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. 

Cherylita Hearts Her Longboard 100911

Surf Report: 3-5 footers with diminishing conditions as the tide rose

Water: Colder than yesterday

Winds: Off shore!  I love Fall

Atmosphere: Sunny once again

Another Golden Sunrise.. These never get old

After cutting out of the Long Hair Don’t Care party of Dais and Khang at 1000 PM, I crashed on my bed at 1030.  I couldn’t help but feel the tickle in my throat, but stupidly enough, left my window open for the night…

I awoke at 530 in the morning to feel a coughing heave every time I breathed out.  OH SHIT I thought to myself.  Not today… not now.  Please, no sickness right now.  I called Fransauce if he was gonna paddle out soon, or if he was already there (he had texted me last night that he was dawn patrolling at 530.)  he didn’t answer his phone.  Furthermore, he texted me later saying he had a late night and would be paddling out around 900. 

What a relief.  I closed the window, wrapped myself up in a jacket and jeans, and went back to bed.

My phone signaled a text message from Christina.  She was already there and saying that the waves looked weaker than yesterday.  The parking lot was still empty, but there was a 5K going on so don’t take Rosecrans, she remarked.

I rolled out of bed, still heaving a few coughs as I breathed out.  I took deep breaths to let my cough subside, and it seemed to have worked.  I ate some dried fruit and took off to 26^th Street.

I parked up the hill and got changed in the cold weather.  It wasn’t that cold, but it was enough for me to keep my sweatshirt on as long as possible.  I made my way down the hill to 26^th Street to see a mellow line up…

I saw the usual suspects this morning too: Roy, Orlando, Bruce, and Mikey.  I saw some of the groms, including Kyle.  And then I saw Christina.  She was paddling, head down and going straight, while another surfer was paddling at an angle for the right.  He had to straighten out as Christina made the drop into the face and snaked the guy.  I hooted her for the wave, and she was stoked like a little kid.  And low and behold, Cheryl was out!

Tom Yam came out too.  We had a small surf crew going, and the conditions were just like yesterday:  long lulls, weak, mushy waves, but bombs rolling through every twenty minutes or so.

One set lurched its ugly head out of no where.  I actually took the small wave that was right before it, only to look back on the ensuing paddle battle against the Ocean.  It was a solid six wave set, and I missed every single wave.  Tom took a close out left, and regretted taking a wave so early since he saw the wave behind it opened up all the way to shore. 

We make our beds, and we have to sleep in it. No pain, no gain. 

The winds stayed off shore as the sun beamed through the clouds.  It was a pretty mellow morning, as are most Sunday morning sessions.  I personally don’t have many rides to share this day, but I have to share three waves that Cheryl caught that deserve recognition. 

First wave was a wave I didn’t think she would catch.  In fact, none of us thought she would catch it.  “None of us” included Tom, Roy, Bruce, and myself.  We were all watching her, paddling and wiggling her butt down the face, then she popped up.  The board just caught speed and went down the line for a nice right.  She stayed high on the curl and took the wave to shore. And this by no means was just some ten yard ride.  It was at least twenty five yards long. 

“Oh man, all the way to shore! Way to go Cheryl!” Bruce said.

Cheryl took a long time to paddle back out, but when she got back to the line up, another right just came her way.  She paddled for that one, as we all watched if she would catch this one.  No, that wave is gonna bog out, I thought.  BAM, she was on her feet, and down the line. 

“Another ride to shore!” Bruce said.  “Man, I haven’t even gotten rides half as long as hers today!”

We all gave her props on her two waves.  But she was undeterred and determined to catch another one. 

Tom and I had swapped boards at this point, and so Tom was on my loaner fish, while I was on his potato chip.  Cheryl paddled for a left, as did Tom. I saw Cheryl pop up as I duck dived the wave, and watched the horizon for another wave that never came....

"Ho~ another wave to shore! Man she is on fire!" Bruce said.  We were all really stoked for Cheryl.  It was a redemption session for her from yesterday, where she didn't catch one single wave on her fish, Pinky. 

I didn’t watch the whole wave, but I saw Cheryl and Tom allllllllllllll the way down the shore… they took a good five minutes to come back with smiles beaming from their face.  Another wave to shore! Everyone watched her in envy. 

“Ok Cheryl, now you’re blocking for us!” I told her.

Bruce and I talked about how Christina was on a foamie.  We both agreed that it's better to be on a foamie, since the point of surfing, to both of us, is to catch waves.  And if you're not catching waves, it's not really surfing.  I pointed out that she is carrying on the Will of Bruce by riding foamies.

"Hell, as long as she's having fun!  I know I have a lot of fun.  I know that a lot of other people would be really happy if I didn't ride the foamie, but I wouldn't be happy at all.  I could ride shorter boards, but I wouldn't be happy at all," he said. 

In essence, isn't that why we surf?  Because it's FUN.  And who cares what other people think?  Those who care don't matter, and those that matter won't care. 

