After three no-go's, I was getting antsy. The forecasts were saying there would be a combo swell in the water starting Thursday afternoon and I was salivating over a Friday mish up to Oside.
I couldn't convince anyone to go with me, unfortunately.
My first glimpse of the waves muted my expectations. You could say I went from having a semi- to a blue-ball tinge in my loins.
I checked S. Oside all the way to pier and Wisconsin looked ever-so-slightly better than anywhere else. I parked the car and watched, trying to convince myself to paddle out. I had my GuyPod cranked and eventually, I made myself suit up and paddle out.
I decided to paddle out just south of Wisconsin Street. Everywhere else looked junky. I couldn't understand it, we had swell, the tide was about right, the conditions were excellent but the waves SUCKED.
It took me a good ten minutes before I caught my first wave. It was a right that I caught late. While setting my feet, I panicked. I had almost lifted my back hip up to allow me to plant my foot down, but I went for the knee instead. The lip went over me and I was deep, but I was almost out when I did my usual hug-the-wave-so-close-you-become-one-with-it. I barrel-rolled into oblivion and that was that. No footy of this one, as I didn't have enough time to depress the button.
Well, ok, not a bad start, it's better than it looks!
About five minutes after that, a nice, lined-up left came. I didn't realize it at the time, but it would have a barrel for me. Once I dropped in, my mission became clear...
I set my line and ducked down hard, being careful not to be too far out on the flats. If you watch the video below, you can see me put all of my weight on my back foot (watch my front foot), then back on the front foot hoping to get out.
Alas, it was not to be, as I got clipped, slammed, taken over-the-falls and ended up shoulder-checking the sand. *WIPE-OUT OF THE MONTH FRONTRUNNER*
I also caught a nice right that I was able to hit well and retain my speed.
I caught two waves that were eerily similar. Lefts that started off well, but they devolved into mush without enough push to get me to connect with the juicy but fleeting shorebreak section.
More waves like these kept coming and I quickly got over it. I went in and hoped the weekend would have something nice in store...
"If the best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun, Eddie P would be a promising amateur who eventually burns out and is forced to perform 'favors' for surf wax" -Anonymous
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Showing posts with label Wisconsin Street. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisconsin Street. Show all posts
Monday, February 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
1.4.2012 Maxing Oceanside with Forrest AND Missed-It Mike!
I had a beast of a time convincing Mike to surf with us this morning. He was under the impression it was going to be massive and didn't want to be undergunned. I convinced him it wouldn't be that big and I picked him up at 5:50.
We met Forrest at Tyson Street and, though most waves were closing out, we spied some with potential by the pier. Here is a short lifestyle shot of Mike, then Forrest:
We did our best to time the sets so we could paddle out without too much resistance and were relatively successful. Seeing as to how the swell was coming almost directly from the west (with a dusting of north to it), I didn’t think the longshore current would be an issue. It took only a couple of minutes to realize I was mistaken.
I tried to hold my position near the lined-up waves reeling off the pier, but I was also tempted by the potential entertainment to be had with the conversation Mike and Forrest were having. After close to ten minutes and a couple of pull-backs due to closeouts, the conversation won out. Forrest caught one first, but was stuck inside for some time due to the frequency and fervency of the closeouts.
I wandered inside for a bit, hoping to get lucky on a middler. Mike hung on outside. I told him he was in too deep (one of Mike’s favorite songs) and almost as quickly as I’d finished singing him the beginning of the chorus, a macker came and Mike caught it late. It was a solid seven-footer and his first wave of the year. I duckdived it and missed his wave, but he said it was a little fat and was able to fit one turn on it before deciding the juice from a second turn would not be worth the squeeze (getting crushed by the next wave).
After some goading by Forrest for having yet to have popped my cherry for the day, I took off on an obvious closeout. I kicked my board up and bailed, coming up just in time to take in Forrest’s second ride of the day, a double-grab smoker!
About ten minutes later, I caught a right REALLY late. It felt as though I’d airdropped into it and was rewarded with a great view of a big open barrel that not even Kelly could’ve made (though he would’ve made it look much better)
I caught another right which was an obvious closeout. I had a small corner in which to set up for the barrel, and dropped into it from a pretty good altitude on the wave. I was rewarded with a great view of the barrel and stayed in there for about two seconds before detonation. The footage only showed roiling water and so I will not bore you with just a set-up shot.
I caught a left which had potential, but by the time I dropped in and set up, it had passed me by. I lamely tried to get into the barrel but wasn’t even close. It felt a lot worse than the video looks, but regardless, it’s not worth showing…
My last wave had a great drop, but it closed out quickly. I proned out and rode into the beach, disappointed by both my wave count and lack of amazing rides, given the size of the waves.
I rode in to the beach and was amazed at how far south we'd drifted. We had to walk north quite a bit just to get to Wisconsin Street. Over a half-mile from where we'd paddled out!
