taking the high line.  However, this guy was no dunsky.  After taking off straight rather than an angle, he manages a bottom turn up the face, right where I wanted to be.  So, all I could do was chase him in his wake.  I was able to pump a few more times, but the wave died out.  And so my ride ended.  It wasn’t an epic amazing ride, but it was just a fun ride nonetheless.  I apologized to the bearded man for dropping in, and he just laughed and said not to worry about it. 

With the advice of some of the older dudes in the line up, we four ended up at the Great Central Steak and Hoagie place off Thompson.  The hoagies are made fresh, and their fries are really good too.  A regular sandwich will cost about $7, while a hoagie cost $8.08 (Hawaii’s number! Chee!!)  It was definitely great junk food for a post surf session.  You know it’s a great place when the only guys stopping in are beer-bellied white dudes with surfboards on top of their car.  In all honesty, it was way too much food.  hahahaha

Here is the yelp page for the Great Central Steak & Hoagie. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean for producing some fun ones for us today.  And special mahalos to all da boys today for making this cherry popping a pleasant and gentle one. 

Welcome Home and Happy New Year 011412

Surf Report: Close out three footers

Water: Cold

Atmosphere: Cloudy

Winds: Off shore

Today was my official day back from my cold.  I fell ill on the 29^th of December, and wasn’t able to surf at all during the New Years.  In essence, I was and still am grateful I got sick, since I stayed home and studied my butt off for my Audit portion of the CPA exam, which was on January 9^th.  So, after finishing the exam, I finally was able to paddle out on Saturday.

The day started off slow as I woke up late.  I guess I wasn’t as stoked as I thought I would be to surf this morning.  I send out my texts saying that I’m late, and get my dad to come out and snap some photos of da boys surfing today.  He’s been cooped up in the house for weeks now, so it was a nice opportunity to get him out of the house and get some footage of da boys. 

Unfortunately, none of us delivered.

Except for Khang.

Fransauce was already out in the water by 700.  He had work at 1000, so he left shortly after we arrived. 

DK, Dais, and I were just buoys in the line up.  We didn’t really catch much.  If we did catch something, they were all walls and white wash.  I couldn’t find a shoulder for the life of me.  I took two close outs, and that was it for my day. 

The Ocean definitely slapped me around a few times today.  It was her way of saying “Welcome Home.”  I guess I like being roughed up here and there, but the wipe outs weren’t that horrible.  It was actually pretty soft.  The waves would gently roll over me as I tossed and turned, curled up in a ball. 

My paddle is definitely weaker, since I found myself digging for the horizon when a thick wall approaches while waiting on the inside.  Two weeks ago, I would be making it out of harms way, but today, every close out clipped me.  I even had to ditch my board a few times, curl up in a ball, brace the lip smack, get pitched over the falls, then plunged into the sandy bottom.  I was glad I still had my breathing calm and heart rate down.  I came up with a smile for every close out I took on the head.

Back to Khang:  He just delivered today.  Or was being reckless.   Definitely reckless.  He saw the close outs, but still went for them.  He was barrel hunting the whole session.  I’m sure some of those wipe outs hurt, since he would get pummeled and clipped and thrashed around on every wave.  But he still kept charging.  I had front row seats for a left he dropped in to.  Well, it wasn’t a left, but he was going left.  It was just a fat close out, but he grabbed his rail and stuck the drop.  I think he started to slide out at the bottom because his body was hugging the face, and then the lip just crushed him into oblivion.  He dusted himself off and went straight back out to the line up, waiting for the next big wave. 

My dad later told me that Khang was the only one that he could use for photo opps, and the rest (namely Dais, DK, and myself) were kasu (trash in Japanese) with a laugh.  Indeed, we three didn’t do anything it seemed like.  Khang delivers the goods!!

Mahalos Mother Ocean.  Your benevolent ways of welcoming me back home will always be appreciated.

The Bank Pays Off 100211

Surf Report: 1-3 feet with the occasional 4 footer

Water: Cool

Winds: light

Atmosphere: Sunny with patchy clouds

Another California Golden Nugget

Yesterday I was frustrated with my surfing performance.  I called Rick to see what the status was on my boards that he was repairing, and I expressed my frustrations with the mushy conditions.  He told me to come by his house and that he would loan me one of his older fishes so I can ride them for the time being. 