Tom got a good feel for the twin fin.  He never rode a twin fin, let alone a good twin fin by Zippi.  So he was stoked to finally stroke into a wave on that thing.  We switched back boards, and he took his last wave.  He later told me that the twin fin already taught him a good lesson in bottom turning, since you have to really lay in on the rail with your back foot or else your rail digs in on the front.  His last wave was his most memorable, he said.

Fransauce made it out too!  It was nice to see him, but I had to leave quickly because my nephew’s 3^rd birthday party was at 1130, and I had to do the grocery shopping before that, get home, pick up my dad, and go to the party.  So, I told da boys (and girls) that I had to leave with the next wave.

And just on queue, the next wave came.  I paddled hard for it, popped up, and saw the wave just wall up in front of me.  I saw a guy paddling for the shoulder, and let out a “HO HO HO!” to let him know I was on the wave.  He backed out as the glistening water started to suck up sand and I banked off the lip to the white foamy waters.  I ate the landing, but I still felt so good from catching that last wave.

I graciously bowed to Mother Ocean as I left the beach and walked up to the parking lot with Tom.  We said our farewells and departed.

I love Autumn in Southern California.

Mahalos Mother Ocean.

Frothing 072411

Surf Report: 1-2 feet ankle slappers

Water: Warm

Atmosphere: Deceptively gloomy

Winds: Slight on shore

I woke up bright and early a little before 0600 today.  I was surprisingly well rested and not sore from standing on my feet all day yesterday over a hot grill.  I thanked my mom for giving me chamomile tea with hibiscus last night, and I also rubbed a lot of athletic cream on my legs.  That shit works!!

I hit up Mr. Khang in the morning.  He answered and I told him that I’d be there in twenty minutes.  I fill up the water jugs and set out to tackle the day.

Matt was already at the beach, and was not going to paddle out.  He and Rick were grabbing some coffee, but I wanted to give Matt his Ulu pictures, so I begged and pleaded for him to stay in the area and meet us in the parking lot.  He obliged.

We got to the empty parking lot by 0700 and saw Matt pull up too.  The day was looking pretty dull already, with the waves just rolling in slowly and with little or no size at all.  I couldn’t believe that the waves had gotten worse since yesterday.  One of the locals came back up to switch boards.  He got a thicker, bigger board to paddle into the mushy waves.

Don was already out, and so was Roy.  I could see their cars in the parking lot.  If they are out, it must be worth a paddle out, right?

We three shoot the shit for a while, and Matt meets his friends Jim (?) and his wife, their two kids, and also Jack.  They tell us that Dave T and Gary are in the water already.  So, these guys are all friends from back in the day, but Jim, his wife, and Jack went to Uni High.  Now, Matt has to paddle out.

We get changed into our full suits and set out to the sand.  As I get to the sand, I have to pee.  I let loose as I walk, letting the warm liquid trail down my left leg.  I’m feeling a sense of euphoria and release as I do this, when suddenly, I feel a small nugget pop out of my ass.  UH OH.  I think I crapped in my wetsuit again.  Fuck my life.

I let the urine swish around my crotch area and ass, hoping that it will break down whatever brown nugget popped out of my ass.  I stretched a bit and then headed straight out. 

Matt and Khang surfed a little south of where I sat, and I sat around the 26^th Street life guard tower.  Matt was the first to draw blood, riding Rick’s fish.  He looked surprised that he was able to catch the wave so easily on the fish.  It seemed like a light bulb went off on his head and the waves weren’t as bad as they seemed from the parking lot.  Khang was on his thruster, and he seemed to  have a slow start with getting waves, but before you knew it, he was up and riding on the mushy peaks. 

I for one had a hard time getting into waves on my thruster.  The waves would sort of pitch up, but then bog.  I would paddle into them, feel the slide, but then when I was about to pop up, the waves would die, pass me up, and I couldn’t get in the wave again. 

The clock struck 0800, and so Matt and I went back to the cars to put money in the meter.  I switched out my thruster for Maria, and threw in an hour’s worth of quarters.  Matt and I headed back down and walked back out into the line up. 

These fucking little crabs are so crunchy!!  I winced every time I stepped on one going in and out of the shore pound.  Prickly little motherfuckers… oh well.

After I got Maria under me, it was game on.  I just caught wave after wave after wave.  However, I found myself looking down at my feet a lot, checking out the “spray” I was making in the pumps.  I figured this is a horrible thing to do, because it probably doesn’t look as cool as I think it does.  I told myself, “Stop looking down, look ahead on the wave.  Look where you want to be, and get there.”  I started to pump more down the line.  It just felt so amazing to be on a shortboard that caught everything and still be able to maneuver in the pocket.  Don was watching me on one wave that I caught, and I think he acknowledges my existence in the line up after that small wave.  I was able to crank out a few pumps on it so it felt really good.

The local guys were shredding like crazy on these small waves.  They really are amazing surfers.  They were always on the peak, and were able to go left and right well.  They are on another level.

