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Monday, October 10, 2011

10.9.2011 Del Mar 24-26th Street, Dying Swell

I was hoping for more of the same from the previous session so I shot up to Oceanside. I knew the swell was dying, but I thought there would still be a couple of waves.

I was mistaken. It was so flat. The offshore was still going which was a waste. When the wind is offshore on small waves, it can make the waves difficult to catch as you have to generate enough speed upon takeoff with reduced wave speed. You can't make mistakes as each one costs you momentum and a chance for the wind to catch on you and stop your progress.

I went down to Del Mar and checked 20th street. I saw a lot of gutlessness and so many people getting up on waves and being left behind. This guy walked past me, surfboard in hand, with a frustrated look on his face. I asked him how it was and he said he wished he'd brought his fish. A couple of more waves came and even the loggers were having trouble staying on the wave. I did see a couple of small screamers to the north and made a mental note that if nothing else worked, I could grovel there.

I went south and 15th was PACKED. This isn't shocking for a Sunday. I checked the reefs south of Del Mar (not working because of the tide), then checked N. Torrey (or as I call it, Baby Black's, which looked similar to the Del Mar reefs.

I drove back to 20th and almost decided to bail. I thought about yesterday's no-go and I was hesitant to make it two days of wasted gas in a row. I grudgingly put on my 4/3 and walked down to the spot.

My first wave seemed to be a nice 2' left. I pumped once, not gaining too much speed because of the wave's fatness. I leaned into a cutback but didn't have much to lean against and fell.

I waited for some time and saw a guy with long hair and his girlfriend split a peak. I decided to crash their party as the peak looked amazing compared to what else was out there. While I paddled to their peak, the guy caught a right, then the girl caught one and just as I pulled up, the waves stopped. They paddled south of me and kept catching waves.

Then, a sick right came and I got a little bit excited. I paddled hard and as I analyzed the wave, I knew it was going to be a fast one. I popped up and pumped up and down twice as the wave shut down. Although it wasn't a wave that I got anything going on, the speed I was able to generate that quickly felt good and I was pretty amped.

The lovebirds bailed after they each caught another wave and I was all alone.

A kid with striking red hair paddled out on an orange board and he sat by me. No waves were coming, I paddled inside and waited. Nothing was coming, so I paddled inside some more. Nothing came and I was out.

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