Flat

Flat. One little word that relays so much. Yesterday afterwork I surfed in nearly flat conditions and the forecasts only looked flatter, so it was a chance to maybe catch a ride or two. I did catch lots of quick, jump off into shallow water before you break your fin, rides. I adjusted my position to follow the sunlight peaking through and around the two highrise buildings. The water was nearly perfect for me at 80 or so degrees. The cool breeze across my bareback and still tanned skin drove me into the water between rides. Glassy conditions are beautiful and inviting, but often are accompanied by smaller surf. I tend to embrace small days and in my own mind have become the king of shorebreak longboarding. I know there is risk to myself and board but I think I mitigate that fairly well. Floating in nearly the same spot that less than a week before I had felt the thrill of my biggest drop down a wave, the slow moving bumps in the water hardly seemed like they could come from the same ocean. But then the ocean does that and maybe its what keeps surfing so alive and challenging to me. Tomorrow promises to be smaller if that is possible. I suppose the waiting pile of lumber and fencing will have to be addressed, the grass mowed and other projects attended to for a change.

a little homecoming

I surfed this morning before work. The conditions did not look so great when I arrived at the beach, but the waves had some size and though it was choppy and a little windy, there was no drift to speak of as it had been earlier in the week. I was in a rush to get into the water, so I skipped the coffee (bad mistake), forgot my rashquard (not so bad really) and then slammed the little fastex buckle on my surf racks in my car door. The slow motion view of this pained me until the sound of plastic hitting pavement shocked me back into regular speed viewing. I took a buckle from by backpack and fixed that first. I knew that I would want to surf until the last possible minute before a quick rinse off, dressing in the parking lot and getting to work for a meeting..just in time. I started to wonder if some message was being sent to just go home. Then I looked at the tattered board bag at my feet and I smiled. Inside was my favorite board, but one I had let lay fallow in a sense for several sessions. I bought this board used but it feels like it was made for me custom. There beside me, begging to be ridden, lay my 9'6" Allison Classic Longboard. I don't know enough about why its so good, but Will Allison shaped some magic into this board and the thousands of waves and and boards behind him all culminated into what is easily the best board I've ridden. So, it was a homecoming of sorts for me and my board. Paddling out always feels good on this stick. The white foam and froth of the ocean accentuated the little bit of yellowing this board has now. I have dinged and repaired the board more times than I recall of hand. The Rainbow Fin Company 9.5 Noserider fin, perfectly matched for this board, now has a flat spot where I've done too much "king of the shore break" riding.
I can tell I am a little out of shape by how quickly I felt the "bicep burn" kick in paddling out after each ride today. The board seemed to fall back into rhythm quicker than I and I worked passed the lack of caffeine until I fell back into mine. The rides were mostly short (what else is new), but I had fun. I pushed myself and made deep, rail burying turns just to feel the familiar, but sorely missed feel of that particular shaped board under my feet. We had our reunion, we surfed a little, that board and I. I really like trying any surfboard that I can manage to stand on and I have a few others that are really fun, but lately the best part of riding them has been that I really appreciate the one I surfed today.

A week ago at this time I was in Myrtle Beach with family. This part of SC is not know for particularly good waves, but then I am accustomed to so -so waves, shore break conditions and knee high mush anyway. In fact, I have come to appreciate the value of not judging a wave unless I am in the water. Sure, when you see your favorite spot looking like pond on a still day you probably won't get any good rides, but otherwise you might be surprised what you would have missed when you just paddle out and see for yourself. I enjoyed half a dozen really fun sessions over three days on imperfect, knee to waist range waves. I did not get the thrill catching a big, fast wave or have the chance for a nice swooping bottom turn, but I did get a chance to practice and push my skills in getting down the line and adjusting my planing to get the best, longest rides. Of course none of this was possible without my trusty steed. The 9'6" Will Allison Classic Longboard, complete with the seahorse (hence the steed reference) logo. This is a beautiful board. Its beauty is now somewhat imperfect with the several repaired dings, scratches and a few discolorations, but its beauty comes in its ride and maybe because it has so much of my soul in it now. On one of those small Myrtle Beach waves I managed to collide my elbow into its thick rounded rails. Both the rail and the elbow lost out on that... The elbow healed, but the board required my help getting fixed. Once I cleaned out its wound of loose or cracked fiberglass and foam I carefully added filler to the void, then 2 layers of cloth and more resin. A quick sanding should smooth out the rough edges and it will be seaworthy again. I may give too much credit to this inanimate object, but its soul, born in its shaper's and fed by mine and its other riders, is something very real to me.