I saw Roy and Mario again, and surfed with them for a bit.  Mario got a new used fish from Player’s surfboards, where I got my first board.  The color scheme was the same as the longboard I lent to Death Wish Dave.  Mario had this huge smile from ear to ear on his face the whole time.  His paddle looked tired though, so he was probably pushing his limits on endurance today.  The clock hit 0900, so I told Roy and Mario that I will see them in the parking lot later. 

I step out of the shore pound, stepping on more crabs, and wince in pain.  I wave down Matt and Khang, and they start to get their last waves in.  Just then, I saw Dave in his green neon suit.  We hug at the unexpected encounter, and he said he just got here.  I told Khang that I wanted to surf with Dave just for another half hour, and he said that was cool.  Matt had to go to breakfast with a friend, so he took off soon after.

Dave and I paddled out where Roy and Mario were.  Roy chuckled at me.

“I thought you were going to leave?”

“I had to come back out!  My boy is here!”

We introduce each other, and we four stick together in the same area. 

I made Dave a deal.  Every wave I paddle for, he has to paddle for.  He obliged. 

Roy was coaching Mario, and I was coaching Dave.  Well, I wasn’t really coaching Dave.  He has the basics down.  Sitting, paddling, and popping up.  It just has to come together all at once.  This can only be achieved by more time in the water.  Same thing for Mario too.  He has his paddle down, and the pop up.  Now he has to spend more time in the water.  The more water time both of them get, the more waves they’ll catch.

Roy and I split the peak on a small A frame.  He went left, and I went right.  We both took it for a while, and were smiling ear to ear. 

Dave told me that I have a “fish wiggle” paddle.  Not as cool as the alligator paddle I try to emanate by Sion Milosky, but it’s nice to know that I am doing the wiggle and that I’m getting into waves easier.  Even Roy said that he wished he had his fish right now. 

Dave and I pushed the limits on what can be paddled into.  He and I were just going for it.  I’m glad I forced him to paddle into everything I did.  I think it was good for him to be more aggressive in the water.  He went for a lot of waves, but couldn’t quite get up on the board after he paddled into them.  He would nose dive a lot, and come up dazed.  Heck, at least he went for it right?

However, on one little outside wave, he got caught going the wrong way paddling out.  He naturally likes to go towards the part of the wave that is not breaking, instead of going towards the white water.  As surf etiquette, one is supposed to paddle towards the white water so the person surfing the wave is able to go down the line and avoid hitting you.  I remember Dave did the same thing with Rastaman aka Orlando, and almost got a free hair cut from his board.  This time around, Sherry popped him in his nose and he was telling me, “Ok, lesson learned!  Don’t do that again…”

We reached 0945, and decided it was time to go.  I kept my date Khang waiting, and no one likes a man who keeps his date waiting.  Roy winced in pain as did I walking out of the water, and cursed the little crabs too.  He explained to Dave and I that Mario has had a tough up-bringing, and that he’s spent some time in jail too.  But, he started surfing about a year ago, and Roy kind of took him under his wing.  He told Mario, “Look, come surf with me.  But when you do, I don’t want any negative energy.  None of that belongs in the water.  When you’re surfing with me, it’s all positive.” 

And look at Mario now.  In the water, he is just stoked from head to toe.  He is smiling a lot in the water.  He is truly frothing to surf. 

We get back to the car where Khang was having a cigarette.  We shoot the shit for a while, and decide to go to Rutt’s (Roy’s, as Dave called it.  Haha)

Seeing just 1 – 2 foot waves would usually turn off people from surf.  However, we paddled out, and I think we collectively just felt better about the whole day.  I had to get to Obon to work the grill again, and so we all parted ways after grinding at Rutt’s. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean… I see that you’re stirring up something good for us on the weekend!  Can’t wait to get back and play with you.

Meet and Greet, Slide and Glide 071011

Surf Report:  1-3 feet

Atmosphere: Gloomy

Water: Cold (had to bring the wetsuit back in action)

Winds: Slight off shore

Sunday is always a stay at home day.  It’s also a day where slow starts are welcomed, especially when the tides aren’t cooperating with us.  I got up around 620, went back to sleep, and started to stretch at 0700.  I started making phone calls around 0705. 

Khoa and Khang was the surf crew for today.  We were all pretty tired, but we made it to the 26^th Street parking lot by 0800, and were changed by 0830.  Khang was the only one who bare backed it out of the three of us. 

Tide Killed It!!!!

We paddled out in front of the 26^th Street tower.  The waves looked pretty fun, with some small lefts rolling through nicely.  They didn’t really pitch or anything, but the tide definitely seemed to be high and some of the waves would be wobbly on the top.  The outside sets weren’t that far out, but they were some beautiful looking lefts that sparkled with off shore winds. 

The paddle out today was sort of punishing to me at least.  I saw 1 and 2 paddle out pretty easily, but I seemed to be sucked into a whirl pool of white wash and didn’t seem to be going anywhere.  By the time I got out to the line up, I had drifted about twenty yards north of the life guard tower.  Khoa and Khang were sitting there too.  I chose to paddle further south and sit in front of the lifeguard tower.