We met Forrest at Tyson Street and, though most waves were closing out, we spied some with potential by the pier. Here is a short lifestyle shot of Mike, then Forrest:
We did our best to time the sets so we could paddle out without too much resistance and were relatively successful. Seeing as to how the swell was coming almost directly from the west (with a dusting of north to it), I didn’t think the longshore current would be an issue. It took only a couple of minutes to realize I was mistaken.
I tried to hold my position near the lined-up waves reeling off the pier, but I was also tempted by the potential entertainment to be had with the conversation Mike and Forrest were having. After close to ten minutes and a couple of pull-backs due to closeouts, the conversation won out. Forrest caught one first, but was stuck inside for some time due to the frequency and fervency of the closeouts.
I wandered inside for a bit, hoping to get lucky on a middler. Mike hung on outside. I told him he was in too deep (one of Mike’s favorite songs) and almost as quickly as I’d finished singing him the beginning of the chorus, a macker came and Mike caught it late. It was a solid seven-footer and his first wave of the year. I duckdived it and missed his wave, but he said it was a little fat and was able to fit one turn on it before deciding the juice from a second turn would not be worth the squeeze (getting crushed by the next wave).
After some goading by Forrest for having yet to have popped my cherry for the day, I took off on an obvious closeout. I kicked my board up and bailed, coming up just in time to take in Forrest’s second ride of the day, a double-grab smoker!
About ten minutes later, I caught a right REALLY late. It felt as though I’d airdropped into it and was rewarded with a great view of a big open barrel that not even Kelly could’ve made (though he would’ve made it look much better)
I caught another right which was an obvious closeout. I had a small corner in which to set up for the barrel, and dropped into it from a pretty good altitude on the wave. I was rewarded with a great view of the barrel and stayed in there for about two seconds before detonation. The footage only showed roiling water and so I will not bore you with just a set-up shot.
I caught a left which had potential, but by the time I dropped in and set up, it had passed me by. I lamely tried to get into the barrel but wasn’t even close. It felt a lot worse than the video looks, but regardless, it’s not worth showing…
My last wave had a great drop, but it closed out quickly. I proned out and rode into the beach, disappointed by both my wave count and lack of amazing rides, given the size of the waves.
I rode in to the beach and was amazed at how far south we'd drifted. We had to walk north quite a bit just to get to Wisconsin Street. Over a half-mile from where we'd paddled out!
Monday, December 12, 2011
12.11.2011 Oceanside: Deceiving Tysconsin with Forrest AFTERNOON SESH | BROKEN BOARD
During my previous session, I managed to aggravate a newly-acquired shoulder injury.
Thankfully, the swell sabbatical allowed me to take some time off to recuperate.
My shoulder was feeling 95%. Forrest wanted to hit it in the morning, but I had an appointment at my second job: Airport Bitch. He cruised over during the second round of football games and was raring to get out THAR. He wanted to go to Carlsbad as he thought it looked good. I wanted to go to Oceanside because of the steep S swell direction. I made my case and he was convinced.
We shot up there and made our usual rounds. The seas were smooth, but the waves were smaller than SurfLIE had claimed they would be. We saw some set wave nugs come through, especially just south of the pier. We debated checking Harbor but were so smitten by what we saw that we passed.
We got our stuff on and headed towards the pier. We walked quite a ways, then decided we weren't in the mood to sit in a pack and fight for waves when there were empty ones just a couple of hundred paces south.
I jumped on my DHD and started paddling after a chest-high set rolled through. Forrest was close behind on his ancient Stewart longboard.
A left came through and I paddled hard. I popped up and did a quick pump to floater and blew it.
A similar left rolled through within five minutes and I did the exact same thing, EXCEPT I ollied off the lip and on to the flats. I landed flat with considerable speed and tried to do an extreme backside fade bottom turn so that I lay down just in time and with enough speed to propel my head and upper body underneath the rolling foam. I was somewhat successful.
A waist-high right came and I paddled for it. It was slow, so instead of doing the Huntington Hop, I choked up on it, putting most of my weight on the front half of my board by shuffling my feet towards the nose. The wave seemed to like that, as it let me in to its surprisingly speedy pocket. I shuffled back, but was disoriented by my newfound velocity. I meekly attempted to hit the section, but it turned into a weird wash bonk/floater rather than a solid lip bash.
A nice steep left rolled in and I sprint-paddled to meet it. I slammed my weight on the back of my board to make the half-turn more quickly. I paddled hard towards shore. As the wave lifted my board up, I popped up and pumped from the get-go. While I was immediately disappointed in my decision to not bash the first section, I salivated as the oncoming lip approached.
I didn't have enough speed for an air, so I turned up hard from the bottom to the point that I rose up the wave face at about a 60-degree angle. I rotated my head and shoulders, then my hips and legs and SMASHED the lip. I have a tendency to fall backwards after this move. This time, I managed to drag my hand in the water and recapture equilibrium. NICE!