Its been a few weeks. I participated as a volunteer the other day for Surfer's Healing. The organization pairs the surfing world with autistic children. It was an impressive day and I plan to write about this some more. I met some guys from Hawaii who completely embody the whole concept of a surfer. I have seen lots of surfers do amazing tricks and such, but the most impressive surfers I have experienced were these 5 or 6 guys who surfed almost 6 hours , on 12 foot plus tandems with autistic children under their care as they navigated the waves.

Also, this past saturday has firmed up my belief that you should just paddle out even when it doesnt look so hot. I had some of the best rides of my life on what most would deem a "so so" day. Of course I still have a lot of experience to gain, and those rides may pale to future ones, but for now, I have impressed even myself. Lately I have been pushing my skill level, really trying to make better turns and get longer rides down the line. Hurricane Dean, deep in the Gulf of Mexico and unfortunately now proven to be a deadly storm has also sent a gift to surfers here in southeastern North Carolina. I will likely go out this evening, tomorrow morning , or maybe both..

Pacifica, Linda Mar Beach and the Rent-a-log

I arrived in Pacifica, CA on Saturday via the metro and public bus from San Francisco. All my luggage was in storage at the airport and I was able to travel pretty easily. The bus stop was in walking distance to at least 3 surf shops and I chose The Log Shop on Crespi Avenue in case you ever make it there. More pictures are on my Flickr account. I rented a well used 9'6" SurfTech soft top board with a great fin- it was a "Fluid Foil" by FCS I believe. The fellas at the Log Shop were great, letting me use there changing room and then storing the little bag of stuff that I had brought along. I remember feeling the excitement in my chest as I walked over the little hill that had blocked my view from the street where I had landed. The ocean was a little choppy, bigger waves than expected and the crowd in the water was really surprising. I estimated at least 100 surfers, mostly on the south half of the mile long beach. The far northern side is a little rockier, and no one seemed to be surfing there, so I took this as a cue. That being said, I was not interested in trying to surf the same wave as 20 others, so I went to the northern edge of the crowds near the middle of this beach. As the day went on and the tide rose, things seemed to get choppier and the wave size dropped. The pictures are from that part of the day, but I surfed at lower tide and much larger wave sets it seemed. I am quite certain that I surfed my largest waves and longest rides to date at Linda Mar this past Saturday.

There were many people in the surf as indicated, but to add to the mix is that most of these were beginners or at best novices. In fact, I was feeling pretty competent and skilled in comparison to many of the others I saw, but mostly I recall that most of the big crowds didn't seem to be surfing at all, just taking up valuable space in the lineup. Before I paddled out, I realized that my leash swivel had worn out and kept coming apart. Not wanting to walk back for another, I tied it up in knots and paddled out. This will become more relavent later. I caught a few smallish, shorebreak kind of waves and found that the soft top responded well and was very floaty. The whitewash was thick, fast and powerful too. Each time was a bear to get back out, so I decided to move outside a little farther. Soon I realized that the relatively light lineup around me was mostly better surfers that actually were catching some waves. Partially as a matter of respect for the "locals", and mostly my own lack of confidence in being able to route myself around human obstacles, I gave the others a lot of room and found myself on the outside, soaking in the reality that I was surfing in California. That, and I was trying to get my strength and wind back after a hard paddle through the impact zone on my rent-a-log.

