Time away makes the heart grow fonder...and a better surfer?!?

Yeah, so its been a month since I last posted anything on here. I have been surfing a little, but not as much as I'd like to.

Yesterday I went for a paddleout with Collin and Darrin. You see, I had gotten this new (well not new, very used in fact) Ryan Sakal 5'7 swallowtail and had not gotten good enough waves to take it out. Checking the report Saturday night I saw that it was supposed to be about 2-3 feet and in complete desperation decided that I would take the smallest board I own out to give it a try.



About a week ago I had seen this 5'7 Sakal surfboard on Craigslist and decided I wanted to pick it up. The board was listed at 70 dollars, seemed to be in decent shape, and came with a new leash. When I got to the sellers house I realized that the board had quite a few dings, but I figured for 70 bucks I didn't mind putting on a little Solarez and seeing how things ended up. Well because I had to clean the board up real well to fix it up I decided that I wanted to take advantage of it and get my artsy side on. I always see these boards with cool designs and wanted to take my own chance at drawing on one of my surfboards.


Current partial quiver with the new Sakal on the far left...

It seems as though all my other boards are either too clean or not the right idea for drawing on. Given how it came out and how fun it was, I may want to start hitting up all my boards with designs ;-)



We got to the beach and checked to surf to see that while it was not flat there was not a whole lot going on. Its never reassuring that you picked the right stick when you walk to the water's edge and you clearly have the smallest board in the water. However despite my worries I paddled out with everybody else. A small little wave came my way and I decided to go for it. To my surprise the 5'7 Sakal did well to take off and catch the wave. The next few that rolled through just closed out not allowing me to really test the board out. Then just as I was figuring the day would be a bust, I saw a good right headed my way. I took off on the wave and shot down the line with ease. A nice backside turn with a little bit of spray and I was given hope for the day and the board too. I grabbed my board and paddled back out to the line-up. Just as I am getting to where I want to be a nice left shows its face. Even though I was a little tired I went for the wave to find that every section on the wave I tried to make was done with ease. The 5'7 Sakal was easier to push into pockets on the wave then anything I had ever ridden before. I would love to say that we had spectacular waves, but that's just not the case and unless I became a way better surfer over night, the board was doing work. This started the next hour of a "constant catch a wave and paddle back out for the next one" cycle. It has been a long time since I caught so many waves that I was too exhausted to paddle back out at a beach break.
Maybe it's just me, but I feel like I watch videos of pro surfers that take off right underneath the lip all the time and they never have any trouble with it. Well for the first time in my life I knew what that was like. Yesterday I could take off on the wave as late as I wanted, hit my feet way behind the lip and still make the sections to get back into the pocket of the wave. Probably the best day of surfing I have ever had in my life...the 5'7 Sakal absolutely killed it yesterday.

Maybe there is some merit to Surfing Magazine's rule #55 "Order boards for the surfer you want to be, not the surfer you are now." Riding a board i thought to be beyond my skill set was actually the best thing I could do....




Until next time...praying for surf. And less stingrays....

Lunch Sessions: Part 3

Okay...so this one isn't actually about a lunch time session, but it did happen while working at Salty Grom, so I am going to count it among the Lunch Sessions series.

So, this Thursday and Friday I was supposed to be off work at surf camp because I had this family reunion-esque trip planned to go camping at Kennedy Meadows. If you don't know where that is don't worry nobody does..basically its somewhere off the 395 in the middle of nowhere. But this trip is something that we do every year and this year was to be the 20th time heading up 9 Mile Road to see the fam bam. Well last minute I was asked to cover a shift for a tour group at the camp on Thursday, I decided I could pull that off and went ahead and took the shift. There are a couple things that I know about the tour groups that roll through our camp. The first thing I know is that these kids are a bunch of foul mouthed East coasters that are just stoked to see some waves and try surfing. The second, and most important thing for this story, thing that I know is that without fail they will always be about 2 hours late. So when we are told to be there at 9am for the lesson I know I have about 2 hours of surfing time to myself. So I decided that if I were going to be out there early surfing I would bring my new 5'6 single fin to see what it can really do.