Forrest caught a wave and about halfway through his subsequent paddle-out, a clean-up set came. I was in a good spot, but Forrest was not. When this happens, I have an annoying habit of yelling, "Bye BYE!" followed by a quick wave just before initiating my duckdive.
After three waves, the thrill of escaping a slight beating withered. I couldn't see Forrest until the last wave washed over him. I noticed he was paddling weird and when I got a liquid "culata" from the wave, it allowed me to see why. I could see a nice white cross-section of foam surrounded by the long-ago yellowed glass.
I immediately started laughing, which is an a-hole move. I wasn't laughing at his misfortune so much as I was laughing at the conditions in which his log snapped. A longboard isn't easy to break, but it's difficult to break a log in these small waves ESPECIALLY considering he wasn't even riding the wave who did this to his board.
I told him we could go in if he wanted and we went in shortly thereafter.
Thankfully, the swell sabbatical allowed me to take some time off to recuperate.
My shoulder was feeling 95%. Forrest wanted to hit it in the morning, but I had an appointment at my second job: Airport Bitch. He cruised over during the second round of football games and was raring to get out THAR. He wanted to go to Carlsbad as he thought it looked good. I wanted to go to Oceanside because of the steep S swell direction. I made my case and he was convinced.
We shot up there and made our usual rounds. The seas were smooth, but the waves were smaller than SurfLIE had claimed they would be. We saw some set wave nugs come through, especially just south of the pier. We debated checking Harbor but were so smitten by what we saw that we passed.
We got our stuff on and headed towards the pier. We walked quite a ways, then decided we weren't in the mood to sit in a pack and fight for waves when there were empty ones just a couple of hundred paces south.
I jumped on my DHD and started paddling after a chest-high set rolled through. Forrest was close behind on his ancient Stewart longboard.
A left came through and I paddled hard. I popped up and did a quick pump to floater and blew it.
A similar left rolled through within five minutes and I did the exact same thing, EXCEPT I ollied off the lip and on to the flats. I landed flat with considerable speed and tried to do an extreme backside fade bottom turn so that I lay down just in time and with enough speed to propel my head and upper body underneath the rolling foam. I was somewhat successful.
A waist-high right came and I paddled for it. It was slow, so instead of doing the Huntington Hop, I choked up on it, putting most of my weight on the front half of my board by shuffling my feet towards the nose. The wave seemed to like that, as it let me in to its surprisingly speedy pocket. I shuffled back, but was disoriented by my newfound velocity. I meekly attempted to hit the section, but it turned into a weird wash bonk/floater rather than a solid lip bash.
A nice steep left rolled in and I sprint-paddled to meet it. I slammed my weight on the back of my board to make the half-turn more quickly. I paddled hard towards shore. As the wave lifted my board up, I popped up and pumped from the get-go. While I was immediately disappointed in my decision to not bash the first section, I salivated as the oncoming lip approached.
I didn't have enough speed for an air, so I turned up hard from the bottom to the point that I rose up the wave face at about a 60-degree angle. I rotated my head and shoulders, then my hips and legs and SMASHED the lip. I have a tendency to fall backwards after this move. This time, I managed to drag my hand in the water and recapture equilibrium. NICE!
Forrest caught a wave and about halfway through his subsequent paddle-out, a clean-up set came. I was in a good spot, but Forrest was not. When this happens, I have an annoying habit of yelling, "Bye BYE!" followed by a quick wave just before initiating my duckdive.
After three waves, the thrill of escaping a slight beating withered. I couldn't see Forrest until the last wave washed over him. I noticed he was paddling weird and when I got a liquid "culata" from the wave, it allowed me to see why. I could see a nice white cross-section of foam surrounded by the long-ago yellowed glass.
I immediately started laughing, which is an a-hole move. I wasn't laughing at his misfortune so much as I was laughing at the conditions in which his log snapped. A longboard isn't easy to break, but it's difficult to break a log in these small waves ESPECIALLY considering he wasn't even riding the wave who did this to his board.
I told him we could go in if he wanted and we went in shortly thereafter.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
9.12.2011 Wisconsin to Tyson Bumpy Bumps with Moondoggie EVENING SESH (plus some thoughts on what's wrong with beachbreaks this month)
The forecast said the swell was strengthening throughout the day. It was calling for 3-4' with 5' sets for most exposed spots to the SW swell (Oside!). My buddy Eric was itching to go, but I was concerned about the wind. The forecast said it would go from 7 knots W to 5 knots W by sundown. We shot up there. The pier looked ok, but it was packed. I told Eric (Moondoggie) Wisconsin would be better and less crowded. We checked it briefly, saw a set and paddled out around 5:30.
Oceanside was still doing its latest fad. A wave would break and literally get chopped up. It looked as though someone had taken a giant steak knife and sheared the faces sideways, leaving speed draining potholes on the waves. This, coupled with the bump the onshore had been laboring at creating all day, made for challenging conditions for a shortboard.