I caught my warm up wave to get my feet wet.  It was a right that seemed to have a clean face on it, until I initiated my bottom turn and saw that the right met up with the left breaking from another peak.  That left doubled up the right, and I found myself in an awkward situation.  The wave jacked up as I kept going forward.  The nose of my board went into the flats first, then I was flung forward, smack face down.  That one kind of jostled my head around, and I came up a little bit dazed.  Oh well, that was my warm up wave anyway. 

The guy who let me go on the wave asked how it was.  I described exactly what happened and he chuckled, saying that same thing happened to him already. 

The mood, as always, was mellow at 26^th Street.  I saw a lot of new faces in the line up, but I saw some familiar faces too.  We met Glen in the parking lot and I split the peak with him on a wave.  I smiled and greeted all who made eye contact with me.  It was about a 90-10 chance of getting a response from someone.  There were longboarders, body boarders, shortboarders, and that one Sri Lankan looking kid on his shortboard, hanging on the inside.  This kid has been coming every single week for the last three or four months.  He goes for the inside waves and seems to be stoked to be catching them.  I can only imagine how he would surf when he is our age!  I will try to talk to him next time, but it’s kind of dangerous to just sit on the inside like he does.  I feel so vulnerable sitting on the inside, not only to Mother Ocean, but to other surfers too. 

The peak right in front of the tower was working nicely.  They had lefts coming in most of the time, but the occasional right would roll through too.  On one right, a longboarder started to paddle for the wave.  Not to be outdone, I gunned for it.  He yelled out at me, “Are you going?”

“YEA!” two more paddles and I was in.

I took off down the line, bottom turned, and then did a small cut back.  I made it down the line again, and bottom turned up into the falling lip, and fell.  I was still stoked.  I got two measly little turns in!  The noob in me was giddy, but I tried not to show that on the surface.

“Hey, thanks man, next wave is yours!” I told the longboarder.

I should have said next wave you’re in position for is yours, because I took the next set left.  That wave I was able to go back side, bottom turning and maintaining speed.  I still need to learn to pump on my back side. 

I met two Brazilians in the water.  One was bare backing, and the other was wearing a jacket.  The bare back guy, Mauricio, was around our level, so I hooted him into waves every time he would go for them.  Alex, the other Brazilian, would try to go for waves, but didn’t quite get into them.  They were super friendly and we struck up a conversation with me speaking a little bit of Portuguese.  They were from Floridanapolis, and told me I should go surf there one day.  Definitely a spot on my bucket list…

I allowed myself to drift down after sitting on the peak for a while, and ran into 1 and 2.  Khang took a small left grabbing rail as I watched from the inside.  Then, Khoa took a right, crouched low into the pocket.  He was heading straight for me as I hooted at him.  At the last moment, he saw me and jumped off his board, landing on mine on the inside.  We will call this move the Board Hop. 

The spot north of the tower was plagued with weird tidal swirls and nasty double ups.  I was stuck sitting for a while waiting for a wave as I watched the 26^th Street fire off some lefts.  I did get some more waves, but that wasn’t what has been ingrained in my memory…

This girl was in the line up, wearing a bikini.  She was pretty cute, so naturally, I surfed around her.  I was on the inside when this girl paddles for a left.  She was goofy footed and pops up nicely, only to find herself in the middle of a double up as she slid down, mid face.  No where to go but DOWN!  I hooted for her as she took off on the freak double up.  She basically did the same thing I did for my warm up wave, but probably on a bigger set wave.  The board just nose dived into the glassy, green surface, and she got flung face first into the shallow flats.  Luckily, this was a beach break and not a point or reef break.  She came up, a bit dazed.  I laughed with her, saying that was the gnarliest wipe out I’ve seen, and that she was a soldier for going for that.  Her name was Kim, and she seemed a bit gun shy after that wave.  But, I still remember that gnarly wipe out.  I don’t know about you, but girls that wear their ovaries on the outside are pretty hot.  She ended up getting swept away from the current, and I paddled in on my last wave. 

Just another day surfing 26^th Street, and I got to meet a few new people while surfing some nice lefts and a few rights.  I’m so happy that I get to surf so often.  I try not to take for granted the conditions given to me by Mother Ocean, since I know my time with her is limited.  I have to take advantage of whatever she throws at me, even if it is a freak double up set wave that pitches into three feet of water. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean!  Hope to see you soon…

Never Turn Your Back to the Ocean 070311

Surf Report:  1 – 3 feet

Water: Cool (should have worn a jacket at least)

Atmosphere: MARINE LAYER!! GO AWAY!!!!

Winds: Little to none, then slight on shore

The legendary Fransauce made his way to the Westside this weekend.  He lives right by Culver City and the Palms area, so he doesn’t have to make the crazy drive down from Pasadena no more!  I was stoked to be surfing with him again.  When I picked him up from his house, the sun was out.  However, as we drove down to Manhattan Beach, the marine layer blocked out the sun completely, and it was gloomy all the way through to the beach. 