As I rolled up to Bolsa Chica, I received quite the greeting from all the kids at surf camp because they did not expect to see me there. I checked the surf conditions and saw that there would be a little bit going on to pull the board out. I jumped into my wettie and ran out to the water. As I paddled out I noted that most everybody out there was out on a longboard, but figured I could make the little 5'6 work. As the first set of my session rolled through I was happy to see that there was more size than the report had predicted and the South swell was lining up nicely. I took the first wave and hopped to my feet...the board felt good. A few waves later I got to my feet and headed down the line (I'm still not sure what I was thinking, but I went for it) put in a little cross step and slid five piggies over. I had never thought that my little 5'6 hull would have enough buoyancy to go five over, but I was stoked to find that out. The rest of the session didn't produce much to talk about other than my attempt to go drop knee into a barreled out right..too bad Bolsa Chica doesnt barrel well and it all closed out. Either way, its nice to know that the new board has a few tricks up its sleeves.



Ha..so I didn't actually get any pictures of the surf that the South swell is producing, but we will call this my artists rendition. I know it couldn't have looked like this, but isn't that how it always works in our heads? Everything seems just a bit bigger when we think back about it.
I sure hope that this South swell keeps up this next week since I am finally done writing all those late night papers and the US Open is upon us.

Unitl next time...praying for surf.

Lunch Sessions: Part 2

It's funny how summers in the OC work with the changing swell. One week you can have some awesome waves with decent size and the next week everything goes flat...and I mean FLAT. I've seen lakes that have more going on then I have seen at times during this week. Nonetheless, I don't have too many opportunities to surf these days, so I have to make the most of every chance I do get to go for a paddleout.

As we got out of the water from the morning session today a couple of us realized that there just might be enough swell to make the 8' foamies fun for a lunch time session. I grabbed a board and headed on out to the line up. Of course, by the time we got a chance to head out there, no one else was out. The five of us from the camp had every wave to ourselves. A couple waves in I gave the handstand a chance, finding it to be not as well done as I ever have, but I did pull it off. A few waves later I started making my way to the front of the board. Now, I have never had much luck with trying to hang ten on a foamie, but at least for five piggies over today. At least its a start. It wasn't the most exciting session I have ever paddled out for, but when you only get so many chances to surf, you have to appreciate a goof off session with your friends.

There is no wave better than a party wave.

Today did not just yield a fun little lunch time session, but also gave me a new board from which to find enjoyment out of the waves.



I had made the decision a while back that I did not ride my 6'2 single fin nearly enough to have it be part of the quiver. So in my love for fish boards I had offered it up as a trade, but had no takers. So a few months go by and once again I put the single fin up as a trade, but this time had a bit more interest. A couple people offered fish boards, but they were just too big. I have been looking for something in the 5'6-5'3 range for a board. So yesterday I get this email asking if I wanted to trade for this other single fin. I obliged the inquiry and asked to see some pictures. What I saw was pleasantly surprising, but based upon the pictures I had assumed it was much larger of a board. Nevertheless I was toying with the idea of the trade when I found out the dims on the board were 5'6 x 20" 1/2 x 2" 1/2. From that point on I was stoked to get this deal on. After a few emails and a few text messages I made plans to meet up for a trade at THE Jack in the Box (Yeah you know which one I'm talking about...anyone in the Newport/HB area knows).
So the board is home and sitting next to me. I can't wait to get this thing in the water. It's more exciting than I had ever hoped from a Craigslist trade

Here is hoping for many waves and sunshine to come for my new little girl.


Until next time...praying for surf.

Lunch Sessions: Part 1

So I realized that the only times that I am surfing anymore these days is for 30 minutes at a time on my lunches at Salty Grom Surf Camp. So not that I am going to write about every session I paddle out for, but I do want to have something to say here. So from time to time I am going to make a point of writing a little bit about some of the lunch sessions that I get to have everyday at work. Yep...my job is more fun than your job.

So this week has been pretty awesome for surf. The South swell that came in was really pumping and even though we had to be careful with the kids in the water, the lunch time sessions have been holding up for us. Usually in the Huntington/Orange County area all of our surf gets blown out by mid-day. As the day heats up and that air rises, the ocean provides some cooling air to the area, but of course that kills all of our waves. Somehow..this week, we had warm afternoons and the waves still held up for us at lunch.

Today's session was one of my favorite from the week. While the waves were not huge, it was a lot of fun. I had the chance to take a couple of head high waves that stayed open long enough to get three big turns in. Maybe its just me, but I feel like waves in Newport just don't offer those opportunities very often. Once again I just wish I could have someone film me all the time...those waves and times that things are great just never seem to be seen. Oh well..such is life.