Rick introduced me to a 1980’s Zippi Fish, measuring 5’10” x 20 x 2 ¾”.  It was definitely a bigger board than what I was used to, and it had glassed on fins.  I gladly took that fish and went home happily in anticipation of the waves of Sunday morning. 

I planned to have a solo sesh this morning, but Fransauce hit me up as I was still jostling around my bed looking for reasons not to get out yet.  He told me he’ll come pick me up and we could head out together.  So, I got my stretching done, drank two fresh eggs and some fruit smoothie, and filled up the water jug.  He was already outside by the time I was ready.

Fransauce

We head down to 26^th Street while talking about work.  He filled me in on his crazy week of what he’s seen, including a 275 lb V.A. that toppled onto the ground because of his bad knee, an old man that was labeled “NRA”, which stands for No Resuscitation Available, who died in front of him, and his younger partner.  What a crazy, intense job he has. 

We park up the hill on 26^th Street and see that the waves are pumping some close outs.  It looks bigger than usual, so we get changed and head down the path. 

We see Christina and her friend Apolla stretching on the shore.  Apolla is a friend of Christina through yoga, and she surfed a few time about six years ago but stopped after a horrific wipe out and being held under a few waves.  Christina has been getting her to come out the last weekend and this weekend, and so hopefully she will show her face enough times to be labeled as another DRC member. 

We see the waves just pumping through, and we are antsy in our pantsy to get out there.  The waves looked clean but the shore pound looked pretty gnarly; a sure sign that there is some swell energy at the beach break. 

Fransauce and I paddle out a little north of the tower.  It wasn’t so bad paddling out on the fish, it was just a little more effort to duck dive that tanker.  It was so crowded that I had to be weary of my fellow surfers out while paddling to the line up.  On my way, I see Roy and say hi to him.  His friend Mario was also out too. 

My first wave that I get into was a right that I pumped up and down on.  I was about to rip a bottom turn, when I see a grom caught on the inside.  So I kick out.  I still was stoked about the wave and being able to pump on it so nicely.

Francis was having a grand time.  His first wave was a right, where he did a sweeping cut back to produce a bucket of spray out the back.  He hit the lip as it came crashing down, and paddled back out with that huge ear to ear grin he sports on his face every time we are surfing. 

In the car ride over, he told me how he gets really grumpy when he doesn’t get to surf during the week.  I am the same too, and that’s why I swim during the week, just so my body can be submerged in water and my shoulders get some exercise.  There really is nothing like surfing, but swimming is as close as you can get to getting your dick wet. 

We both looked at each other in silence.  We didn’t need to say anything.  It was firing lefts and rights.  The crowd was here, but there were enough waves for everyone.  And it was sunny.  It was just so beautiful.

People say twin fins are “skatey.”  I never really knew what that meant until today.  I felt like I was on a gigantic skateboard.  It took some getting used to, but after one or two waves, it was as if I turned on the easy mode switch on the waves, and I started to get a lot of rides.

I think a surfer is able to brag about a wave when he gets his first three turn wave, or a barrel.  Today, I earn this right to brag just a bit.  I caught a small two footer that doubled up for me as I paddled in.  The Zippi fish just slid into the face and I started to pump.  I saw the whole wave ahead of me, and my body just took over.  My weeks of practicing on the bank with my skateboard have paid off.  My body went into auto-pilot, and started to bottom turn.  I hit the lip, then made it back on the face.  I pumped a few more times, then hit the lip again.  I took another few more pumps and did a cut back into the white wash, and finally came unstuck from my board.  My first three turn wave ever!  So stoked.

A lot of the waves would double up and pitch over a meaty lip.  A lot of the locals were having a field day with this.  They knew exactly where to be to get the right waves.  Fransauce and I sat in front of the “mons pubis” (green patch area) north of the tower.  We caught our fair share of rights and lefts. 

Thanks Rick for the loaner Zippi Fish.  Amazing!

Roy came back after feeding the meter with his fish.  He went on a forehand and backhand assault of the waves, making all the waves look easy to make.  Indeed, they were easy today, and the conditions just seemed too perfect.  Roy would paddle into rights and hack off the top.  He would paddle into lefts and get a few turns in and stomp an emphatic floater on the inside.  He is definitely a surfer I look up to. 

One of the locals with long hair was able to land an air reverse.  I hooted him and he threw me a shaka. 

