Summer is HERE!!!!

Summer announced itself in my world today when for the first time of the season I got a chance to paddleout with not wettie. I got so stoked to trunk it for the first time of the summer that it didn't even matter that the ocean was not producing the waves I was hoping for. Either way the session was pretty fun until that stupid yellow flag with a big black dot on it came out.

That has to be one of the things that really kills a summer surf session. I see that flag up and feel like a pirate who just got the black dot and realizes its over.... What is it about blackballing a section of the beach that they always choose the portion where the waves are breaking the best. Oh well, its the predicament that OC surfers are destined to deal with, that's why we must make those early treks to join the dawn patrol or wait until its too big for the swimmers and just right for us.

Having this trunked session here at the end of June gives hope as we go into July and August. I don't want to see a wetsuit again until September, but maybe that is a little too hopeful. Here is hoping for warm water and a great tan ;-).

Until next time...praying for surf.

204 Traditions

I know it has been quite some time since I really had a post about surfing, but I have been pretty busy these past couple weeks. Anyways..its not like I haven't been in the water, but I have been doing more instruction and surfing giant life rafts rather than surfing my boards and trying to really get waves. I just can't seem to justify surf camp as something to write about, now if there comes a day when the surf gets too good to resist and we make an early paddle out...then I may have some writing to do, but for the most part I will only be making entries concerning times when I get out there on a board of my choosing and shoot for some real waves.

Today, I got back to my roots from last year and make the trek on down to San Clemente for some 204 waves. I met up with Nick, who had gotten there before me, and brought the single fin down for him to try out. On my way..while I was chillin' in all the 405 commuter traffic..I got a phone call from Nick telling me that he was told there were no waves and that I shouldn't expect much when I got there; fortunately for us, when Nick checked the waves himself things had changed, the tide had gone out, and the waves were up. I rolled into the beach parking lot hopeful that I would be blessed by some fun sets, as the summer before had done so often. I hopped out my truck and peered down towards the beach to see head high sets rolling through. Nick and I met up and walked on down towards the shore, still seeing some fun sized waves, but noticing that things looked a little walled up. Regardless, we paddled out and found very quickly that we were in for a fun day. After a few waves, we were talking about how much we wished there was a camera around for Nick's first wave where he made the drop into a barrel, but missed with his back foot...his face was priceless. I had one where I had committed so much for the wave that I was already to my feet, and then realized it was going to wall up on me, so in trying not to go over the falls I sat back down and looked over the edge. Nick was laughing at the face I made, as though I was thoroughly frightened to go over edge and eat it.

All in all, we had a fun day out at 204, but no San Clemente session is ever complete without some Pedro's Tacos afterwards.

A couple fish tacos later, I was on the road headed back to Newport. I got more than just a good time tonight, I got a renewed passion to surf all over again. I hope this feeling never goes away.

Until next time...praying for surf.

I'm Back At It

It has been far longer than I care to admit since the last time that I have posted anything on this blog, but I really want to make an effort get back at it. Truth is that I really need a buddy to go surfing with..I am just so much less inspired to bring my camera when I have to paddle out on my own, plus with the small wave conditions lately I haven't had much to show.
Regardless, I am back with a post. This one isn't much. Nothing really all that cool, but I have a couple new drawing from my classes.


This one is just something that I came up with trying to draw a person that is a bit more realistic than the normal stick figures.
Looking at this one a little more closely I noticed that for once its obvious that the surfer is a goof troop. I guess when you ride with the right leading even the little drawing will result in that.


This one was another combined effort between Darrin and I. I had originally done the surfer boosting an air, when Darrin grabbed the page and added a lone spectator checking out the action from the beach.


Next week begins another summer of surf camp working at Salty Groms. I am really stoked to be back out there and in the water everyday. While I am stoked to be working that job, I still need to hold down the fort with a second job and I have a class over the summer. Needless to say I will be pretty busy this summer. Let's just hope that as things get going I can find a groove and find some joy out of this summer.
I am looking forward to getting out in the water as often as possible for the summer. Let's hope that I don't neglect the blog again.

Until next time...praying for surf.