I sure hope that the coming weeks at surf camp provide the same great waves we got this week and more South swells come on through this summer.

Until next time...praying for surf.

43 Dollars for THIS!!!!

I headed on down to San Clemente this morning for some surfing with my buddy Nick. We had figured out that we wanted to paddle out at 204 even though all of the reports said that it was just going to be 1-2 foot. Ignoring the smart choice to bring my foamie, I decided to bring the 5'8 fish for my San Clemente session.

I got to 204 with Nick and we made a quick decision to go check out Linda Lane to see if it was any cleaner. Upon arriving at Linda Lane we were given the very pleasant surprise of some size to the waves and pretty clean sets. We grabbed our boards and paddled out to the line up. Nick on his log and me on my fish, we found that the bigger sets were pitching nicely and barreling up well...BUT those big clean sets were all closed out.After about an hour in the water it was time to go, but there were quite a few fun sized waves that we got to enjoy. I got to my truck to find that the Sheriff had just finished writing my ticket for not feeding the meter. I was 18 minutes late and now I am paying the price.

I couldn't believe that they wouldn't even cover the postage, can I deduct the cost of a stamp from what I owe??
As I drove away from the beach I thought about some of the waves I got today. Seeing as how I had expected next to nothing...I think I would pay 43 dollars for good waves any day. Plus I had a fun drop and a little pitching barrel on the last wave...why not pay for that?I decided to make the most of the ticket and draw a little picture on the return envelope.

Maybe my next time back down to San Clemente I will have a free session instead having to pay for my waves. At least it was worth it today.

Until next time...praying for surf.

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.

Mother Nature is just looking out for you

Today I experienced one of the things that I've always wanted to do. So, for some background, I had a really long weekend chalk full of class and a crazy quick trip to Santa Barbara (and no surfing, what the heck!!), all to be followed by an insane Monday that started at 4:30am and wasn't over until almost 2:00am after some birthday celebrations for Greg. So anyways, I was really looking for some time to just relax and surf the new board I had just gotten before my crazy weekend. I had a paddleout yesterday that didn't really yield anything to be excited about. Today though, today was different. I made an attempt to go surf earlier in the day, but because I didn't feel like riding my bike and couldn't find parking I decided that I would have to make a second effort later today. Well I can't tell you how good of a decision that was.
Finding a place to park the second time around wasn't looking any better than the first try, but after a few minutes I found a spot for a quick sweep in. I really hate parallel parking, but it went off without a hitch, it was just too easy. I should have known that something was going to go down. Even putting on my wetsuit was surprisingly much easier than I could have imagined. I haven't had a such an easy time with a wetsuit since last summer during surf camp when I was using it every day. Yet another sign that all was right with the world. So I grabbed my board and headed out to check the conditions to find that there were quite a few surfers out in the water, but I didn't see any waves. Once I got to the water's edge and was slipping into the top half of my wettie I started to see just why everybody was out. The set came in and waves were clean!! I found myself getting ready to paddleout into the cleanest biggest waves I have seen at Jetties since I moved to Newport Beach. The ocean had spoken and I was there to hear what it had to say.
The paddleout was nice and easy, the next thing I knew I was right in the middle of the lineup with half of Newport. Even with so many bodies in the water I managed to grab a couple fun rights, but I kept hope alive that I would find that left I so longed for. A couple minutes later I saw a wave coming in and I was the only one in the right place for it. I started paddling for the wave and as it got closer I saw an opportunity for going left. Paddle, paddle, paddle, I had the wave and snapped to my feet. I know I always have a tendency to lean too far back from my snowboarding experience, so I made a point of leaning forward to make sure I didn't ruin my chance at this wave. I hit the bottom-turn and my nose was going under. I know what its like to go face first and I can't say that its my favorite thing to do. A quick little adjustment of my weight brings the nose out of the water and I am making my way down the line on a clean set wave that Jetties had gifted to me. My "little adjustment" slowed me up on my journey down the line, which set me back right under the crest of the breaking wave. I looked to my right and realized that I was having a new experience; there was water falling down and I was covered. Covered, but not submerged. Without meaning to, I had found some shade and spent a couple seconds in the green room. I always watch videos where people are getting shacked and there are shots from in the tube, but until you really feel it for yourself there is no way to explain the feeling on being barreled.
I don't have any picture, but I wish I did. Story of my life though. My best waves never have evidence. I need some homies to photog my adventures. Oh well, that's the way things go sometimes. The Panda board did its job, and the third time taking it out found me with some crazy surf stoke.