Christina and Apolla made it back to where we were sitting.  We chit chatted and traded some waves while together.  It was hard holding a conversation when Christina would just hoot me into a wave.  One of her last waves was her going for the white wash of an outside wave.  She made the wave, and I didn’t see her after that until I got out. 

Another surfer I’ve met out here, Mayu, came out and said Ohayougozaimasu (good morning in Japanese.)  She and I talked for a while, trading waves.  I complimented her stylish surfing, and she thanked me.  She has been surfing for over a decade now, and she was stoked to hear me compliment her surf.  She still looks pretty darn young, but I calculate she is at least 32 years old, since she has been in the States for over twelve years now. 

As we chatted, a pod of dolphins that were hanging out in the line up this whole morning started to approach us.  We commented how graceful and cute they are.  And as if they heard us, the pod approached us, one swimming within arms reach of me, and another swimming right under Mayu.  It was a magical moment for both of us.  Just then, an outside clean up set came, and we had to get out of the way of the wave. 

Francis, Mayu and I shared a clean up set.  I couldn’t quite get to my feet because I couldn’t make it around the white water, but Mayu and Francis did.  Francis exited the water at this point, as I found out later.  I still thought he was out there with me. 

The tide push was making the waves less consistent, but there were definitely a lot of waves to be ridden still.  A white guy that I snaked on accident was blowing the tail and doing huge maneuvers this whole time.  He was pretty pro. 

One of the last waves I got was another double up and I was able to pump down the line, stall, and pump again until I got to shore.  Francis was waiting for me on the shore.  I had thought that he was still in the water, but glad that he was out.  I could have pushed it a little more, but I think my last wave was a nice way to end a session.

Christina and Apolla were lounging in the sun.  We talked about the waves today, Apolla’s horrific hold down that deterred her away from surfing for a few years, and how beautiful the day was.  We said our good-byes to da girls, and headed back to the car. 

Now, since Fransauce was getting lunch with Nicole, I came home to a hungry dad who told me to make lunch.  I was just going to get some take out, but I figured I could make a nice meal really quickly. 

Chopped garlic with dried basil and olive oil fried with tomatoes, mussels, and stone crab claws, stirred up with linguini.  Bon appétit!! 

What a perfect day.  I love Fall in SoCal.  

Mahalos Mother Ocean.

Ciao Bella! From Venice 100111

Surf Report: 1-2 feet

Winds: slight off shore to on shore

Atmosphere: Sunny!

Water: Cold, but the sun helps

Staying Local

I woke up nice and early, looking forward to a day in the Ocean.  I knew the surf wasn’t epic, and Matt was on NG duty, so da boys were all staying local to get some surf in our hometown.  As I woke up, the dawn was still dark, and I did my yoga stretching in the dark.  I took a poop in the dark, and brushed my teeth in the dark.  As I wrapped up my yoga stretches, the sun started to peak through.  I went downstairs, ate some cereal, filled up the water jug, and took my dad’s car out for my van was in the shop for the day.

The Wedding on the Sand

I drive down to Manhattan Beach to find that a lot of roads are closed, including roads leading to 26^th Street.  I maneuver around the orange road blockades and get to a packed 26^th Street parking lot.  I double park at the exit and get out to see what the crowd factor was in the Ocean.  Only a few heads were bobbing up and down in the line up.  The surf looked dismal.  But, there was a chapel set up right in front of 26^th Street, and there was a crowd of people surrounding a couple dressed in white and black.  A wedding was taking place.

I called Khang, telling him I might head to Huntington.  He told me to make the call.  I watched the surf, looked at the tides, looked at several surf reports, and decided against surfing outside of LA. 

As I pulled out, I called Khang back and told him I will stay local, and that the parking situation was dismal.  I went down to 15^th Street, and found a police blockade too. 

“Sorry, you can’t park here today,” a female officer with beautiful eyes told me.

“What’s going on here today?  All the roads are closed.”

“It’s a 10K marathon.  You’ll be lucky to find some parking now,” she replied.

OK, so now I have to get the fuck out of here.

It took me around twenty minutes maneuvering around the blockades to get out of Manhattan Beach.  I made the call to head to Venice instead, and told da boys where I was heading.  They all said they would meet there (minus Dave, who, half-asleep, hung up on me, called me back, and opted out of coming out to watch us surf.  He had forgotten his wetsuit and the board was still being repaired.) 