We zipped out there, going approximately 100 paces south of Wisconsin. The current started dragging us immediately, confirming that this was a new swell.
I caught a wave and did the Huntington Hop, doing my best to pop multiple mini-wheelies so as to squirt water through the tail (doing this helps move water underneath the board, thereby creating speed in flat sections). Some sections were so ugly and had such big chops that I bypassed them and shot out the back.
As the session wore on, I caught a left and had a nice look at an oncoming section, I went up to smack it, did so, kept my board under my legs while my body was splayed behind. I came oh so close to pulling what probably would have been the sickest frontside turn of my life. When things like this happens, it makes me think I should paddle out in crappy surf more often instead of turning tail.
A set came through and I was on it. I caught it late and got hung up on the lip. I made the drop with the lip but the wave was over. As I'm hurtling myself over the foam, I realize I missed an opportunity to try foam climbs.
I caught a couple more waves and I was feeling really good about my equipment and the way I was surfing (even though I didn't pull that turn, I felt like I was surfing aggressively and efficiently in the choppy stuff). I started imagining being at different breaks from around the world and envisioning me dropping into some STEEP spinning lefts. I placed myself paddling for a late one, dropping in just under the lip.
Almost as though to give me a reality check, a macker comes through, one of the 5' sets they were talking about. I paddle and am so excited to get a steep one I P E A R L E D!!! Bummer. So much for my fantasy of dropping in to just about anything!
I blame my insistence on harnessing as much speed upon takeoff, even on steep drops. While stomping on the back can save you in a situation like this, it tends to look weak and can leave the rider in the pocket of the wave without speed. Granted, if this was Hawaii or El Salvador, where the waves are MUCH juicier, a different method would be employed (or at least until I got cocky).
I caught one right all session, did an ok turn but was too aggressive for the steepness of the wave and was left behind at the maneuver's conclusion.
A long lull came as the sun flirted with the horizon and we paddled in. The shorebreak was HEAVY. I saw some sick, mini-The Box style ugly ones. I tried to catch a couple but pulled back both times because of the shallowness.
The next morning I made the trek up to Oceanside and the waves were a little different, breaking fast and sectioning off quickly. I was racking my brain as to why the waves kept doing this and then it hit me! It has to do with that big swell we had that started to hit 8/31. It must have screwed up the sandbars. Given enough time, the sandbars will return back to normal but it's a shame.
Oceanside was still doing its latest fad. A wave would break and literally get chopped up. It looked as though someone had taken a giant steak knife and sheared the faces sideways, leaving speed draining potholes on the waves. This, coupled with the bump the onshore had been laboring at creating all day, made for challenging conditions for a shortboard.
We zipped out there, going approximately 100 paces south of Wisconsin. The current started dragging us immediately, confirming that this was a new swell.
I caught a wave and did the Huntington Hop, doing my best to pop multiple mini-wheelies so as to squirt water through the tail (doing this helps move water underneath the board, thereby creating speed in flat sections). Some sections were so ugly and had such big chops that I bypassed them and shot out the back.
As the session wore on, I caught a left and had a nice look at an oncoming section, I went up to smack it, did so, kept my board under my legs while my body was splayed behind. I came oh so close to pulling what probably would have been the sickest frontside turn of my life. When things like this happens, it makes me think I should paddle out in crappy surf more often instead of turning tail.
A set came through and I was on it. I caught it late and got hung up on the lip. I made the drop with the lip but the wave was over. As I'm hurtling myself over the foam, I realize I missed an opportunity to try foam climbs.
I caught a couple more waves and I was feeling really good about my equipment and the way I was surfing (even though I didn't pull that turn, I felt like I was surfing aggressively and efficiently in the choppy stuff). I started imagining being at different breaks from around the world and envisioning me dropping into some STEEP spinning lefts. I placed myself paddling for a late one, dropping in just under the lip.
Almost as though to give me a reality check, a macker comes through, one of the 5' sets they were talking about. I paddle and am so excited to get a steep one I P E A R L E D!!! Bummer. So much for my fantasy of dropping in to just about anything!
I blame my insistence on harnessing as much speed upon takeoff, even on steep drops. While stomping on the back can save you in a situation like this, it tends to look weak and can leave the rider in the pocket of the wave without speed. Granted, if this was Hawaii or El Salvador, where the waves are MUCH juicier, a different method would be employed (or at least until I got cocky).
I caught one right all session, did an ok turn but was too aggressive for the steepness of the wave and was left behind at the maneuver's conclusion.
A long lull came as the sun flirted with the horizon and we paddled in. The shorebreak was HEAVY. I saw some sick, mini-The Box style ugly ones. I tried to catch a couple but pulled back both times because of the shallowness.