We parked at 15^th Street and made our way down to the Strand.  Skating down 26^th Street was a breeze, and the morning seemed to be a hung over, morning sickness day.  The waves lacked oomph, and the water was cold!  I wish I had a jacket on…

The first hour or so was so so.  The waves lacked power, and the waits were long in between sets.  I wouldn’t have minded if it weren’t so cold in the water.  Francis and I caught some waves, but nothing noteworthy.  I finally got one turn in after a few waves.  Francis got his turn in on a backside wave.

We waited.  I hooted and smiled and said hi to everyone I made eye contact with.  The conditions may have been shitty, but the vibe didn't have to be that way.  I made the most out of what we got. 

Khang showed up in the line up first.  His late arrival brought about some surf.  Dais and Khoa paddled out too, and it seemed the surf picked up significantly.  Now there were waves, there were outside sets, and there were snakes.  Everyone got snaked.  I personally got snaked by each and every member today: Francis, Khang, Dais, Khoa, and Peter. Francis actually kicked out of the wave after he saw me behind him.  It was just one of those days. 

My right shin muscle cramped up, so I had to take a quick break to stretch it out.  I made it back out right when Peter paddled out too. 

Pete got a left that he almost fell on, but he was able to maintain his balance.  He was on the foamie so he couldn’t do much to compensate for any pitchy waves, but he stuck this one and made it down the line.

Khang snaked Khoa pretty badly, and ruined his wave.  Khoa became off balanced and fell off the wave and ate it.  Khoa still chased down a handful of waves on the foamie and was able to take most of them all the way to shore.  He would disappear for minutes at a time paddling back out after a long ride. 

Dais had a few good ones on the fishy.  The one wave I got to see him snake me on was a good one, and he was going down the line, not minding me behind him.  He was still drop knee half way down the line, but mustered up the strength to get his right foot up and ride out the wave. 

Just then, we saw Khang go for a late drop, and ditch his board.  Board went to his right, and he went down with the wave.  Dais and I hooted him for that.  Khang’s spills were always rewarded with long rides.  He punched through white water sections, and I saw a legit attempt at a top turn with his green belly of Jade showing up from behind the wave. 

Francis had some nice top turns after the waves started to pump.  We all oohed and ahhed at his ability, and wished we could surf like that too.  He is by far the most skilled surfer out of all of us.  The best part is that he has this huge smile every time he catches a wave.  He is always so stoked, it rubs off on us like rabbit fur on your penis. 

Francis would pump stylishly down the line and pump once more before bottom turning and reappearing for a top turn.  BAM!  We would all hoot him for these waves, since it looks so cool. 

We surfed a good three hours, and I was getting tired, hungry, and pruned.  I decided to take a last wave in.  My second to last wave I got was ok, but not “that ride” I was looking for.  Not to be deterred, I paddled back out, and sat in the line up.  Body boarders surrounded us, then paddled away.  A Latino guy sat next to us in the middle of the pack, but realized he wasn’t getting anything, so he paddled away too.  I saw an outsider lurch its ugly head off the horizon, and gunned for it.  It was a bad wave choice, for I had to take a late drop on my belly and that was my “last wave” of the day. 

What ensued next could only be blamed on myself…

Lesson #1: Never EVER turn your back to the Ocean. 

I'm glad all I got was a bruised knee

I paddled in towards shore, and looked back at the Ocean.  I saw a small wave jack up, and tried to catch it.  It bogged out.  Normally by this location in the shore pound, I would have gotten up to walk out backwards, but today… today, I don’t know why, but I decided to keep paddling in the shore pound.  I then saw a wave double up and jack up right behind me. 

Lesson #2:  Never let go of your board.

The double up shore pounder engulfed me into her sandy maws.  She wrenched my surfboard away from me as I got tossed and turned like a pin ball in an arcade.  I felt the surfboard fins first hit my upper knee, and then my shin.  My initial thought was, “Please don’t get cut, please don’t get cut!”

I get up and stand on the shore pound. I see my board, and grab it.  Something is missing… my fin is missing.  I look around for it, but it is in the sandy tomb of Manhattan Beach, and I don’t feel like scouring the under dwellings of the shore pound for a fin.  I was bummed and tried to walk out.  Then, my knee ached.  I hobbled up and threw my surfboard on the sand.  I looked at my knee, and it was just bruised.  I was thankful and grateful that I wasn’t cut.  That fin must have hit me from the front end, not the curved, sharp back end (like Parko on his injury at Snapper where he sliced his foot from the fin.)  I was glad that was all that happened to me.

I assessed the damage of my board.  Just a missing fin.  Oh well.  I laughed it off as I threw my board to the side and waited for Francis to come in.