I parked in the residential area and skated to the beach.  I saw an empty line up with the low tide pulling the shore far out.  There weren’t too many waves to be had, but I saw some potential, so I skated back.  On my way back, I saw Christina getting changed into her wetsuit, and skated passed her.

I started to get changed too when my bladder acted up.  I had to pee.  So, with my wetsuit half way up, I let loose.  The pee sloshed in my crotch area.  I had to pull down the wetsuit around my thighs for the piss to flow down my legs and exit to the grassy area where I parked. 

California Gold

As I walk down, I saw Khang and Dais pull up.  I asked them to hold my keys for me, and that I will see them down there. 

Christina was stretching out on the sand and gave me a big hug.  We chit chat about the week, her surf on Rosh Hashanah, where we should paddle out, and made our way out to the empty line up.  The sun was baking our flesh in the black suits. 

The water was cold, but the sun helped a lot.  The waves were weak, but it felt nice just to be in the water.  I felt all my stress knots melt away in the clear Venice water, and I felt back at home again. 

Christina got some waves going straight on her foamie.  I asked her where her Becker was.  She said she wanted to stay on her foamie while her knee was still “unstable.”  I wanted to say that she should stay out of the water if her knee feels “unstable,” but I refrained from voicing my worrisome, precautionary self.  By winter time, if her knee doesn’t feel stable, she really should reconsider paddling out, for the Ocean will always be there, and the waves will always come.

Khang and Dais made their way out too.  Da boys (and one girl, but she’s part of da boys) were all here today.  It was an ok day, but the tidal push was to bring some waves to us. 

I didn’t have too many notable waves near the Pier today.  It wasn’t really that epic.  I suppose the Jetty and Venice Breakwater was happening, since we could make out some gnarly, long rides from south of the pier.  Even Rick was over there, surfing with his brothers.  We stayed in our small circle of comfort, and made the most of it. 

I met a girl in the water today, named Alessia.  A guy next to me on an orange board yelled out “Buon Giorno!” to her, and I looked at Christina, thinking that he knew she was Italian.  Alessia, with her sun-baked tan hair and bony arms greeted him back.  I immediately asked her in Italian, “Are you Italian?” 

She answered yes. 

We talked for a few minutes in Italian, regarding where we were from, and where we surf.  It was really nice to speak Italian to someone.  I told her it’s a shame that they named Venice after the great town of Venezia since the comparisons of the two cities are like night and day, and she chuckled.  I kept my distance away from the orange board dude and Alessia not to bother their chat time, and to focus on my surfing. 

Again, not too many waves to focus on today. 

I saw Khang take some waves, but they didn’t look too spectacular.  Dais was the same story.  Nothing crazy or gnarly today.  Just laid back, home-cooking, Venice waves.  Christina still got some waves on her foamie, as she should.  But, we still had tons of fun surfing and being in the water. 

It was just another day at Venice beach, our home break, a pretty crappy place to surf, really.  A place known for the Boardwalk and the Crazy People running around, trying to earn a quick buck from tourists.  A place known for its history of the Dogtown Z-boys, and the absolute dismantling of the town by the yuppies.  A place where I first caught a wave on a bodyboard with Khoa and Khang when I was still thirteen.  A place where I always meet new people, from all walks of life. 

Venice Beach

At the end of the day, I was still stoked, not from the waves I surfed, but from the people I met through my journey to the Ocean and out of the Ocean.  And I always find myself back home, humbled and stoked.  If you open yourself to people, thinking and believing they are all teachers, then you open your whole world wider than ever before.  

Mahalos Mother Ocean. 

Beautiful 091011

Surf Report: 1 – 2 feet with the occasional 3 footer

Water: Warm in a 4/3

Winds: Off shore

Atmosphere: Gloomy, at times raining

I woke up lethargically to my alarm.  I wasn’t too amped up to surf this morning, for I knew it was going to be flat.  Just how flat?  Well, I’ll take another fifteen rides in the washing machine for some waves like last week.  Nevertheless, I pulled myself out of bed and did my morning routine of stretching and filling up water jugs.  However, I did eat a small bowl of cereal with almond milk for breakfast before departing.

My gear was all packed and ready to go.  Now, I gotta get Dais, I thought.  I made my way over to his house and he came out on a dime.  We packed all his stuff and headed off to 26^th Street.

