Nowness

The truth of life is that all you have is today, so live the moment. Today's moment was waist plus with shoulder to head high sets, early morning glass gave way to some light offshores. This little combo swell served up some nice waves (I had a bout five to the sand this morning), I love these 'under the radar' days when a swell isn't hyped and it just ends up being what it is, a nice series of fun moments.

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Added: I justed noticed, I think this is the first lefthander I painted/posted on here.
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Music — Collective Soul — In A Moment

No Worries

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Music — The Who — Pure and Easy

Moments at the Rock

I approached the rock and saw some fun peelers coming in, cooler water and a rising tide with some left over swell, there was a little on shore breeze that put some texture on it. It was mostly 2-3 with some scattered fours. Sun was out and then towards the end of the session a big fog banked creeped in, right at that moment the waves got a little more consistant, even if it was only for a moment. I also spent some time inside, catching the wedge off the rock for a bit and caught some fun little noserides.

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Music — Field Mice — Alternating Current

Salt Water Popsicles

Check out the boards at www.cremeurself.com

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On another note. It was a fun yet bizarre session out today. Twelve people out, one model, two hollywood execs, a sponger, myself, Dan (who I know from the bu) a handful of Daily Donkeys and Ed Flanders from the Simpson show.

You saw it all:

Everything from bare backing with hoodies.

A 4/3 full suit with booties and gloves.

Spring suit and goggles.

A mix and match of all of the above.

One guy had the sumo stance down, one foot on the nose the other on the tail, knees bent, face contorted and all.

The Flanders character was exactly that, a character, Iwanted to put seaweed in my ear so I didn't have to hear him yap away, he was loud and used phrases like "Golly" and "Yippee". The guy was seriously giving me a headache.

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Anyway, believe it or not, I had a good time, sun was out and there was still some swell out there. Just a very weird session at a spot slightly off the beaten path.

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Music — Anne Summers — King of Disaster

Sorry Pluto, Hitsville Hits da Bu

The day after a bunch of astronomers relegated pluto to a rock is the day that mother nature decided to reward us with some chubasco action.

I rolled up to PCH in the dark only to see fifty cars lined up. I set foot in water way down in the bay, where the sand covers more of the exposed cobblestone. It was still dark as I made my way to first, a couple people had their neon glow in the dark necklaces on, some had been out for a couple hours already, night surfers do this to help others with visibility.

The first wave I took set the tone for the morning. A meaty head high wave started to cast a shadow in my direction. As it lifted me up, I dug my inside rail into the wave and proceeded to cross step to the nose, even though my face didn't show it I was grinning inside. A picture perfect start in the dark blue night.

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The water temp is still nice, warmer than the air temp, there was a slight cool offshore breeze. In typical long period south fashion, there would be a lull followed by a burst of head high waves, even overhead at times. I had about five football length rides that I connected all the way through. The last one being the one that garnered a few hoots. It was a classic second wave set, with a cleared lineup. I swung the board around from the bottom up to the top of the wave several times during that ride, letting the cascading lip send me back down and then there were a few trips up to the tip through the critical section and then a pivot turn back into the wave, a nice bottom turn and then end it with a nose ride kicking out before the shore pound.

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There was some great surfing going on, I saw Rob catch a beast and get vertical on several sections. There was also some bone-headed moves by people. The reason I had such a great view of his wave was because I got caught inside. Rewind to the wave before Robs gem, I took off deep and made it through a section with a little head dip, a steep wall builds in front of me so I race to the nose, I'm camped out and home free then this guy decides to go on me, he races forward and buries his nose sending his old log end over end, I catch a glimpse of this as I grab my rail and duck (I have no leash), the big hatchet fin from his board narrowly misses me and I get sent into the foam ball. I was pretty pissed at the time, I paddled over and we discussed it. Mike later apologized, the waves were so good and there was no harm no foul. After getting back out into the lineup another eight foot bus made it my way, Mike yielded and I had another 'start to finish' wave to the sand.

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I was hoping Gordo would make it out today since he's been in a funk lately, a good surf could help clear his noggin and get him going again. Gordo be gone... maybe Saturday.

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Music — The Clash — Groovy Times

Squeeze

Some lemonade waves out there.
A beautiful morning with warm water, great color and light. A drained tide was filling slowly, once the cobble stones were covered it started to work, unfortunately that was the time I had to bail. Mostly calf high and rarely anything above the waist. I'm sure it will be good later.

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In the TMI category, I was getting dressed to head into work and noticed I forgot my skivies, so heads up (no pun intended), I'm going commando.