The experience is crazy. All of a sudden I have that crazy surf stoke again. The stoke you get after catching your first wave and then all you can think about is where that next one is coming from. You always remember the first wave, and I am sure I will never forget the experience of the first time I got barreled. I always thought it would be cool to get shacked, and it is, but it happened so fast I feel like I need so much more in order to get that feeling back. I'm an addict. And I love it.

It was hot out there today, but the ocean tried to help me keep from getting a sunburn. How nice of Mother Nature to be looking out for me like my own mother does.

Until next time...praying for surf.

There is a Panda in the water!!!

So...yup...its 1:30am and I super hopped up on Monster Energy Drink so that I could finish a paper that I have due tomorrow. Unfortunately, my day tomorrow starts at 4:30am and isn't done until 9:45pm. Oh well. I owe a post from Friday, but didn't have a chance to write anything. I made it so far as to upload a couple pictures onto the Flickr account, but didn't have that opportunity to give the blog some love. So...seeing as how I cannot sleep right now anyways. Here is some love to the virtual world.

Last Thursday I decided to make a new purchase of an actual shortboard. I have a fish, and a big @$$ single fin, but still didn't have anything that could really perform in Newport as things get bigger. I made an investment in a 6'0 roundtail shortboard. I am super stoked on the dims and its buoyancy for my weight. Oh...and by the way, the board has the Enjoi panda logo on the bottom; so expect that it will forever be known as the panda board. The stoke level on the panda alone is pretty lofty, but I guess that would be quite a long story to explain. Try to understand its all a joke, but if you need to know that story don't be afraid to ask. Maybe that's a rainy day post to explain everything. Anyhoo.... On Friday I made the time to give it a paddleout before my crazy weekend with school on Friday and all day Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the set waves were actually pretty fun even though the report said that everything would be pretty shabby. The first waves I paddled for on the new "Panda" board was awesome, it caught the wave and accelerated down the line so smoothly I couldn't believe I hadn't been working with performance boards before. Needless to say, I have been itching to get back on that board for another go at what I think may become the go to board, unless its just too small.

I guess there really isn't that much to say, but I felt as though I owed the post and wanted to share my stoke on the panda in the water.

I guess I forget that not everyone may understand what its like to live where we are at. Here is a taste of home...

I basically pull out and round the corner to this view. It's really hard to complain about anything when this is practically your backyard.

Until next time...praying for surf.

Hope For Summer....

Hello friends,

I have been failing at keeping up on my blogging lately. I have just gotten busy with school and work. I guess that's not entirely true though. I have been surfing, but I haven't been taking my camera out with me. Not that there would have been much to show considering the state of the waves when I have been paddling out. Anyways, I will use this post to talk about a couple little sessions I have had lately....

The first one I want to mention is really just because it ended up being a great day overall and its another one of those sessions you get stoked on, no matter what the condition of the waves are. So, last Saturday my buddy Brett came out to Newport Beach to hang out. We planned out our Easter Sunday with surfing dawn patrol in the morning and then heading to church at Rock Harbor over in Costa Mesa. I have to say just the excitement of a paddle out on Easter Sunday is all it takes. It's a lot like that Christmas day session I had this last Christmas; it really doesn't matter how many waves you get if you are in the water some days. And...you know what, it's good that I wasn't too picky about the wave conditions because Easter morning only wielded sectiony close-out sets. I found a couple nice waves, but the current pulled me up the beach before I could get too much enjoyment out of them. Oh well...that's just the way it goes sometime though. The rest of the day was nice too. Francis Chan spoke at Rock Harbor, so I got to see him once again, and then I made some turkey guacamole burgers for A-Bomb, Greg, and Liz. It was nice to have a pleasant day like that before my usual crazy Monday.

But onto today's session. When I showed up to the beach...well hold on. Actually I need to give you a little background first. Yesterday I had every intention of going surfing. I went as far as pulling my board out, grabbing my wetsuit, and hauling over to the beach. But...yesterday, when I got to the beach I was thoroughly disappointed to find that there were just no waves. Now, I am not usually one to snob any ocean conditions, but yesterday even I couldn't bring myself to get out there. So, back to the story. When I showed up to the beach today I was really hoping for some size and shape to the waves, but was once again given nothing of the sort. The only consolation was that the waves were better than they had been yesterday.