Good ol’ 26^th Street.  The metered parking was empty, but there were no free parking spaces available for us.  So, we went to 15^th Street to park at the City Hall, which is closed tomorrow for some 9/11 celebration, just FYI.  We got changed, rode the carver around to warm up our legs, and then took off on the skateboards to the Strand.

The gloomy atmosphere painted a mellow morning beach scenery, with wet sand and pavement as the frame.  The horizon seemed endless in the grey abyss, and the water just slightly glued to the bottom of it drew dark blue lines rhythmically marching in against the clouds movement.  A small wave trickles down and crashes on a mushy sand bar, and dissipates before even breaking.  Then, the wave swallowed all of the brown sand and dumped right onto shore.

Matt was already in the water by the time we got to 26^th Street.  Dais and I rode by the parking lot, saw his car, said hi to Bruce and the locals, and made our way back on to the Strand.  We stretched in front of the lifeguard tower and Dais pointed out Matt south of us. 

The water was goo like and seemed to just fuse with you once you stepped in.  It felt like the water was melting away when your body entered.  I couldn’t wait to duck dive!  It just felt so nice and refreshing, like I’ve been cleansed of all my work week stress and worries and studies and what have you.  Once I duck dived, I could see the bottom of the sand bar, and at least ten feet ahead of me.  The water today was just amazing.

The paddle out wasn’t strenuous at all.  What a difference a week makes.  It took me twenty minutes last Sunday to paddle out, and today, I could have walked out to the line up. 

“Ey Mate,” a broken Austrailian accent voiced.

“Ey Mate,” I replied back, in my best Julian Wilson impression.

Matt!  Haven’t seen this ninja in a while.  We exchange our hello’s and shoot the shit.  Dais joins us soon thereafter. 

Rick paddles for a left.  He was on his grey fish, and caught the wave in the perfect spot.  He pumped down the line, carving some S turns out, and took the wave far, far into shore.  He came out with a wide grin on his face.  However, he and his WHC took off, since the window had closed and the waves were mushing out.  

Dais catches the first wave once we three stooges joined powers.  It was a right where he was popped up on, and he took a right that allowed for a short ride.  The wave just bogged out, giving him no where to go after the initial ride, and so he fell out the back and returned paddling. 

Matt was taking it easy today.  It was nice to see him take it easy for a change.  I’m sure his shoulder isn’t 100% yet, but it’s good enough to surf.  He seemed to have adjusted accordingly, and wasn’t really muscling into every single wave that came his way.  Instead, he hit the cruise control button and seemed very relaxed in the line up, moving with the mellow sways of the Ocean.

I think Dais caught three waves before I caught any sort of a wave.  He worked the inside that rolled through unexpectedly, while I just bobbed up and down.

When I duck dived to look into the Ocean, I could hear feint clicking and high pitched sounds.  They were familiar sounds of dolphins talking, and so I hoped to see a dolphin or two today.  No luck though.

The water was just so amazing.  I felt so good in the warm water today.  Yes, the 4/3 was an overkill for protection from the cold, but the water was still really breathtaking.  The water was infused with serotonin, for I felt so happy to be in the water.

I paddled for a left and hooted someone off.  It was pretty clear that there was no where to go, but I still had to have him acknowledge that THAT WAVE WAS MY WAVE.  I popped up and the wave bogged out in seconds.  Not even five seconds.  But, I still hooted him off. 

He said to me, smiling, “Man, no rides today huh?”

“Yea, no power!” I said to him, smiling.  He never dropped in on me after that. 

Cheryl came out eventually, saying hi to all of us and we core group of DRC had the peak all to us.  Everyone had left already because they figured it wasn’t worth feeding the meter, and so only a handful of people were out in the water.  We hooted and pushed each other into waves, laughing and splashing around the Ocean.

Just then, water droplets started to fall.  Small, gray opals were falling from the sky, crashing on the surface of the Ocean, diving deeper and deeper, then reverting back up as if running away from the Ocean’s grasp, and quickly being dragged into the green abyss.  The green water twinkled with small bullets of water raining upwards, and although the rain drops were random, a symphony of water was playing.  Small innuendoes of droplets hitting the surface played with my ears, and I thought of that time on the North Shore when it started to rain.  I tried to add my own droplets by squirting and splashing in the air, but the beats and rhythm of Mother Nature proved much, much superior. 