When Francis came in, I pointed out my missing fin.  He pointed out that there was a ding on the plug, probably where the fin dug in from hitting my knee before snapping off.  I shrugged it off.  No biggie.  I was a little disappointed because I was trying a new fin set up and I really liked the drive and turning ability I was getting out of it, but heck, even the Mona Lisa is falling apart everyday. Francis then pointed out some blood on his toe.  His fins caught him on his toe, making a small gash.  So we were both having some bad luck with fins.  But that's all.  No serious harm was involved. 

Ho Brah, no one rides a twin fin in Hawaii!

This is all I saw before getting to my car, thinking shit was fine

We skate back gracefully down the Strand and walk up to my car.  To my astonishment, there are cars lined up to park in the parking lot too.  I put my board down, and notice a line in my board that I had never seen before.  It was a board buckle.  A board buckle from the shore pound?  Man, I wish I had buckled my board in something cooler, like an air, or a steep drop at a point break, or anything else besides being a noob.  I still feel like laughing this one off, because it was all my fault.  Everything was in my control, but Mother Nature caught me off guard and made me pay the price.  The board seems salvageable… but Francis points out that even if I do fix it, the first person to notice that something is wrong will be me. 

So, I am still in one piece.  My board is still technically in one piece, but that is why I have a quiver.  One board down?  Get the other ones out.  All material things eventually perish, and that is a fact of life.  At least I am safe and sound.  I would rather have the board break in half than me break in half. 

Mahalos Mother Ocean.  You re-tested me on some basic lessons, and I failed miserably.  I will know to keep my guard up at all times, for you are most powerful and unforgiving for the smallest of mistakes.  That doesn’t mean I’m not going to pull into those outside sets though.  Don't worry, I’m still doing that.  I’ll be back for more, later next week!

BUCKLED - Aloha Means Hello and Good-bye

Let the craigslist hunt begin!!

Getting Snaked at the Wave Buffet 070211

Surf Report: 1-3 feet and clean

Atmosphere: Gloomy with the morning marine layer

Winds: Slight off shore to on shore

Water: Warm!!

Good bye wetsuits, hello ball rash. 

Golden Sunrises

Dais and Khang were raving how the water has warmed up, and that they have no need for wetsuits anymore.  I was stoked to hear about this news.  Last summer, it was so cold that we wore wetsuits almost the entire summer!  I hated that.  I love my wetsuit and how it keeps me warm from the California cold currents, but man, is it liberating to be in just boardshorts and a rash guard!  I feel so FREE.  So, today, I wasn’t quite expecting much in the realm of the surf size, but I was excited about just getting wet without wearing a wetsuit.  I wasn’t expecting any decent size or waves to roll through at all, but I was sure to score some free parking and surf at least three hours today. 

I picked up Dais a little before 0700, and we head out to find street parking.  We get to 15^th Street and park at the City Hall, and he lets me borrow his jacket.  We grab the skateboards and head down to the strand to skate back 10 blocks to 26^th Street. 

The waves today were nice and mellow, and some of the sets came out to maybe 4 feet.  The crowd was out in full force, and there were some nice peaks right in front of 26^th, one north of the tower, and one south of the tower.  We chose to paddle out in front. 

It was a wave buffet today, and I got snaked on almost every good wave.  I was still stoked and determined to surf at least a good three hours.  I kept paddling into waves, and so did Dais. 

I saw Dais’s first wave from behind.  He paddled, kicking his feet, and popped up.  He waited for the wave as he got to his feet, then he dropped in the wave and took off on the section.  It was a short ride to shore, but still, it was a nice little ride to open things up for the day. 

There was a constant pull south from the NW swell.  We kept maintaining our position just north of the tower.  The mood was so mellow, and everyone looked happy to be in the warm water.

I started talking to one of the local guys, his name was Dave.  He is a white dude with long, dirty blond hair, and a beard.  He surfs goofy footed, and tears shit up.  Dais pointed out that I needed to grow long hair too, since all the locals have long hair, and Dais and Khang get to blend in nicely with them with ease.  I am the blacksheep of the 26^th Street locals then.  I am the non-conformist.

All the locals were out in full force, along with every new soul surfer lover and their mama, dada, brother, cousin, second cousin, bastard child of second cousin, and broke back lover.  My god, it was so crowded.  But the conditions were so nice!  The ambiance was mellow, and I couldn’t really complain.  Everybody was getting their fare share of waves this morning. 

I had to snake someone to get a good ride.  I snaked one of the local guys that gave me advice about surfing with your back foot and “keeping your hands quiet.”  Dais says that there was no way he would have made it around the section, but I still felt like a snake.  I dropped in, bottom turned, and came unstuck on the top turn.  I then saw his shadowy figure pumping in the white water, all the way to shore. 

Khang, Peter, and DK showed up too.  Aloha welcome home Pete.  Originally a Los Angeleno, he hails from the lands of far far away in Chicago.  It felt weird seeing him on a foamie, since to me, “he’s better than that.”  Not that I’m denouncing foamies, as I watched Bruce tear it up on the foamie today, but Pete was on a shortboard before leaving for law school.  So it was a bit nostalgic to see him in the water, and at the same time, confusing. 