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Music — Tom Petty — Free Fallin'

Rude boy. Why you going on everyone?
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Music — Teddybears featuring Mad Cobra — Cobrastyle

Make Gray

A stiff fog bank, thick and gray, rolled in as I was heading through the canyon, I was listening to some assorted mix I created, sipping my coffee and enjoying the fact that it's Friday.

Just another go out.
It was a rising tide, all the cobblestones were covered. I saw a few belly button highs rolling in and a shoulder high as I was talking with Dave. There was a slight wind that textured the water. As I suited up, I looked across PCH and saw a deer on the ridge line doing a surf check below, (just what we need, another deer in the line up), it was actually a pretty cool sight.

I was off to first point. I had my long sleeve spring and noticed there was a little bite with the cool breeze and the drop in water temp, that bite was softened with the arrival of my first wave, a nice shoulder high that I took for a good 100 yards or so. Their were gaping lulls between the sets, it was mostly waist high with the pluses every half hour.

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Music — Mason Jennings — California

Excuse me are those real?

Cables, an artificial reef that sits in the southwestern corner of Oz, it also happens to be in the path of swells generated by "the roaring 40's". Much of the coast in the surrounding area of Cables reef is shadowed from swells by offshore islands and other reefs. After much study and debate on issues like wave refraction, underwater topography and environmental impact, the government of New South Wales agreed to build the artificial surf reef in early 1999. The reef was made of limestone rocks that were dumped atop an existing reef in a "boomerang" formation. The hope was that this triangle shaped reef would trip up the incoming swells, hopefully, creating a right and left peeling wave.

After testing different designs in a wave pool, the reef was built with a 3 meter depth contour and at a 120 degree slope 175 yards offshore. The length of rides would hopefully be anywhere from 50 to 80 meters in length for the right, and 30 to 40 for the left, depending on the swell direction, height and size.

Pratte's reef failed to deliver, hopefully other projects (Oil Piers and others) that are in the works will have the success that Cables is having.

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Music — Eliades Ochoa — Estoy Como Nunca

Long Lost Friend

I've been catching up on sleep and morning family time instead of dawning it, no problem since it's been less than ideal 'below the knee slappers' out there. The last couple major swells have satisfied my appetite. The tummy is full, but not for long, some juice should be heading our way.

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Music — Ziggy Marley — Friend

Dance Craze

Take one step, cross it over, reach lands end and perch yourself on the recliner. Smile included.

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Music — Toots and the Maytals — Do the Reggae

Look to the Sea

Hero. A little drop knee. Does he pull it off? At least he tried to make it.

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Music — Tapes n' Tapes — The Iliad

Dawn

I was slow. Spilling out of bed and into the darkness.

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Music — Thione Seck — Sey

Natures Champagne

She gave it up again. Mama nature has been kind. The sound of water exploding on shore was a good sign. The lines coming in from the distance were also a welcome sight. I walked into the water and paddled up and over some rolling mounds of water. I was alone for a good 20 minutes to a half hour before another person made it to the line up. Steve and Pete were on their way out so I knew I had company coming soon. There was some size this morning, but it took a good 30 minutes to a half hour for the tide to add some predictability. Eight people out for my entire session, shoulder to head high and it was getting real fun by the time I had to head in for a meeting I needed to make.

The steeper take off zone put you in a place where down the line you either had to take a line over the rock or cut back, which stalled you, then redirected below the inside rock. Pretty fun, I wish I was still out there.

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The painting above is of me and mama nature surfing tandem, in a dance like manner, sorta like tango. Salud.

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Music — Eddie Higgins Trio — Soulero

6 Pack and a Bakers Dozen

The set waves were coming in sets of sixers, ranging from over head to ten feet with no more than 13 people out at one time. I took the H3 out and jumped into the water during a lull, I made out through the boils and to the take off spot. The line up was spread thin from the last set waves, some were paddling back others were finishing off their waves. I had a chance to take off on a the first set wave (I was the only one at the point) but decided to go for the second one. I was deep and paddled into a steep 8 footer taking full advantage of the turnability of the board I carved up, throwing a little spray, and then back around. It was a good long ride before I kicked out before the shore pound.

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About a good 45 minutes into the session there was a good DOH set that came through, me and a couple guys I know, were to deep on the first two, there was a huge section that closed out. I was destined to throw my huevos over on the next one.

The biggest wave of the morning. I scratched into it and made the steep drop, setting myself up to race down the line, hoping to make the monster section that was going to close. I stayed with it and out ran the section. Home free. Some more carve action and then a long paddle back, with a grin.

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Music — Ben Lee — On and On

Ayyy! Que Rico

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Music — Ska Cubano — Cachita

Stop this mess

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