“God damnit! This SUCKS!” a surfer screamed.  He was the loudest in the line up, both vocally and wetsuit wise, adorning a yellow and grey wetsuit.  He was very skilled, for I saw him do a small 360 on the face of the wave.  However, his skill didn’t take his happiness very far.  He took another close out wave, and screamed at his ghosts.  “GOD DAMNIT!!!”  he yelled again.  I thought to myself as I saw this unhappy surfer, “Would I feel the same way if I got as good as him, or even better than him?” 

No, I won’t let myself be that way.  I’ll never feel that way while surfing. 

GUY, ARE YOU KIDDING?  It’s so beautiful!!!  How could you not like the conditions right now, right at this moment??  I could see my feet in the clear water, and so I swung around for a close out wave.  There’s no way I’m NOT gonna surf this wave.  I took the close out, and I as I rode the white wash for as long as I could, I saw the forests of seaweed dancing and undulating under my board as I rode over it.  The lens was just so crystal clear, I felt like I was looking down at a sheet glass painting.

Matt and Cheryl were close by, and I asked Matt, “Is this how it was in Bali that day it rained??”

“Dude, I was just telling her about that!” he confirmed.  “Man, did the winds just… die?” 

Indeed, the winds died.  But then it picked up again.  Off shore.  What?  Yes, off-fucking-shore. 

Dais paddled back from his adventure south, and we shared stories of seeing the seaweed beds under our feet as we rode the waves.

“Man, that was so awesome,” Dais said.

Matt got some lefts and rights, but nothing spectacular.  He was pumping on a left but the wave bogged out so the board just shot out back over the wave.  On a few rights he was able to get on the wave, but there was no room to bottom turn for a mean crack off the lip, so his rides were ended prematurely.  However, he seemed stoked.  Everyone of our four man group was stoked. 

“KLAUDE!! OH MY GOD!!! OHHHH MAA GAAAAWD!!” he yelled as a left approached me.  I paddled for it.  I caught the wave.  I got to my feet… and I leaned too much on my toes and completely ate it.  In front of EVERYBODY!! SWEEEEET.  I had to laugh that one off.  If I don’t laugh at it, then I’m taking this surf thing way too seriously.  

“Matt! You made me all nervous yelling out ‘KLAUDE! OH MY GOD!!! OH MY GAAAWD!!’”

He laughed and said, “Sorry, I didn’t actually think you were gonna make that wave…hahahaha.”

We all chimed in on the laugh.  I’m still chuckling about it. 

Matt took a wave in and called it a day.  This is a newly reformed Matt, one who doesn’t push four hour sessions, back to back, on five hours of sleep and nineteen hours of studying and gaming.  He paced himself, got his share of waves, and politely bowed out at a good time when the window was almost completely shut closed. 

We saw Uncle Miles today, as we three waved hi to him, and he enthusiastically waved hi back.  He was on his longboard and catching all sorts of waves as always, taking them all the way into shore. 

I think Cheryl had performance anxiety.  She couldn’t really catch any waves while Matt, Dais, or I was in the water.  Even Dais and I would take waves that she paddled for and couldn’t get in.  The waves didn’t let her in? Rather, she didn’t allow herself to be let in.

“It’s not big enough,” Cheryl said.

“Man, I’m tired of girls telling me that!” Dais said. 

And the wave of my session rolled through.  I knew Cheryl had to be going for it, and that she would make it.  That’s why I was off to the races.  I gave myself enough room to pop up and pump down the line.  When I saw her board pick up speed, I popped up simultaneously, and started to run down the line.  I saw her board do a small jerk and I figured Cheryl was on the wave, right behind me.  I pump twice, and transfer my tail slides from the carver skateboard straight on to the wave.  My “gouge” was more like a needle prick, but I still felt my board hit the brakes and go back in the other direction.  However, the wave was bogged out as I did my needle prick of a top turn, and so I lost all speed.  I grabbed my rails and kept the board under me, so my board doesn’t shoot out whichever way I launch it.  I didn’t want to hurt anyone around me. 

I see Cheryl back in the line up, saying that I snaked her. 

“Yea, I snaked you, sorry, but it was such a nice wave!”

“Yea, I know it was a nice wave!! That’s why I wanted it!!”

I told her she should have kept on going, but she countered that I almost got hit by her board.

“No worries, that board was far away from me,” I told her.