Khang did his usual thing catching waves, and I saw DK catch a close out going straight.  Dais and Khang joked that he was O-facing it when he got a good wave today, since it was probably the first time he got to the face and ever seen a lip crash down in front of him. 

I started to talk to this girl Tavi.  She had short hair and a green fun board.  Khang and I debated whether or not she had long or short hair.  At first, I thought she was a short haired girl, but Khang swore that she had long hair. 

“You’re blind,” he told me.

“Yea, you’re right.  She probably has long hair.  Wait, was she even a chick?” I replied.

Phew, thank god she was a chick.  Turns out she comes from West Hollywood all the way down to surf here, and she works at BMI as a recruiter, trying to sign artists up on the long list of artists of BMI Group.  She surfed well, going for some of the bigger sets and making them, walking up to gather speed, and then wiping out. 

Cheryl shows up on her longboard too, paddling out with her usual smile.  She caught a few good waves but “got too excited” and slipped off after making the drop.  I was there to witness all of her glory. 

Do I have a SNAKE ME sign taped on my forehead or something?  It seemed all day today that I was getting snaked and dropped in on.  It didn’t bother me that badly, but this one guy did it to me twice, consecutively.  The first one I took off on, it was definitely a right.  The left was closed out already.  But this guy goes for it, and being goofy footed, he only knew how to go left.  I was already initiating my bottom turn, but had to straighten out, for he was heading straight for me.  He looks at me wide eyed, as if to say, “Where the hell did you come from?” and hops off.  I couldn’t get passed the white water section and wave him off with both hands.  He apologizes to me and I tell him not to worry about it, and that it was ok. 

What I should have said:

“Don’t ever fuckin drop in on me ever again, you goofy footed kook who can’t go right.”  But that is way out of my character.

Khang jokes, “Damn, don’t mean to rub it in, but that was a niiiiice fucking right.”  Yea, thanks man!

The guy who dropped in on me probably wanted to get one last wave in since the next wave that approaches, he did the same thing again.  He wanted to go left, I wanted to go right.  I couldn’t see if this one was a right or a left, but he looked like he wronged me again, and I never saw him again. 

I felt ball rash coming on my left testicle.  I felt a little chaffing from the boardshorts, but ignored it.  I started to think, would I give up my left testicle to surf?  The answer is a definite yes. 

Anyways, I don’t remember many other waves afterwards, but I know for a fact that all the DRC got at least a few waves under their belt today.  It was just that kind of day: Mellow, small and forgiving waves, and a tidal swing that cooperated with our local beach break.  Dais and I surfed a marathon session of four hours, and skated back to the car.  It was an overall great day for surf, and I will cherish this day forever and forever. 

NOT.

Fucking snakes.

Oh, Mahalos Mother Ocean.  At least you don’t snake me. 

The Return of Death Wish Dave and Mellie Mel 061911

Surf Report: 1-2 feet max

Atmosphere: Gloomy and misty

Winds:  on shore

Water: cool (too warm in my 4/3!)

Sunday mornings seem to be “stay local” day for me.  It’s a day where we just lazily surf the home break, whether it be El Porto or 26^th Street.  I was prepared to surf alone today, since Nicky had texted me saying he had job training at Nijiya at 1030, and I knew Khang would be celebrating Maryann’s birthday the night before.  Dais was having breakfast with his lady, so I figure I could get a slow start in the morning. 

However, Dave had texted me to hit him up when I go surf.  Mellie Mel also hit me up saying that she wanted to surf Sunday morning, and texted me “The usual 630 paddle out?”

So I had to kind of get up early….

I got up around 610 and started to do my yoga stretches.  When it hit 630, I started to call people and find out the 411 from them.  Dave was up, and he said he would paddle out.  Mellie Mel was getting her caffeine fix and would soon be at 26^th Street. 

I picked up One Wave Dave from his sister’s house.  He was waiting outside with all his gear ready to go.  Dave is a guy who is organized and prompt on any appointment.  I feel bad because I’m quite the opposite of this behavior.  I pick him up and we stuff Sherry into the car, along with my “new” longboard. 

We shoot the shit and catch up on life and school and what not.  The misty morning started to put condensation on my windows, and I grew a little concerned.  Were we really going to be surfing in this kind of weather?  Oh well, no time to be a spoiled brat right now, Dave was with me, and Mellie Mel was coming out too!

Mellie Mel is a buddy of mine that I haven’t surfed with since November 15, 2009.  I remember this date because it was a pretty awesome day of surfing, where I snaked her nicely on a left.  She was super on point with her boyfriend’s longboard, and caught a lot of waves.  I like surfing with her because she pushes herself over the ledge and loves the slide of surfing.  She’s an avid snowboarder and skates too, so I guess surfing came pretty natural to her.  Nowadays, though, she has been focusing on getting her Masters and teaching high school math in South Central Los Angeles.  She’s quite a gangster for teaching there, and the stories she tells me are truly heart-wrenching, heart-warming, and unbelievable. 