The next morning I made the trek up to Oceanside and the waves were a little different, breaking fast and sectioning off quickly. I was racking my brain as to why the waves kept doing this and then it hit me! It has to do with that big swell we had that started to hit 8/31. It must have screwed up the sandbars. Given enough time, the sandbars will return back to normal but it's a shame.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
9.4.2011 Spitting Barrels Titillate, High Tide and Current Frustrate at South Wisconsin
This morning I got up to Oceanside at about 7. I had checked the buoys and they made it look like the waves had died off a bit, so I thought it would be less walled than yesterday. As I was parked at Wisconsin Street. I saw a guy get a clean barrel and make it out. I was on it!
While suiting up, I saw the same guy get two more. I started frothing a bit and got down there. I saw a double-up in the shorebreak and in my haste, I ran to do a skim-paddle takeoff and smashed my heel against a cobblestone. OUCH! While paddling, I noticed a rip developing right in Barrel Alley and my chances for a dry barrel drying up with it. I dry-haired it and caught my first wave within about eight minutes of parking myself up there.
It was a nice wave and I probably could've gotten barreled on it had I stalled upon takeoff. I had some speed going and I began to lay into a roundhouse and noticed a chop. I waited it out and then put all my pressure on my backside rail, pivoted and hit the whitewash smoothly. Not a reo roundhouse, but a roundhouse nonetheless, SUCCESS!
Unfortunately, this was the only wave I would catch that is worth writing about. I spent the rest of the session drifting towards the pier and then getting caught in a rip. By the time I noticed, I was two-thirds of the pier out to sea! I paddled and paddled and made it back, but the tide was making the waves so fat...!
No question about, tomorrow I will be on it earlier and stalling for those barrels.
While suiting up, I saw the same guy get two more. I started frothing a bit and got down there. I saw a double-up in the shorebreak and in my haste, I ran to do a skim-paddle takeoff and smashed my heel against a cobblestone. OUCH! While paddling, I noticed a rip developing right in Barrel Alley and my chances for a dry barrel drying up with it. I dry-haired it and caught my first wave within about eight minutes of parking myself up there.
It was a nice wave and I probably could've gotten barreled on it had I stalled upon takeoff. I had some speed going and I began to lay into a roundhouse and noticed a chop. I waited it out and then put all my pressure on my backside rail, pivoted and hit the whitewash smoothly. Not a reo roundhouse, but a roundhouse nonetheless, SUCCESS!
Unfortunately, this was the only wave I would catch that is worth writing about. I spent the rest of the session drifting towards the pier and then getting caught in a rip. By the time I noticed, I was two-thirds of the pier out to sea! I paddled and paddled and made it back, but the tide was making the waves so fat...!
No question about, tomorrow I will be on it earlier and stalling for those barrels.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
9.3.2011 Deceivingly Big Wisconsin Street to North Tyson Street
Last night I got a text from a poker buddy, Jonkey, about dawn patrolling the next day. We made arrangements for Tamarack at 6 a.m. While waiting for him, I sat in the car watching the waves. Again, a peanut gallery had formed on the stairs and there were three times as many people there as in the water (only two heads in the water though). The swell looked like it'd dropped off some and I knew it was going to get crowded, so I thought Oceanside might be working again.
We headed north and while driving on the littoral, the waves looked workable. I started getting really pumped up because I was looking forward to surfing waves with shape, but with power). Wisconsin showed a couple of big set lefts with nice shape so I parked and took out my normal 6'1" leaving my "step-up" in the ride.
We walked down to the sand and turned south, due to the more than likely current from the south. We saw another set that looked doable, but big. I started paddling and got caught in a rip that took me out there in less than five minutes.
The repartee went like this: A wave comes which looks barely makeable, I would paddle for it while watching both shoulders hunch up towards the peak in a Neptunian shrug before collapsing. The onshore and rip made it a bit bumpy out there.
On my fourth or fifth repetition of the above, I saw Jonkey lined up exactly outside of me paddling hard for a big frothy one (the froth on the surface cleaned it up a lot). I yelled for him to go and I paddled south to avoid his apparent line of travel. The wave threw out a nice foamy lip which I tried to duckdive but got somewhat caught up and tossed back. I looked back and Jonkey was a ways back but we were able to dodge the next ones that came in.
A couple of bodysurfers came out and they were the only other heads in the water as far as we could see. I think Jonkey caught one and couldn't paddle back out, so it was just me and the bodysurfers. Not too long after I lost track of Jonk, a wave came and it seemed to not shut down right away. I paddled, caught it late, made the drop and watched this decent 6-7' freight train close out. I kicked my board out in front of me and as I dropped to the water, I noticed one of the bodysurfers right in the way of my board, about ten feet away.
Here we are in this long rectangular surf zone with three of us out, and two of us manage to be a danger to one another!
I didn't hit him, tried to paddle out again but the waves, they kept a-comin', so I turned tail and skedaddled.
As we were desuiting these teaser sets came by, like ondulating sirens, beckoning us to spend some time with them. We didn't fall for it a second time...!