To me, that was a small break through.  And in what kind of conditions did this break through happen?  In the smallest of waves, but in the most beautiful surroundings.  I was in a good mental state.

Dais and I shared a wave that came out of no where, and we had to get “another one.”  That last one was supposed to be our second “last one,” and so we were on #3 of the “last wave syndrome.” 

I took mine, and Dais got his, and we both watched Cheryl as we smiled at each other, stoked off the mornings session.  Dais whistles as I look up from getting my skateboard. 

“Cheryl!!!!!” he yelled.

She was up!!  And she took a small bogger pretty far, and she fell off the back as the wave lost all power.  As she was falling, she did a double fisted YES!!, clenching her hands tightly and smiling from ear to ear. 

But she wasn’t done just yet.  She took another similar wave and did another double fisted YES!!!

And a third one!! Another YES!! pose.  Wow.  Performance anxiety cured.  She had to be alone, surfing WITHOUT US!!  Damn she must hate us.  But don’t worry, we love you Cheryl, and we believe hate quickly turns into love. 

Dais and I skated back on the slippery pavement.  The water dripping from our legs helped our feet slip even more on the smooth Strand, and the water from the rain was still moistening the environment.

What a beautiful day.  I doubt that we are going to have a beautiful, tranquil day like that for a while.  I will cherish the things I saw and the sounds I heard and the feelings I had today forever.

And to think, it was just a small, crappy day at 26^th Street.  Go figure.

Mahalos Mother Ocean. 

FLATness with Da Boys at 26th Street - 060411

Surf Report: FLAT

Water: December-like coldness

Winds: On shore

Atmosphere: Gloomy

What a horrible day for surfing, and how fitting it was for all of the da boys to be out!  The day started off early, with me calling people a little past 0600.  Ko showed up to my house, and I had forced my dad to come out in an effort to get him out of the house and get some fresh air.  The photography was an added bonus.  I stopped by Nicky’s house, but there was no answer.  Well, you snooze you lose!  Dais was rolling with Khang and DK, and Mikey was on his way on his own.  Christina was to show up later.  When we showed up to 26^th Street, the waves looked dismally FLAT.  I was disappointed nonetheless. 

Mikey shows up to the parking lot in his 5:3 wetsuit, carrying his surfboard, so that was the trigger to get changed and surf.  We all shot the shit as we got changed, and threw in some quarters to the meter. 

I took out the foamie and my short board for shits and giggles.  Dais took out his usual thruster Desire`, Khang was on Maria, Ko was on the quick fish quad, DK was on the NSP, and Mikey was on his 7 footer.  We all walked south of the 26^th Street tower. 

There weren’t too many surfers out today for good reason:  there was NO SURF!  Ok, let’s be fair, there was surf, but it was nothing significant.  I think today was just a day to be with all da boys and special guest appearances. 

Mikey is a friend of most of us from Venice High days.  He was in Redlands for a while and moved out of LA, but since he was laid off from his company, he’s been back in LA and surfing lots.  It was good to catch up and eating shit with him in the line up. 

The waves were close outs at best.  The foamie proved to be a formidable weapon for today’s waves, but I switched to the shortboard after half the session was done.  I wanted to be able to hold a rail in the wave without cranking my whole body awkwardly and falling. 

Khang and Dais caught their fair share, but the biggest surprise was probably Kotaro, getting some waves on the quick fish quad.  He later switched to Maria and had a harder time catching waves, but da boys were still hooting him into waves. 

DK was catching some waves with his NSP, but again, there were no waves anyways, so it wasn’t such an epic session as we would have preferred.

Christina showed up half way through the session on her foamie too, and we both paddled out to the line up, her on her foamie, and me on my shortboard, leash less. 

The tide was low, and I usually like to go leash less when it is low tide because I hate the drag as the board tugs greedily on my ankle as another wipe out throws me over the falls.  The only set back was that I have to swim to my board when I wipe out, but today was a non-consequential day, so I didn’t mind the swimming.  If anything, I could use it. 

Not too many memorable waves today really, it was more of the social gathering that was important in my mind.  I was glad that da boys came out to surf in high spirits and great number.  Albeit the waves were lackluster, the vibe was chill and fun.  We all got out after an hour and a half of “surfing.”

There was supposed to be swell Sunday AFTERNOON, so I figured, it won’t be so big tomorrow, I’d go out late… boy, was I wrong.