My time came. I found myself surprised by some impressive sets that rolled past me. They were much larger than I am used to, but they were deep and had a thick A-frame shape that was not intimidating. I paddled hard and felt myself starting to slip quickly down the face of the wave. I popped up had the luxury of what was to be a nice long ride. On my local breaks, I don't always have the wave or time to make a nice bottom turn and get positioned for a long breaking wave. The rent-a-log was thick and floated me so well I felt like I was riding above the waves a few times. I will not soon forget those rides and maybe never.

I experienced several rides like this, each time the adreniline from the previous ride was enough to push me back through the shorebreak. So when my leash broke, or rather my knot worked loose, I found myself in large breaking waves, in a 4/3 wetsuit and relying on the same muscles and stamina that I had been abusing for the last hour or so. I am a good swimmer, but I realized right then I really need to be a great swimmer, something I will work on for sure. Moving waves on a shoreline make forward movement difficult, and the added weight and constraint of a wetsuit only adds to the problem. I struggled a little, but I saw a few surfers around me and - I think anyway- had I called out for help if I needed it, they would have. A small group of tourists on the beach found my board and moved it on to the shore, they seemed concerned or maybe curious, or perhaps just waiting to be on the front row of some morbidly curious lost surfer show. Not sure if I disappointed them by pulling myself to solid ground, but they were happy enough to take credit for catching my board.

I rested for some time, then walked back to the surf shop. Somewhere along the way I went from turning in my gear and calling it a day to trading in the broken leash for a new one. After a gatorade and a few more minutes on the beach, I was ready to resume. Upon making my way out again, now with a very stout Dakine leash the clerk took of the retail wall, I was securely tethered to my board. The heavy crowds had pushed closer to my spot, and I took the opportunity to scan the others. There was the 50 something, tall , thin Ralph Lauren look-alike on an epoxy Stewart (who knows maybe he surfs Linda Mar?) that helped me get my wetsuit zipper unstuck earlier . There was a stocky guy with a shave head and a bent nose that was on a shortboard, from whom I did my best to stay clear. There were two younger women out together on some performance longboards. They seemed pretty agile and I was impressed that they charged as hard as anyone, though they seeme to come and go pretty quickly. Another shortboarder with a long curly hair and beard. We passed each other pretty close and I took the liberty of saying hello, which was not returned and he seemed to keep a healthy distance from me afterward. There was an asian guy about my age maybe, on a really nice looking board- certainly not a rental. I don't think he ever really made it past the impact zone. There were loads of rental boards and little groups of those who were at a point that I was maybe 2 years ago. Time flies when you are having fun.....

More pics from this trip at http://www.flickr.com/photos/surflongboards/sets/72157601254786940/

See what Surfline has to say at...http://www.surfline.com/reports/report.cfm?id=5013

Heading to San Francisco

I am attending and speaking at a conference in San Francisco this week and I am in the airport now waiting to depart. Almost immediately once I confirmed the conference details, I started thinking about how I might manage to go surfing while there. There is a myriad of online resources of course, and I am impressed by how the so called "flat days" at west coast spots are likely bigger than our average days here at our local breaks. My plan is to check conditions first at Ocean Beach on the pacific facing coast of the San Francisco peninsula. Its supposed to be sort of big and difficult most times, but if its a smallish day there, I will rent from Aqua Surf Shop and can get there on street cars and walking. The other more likely options is to make my way about 20 minutes south to Pacifica and Linda Mar beach. Several shops rent there and its a more beginner break and longboard suited. We will see.