We headed north and while driving on the littoral, the waves looked workable. I started getting really pumped up because I was looking forward to surfing waves with shape, but with power). Wisconsin showed a couple of big set lefts with nice shape so I parked and took out my normal 6'1" leaving my "step-up" in the ride.
We walked down to the sand and turned south, due to the more than likely current from the south. We saw another set that looked doable, but big. I started paddling and got caught in a rip that took me out there in less than five minutes.
The repartee went like this: A wave comes which looks barely makeable, I would paddle for it while watching both shoulders hunch up towards the peak in a Neptunian shrug before collapsing. The onshore and rip made it a bit bumpy out there.
On my fourth or fifth repetition of the above, I saw Jonkey lined up exactly outside of me paddling hard for a big frothy one (the froth on the surface cleaned it up a lot). I yelled for him to go and I paddled south to avoid his apparent line of travel. The wave threw out a nice foamy lip which I tried to duckdive but got somewhat caught up and tossed back. I looked back and Jonkey was a ways back but we were able to dodge the next ones that came in.
A couple of bodysurfers came out and they were the only other heads in the water as far as we could see. I think Jonkey caught one and couldn't paddle back out, so it was just me and the bodysurfers. Not too long after I lost track of Jonk, a wave came and it seemed to not shut down right away. I paddled, caught it late, made the drop and watched this decent 6-7' freight train close out. I kicked my board out in front of me and as I dropped to the water, I noticed one of the bodysurfers right in the way of my board, about ten feet away.
Here we are in this long rectangular surf zone with three of us out, and two of us manage to be a danger to one another!
I didn't hit him, tried to paddle out again but the waves, they kept a-comin', so I turned tail and skedaddled.
As we were desuiting these teaser sets came by, like ondulating sirens, beckoning us to spend some time with them. We didn't fall for it a second time...!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
8.31.2011 Good 'ol Wisconsin Street, Early Arrival of Big Swell!
This morning I got up there at 6:45, as I was still recovering from the Lowers sesh a couple of days earlier and there was a S wind up. I checked Buc Beach (closed out) Oceanside Blvd (closed out), Wisconsin (flat while I was checking it aka inconsistent) Pier (North side was working, but the current there is crazy) and Harbor (inconsistent, but south of the jetties was working ok though a bit shifty). I couldn't make up my mind as to where to surf and decided to fight the current on N. Pier and maybe get shifted down to the jetty and surf my way north.
On my way down the stairs, I for no particular reason decided to walk south towards Wisconsin. I didn't see anything promising, but I kept walking. I was getting more and more bummed as I didn't have a destination and thus no pep in my step.
A set proceeded to break just south of Wisconsin street with one guy on the peak. I paddled out and asked him if it's any good. He said he's been out for thirty minutes and caught three waves that lined up (later in the session I realized he has a HIGH standard for what lining up means as he didn't paddle for many waves).
My first wave was old-school side-to-side Eddie though I did try to stall for the barrel a bit. I was going too fast and kicked out next to the guy. Another wave came quickly and I snagged it. It was steep, but the wave had that weird cross-up where the rip splits it in two with the oncoming wave being behind a smaller wave, which makes you lose speed. I managed to do a couple of pumps when I got to the back wave but I grossly overestimated the power of the wash as I hit it and wound up bouncing myself into the trough.
Another left came and I was on it, it sectioned off a bit, I made it around the section and did a snap-stall. The wave covered me up but I closed my eyes (I thought I'd gotten over that mistake). I got clipped and slammed hard.
A left came through and I pumped and did my wanna-be-goofy-Kelly-Slater gouge. Recovered, kicked out.
Another wave came and I had a similar thing happen, though it did shut down on me. I ate it and the wave picked me up and suplexed me over the falls. BOOM!
A smaller wave came and as I was paddling for it I almost didn't go as I wanted more big 'uns. The wave seemed to be less racy, so I dropped straight down and did my first reo at considerable speed! SUCCESS! I snapped up at the top of the wave hard and got thrown down with only a slight bobble by the lip, continued down the line, kicked out and let out a hoot!
A good-sized wave came and I was in a prime spot to backdoor the peak for a barrel section. I kept eye contact with the section in front of me as I popped up, felt my nose catch, made a quick decision that I should still keep all my weight on my inside front foot to hold the line for the barrel (based on experience, as I'd done this before). Whoops! I pearled and skipped down the wave on my back yelling, "NOOOO!" as I see the wave barrel over me. I grab a quick breath in the pocket, get picked up by the wave and SLAMMED.
The waves then turned. A clean-up set came and I saw a big one coming and I was thinking, "Would I go on that thing if it was lined up right?" then "Yeah, if I can get to the right spot". I whirled around after having scratched furiously, was a bit late and as I popped up, there was about an eight foot drop from the nose of my board to the bottom (or as they say in Hawaii, a 1-foot wave). I made the drop, did a couple of pumps and hooted as I climbed the wave and did an abortion of a sailor dive over the shoulder. This is the biggest wave I've caught in two years, easily, made even more exciting by my not expecting to be the waves this big.