In my desperate and fragile state I made the decision to wiggle into my wettie and go paddle around for a while. It ended up being a decent choice as I managed to get a few fun little waves. For once in my life the lefts were opening up for me so much better than the rights. There wasn't much for size, but it was nice to drop in on a couple fun little waves and just get the feeling of surfing back. I just keep hoping for that day when it will just click and I can paddle out for shapely waves with a little size at Jetties. I know it's capable of producing some good stuff. Maybe the summer will be good to us with waves'o'plenty and warmer water.
It feels good to surf and to get back on here and blog about my experiences. As the summer approaches I am looking forward to trying for a couple small trips to same new waves and that little contest I had mentioned earlier. I just need to get some foamies for that.

I'll leave you with a picture from today. As they sweep through the sand and smooth it out, thats what surfing does for me. No matter how I'm feeling, surfing sweeps through and smooths everything out. It's a pretty spiritual experience I guess.


Until next time...praying for surf.

Dawn Patrol

Not sure exactly what I was thinking last night when I decided that I was going to join the Dawn Patrol for today, but I made the proper decision to get up with the sun. I got my gear together and went for the short drive to Jetties. When I made my left-hand turn on Prospect I was surprised to find that parking spots were scarce to be found, but eventually rolled up on a lone spot straight out from tower 65. I decided to stroll out to the water's edge so I could check out the conditions before I totally committed and wiggled my way into my wetsuit. I was pleased to see that there were some clean lines and good size to the waves this fin morning, but noticed quickly that the water was much more populated than it had been the past few outtings, which explained the sudden abundance of vehicles lining the street. Nevertheless, I was excited to paddle out for some morning surf.



It was an interesting day. Things started off right with a late take-off on a fun, medium sized left. As the session went on the waves got a little inconsistent, but it was still fun and definitely nice to be out in the water before heading out to play some football (soccer) with some friends out in Azusa.
I might decided to try the same thing again tomorrow, so we shall see what Jetties offers in the coming days. It's the last week of this term for school, so hopefully I will be spending more time getting my head wet and less time with my head in a book.

Until next time...praying for surf.

Rainy Days = Inside Fun

I had planned to paddle out today, but I woke up this morning to some violent winds and rainy weather. Kind of ruins a paddle out when the weather doesn't cooperate with your plans and schedule, but that doesn't mean that the day is ruined. Rainy days can mean that new videos are found and some of those class notes get pulled out again.

First things first. I saw this video on Surfline this morning. Looks like a "Super Session":




But since just one little video isn't enough to fill my day...I pulled out the class notes and loaded them up for your viewing pleasure. I don't know how everybody out there feels about the pictures, but I must say that drawing them during class sure gives me great joy. The only thing is that I am running out of things to draw...I would have to say though, I think these are some of my most creative yet:

Getting pitted on something big


Totally busted


Splitting the peak


Throwing the tail


Going big


Shark bait


A couple of these were really fun to come up with, but like I said, I am still struggling to come up with new ideas. Hit me up if there is something you think I should add or something you would like to see.

Until next time...praying for surf.

Blown Away...Not in a good way

So it has been quite a while since the last time I had a chance to paddle out. Then again I guess you have to look at the perspective, because prior to our moving to Newport Beach I didn't get to surf nearly as much as I would have liked. Now, I live a half mile from the surf and if I don't get to surf at least every couple of days I feel like it has been too long. Anyway...back to the real point of writing this post. I did finally get a chance to paddle out as for this first time in quite a while I didn't have to schedule my surfing around work, school, or tsunami warnings.

Unfortunately, on my first outting back from the shenanigans I had to deal with I wasn't given much. I woke up and realized there was nothing I had to do today. With joy in my heart, I hopped out of bed and ran to a computer to check on the wave report. I was given hope that the report said the waves were supposed to be about waist height, but once I got to the beach I found only this:



Nevertheless, I was not to be deterred easily today. I paddled out and found that there was a little more size to the set waves than I had originally thought. I had a couple fun little waves, but then had trouble staying in the right spot to catch any more because the current was deceptively strong. It was super choppy the whole outting, but the waves had enough size that they were fairly clear to be waves rather than just wind chop. At the end of the day, it was nice just to be back out in the water again.