So we pull up to a parking lot pretty much empty on 26^th Street.  Mellie Mel was parked up on the first lot, and drives down to the second lot to greet us.  We all get changed into our wetsuits and walk down to the beach. 

This is the first time I rode my single fin longboard that I purchased off craigslist for $180.  The list price was $325, but I think they still ripped me off.  The fin box had super glue in it to the hold the fin in place, and there was no screw to hold the fin in place.  They had some string to attach to the leash, and threw in the leash and boardbag for $180.  I should have paid $160 max, but hey, I wanted a longboard, and I got one. 

The waves looked even flatter once we got out to the line up.  Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but there was a reason why only a few locals were out in the line up and most of them just went home, including Bruce.  The sets were 2 feet max, but the current was super strong still.  I spent a good amount of time paddling back to the spot right by the parking lots, north of 26^th Street. 

Dave paddled out on Sherry, my beloved 8’4” thruster that I learned to surf on.  Come to think of it, that board is probably super hard to learn on.  Mellie Mel was on her 6’10” thruster with a swallow tail and some wings on, that she bought when she first started surfing.  I was on my 9’0” San O Long-bow. 

First wave I catch with this board… and I’m sold.  I took off on a small right, and bottom turn and trim on the face.  I bank off the lip and straighten out on the flats, and I was stoked from head to toe.  I had to wait for the sets to finish coming in, but once they did, I paddled back out to the line up and sat, waiting for more waves to chomp on.

It was a mellow day, a quiet surfing Sunday.  Mellie Mel caught her first wave on a close out and went left all the way to shore on the white water.  She was a shadow of her former surfing self, and she knew it.  I think she was hardest on herself, talking to herself and me about how her arms are so weak for paddling and how she is out of shape. 

Dave just floated on his belly.  When he would sit on the board, Sherry would just throw him off.  When he would paddle for the waves, he would absolutely pearl and eat shit.  The board would fling up into the air and land peacefully on the water.  It was as though Sherry was mad at Dave for not riding her at Santa Cruz.  I joked that she was pissed off at him for neglecting her for so long, and that he has to make amends with her before catching any wave.

I took one left, and Mellie took the same left.  Technically I snaked her.  She ate it on her board as I kept going on the white water.  We both laugh about it, and see Dave paddling for the last wave in the set.  We cheer him on, but quickly say “OHHHHHHH!!” as he pearls from the pitching lip of the wave.  He was in the worst place at the worst time.  Again, he lives up to his name of Death Wish Dave.

I paddled in to a lot of small waves today and made the most out of them.  I tried to walk up to the nose and hang 5, but would get flung forward.  I would do some small off the lips and bounce back into the white water.  I attempted to do a helicopter by riding backwards, fin first, into the wave.  I don't quite get that yet. I even did a lay back on the backside to dig my heels into the board.  This board was a lot of fun.

Mellie Mel finally gave in and asked to trade boards after she threw in more quarters into the meters for us.  I swapped her board with mine, and boy, did I have an eye opener. 

Her board just coasted on the water.  It felt like a smaller board than a 6’10”.  That thing was super hard to duck dive, but I got the hang of it after two duck dives.  When I caught my first wave, that thing just took off like a bullet train.  I guess the width generated a lot of the speed as it hit flat sections and maintained its speed.  I was amazed at how well the board rode.  I even managed to bank some turns off the lip. 

As Mellie Mel paddled into more waves on the longboard, dolphins started to frolic around her and Dave.  They weren’t just swimming past Mel and Dave, they were just chilling there for a good five minutes.  It was surreal!  They dipped in and out of the water with their glistening bodies of grey and white, blowing mist up as they exhaled and dipping slowly back into the abyss. 

I called last wave, and Mellie Mel said, “I thought you don’t like to call last wave?  Isn’t it bad luck?”

“Yea, but you’re here today, and you’re my good luck charm!” I told her.

Just then, a clean right peeled right for me, and I paddled for it.  I managed to pop up smoothly, pump once, bottom turn, bank off the crumbly lip, and land back into the flats.  I saw Mellie Mel right behind me, in the white water.  So I snaked her TWICE in one session.

Last Wave Dave didn’t get his last wave.  He paddled and struggled, and paddled in without having a wave under his belt.  The sport of kings has defeated Dave… but hey, it’s a start to his come back.  He demoted himself from One Wave Dave to No Wave Dave.  SO SAD!!! Don’t do it bro!!!  You’re still Death Wish Dave to me…

All in all, it was gloomy and the water was a bit warm.  The conditions were sub-par, the current was still strong (not as HB) but it was nice to surf with some friends I haven’t seen in a while in the water.  It was also nice to change up boards and paddle into some waves on something besides my potato chip Aloha board.  And the best part were the dolphins frolicking in the water near us. 

Mahalo Mother Ocean.  See you next weekend…