I caught another couple of waves but they were nothing as special as the one above. The rip was giving the waves a bit of texture and making it hard to maneuver. I had an appointment at ten, so I bailed and made the long walk to my car on Mission Street.
You know you've gotten throttled when you have sand in every ear orifice and crevasse. I haven't checked my other orifices and crevasses but will be sure to report back when I do!
On my way down the stairs, I for no particular reason decided to walk south towards Wisconsin. I didn't see anything promising, but I kept walking. I was getting more and more bummed as I didn't have a destination and thus no pep in my step.
A set proceeded to break just south of Wisconsin street with one guy on the peak. I paddled out and asked him if it's any good. He said he's been out for thirty minutes and caught three waves that lined up (later in the session I realized he has a HIGH standard for what lining up means as he didn't paddle for many waves).
My first wave was old-school side-to-side Eddie though I did try to stall for the barrel a bit. I was going too fast and kicked out next to the guy. Another wave came quickly and I snagged it. It was steep, but the wave had that weird cross-up where the rip splits it in two with the oncoming wave being behind a smaller wave, which makes you lose speed. I managed to do a couple of pumps when I got to the back wave but I grossly overestimated the power of the wash as I hit it and wound up bouncing myself into the trough.
Another left came and I was on it, it sectioned off a bit, I made it around the section and did a snap-stall. The wave covered me up but I closed my eyes (I thought I'd gotten over that mistake). I got clipped and slammed hard.
A left came through and I pumped and did my wanna-be-goofy-Kelly-Slater gouge. Recovered, kicked out.
Another wave came and I had a similar thing happen, though it did shut down on me. I ate it and the wave picked me up and suplexed me over the falls. BOOM!
A smaller wave came and as I was paddling for it I almost didn't go as I wanted more big 'uns. The wave seemed to be less racy, so I dropped straight down and did my first reo at considerable speed! SUCCESS! I snapped up at the top of the wave hard and got thrown down with only a slight bobble by the lip, continued down the line, kicked out and let out a hoot!
A good-sized wave came and I was in a prime spot to backdoor the peak for a barrel section. I kept eye contact with the section in front of me as I popped up, felt my nose catch, made a quick decision that I should still keep all my weight on my inside front foot to hold the line for the barrel (based on experience, as I'd done this before). Whoops! I pearled and skipped down the wave on my back yelling, "NOOOO!" as I see the wave barrel over me. I grab a quick breath in the pocket, get picked up by the wave and SLAMMED.
The waves then turned. A clean-up set came and I saw a big one coming and I was thinking, "Would I go on that thing if it was lined up right?" then "Yeah, if I can get to the right spot". I whirled around after having scratched furiously, was a bit late and as I popped up, there was about an eight foot drop from the nose of my board to the bottom (or as they say in Hawaii, a 1-foot wave). I made the drop, did a couple of pumps and hooted as I climbed the wave and did an abortion of a sailor dive over the shoulder. This is the biggest wave I've caught in two years, easily, made even more exciting by my not expecting to be the waves this big.
I caught another couple of waves but they were nothing as special as the one above. The rip was giving the waves a bit of texture and making it hard to maneuver. I had an appointment at ten, so I bailed and made the long walk to my car on Mission Street.
You know you've gotten throttled when you have sand in every ear orifice and crevasse. I haven't checked my other orifices and crevasses but will be sure to report back when I do!
8.30.2011 North Wisconsin, EVENING SESH
After the morning's session, I was wired and ready for more. My wetsuit was still wet, and I checked the reports to make sure the water hadn't cooled down. I shot up to Oceanside and trunked it at Wisconsin after looking at it and noticing Wisconsin was the most viable for steep enough waves that would allow for dealing with chops.
I caught a small left and pumped down the line as much as I could, keeping most of my weight on my front foot. I kicked out and paddled back out, having to paddle south to retain my takeoff spot. I caught a right and hit it, then tried again and fell on a chop.
I caught a nice steep left and went up to smash it and did so, but I didn't transfer my weight back-to-front-to back (electing to skip over the last back weighting) and fell. It was a good clean snap and I was thrilled by my progress.
All told, I was out there for forty-five minutes or so. The sun never came out and my teeth were chattering so I went in.
I caught a small left and pumped down the line as much as I could, keeping most of my weight on my front foot. I kicked out and paddled back out, having to paddle south to retain my takeoff spot. I caught a right and hit it, then tried again and fell on a chop.
I caught a nice steep left and went up to smash it and did so, but I didn't transfer my weight back-to-front-to back (electing to skip over the last back weighting) and fell. It was a good clean snap and I was thrilled by my progress.