I hear it is supposed to rain this week, which is not what I want to hear when it comes to getting a couple surf sessions in, but I will do what I have to do (you know?).


I guess this is my opportunity to add a little something about the idea I had to run a little contest for a few of our friends. So yesterday Greg and I were hanging out talking a little about getting him in the water and it came to mind how much fun it would be to have a little contest like we had done at Salty Groms Surf Camp, but with a little twist. So the contest isn't so much about who gets the best waves, but who is having the most fun. So let's take a first run at a design for the contest.
1. Surfers will go out for 30 minute heats.
2. Surfers will be judged on their single (1) best wave in their heat.
3. Any wave a surfer catches in their heat can count toward their score (this
includes white wash waves).
4. Surfers may receive any form of assist to catch waves during their heat
5. Surfers must use a soft-top or "foamie" surfboard to compete
6. In order to compete surfers must be wearing some form of costume.
7. Surfers will be judged on:
a) Creativity
b) Inventiveness
c) Relation to costume
8. Surfers will be judged on a ten (10) point scale (no decimal points will be
given).
9. Surfers that are to be in the water for the next heat will be judges for other heats. For the final heat, all other surfers that participated in the contest will be judges.

That's it for now. Feel free to post any other ideas that could be added to the contest.


Until next time...praying for surf.

No Surfing Allowed

Since the beaches are closed today, I guess I'm not getting a surf in as I had planned, but seeing as how there is so much tragedy in Japan right now I have nothing to complain about. I want to shout out my buddy Taka and his family, I am glad to hear that everybody in your family is alright....

This is my jealousy of Taka and his adventures summed up into a picture.



I can't wait to surf with you soon buddy.

Well...since there is no surfing today I guess that means I'm going to be looking up a couple new videos. Here is one from one of my favorite surfers to watch. This kid is crazy....

Oxbow clothing commercial - Matt Meola from ACL Digital Cinema on Vimeo.

That's all Ive got for now. Hopefully the homework load gets lighter and there is more surfing to come in the near future.

Until next time...my heart goes out to Japan...and praying for surf.

Surf now, apocalypse later

Surf now, apocalypse later.

-Beachside graffiti in California.

It's funny how such a little thing says so much about what surfing does to people. I know for me, the more I surf the better I feel. Maybe it's that, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that every time I get a wave I want the next one that much more, but every time I paddle out I feel the need to surf more and more. It is like some kind of disease that I don't want to get rid of. Having surfed every day for the past 3 days leaves me feeling lost at the thought of not getting my head wet the next day. Can you be addicted to surfing? If so, I like it, no twelve steps for me....

So onto the surfing....


For the first time since I started this blog I went surfing and did not write a post. Yesterday I went out for a super short little session and didn't get a chance to post about it. I finally got to experience what it is like to live so close to the beach and the advantages that it allows me. You see...Saturday morning meant an early morning meeting at work with everybody before the store opened. So at 7am I am at work for a meeting, but I also had a shift scheduled for closing, so I knew that I would have to be back in order to work some more. This gap in time yielded my opportunity to test out a rush session. So recalling back to the days when Ben and I had worked on our military timing, I strolled home and in a swift move we loaded up the boards and wetsuits in the truck. It was a short 45 minute session, but it yielded some really fun little waves and some good times at Jetties once again. We had to be watching the time so we played the last wave game (in which I dominated Ben by getting 3 waves to his 1). Quickly back into the truck without changing out of our wetties, we got back to the house and just like that our session had been accomplished.
We had some really fun waves and all in the shortest session I have paddled out for in quite some time. It's nice to know that I always have the option to pull something like that off.

But to think that Ben and I would not try for another session today is nieve. 8:30am hit the clock and our alarms blared throughout the house. It doesn't matter how little sleep we get; there is a fever going around and the only cure is more surfing...yep, we have got the bug.
So I finally got may act together and remembered to bring my camera out with us. I bestowed the honor of wearing the wrist mount I have for the camera because I had to watch the time once again for work and needed to be wearing a watch. Ben had some fun with the camera filming some video and taking a couple pictures. I now see that operating this camera in the water while trying to surf is going the be an art that demands practice. Given that, Ben managed to snap this photo:

I thought it was a pretty cool view.


