4.6.2012 Freezing Oceanside Harbor, S. Jetty

On this morning, I almost didn't check it, thinking it wouldn't be very good. I finally decided to go for it and shot up to Oceanside. Pier was doing its usual lake impersonation and I decided to check Harbor just because I'd driven all of the way up here. I trudged north.

My first go-around revealed nothing appetizing. I drove to the boat ramps, turned around and as I'm approaching the stop sign at the pay lot, I see a nugget roll through. I figured that was enough to get me out there, considering how far my go-out standards have fallen since winter.

I suited up as quickly as I could to minimize the amount of time I'd spend in the shiver-inducing outdoors. I had my wetsuit on halfway when Missed-It-Mike rang me and gave me ish for going to Oceanside. I cut the call short so I wouldn't already be freezing BEFORE hitting the water and walked towards the sand.

I jumped over the low concrete wall and waded across the river, noting a guy on a blue egg following too closely behind. I slapped the leash on and paddled out. The first wave that washed over me quickly made me recoil in pain as an immediate ice cream headache had its way with me.

Thankfully, I only had one wave to endure. I quickly caught my first wave and managed to pump on it, but the wave fattened up to the point where I couldn't get any speed going.

A second left arrived less than ten minutes later and it looked juicier. I got a quick pump in, but my plans for a successful wave were dashed by the aforementioned guy on the blue egg who was paddling out right in my way. He made absolutely no attempt to get out of my way or duckdive, so I cut down and the wave wasn't the type to allow me to get more speed. I tried to bottom turn from where I was with very little speed and did ok, but there wasn't enough push from the wave to do anything with that section. I faded off the back, bummed.

A right came and I went for a bottom turn, then shot up the face to smack it but leaned too hard into the wave for how flat it was. I threw a lot of spray but it was all for naught.

A right came about five minutes after the last one, and I did a better job of adjusting to the conditions and make the turn less extreme (ha!). This time, the fatness of the wave did me in and I was done for.

The tide was only getting higher and I made mental plans to bail, as it just wasn't worth it out there.

Everyone I was watching catch waves was dealing with the fatness of it. The inside closed out, otherwise that would've been my next choice.

I stayed out another twenty minutes before packing it in.

1.28.2012 Smaller Oside South Jetty with Forrest

Missed-It Mike told us he had to stay and watch his young son. He told me his wife had to go to a hair appointment. I was suspicious as to the time of the appointment (before eight) but I let it slide because I didn't want to deal with the fallout (Mike can be touchy).

Forrest and I met at Tyson Street. Since I'd gotten there a little early, I surveyed the waves and proclaimed S. Jetty to be the best use of our time. We parked and Forrest patiently waited for me to change into my suit. I forewent the gloves and we were out there! We walked quite a ways south, hoping to avoid the crowd of rippers that tends to clog Harbor and Harbor-adjacent spots on the weekends.

The offshore winds made the air very cold. My first wave was sabotaged by these winds as I didn't get to drop down the face. Still, a good one to get started on as it wasn't a waste of the wave (the wave wasn't that good).

I caught a right, right into the risen sun and had a tough time seeing. I went by periphery and feel. I did an ok hit on it but I extended it too far and faded off the back.

My next wave was nice, but a little fast. Luckily, I was able to get around the section and hit it in a critical spot, sending a good amount of spray out the back. I recovered nicely, but the wave started threatening to close out, so I let it and went into it.



I caught a slow right, did a quick cutback, but lost the wave before able to bring it around to the wash.

I caught a right and set up in my barrel stance. I got in there quickly and could have made it, but I didn't angle toward the beach enough and got swept up in the wall. Major bummer as it would've been a sick one! Another bummer was that the camera didn't register my turning it on, so I have no footage. I would've been heartbroken to make a barrel like that and not have it on film, so there is some bittersweetness.

Then, tragedy struck. I paddled my ass off for and caught a nice right, but Forrest decided to snake me. Words can't describe the feeling of betrayal that kept stabbing me in the heart.

The waves then changed. All of the lefts had been pretty much closing out, but now they ALL seemed to be. The rights were not pouring through and we were getting a bit frustrated.

I tried my luck on a left, only to have the lip hit me in the chest almost immediately.

I gave the lefts one last chance to keep me out there, but they blew it by closing out on me.

I wish we'd paddled out earlier as it was a lot of fun at the beginning of the session...!

After much thinking, Forrest and I have decided to take ten days off from our surfing relationship. I think he freaked when I met his new daddy yesterday and acted out on those feelings today by burning me on a wave. On the eleventh day, I will call him to re-assess his commitment and friendship.