All told, I was out there for forty-five minutes or so. The sun never came out and my teeth were chattering so I went in.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
8.30.2011 South Wisconsin, Bringing it Together...!
This morning I was flipping and flopping more than John Kerry, but it was about whether to go surf. Around 6:45, I made up my mind to shoot up there and boy am I glad I did. I didn't expect much as I knew the onshore was in effect. I was hoping that this wouldn't be the case in Oceanside, but when I saw the Scuba flag just south of Ocean's 11 pointing towards Escondido, I knew that I would be surfing choppy stuff.
I checked Oside Blvd and it wasn't great, but there was rideable surf. The pier looked ok as well, but Wisconsin definitely had some steeps showing. For some reason, I started frothing as I was changing and couldn't wait to hit the water. I put on my leash and ran and jumped over the shorebreak. I caught a wave and couldn't get much speed on it, it seemed a bit fat from the increasing tide. I set up a little farther south and some decent ones started coming through.
It was an interesting feeling going from surfing Lowers to surfing empty (one other guy on the peak, not catching anything) Oside. I was able to catch every wave I wanted, except one where the guy who paddled out went over the falls. I caught my first wave and did a cutback and hit the foam low and did not recover. Anyone can do a cutback, really, but to do it in one fluid motion is trickier and to do it at speed is what makes a good surfer great. I did it in one fluid motion but didn't have the wherewithal to harness the speed pocket of this fat-ish wave and I couldn't recover.
I caught another wave and went straight down to get as much speed as possible while using as much of the wave as possible. I swooped up off the trough as hard as I could and did a little snap, recovered, pumped and did another roundhouse cutty attempt. I did a little better this time, with more speed but still couldn't bring it all the way around.
A right came my way and I was paddling for it and having trouble. I finally got enough speed and grabbed my rail, kneeboard style. A split second after the lip went over my head, a little bit of it hit me in the head, obscuring my tube vision. I kept driving and marveling at how square that thing was and it freight trained beyond the point of making it. I kept going until the wave did its best Roberto Duran and told me, "No mas".
I caught another right and got into a pigdog stance, which is rare for me. The wave didn't barrel, but I got up and did an accidental pump which put me in an awkward position at the top of the wave, just below doing a floater. I recovered, did a cutdown, and smashed the lip as hard as I could. I kicked out and paddled back out.
I caught another left which closed out, but I was able to get a top of the trough pumps in and I could feel the speed. This isn't a move I've done before but I am picking up a lot from my out-of-the-water research. I wish I'd thought to do a foam climb, but I just jumped over the wash and that was that.
The wind got stronger and really put a bump on things, so I was out of there.
Goal Update: I still have not landed a roundhouse cutty, but I am getting close...! No 360 attempts and no notable speed reo attempts...
I checked Oside Blvd and it wasn't great, but there was rideable surf. The pier looked ok as well, but Wisconsin definitely had some steeps showing. For some reason, I started frothing as I was changing and couldn't wait to hit the water. I put on my leash and ran and jumped over the shorebreak. I caught a wave and couldn't get much speed on it, it seemed a bit fat from the increasing tide. I set up a little farther south and some decent ones started coming through.
It was an interesting feeling going from surfing Lowers to surfing empty (one other guy on the peak, not catching anything) Oside. I was able to catch every wave I wanted, except one where the guy who paddled out went over the falls. I caught my first wave and did a cutback and hit the foam low and did not recover. Anyone can do a cutback, really, but to do it in one fluid motion is trickier and to do it at speed is what makes a good surfer great. I did it in one fluid motion but didn't have the wherewithal to harness the speed pocket of this fat-ish wave and I couldn't recover.
I caught another wave and went straight down to get as much speed as possible while using as much of the wave as possible. I swooped up off the trough as hard as I could and did a little snap, recovered, pumped and did another roundhouse cutty attempt. I did a little better this time, with more speed but still couldn't bring it all the way around.
A right came my way and I was paddling for it and having trouble. I finally got enough speed and grabbed my rail, kneeboard style. A split second after the lip went over my head, a little bit of it hit me in the head, obscuring my tube vision. I kept driving and marveling at how square that thing was and it freight trained beyond the point of making it. I kept going until the wave did its best Roberto Duran and told me, "No mas".
I caught another right and got into a pigdog stance, which is rare for me. The wave didn't barrel, but I got up and did an accidental pump which put me in an awkward position at the top of the wave, just below doing a floater. I recovered, did a cutdown, and smashed the lip as hard as I could. I kicked out and paddled back out.
I caught another left which closed out, but I was able to get a top of the trough pumps in and I could feel the speed. This isn't a move I've done before but I am picking up a lot from my out-of-the-water research. I wish I'd thought to do a foam climb, but I just jumped over the wash and that was that.
The wind got stronger and really put a bump on things, so I was out of there.
Goal Update: I still have not landed a roundhouse cutty, but I am getting close...! No 360 attempts and no notable speed reo attempts...
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