Unfortunately, the day I finally remember to bring my camera out is the day least worth talking about this week. It was not a total disaster, I some fun with a couple onshore backside cutbacks, but for the most part the waves were just pretty blown out. This leaves us looking ahead for some better surf as we move into the next week. It looks like we have some swell building up Tuesday and hopefully moving into Wednesday. On that note....

Until next time...praying for surf.

FunFriday

It's Friday and for today that means that fun times out at Jetties. Ben and Tiffany are in town for a couple of days to go to a wedding on Monday, but their being here means that I have a surf buddy for the weekend. Today marked my first time surfing in Newport Beach since moving here and Jetties seemed to know that I needed to have a good session to convince me that Newport is home. From the first moment everything just clicked. I paddled out on the 5'8 ...Lost RNF with ease regardless of the regular sets coming in when we first paddled out and the next thing I know here comes my wave. I turned and paddled for it, dropped in and took off on my favorite little left. Jetties knew and had given me my wave. I paddled back out to where Ben was hanging out to make sure I gloated about getting the first wave of the day, and the next thing I know Jetties has another little present just wrapped up and on a platter for me. Dropped into another left and knew that everything was right in the world. From there on out, things just kept going well. Had my way with a few more waves and then headed in to get Tiffany out on some waves. Handed over my board and it only took a couple minutes in the March ocean water for her to decide she was over it. Back out for a couple more waves on the 6'2 single fin and Jetties had some more loving for me. It was a short little session and mostly just a chance to see what Newport Beach was going to offer, but after a fun session like that things just feel good.
Ben being in town means that we are going to be surfing as much as humanly possible over the next few days, so check back soon to see what life in Newport Beach is going to offer.

I don't know what my deal is with forgetting my camera once again, but hopefully with some surfing going down over the rest of the weekend I can get my act together.

Until next time (fingers crossed it's tomorrow)...praying for surf.

My First Taste....

So, I am sorry to report that I did not bring my camera out today when I went surfing. Although...there wasn't really anything to brag about so I'm not sure I wanted to bring it out there. Having said that, today was my first taste of waking up to go surfing and know that I am just right there next to the beach. Now if we can get some waves soon I am gonna be on some kind of stoke.
As for today's session.... I took the only accessible board out, that being the 5'8 ...Lost RNF, and it really just isn't enough board to make little baby waves all that fun. I just can't seem to get past this idea that I really need a longboard around; I mean this close to the water and nothing ridable is just not fair. Anyways, I paddled out for a couple little waves, but the thing to really be talking about in this post is how cold the water was this morning. Now I realize that we are talking about surfing on the 1st of March and the water hasn't warmed up yet, but I have been surfing a few times this winter and never thought I would like to have booties on while I am out there, but today brought that thought whirling around my head. I mean I see everybody else with them, but I am the one who is always itching to just trunk it rather than even have the wettie on. How am I supposed to convince myself that I can trunk it if I am grabbing my booties for every paddle out? Oh well, I guess you can't do anything about that, and truth is I am going to figure out a way to paddle out no matter what.
And why am I complaining?!? I get to surf everyday if that's what I want. I love living here.

Until next time...praying for surf.

Darrin, this one is for you.

So for some time now, every time I am trying to figure out what I want to draw as an addition to my class notes Darrin has insisted that I add a picture of a guy dropping in to a wave from a helicopter. Now I know these are just pictures and as long as I can imagine it I can put it down, but I try to keep fairly true to the physics of surfing. The helicopter drop in is not quite kosher for surfing physics. So here is my interpretation of how goes down. Well...sorta...Darrin added his own twist.
And thanks to the The Clause for providing our canvas.

This is how it started; guy drops from the helicopter and puts himself in the impact zone...

Darrin didn't feel this was good enough, so the helicopter needed to be in some sort of danger. Enter the rocket...

But where did the rocket come from? Of course it is from the government spaceship that has an anti-surfing disposition...

If you are going to do something in space then you had better have some aliens stealing a cow, because everybody knows thats how things go.

In a combined effort we put together quite the epic little picture. I am just so sure that this has to be happening every day and we just don't hear about it on the news.


Well, there you are Darrin. The surfing/helicopter picture has been made. I hope you are happy with this one....

Getting Schooled

It's been a while since I have posted anything on here. That mostly has to do with the fact that I haven't had the chance to surf in a while. Life has been pretty busy with work, moving prep, and class. But that doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking and dreaming about getting back in the water, and once again the class notes illustrations are evidence as to what's on my mind. I guess you could say I am really getting my moneys worth out of school...huh....

