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.