favorite surfers

Southeastern North Carolina has produced many great surfers and if you pay attention or are the type that follows this kind of thing then you can likely name them as well as I can. I have a lot of favorite surfers, but I can’t name most of them. I recognize them out in the surf and you might too. One favorite surfer is the little kid not quite strong enough to paddle out or into a wave, but once someone gives a little push they drop down the face and make turns like a champ. Imagine how good they might be one day. Another is the old guy (and I say this in the most respectful way) who managed to get his 10 foot log out past the big, churning impact zone and caught good rides while meanwhile I got put in my place and was left bruised, breathless and wave less. I also have a high regard for those in our midst that that shape and glass those works of art that carry us and move us across the waves- our waves. Not only can they surf, but they can magically transfer that feeling into a thing, a shape. You may know their names, but if you don’t be sure to ask around and then go buy a local shaped board when you have the chance or the means. One of my favorite surfers pops up now and again at my favorite spots and I like to think we watch each others backs when no one else is out. I will never forget standing on a foggy day facing a wave that I could only hear and not see. That favorite surfer showed up just when I thought donning a wetsuit might not be worth the hassle. His soul standing there next to me provided an invisible push that morning and I had one of the most memorable sessions ever. Other favorites are of the fairer sex. I don’t tend to segregate surfers as men and women otherwise, but the truth is that women surfers add a grace and style that I just don’t have. Then there is that group I always see around. Sometimes just two show up, other days maybe five or six. They always catch the right waves, follow the best lines, and then effortlessly are back out for the next set. Yes, these favorite surfers are my friends the pelicans. I have another favorite surfer. With the exception of maybe my kids, he is no one else’s favorite. I admit that one of my very favorite surfers is me. I am my own favorite because when I am in the act surfing, I can’t think about anything or anyone else. And in that moment, I doubt you could convince me otherwise.

See you in the water.

Secret Spot

I submitted this to a local surf publication. I am not sure it will be published, but it is one of the reasons I decided to start this blog....

I realize its taboo in the surf culture to discuss secret spots but I will try not to reveal yours, though I might just. Secret spots are by their nature a little mystical and hold some magic for their owners. You read about them on your local online surfing forums especially when they had just been firing off with chest high barrels just minutes away from the sloppy, pond like conditions that I was enjoying at the same time. Apparently there must be some secret time element to this thing too as it never fails that those most desirable of waves occurred in the past and less so in the present. Some spots have names which I don’t dare reveal in ink, but even not so secret places are treated as such. Perhaps if they remain secret to even just one person maybe they retain their magic.

I have a secret spot. The lay of the land there is such that the ocean isn’t revealed so easily, and the walk down to the wet sand where I pause to attach my leash is farther than some spots I visit. I have never gotten barreled in my spot (ok, this is misleading since I have never been barreled anywhere yet), nor is it always chest high, glassy, A-frame lefts nicely lined up. Really, its not even secret, actually it’s right at a public beach access. You can go there right now and if you can find an empty parking spot, it’s all yours. If I see you at my secret spot, then you will be my secret surf soul sister or brother for that little bit of time though I will not likely know nor ask your name. I will give you wide berth not because I am unfriendly, but more likely I need it to keep my fin safely out of your tail.

This secret spot I speak of is really more than the “place”. Truth is, my secret spot lies deeper within and exists wherever it is I happen to paddle out. No, that isn’t really true either because I don’t even need my surfboard or be within sight of the ocean to go to my secret spot. I carry this feeling around with me always and it’s easily accessible. Surfing has graced me with a secret spot that not everyone gets to have. I worked hard for this spot over the last few years. I wake early when others are still sleeping so that I can weave surfing with the rest of my life. I paddle out in the cold of February and I paddle out even when it’s flat sometimes. I fix my own dings and bring life back to old boards. I kindle the stoke I find in others, and I try to leave the beach and ocean better than I find it each time.

Sometimes I glide across waves as I sit in traffic, take a moment to stretch at my desk, or when I doze off to sleep at night. Of course I have visited my secret spot in my dreams on those nights I am lucky enough to remember… but I still haven’t gotten barreled there either.

See you in the water.