Enjoy.

360º

Finding shade.

No dropping in.

Ducking out.

Take off.

Trimming.

Off-the-point.


Sunday brings a move to Newport Beach, so let's hope that it brings more surfing and less dreaming.


Until next time...praying for surf.

Surf and Turf

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!! And to those of you who participated in the Huntington Beach Marathon or Half-Marathon...Congratulations on your achievement, I have much respect for you and someday hope to get there.

My brother is one of those who went out and ran the Surf City Marathon this morning, and because of that I went to be there and support him as he came in to finish his 26.2 miles. Deciding to take advantage of the fact that I was already to be in Huntington Beach I brought the 5'8 RNF along for a little paddle out. I had known that because of the marathon PCH was going to be closed from Beach Boulevard to Warner Avenue, so I had this great idea to bring my bike along so I could bike in to Bolsa Chica and get some tasty waves all to myself, but timing didn't work out and I decided to just go out at Sunset Beach right near where I had parked. It was better than I had seen it in quite a while, but I was still left wishing for a little more size to the waves today. I caught a couple fun little waves, but today's outing really cemented in my mind my desire for a longboard to make the most of these little days. The fish is great, but sometimes you just need a little more board under your feet to get things going.

After my little surf session I headed over to the finish line and watched my brother and uncle finish up the marathon and half-marathon. Someday I will get my act together and finish a marathon...but not today. So after checking out the new community in Newport real quick we headed on over to Chronic Tacos for some grubbing. It was nice spending a day in my new turf. Watch out NB it's about to get gangsta up in here. Not a bad day...and all before the big game takes place. Too bad I am working instead of watching, but that's life.

Until next time...praying for surf.

A View from the Cliffs

I don't know how many of you out there have experience surfing 204 in San Clemente, but I had an interesting experience today with my paddle out. 204, most of the time, breaks very near shore and best on a high tide, but today it was breaking way out in deeper water, about twice as far out as I have ever seen it break. Granted, today was very very low tide, today's paddle out was still a one of a kind.

I showed up today, at the top of the cliffs to check the surf, with delight of seeing some size to the waves. Now, this may not usually be the most exciting thing in the world, however this hasn't been the best winter in the world for Orange County swells so seeing some waves is a good thing. I suited up and hiked down the stairs with Nick to catch some waves on the 5'8 ...Lost RNF. I have to say one reason that I really love surfing at 204 is because there is essentially no paddle out, but today asked quite the paddle just to get to where the waves are breaking. With all my excitement for the size in waves I had seen, I was highly disappointed when I got out there and found that all the waves I had seen outside were extremely blown out and everything inside was closed out. Not the best day I've ever had. Given the conditions, the few waves I did get were pretty fun.

Blown out and closed out left us with one option, we were out...of the water. It's hard to be excited when it's just no good. As fun as every paddle out can be, sometimes there is just only so much you can do to make the most of the waves you are given. Let's hope that 204 gets back to normal and gives us some fun winter swell sometime soon.

Until next time...praying for surf.

Looking into a crystal ball?

Today was quite the adventure. I set off for Newport Beach in order to turn in applications for the apartment we are trying to get at the end of February. I had come up with this plan to surf after dropping off the applications because I had checked the wave report and we are at the end of a swell in North Orange County this week so I wanted to get a couple waves before its gone. Of course I didn't call ahead to make sure that someone would be there, I just assumed that it would be all good. Well...I showed up at 1:20pm and they were out to lunch until 2:00pm. Seeing as how I could not muster up the patience to hang out for 40 minutes just to turn the applications in so I decided to go surf first. I traveled up the coast a bit trying to find a spot where there weren't a lot of people out...the thing is it's been too long since my last real surf so I wanted to help my wave count as much as possible. Sunset Beach had just enough waves to make me happy and only a couple people out....

A little closed out, but after a while I got the hang of where I needed to be to get a decent ride. I had some fun paddling into some lefts. I don't know what it is, but I always feel like I am forced to go right. Of course when it's closed out you can only go straight.

It was a fun little session out on the 5'8 ...Lost RNF and reminded me of just how happy life is when you get to surf every day. Was today a glimpse into a crystal ball or what could be my near future? I can only hope that this is just a preview of what is to come living in NB. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Until next time...praying for surf.